A Visit by Pope Francis!
Pope Francis surprises L’Arche Chicco community outside Rome with a papal visit. (Photo provided by Silva Volčič)
by Silva Volčič
None of us who woke up in Chicco Ark community expected to shake hands and talk with Pope Francis later that afternoon.
Like a lightning from clear skies
The big news came suddenly, only a few hours before the visit. Such sudden visits are not rare for Pope Francis, as he likes to avoid the “chaos” that could result in a small town like Chiampino.I returned from the city center and Silva just finished her afternoon rest, when Leszek, Polish priest who lives with us in the community, gave us some well-intentioned advice that it might be more appropriate to wear something better than shorts and a sports shirt.
A Pope is visiting us in half an hour time
‘Why?’ did I ask him. He replied: ‘Tu non sai? Arriva il Papa tra 30 minuti.’ (You don’t know? A Pope is visiting us in half an hour time.)
When we realized that we will actually meet the Holy Father, we quickly went to change our clothes.
Path, testimony, donation
Pope Francis gives a lot of attention to the poor in his pontificate. In fact, very often he speaks about those three steps, which are also basic building blocks to our Operando society: path, testimony and donations.
Read More at Operando
