Pope Francis ended his 46th apostolic journey with an appeal for peace in the Middle East: “Let the hostages be released and humanitarian aid allowed.” Marking the 110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, he urges Europe, “to consider the phenomenon of migration as an opportunity to grow together in fraternity.” On the abuse scandal, he says: “In the Church there is room for everyone, everyone, everyone, but we shall all be judged.”

Brussels (AsiaNews) – Today was the final day of Pope Francis's apostolic journey to Belgium and Luxembourg, the 46th of his pontificate. This morning he led the Eucharistic celebration in Brussels in front of 40,000 faithful in the city’s main stadium, which is named after the late King Baudouin, who refused to sign the country’s abortion law. “I will start the process of [his] beatification," the pontiff said.

The Angelus followed the Mass. The pontiff thanked the country’s king and queen as well as all those who contributed to the visit’s success, “especially the elderly and the sick who offered their prayers”.

Francis also reiterated his fears for the suffering in the Middle East. "Lebanon is a message, but right now it is a battered message, and this war has devastating effects on the population,” he said. “Many, too many people continue to die day after day."  

He offered his prayers: “For the victims, for their families, let us pray for peace”, calling for the "gift of peace"  for “martyred Ukraine, Palestine and Israel, South Sudan, Myanmar and all the lands wounded by war".

“I call on all parties to immediately cease fire in Lebanon, Gaza, the rest of Palestine, Israel. Let the hostages be released and humanitarian aid allowed. Let us not forget the martyred Ukraine.”

At the start of the commentary before the Marian prayer, the pope spoke about the 110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, whose theme this year is "God walks with his people”.

“From this country, Belgium, which has been and still is the destination of so many migrants, I renew my appeal to Europe and to the international community to consider the phenomenon of migration as an opportunity to grow together in fraternity," Francis said. “I invite everyone to see in every migrant brother and sister the face of Jesus who became a pilgrim guest in our midst.”

During his homily, Pope Francis cited today's Gospel passage (Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48), centred on Jesus’s warning: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe [in me] to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea” (Mk 9:42).”

He went on to focus on three key words: openness, communion, and witness.

Openness means that "The community of believers is not a circle of privileged people. It is a family of the saved, and we are not sent to bring the Gospel to the world by our own merits, but by the grace of God.”

Yet, “We must not resent this, but rather rejoice in the fact that others can also do what we do, so that the Kingdom of God may grow and we find ourselves all united, one day, in the arms of the Father.” This is the hope for an open Church.

As for the second word, communion, Francis slammed selfishness for it “impedes charity, it is scandalous because it crushes the little ones, humiliating the dignity of people and stifling the cry of the poor."

Turning his thoughts to abused people, some of whom he met during this visit, the pontiff said: "I heard them (little ones), I heard their suffering as abused people. Let me repeat it here: In the Church there is room for everyone, everyone, everyone, but we shall all be judged.” But “There is no place for abuse, there is no place for covering up abuse.”

Strong words followed, focusing on one of the themes – sexual abuse, abuse of power and abuse of conscience – that casts a long shadow on the Church.

“I ask everyone: do not cover up abuse. I ask the bishops: do not cover up abuse. Condemn the abused and help them heal themselves from this disease of abuse. Evil cannot be hidden. Evil must be brought out into the open". “Let the abuser be judged, whether a lay man, woman, priest or bishop.”

Turning to the last word, witness, Pope Francis cited the example of Anna de Gesù, born Anna de Lobera (1545-1621).

“In the Church of her time, this woman played a major role in a great reform movement, in the footsteps of a giant of the spirit, Teresa of Avila. [. . .] She and her companions, with their simple and poor life, made up of prayer, work and charity, were able to bring many people back to the faith.”

Her “delicate yet strong” model, “made up of openness, communion and witness” is an inspiring  witness of “feminine holiness”. Hence, “Let us recommend ourselves to her prayer, imitate her virtues, and renew with her our commitment to walk together in the footsteps of the Lord.”

• vatican
• pope francis
• angelus
• belgium
• apostolic visit
• sexual abuse scandal
• openness
• communion
• witness
• migrants