“Let's defend the family, which is the oxygen for raising children.” This is what Pope Francis said during a meeting with some 30 families in the courtyard of a building in western Rome on June 6, 2024. The 87-year-old Pontiff, who regularly leaves the Vatican to meet the faithful, gave parents some advice on how to promote peace in the family and educate their children.
“Even in families there are storms. If parents fight, it is normal, but they should have a chance to make up before the day is over, because the cold war the next day is terrible,” he said.
As part of the 2024 Year of Prayer in preparation for the 2025 Jubilee in Rome, the Pope continued his surprise outings in his diocese. Arriving in his wheelchair, he spoke with the parishioners of the Church of Saint Bridget of Sweden, in the Palmarola neighborhood on the outskirts of Rome, in the middle of an open-air courtyard with unfinished cinder block walls. There were young families, as well as elders and teenagers in the crowd.
Some important advice
To parents who asked him how to keep the faith in these difficult times and how to awaken their children's faith, the Pope replied that the “first piece of advice is for parents to love each other” and for children to be able to feel this.
“If you have to fight, don't do it in front of the kids,” he urged, before explaining that it is always important to dialogue with one’s children. “Make them understand that they can talk about anything,” he underlined.
To some young people who asked him how to grow in their faith, he told them that “the only way is through witness.”
“You have the responsibility to carry the story forward. One of the beautiful things about young people is that they pick themselves up. We all fall in life, but the important thing is not to remain fallen if you slip,” he said.
Gifts and greetings
One woman shared her emotion at seeing the Pope in the simple courtyard, as it made her feel he was “part of their community.” The Pope also gave the families an icon of the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus to be hung in the building in remembrance of his visit.
As Vatican News reports, he then stopped to greet members of the crowd individually and even said “hello” virtually to a grandmother, “Nonna Maria,” through a video call, as her nephew contacted her through Skype so she could participate in this moment.
The Pope has already visited two Roman parishes, in April and May, as part of the “School of Prayer,” an initiative managed through the Dicastery for Evangelization in preparation for the Holy Year 2025. For the Jubilee, more than 30 million pilgrims are expected to come to Rome. The Pope has also visited several areas around Rome in order to meet with priests behind closed doors.
During the Year of Mercy, the Pope carried out similar visits with the "Fridays of Mercy" initiatives, which saw him visiting various places around the diocese centered on service.
