Insights from the Pope
Not Lost in Translation, an interview at the Vatican with Pope Francis (Sunday May 19)
I am an avid viewer of 60 Minutes, a CBS weekly production that I believe offers fair and honest journalism about interesting world events and the latest news in an unbiased manner. Topics have focused recently on the people of Ukraine, and the conflict in Palestine and Israel. But this interview was a breath of fresh air.
60 Minutes presenter Norah O'Donnell interviewed Pope Francis, in his native Spanish, through a translator, for more than an hour. Not lost in translation was the 87-year old's pontiff’s warmth, intelligence and conviction about suffering people. His concerns about migrants and suffering of children resonated with me. The migrant must be received, and this process needs to be done humanely, he stated. This message hit home for me as well and was a driving force for the establishment of LHCC almost twelve years ago, to love on our neighbors, regardless of who God sends our way into the South Blvd corridor.
While I’m not a Catholic, many of the Latino families we serve at LHCC consider themselves Roman Catholics, or enjoy an association with the faith of approx. 1.4 billion world-wide members. I was therefore intrigued about their church’s World Children's Day. This coming weekend, the pontiff explained that he will welcome tens of thousands of young people to the Vatican, including refugees of war.
Francis is the first pope from Argentina, and therefore from the Americas. He has dedicated his life and ministry to the poor, the peripheral, and the forgotten. Sounds a lot like Mother Teresa.
Here were some of my takeaways, based on his remarks:
All ideology is bad, and anti-Israel is bad
Migration is something that makes a country grow. We ought to build bridges, not walls
Please stop the wars, and strive for peace
There is a globalization of indifference. He went on and stated “Please, we have to get our hearts to feel again. The globalization of indifference is a very ugly disease, very ugly"
Who am I to judge? Homosexuality is not a crime, but a human fact.
Bless each person, yes, but not the union. This was in reference to same sex marriage
We, humans, are all fundamentally good·
The blessing is for everyone
The gospel is {also} for everyone
What gives him hope? Everything. There is beauty all around. Heroic mothers and men. Men and women who have hope and dreams. That gives him hope.
You can watch the interview and read the entire script here:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pope-francis-interview-60-minutes-transcript/
Brent Morris
Executive Director
May 20, 2024
