Pope Francis honored his northern Italian roots by celebrating a special Mass in his father’s hometown and encouraging younger generations to not be indifferent to the poverty and misery all around them.
ASTI, Italy — Pope Francis honored his northern Italian roots on Sunday by celebrating a special Mass in his father’s hometown and encouraging younger generations to not be indifferent to the poverty and misery all around them.
“From these lands, my father set out as an immigrant to Argentina, and to these lands, rendered precious by the rich fruits of the soil and above all by the native industriousness of their people, I have now returned to rediscover and savor my roots,” he said at the start of his homily. Francis hasn’t returned home to his own birthplace in Buenos Aires since assuming the papacy nearly 10 years ago and he rarely speaks about his family, siblings or childhood. The exception is his frequent reference to the important role his paternal grandmother, Rosa, had in his upbringing and in passing along her Catholic faith.
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