Long-time readers of this blog may recall that when the JPIC Coordinators of the Congregation met in Rome in 2008, Centro Astalli -- a Roman shelter for refugees run by the Jesuit Refugee Service -- was one of the first places visited. So it is with greater interest that we follow reports of the Pope's visit there on Tuesday. (If you're not a long-time reader or you don't recall the report, click here to find it.)
Here is the Zenit report of Pope Francis's remarks at the refugee center, which focused on "serve, accompany, defend" and included: "Dearest men and women religious, the empty convents are useless to the Church if they are transformed into hotels and earn money. The empty convents aren’t ours; they are for Christ’s flesh, which the refugees are. The Lord calls us to live with generosity and courage [to offer] hospitality in empty convents. It certainly isn’t something simple; we need criteria, responsibility, but also courage. We do so much, perhaps we are called to do more, welcoming and sharing with determination what Providence has given us to serve; to overcome the temptation of spiritual worldliness to be close to simple persons and especially the least. We are in need of solidaristic communities that live love concretely!"
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