Pope sends video message to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay

A week before his Apostolic Visit to South America, Pope Francis has sent a video message to the people of Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay. The text follows below:

Dear brothers and sisters of Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay,

There is little time before my trip. With this preliminary greeting, I would like to express my closeness, my sympathy and my good will. My wish is to be with you, to share your concerns, to express my affections and closeness, as well as rejoice with you too.

I want to be a witness of this joy of the Gospel and bring to you the tenderness and caress of God, our Father, especially to your children most in need, to the elderly, the sick, the imprisoned, the poor, to those who are victims of this throwaway culture. The love of the merciful Father allows us beyond measure to discover the face of his Son Jesus in each brother, in each sister of ours, in the neighbour. One only needs to come close, to be a neighbour. As Jesus said to that young doctor of the law when he asked: Who is my neighbour? Go and do what the Good Samaritan did, go and do the same, be close, do not pass by.

In this trip I will visit three sister nations in the lands of the American continent. The faith that we all share is a source of brotherhood and solidarity, it builds villages, it forms family of families, it fosters harmony and encourages the desire and commitment to peace.

In these days before our meeting, I give thanks to God for you, and I ask that you be steadfast in the faith, that you may have the fire of love, of charity and that you hold fast to the hope that never disappoints. I urge you to unite your prayers to mine so that the announcement of the Gospel can reach to the farthest outskirts and continue to make the values of the Kingdom of God a leaven of the earth in our days as well.

May the Blessed Virgin take care of you, as Mother of America and may the Lord bless you. Thank you, see you soon and please, do not forget to pray for me.

Today (Monday) Pope Francis asked for prayers for his upcoming voyage to Ecuador, Bolivia, and Paraguay, scheduled for the 5-13 July. In remarks to the gathered faithful in St Peter's Square following the Angelus prayer after Mass to mark the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, patrons of the city of Rome, the Holy Father said: "I ask you all to accompany me with prayer, that the Lord will bless my journey on the continent of Latin America so dear to me, as you can imagine."

Pope Francis went on to say: "I express to the dear peoples of Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay my joy at being in their homelands, and I ask you, in a particular way, to pray for me and for this trip, that the Virgin Mary might give us the gift of accompanying all of us with her maternal protection."

Source: VIS