Pilgrim Blog 25 - Papal Welcome

Location, Location ~ Vincent Cavanagh ©2023

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We’ve pegged out our spot for the Welcoming Ceremony.

Walking to our spot for the Welcome

Walking to our position for the Welcome to Pope Francis ~ Vincent Cavanagh ©2023

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Look at them go; they’re on a mission from God.

Pope Francis greeting the crowds ~ Vincent Cavanagh ©2023

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On his journey around the crowds before reaching the main WYD stage.
There was a sense of peace, something like a cloud of peace, around Pope Francis as he was driven around the crowd of pilgrims.

Pope Francis giving his address—on the big screen ~ Vincent Cavanagh ©2023

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What we can see on the sightscreen as Pope Francis gives his address to the crowd of pilgrims. Certainly, look out for the transcript of this address, it was very good.

Here’s a paragraph from the English translation of his address (1 pm, 4 Aug); only the Spanish translation was available this morning (1 am, 4 Aug). God bless all those working as translators for us.
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“You are not here by accident. The Lord has called you, not only in these days, but from the very beginning of your days. He called you by name. Let us listen to the Word of God that called us by name. Try to imagine these three words written in large letters. Then consider that they were written within you, on your hearts, as if setting the direction of your lives, the meaning of who you are: you have been called by name. Each of us is called by name. You, you and you, all of us here, myself included: all of us have been called by name. Not impersonally, but by name. Think of this: Jesus called me by name. His words are inscribed in our hearts, and we come to realize that they are written in the hearts of every one of us, as a kind of title that tells people who we are, who you are. You have been called by name. None of us is a Christian by chance; all of us were called by name. At the beginning of the story of our lives, before any talents we may have, before any shadows or wounds we may be carrying in our hearts, we were called. Why? Because we are loved. This is something beautiful. In God’s eyes, we are precious children, and He calls us each day in order to embrace and encourage us, to make of us a unique and original masterpiece. Each of us is an “original”, whose beauty we can only begin to glimpse.”

Everyone listening to Pope Francis ~ Vincent Cavanagh ©2023

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Everyone sitting down and actually listening.
His address definitely touched hearts.
What I remember most is: ‘God loves you as you are, not as you think you should be (in order to be loved/loveable)’

All flags waving as Pope Francis leaves ~ Vincent Cavanagh ©2023

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We won’t see him again until the Stations of the Cross, tomorrow night, and at the Saturday night vigil, and at the Closing Mass on Sunday. On Saturday morning, Pope Francis is visiting Fátima and spending time with young people who live with illness.


Vincent Cavanagh   #bbwyd
#wydlisbon   #wyd2023   #lisboa2023
3 Aug 2023, 8.10pm Portugal | 4 Aug 2023, 5.10am Sydney

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