Pope expresses concern for prisoners

October 23, 2013: Pope Francis on Wednesday before the General Audience met with 200 Italian prison chaplains, who are in Rome for their annual national convention, and come from all over the country.

In his address he asked the chaplains to greet the jail inmates on his behalf and convey to them his assurances of prayers, that he cares for them and to tell them not to lose hope. The Pope also told the chaplains to look for the Lord who is in the jail among the inmates and within them. Claiming the Lord to be a prisoner of our selfish and unjust systems, He said “We find it easy to punish the weak, but the ‘big fish’ swim freely in the water. No cell is isolated so as to exclude the Lord, Not one!” He added. Therefore, he said “The Lord is there, crying with them, he works with them, hopes with them. His paternal and maternal love reaches everywhere.”

Referring to his visits to the Buenos Aires prisons and the telephone calls he makes to them, with all humility he admitted that he feels he is no less deserving to be in jail, more than those who are found in there, because, he said the weaknesses we have are the same and that we are sinners. He asked the chaplains to take up the important and challenging task to inspire hope in those who are detained in jails.

Here below is the text of his message with his usual off the cuff remarks, translated from the original Italian:

Thank you, and I would like to take advantage of this meeting with you who work in prisons all over Italy, in order to reach out and greet all detainees. To all of them, please say that I pray for them, I care for them, I pray the Lord and Our Lady that they can successfully clear this difficult period of their lives. …That they be not discouraged, that they do not close in: you know, one day it all goes well, another day it comes down, Those waves are difficult...

The Lord is near, but tell them with gestures, with words, with the heart that the Lord, does not stay out of their cells, does not stay out of the jail, He is in, is there. You can tell them this: the Lord is within them… even He is a prisoner yet, huh? Of our selfishness, our systems, of many injustices that find it easy to punish the weak, right? But the big fish swim freely in the water, right? No cell is isolated so as to exclude the Lord, Not one!: He's there, crying with them, he works with them, hopes with them. His paternal and maternal love reaches everywhere. I pray that each open our hearts to the love of the Lord. And also, when I receive a letter from one of them - in Buenos Aires I used to visit, right? - And here, every time I call some of the people of Buenos Aires that I know and who are in prison, on Sunday, and I have a chat. Then, when I finish, I think, "Why is he there and not me? and that I deserve to be there more than he…” And that is good for me, huh? Because he fell and I did not fall? Why.. the weaknesses that we have, are the same and for me it is a mystery that makes me pray and makes me closer to them, so to say, huh?

And I pray for you too Chaplains, for your ministry, it is not easy, huh?, Very challenging and very important. It expresses one of the works of mercy; also makes visible the presence of the Lord in jail, in the cell ... You are a sign of Christ's nearness to these brothers who are in need of hope. Recently, you spoke of a justice of reconciliation, no? Even a justice of hope, open doors, horizons ... This is not a utopia: it can be done. It is not easy, because of our weakness we are everywhere, even the devil is everywhere, temptations are everywhere ... but always look for the one, right? I hope that the Lord be with you always, bless you and Our Lady protect you, huh? Also from the hand of the Virgin Mary, because she is the Mother of all of you and all of them in jail, huh? I wish you that. Thank you.

The Lord bless you and Our Lady accompany you.
And we ask the Lord to bless you and your friends and your friends in prisons. But before you pray to Our Lady because we always bring to Jesus: Hail Mary ...
[Blessing]