Prime Minister António Costa, who had an audience with the Pope at the Vatican this Thursday to thank him for hosting World Youth Day (WYD) in Portugal, spoke with Francisco about peace, climate and migration, as he reported after the meeting.
“Essentially, this was a trip to thank Pope Francis for choosing Portugal to host WYD in the first place. It was an extraordinary job that we worked on for these five years because this week required a lot of work over many years. and it was a very hard work between the government and the Holy See, the Portuguese Church and all the institutions, as well as the local authorities who worked hard to make this Day possible,” said António Costa.
The chief executive spoke to reporters at the Portuguese Embassy to the Holy See in Rome after an audience, at his request, with the Pope to thank Portugal for choosing Portugal to host WYD and Francis’ visit to the country in August last year.
During the 45-minute meeting, António Costa said they looked at issues that the pope “has paid particular attention to”, such as migration, climate change, inequality and peace.
“Pope Francis – I don’t think I’ll say anything particularly new – is a particularly charming, particularly sensitive man who has a particularly clear message and who, at least for me, is quite easy to meet with his words, his message, and , therefore, it is always a very enriching conversation,” he said, meaning that the audience became “spiritually richer.”
On the other hand, António Costa found it easy to agree with the Pope’s words regarding what he says about migration, climate change or the need to find peace and fight inequality.
The head of government also emphasized that one of the keys to Pope Francis’ success is “the pursuit of the values of pedagogy, rather than proselytizing religion.”
“I think it has reached more people, mobilized more people, and when it reaches out to everyone, it actually insists that everyone includes those who are not believers,” he said.
The Prime Minister also said he sensed “Pope Francis’s great desire to deepen his reflection on what the Church must do to continue to connect increasingly with people.”
“It also brings home to you that, without being a believer, there is one thing I have no doubt about: what distinguishes a society, a community, is the ability to share values. And these values are very diverse. And these values are very diverse. “It is clear that in our societies the values of Christianity are the general values in our society today, not just the values of believers,” as well as the values of the European Union, he added.
For António Costa, “it is very important that institutions like the Church have strength, vitality and energy, that these values are put into practice and help to strengthen the sense of community.”
After the meeting with the Pope, the chief executive also had an audience with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
António Costa was accompanied by Foreign Minister João Gomes Cravinho, Deputy Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Ana Catarina Mendes, who was responsible for organizing WYD, and Portuguese Ambassador to the Holy See Domingos Fesas Vital.
The Portuguese delegation also included Diplomatic Advisor to the Prime Minister Fernando Morgado and Embassy Advisor Lucia Portugal Nuncio.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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