MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Support for Pope Francis is happening here in South Florida as churchgoers attend mass, including one that was held Monday with Thomas Wenski, the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Miami.
The mass was held at Saint Martha’s Church in Miami Shores.
“As you know, his situation is critical. It could go either way, and whichever way it goes is in God’s hands. But, whichever way it goes, we want to accompany him with our prayers,” Wenski said. “He’s the first Jesuit pope, the first pope from the Americas, the first pope to speak to a joint session of Congress.”
“He’s also a pope that has spoken very forcefully in the defense of migrants and immigrants,” Wenski added. “His first trip outside of Rome shortly after being elected pope was to Lampedusa, which is a small Italian island where African migrants … were washed ashore. So certainly, you know, we feel this closeness, especially during this time in which there’s a lot of heightened concern over immigration and people that are feeling a bit fearful.”
Several parishioners spoke about the Pope as well.
“It is the time we have our faith strongest to pray for the Pope with all our faith, all our love, someone who donate all his life for the church so we are now here in a moment of prayers,” said Andrea Kramer.
“His messages has always been help the least of our brothers and sisters and that is the mission and the work of Catholic Charities, so we look to him as a guiding light as we do to Archbishop Wenski,” said Peter Routisis-Arroyo, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami. “He is in our prayers and as archbishop so eloquently said today, if you have faith, you know if it goes the other way he will be in the hands of the lord and there is nothing greater than that.”
“He was the Archbishop of Argentina and he voluntarily lives a month (like) those who were in drastic living conditions just so he could empathize with those people more,” said Robert Rodriguez. “He is a tough cookie. He has already survived surgeries and he is 88 years old. He is an inspiring figure, willing to be with the everyday people and the poor as well.”
Earlier this month, on the American policy issue of mass deportations, Pope Francis said in a letter to U.S. bishops, “Let us ask Our Lady of Guadalupe to protect individuals and families who live in fear or pain due to migration and/or deportation.”
Here are some excerpts from the letter:
“I exhort all the faithful of the Catholic Church, and all men and women of good will, not to give in to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters.”
“What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly.”
“I have followed closely the major crisis that is taking place in the United States with the initiation of a program of mass deportations. The rightly formed conscience cannot fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality. At the same time, one must recognize the right of a nation to defend itself and keep communities safe from those who have committed violent or serious crimes while in the country or prior to arrival. That said, the act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness.”
Francis, who has double pneumonia and the early stages of kidney insufficiency, was awake and in good spirits Monday. He is not in pain and is not receiving artificial nutrition, the Vatican said.
Francis remained in critical condition later in the day but showed slight improvement in laboratory tests and resumed some work activities, including calling a parish in Gaza City that he has kept in touch with since the war there began, the Vatican said.