Pope urges poor, disabled children to ‘keep the light of love burning’

PORT MORESBY – On his first full day in the capital city of Papua New Guinea, Pope Francis met poor and disabled children, telling them they are each a gift from God, regardless of their condition, and urging them to make the world better by studying and choosing to love.

The group was composed of students at the Caritas Technical Secondary School in Port Moresby, which serves around 1,000 youth. There were some 800 students inside the hall with the pope, and another 700 people were in a separate overflow hall.

After the children performed a dance wearing traditional clothing, two children asked questions, one a deaf boy named Clemens who, aided by his sister Genevieve, who asked the question aloud as he signed, questioned why some children suffer from disabilities while others don’t, and whether there is hope for disabled children such as him who are often stigmatized.

Another child from the streets said they at times feel like burdens, and asked Pope Francis why they don’t have the same opportunities as other children, and what they can do despite their limited resources to make the world a more beautiful and happier place.

In his response, Francis told Clemens that he is not like other children because “none of us is like anyone else, because we are all unique in God’s eyes.”

“It’s not only that there is hope for everyone, but I would add each one of us has a role and mission in the world that no one else can fulfill,” he said, saying that even if it is difficult, “carrying out our mission will also give us a lot of joy in ways that are different to each person.”

Each person has limitations and struggles, and there are things they can’t do, “but this does not determine our happiness,” he said. What does, he said, is choosing to love.

“This is true for each person, no matter who or where they find themselves,” and it is even true for the pope, he said.

On how to make the world a more beautiful place, Pope Francis told children to follow the “same recipe” by “learning to love God, day by day, with all our hearts,” and by learning everything they can at school so they can “grow, improve and refine” their skills and make a positive contribution.

He pointed to the way a cat jumps as an example, noting that right before a cat makes the leap, it turns all of its muscles in the direction it wants to go and then jumps.

This can happen fast or slow, the pope said, but told the children that “we can do the same, which is focusing all our strength on the same goal: Jesus and all our brothers and sisters we meet on the way.”

“In this sense none of us is burdensome. We are all beautiful gifts from God, a treasure for one another,” he said, and thanked the children for meeting with him.

Francis told them to “always keep this light of love burning, which is a sign of hope,” and to spread it to all those they meet in the world, “which is often selfish and preoccupied on the things that don’t matter.”

“Keep the light of love burning, and please, pray for me too,” he said.

Pope Francis met the children after holding a meeting with the Governor General of Papua New Guinea and speaking to civil authorities earlier that morning.

The children who participated in the audience belong to “Street Ministry,” a pastoral office he launched by Cardinal John Ribat, archbishop of Port Moresby, in 2010, as well as those helped by the Callan Services, which was established by the Christian Brothers.

Sister Joy, a Missionary of Charity who works at the school, told journalists that in many cases, children whose father dies and whose mother remarries are not allowed to belong to the new family, and are often cared for by their grandparents.

The sisters also care for children whose parents work in markets and are unable to care for the children or look after them during they day. They also train students in life skills, including business studies.

In a brief greeting to Pope Francis, Ribat said that his presence in Papua New Guinea is proof that “Jesus does not point his finger at anyone, but opens his arms and embraces all.”

“Jesus never closes the door, never, but invites us to enter; Jesus welcomes,” he said, saying the pope’s words “provide us with consolation, support and encouragement. They give us motivation to live with the vulnerable in our society in our deliberate commitment to promote justice and peace among our people.”

He called the pope’s visit a “once in a lifetime experience,” and said it’s an encouragement to that can help the local church “to renew our commitment to our faith community.”

“Your voice comforts us in our struggles and heartaches; we are indebted to you for making yourself available to us…Your presence in our land helps all of us to know more about who and what we are, to love what we know and thus serve what we love,” he said.

In an era of rapid technological and scientific advancement, Ribat said, the church “keeps our hopes alive by accompanying us and leading us forward in life.”

“Thus, we recall where we have been and where we are going. We remember you in our daily prayers, especially that you may have good health,” he said.