This Saturday, at a meeting with thousands of grandparents and grandchildren, Pope Francis said that older people “should not be left alone, but should live in a family,” thereby promoting dialogue between generations.
“Sometimes we hear phrases like “think about yourself” or “don’t depend on anyone.” This is a lie that deceives people into believing that it is good not to depend on others, to act independently, to live like islands,” the pontiff lamented in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican.
The pope warned that such an attitude “only creates great loneliness.”
“For example, because of the throwaway culture, older people are left alone and forced to spend the last years of their lives away from home and their loved ones (…) They should not be left alone, they should live with their family. , in society, with universal love. And if they cannot live with their family, we should go to them and be there for them,” he asked.
And he continued: “Our society is full of people who specialize in many things, are rich in knowledge and have means useful to everyone,” but all this is “threatened by selfishness.”
“If it is not divided, if everyone thinks about themselves, all wealth will be lost, this will mean the impoverishment of humanity. And this is a big risk for our time. Fragmentation and selfishness,” he emphasized.
Faced with this scenario, the Argentine Pope called for a world in which “no one is afraid to end his days alone,” promoting not only “aid programs” but also “various projects of existence” in which age is valued as “wealth for all “
Older people, he said, “come from far away because they have lived for many years and can teach a lot,” such as “how ugly war is.”
Francisco himself admitted that he learned this lesson from his Italian grandfather, who survived the First World War: “With his stories, he made me understand that war is terrible, that it should never be done,” he said, later recalling the song that was sung in front.
The 87-year-old Pope arrived at the Paul VI Hall alone, rather than in the wheelchair he usually uses due to knee problems, to take part in an intergenerational meeting organized by the Età Grande Foundation.
He did, however, use a chair to greet those present at the end of the hearing.
Waiting in the Vatican Hall, in addition to thousands of grandparents and children, was the actor and comedian Lino Banfi, known as the “grandfather of Italy” and dedicated a few words to the pontiff, declaring him “grandfather of the world.” for him.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal

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