Today, the morning began with a heartwarming visit from His Holiness, Pope Francis, as he made his way to the Sisters Alma school for disabled children after leaving the Apostolic Nunciature.
Upon his arrival at 8:45 local time, the Pope was greeted by a group of Sisters of the Congregation of Alma and children in traditional attire singing joyfully. He proceeded to the San Vincenzo de’ Paoli Hall, where he interacted with around 50 children and 28 nuns. Amidst a delightful performance, a child presented him with a traditional scarf, symbolizing a gesture of respect. Sister Getrudis Bidi, the Superior of the Congregation of Alma, then showcased the charitable work to Pope Francis. As the visit concluded, a lively song and dance commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Congregation of Alma was performed, and a plaque was presented for the Pope’s signature.
After the heartening visit, His Holiness embarked on a journey to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Dili, symbolizing a day filled with blessings and inspirations.
Words of Wisdom from Pope Francis
During his visit, Pope Francis shared profound words with the children:
“There is one thing that always makes me think… To let ourselves be cared for by God, who loves us so much, to let ourselves be cared for by Our Lady, who is our Mother.”
He emphasized the importance of love as the essence of life and praised the children for embodying true compassion and care. The Pope highlighted the need to embrace the beauty of being cared for and to extend that love to others in need. He commended the children for being exemplary teachers of love and reiterated the significance of letting oneself be nurtured by the divine presence in our lives.
As the visit wrapped up, Pope Francis led a heartfelt prayer to Our Lady and bestowed his blessings upon the gathering, emphasizing the importance of allowing oneself to be nurtured and cared for.
Before departing, he exchanged gifts with the children, leaving them with a poignant message: “The most important one is the one who lets himself be cared for the most: Jesus.”
