On the morning of Friday, August 4, Pope Francis administered the sacrament of Reconciliation to three young people: a 21-year-old Spanish boy, a 33-year-old Guatemalan girl and a 19-year-old Italian man. The encounter with the Mercy of God took place in the Vasco da Gama Garden in Lisbon, the place chosen to host the 150 confessionals of World Youth Day (WYD).
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Built from recyclable materials, the confessionals were produced by young inmates from the prisons of Passos de Ferreira, Porto and Coimbra. In addition to the Pope, several priests take turns attending to the confessions of pilgrims. In the Park of Forgiveness, as the place is called during WYD, young people can confess in different languages and with accessibility.
Meeting with the poor
After confession, the Pontiff headed to the Parish of St. Vincent de Paul in the Serafina neighborhood on the outskirts of Lisbon. The Parish Social Center serves about 800 people, from the nursery to family support. Welcoming those present, Francis thanked them for their work and spoke of the importance of “concrete” gestures of love, without “disgust” at the poverty of others.
“The excluded, the marginalized, the discarded, the humble, the defenseless. They are the treasure of the Church, they are God’s favorites!” he said.
With his trademark improvisation, Francis also said that “there could not be a World Youth Day without taking into account this reality (of solidarity), because this is also youth in the sense that you continually generate new life.”
And, he concluded: “Go ahead and do not be discouraged! And if you get discouraged, take a glass of water and keep going!”
Follow the broadcast through Youtube Halleluya Music Festival.
Service
Halleluya Music Festival
When: August 1st to 4th, 2pm to 11pm
Where: Alameda Dom Afonso Henriques, Lisbon – Portugal
Follow: @halleluyalisboa