(ANS - Vatican City) – At yesterday’s general audience, as he usually does after an apostolic visit, the Holy Father shared with all the faithful his experiences and impressions of his latest trip, to Turkey. Retracing the key stages, Pope Francis recalled with emotion the young refugees he met in Istanbul and the Salesians who take care of them.

These are the words of the Pope: "My last meeting was beautiful and, at the same time, painful. It was with a group of young refugees who are cared for by the Salesians. It was very important for me to meet some refugees from the war zones of the Middle East, both to tell them of my closeness to them and the closeness of the Church, and to emphasize the value of hospitality, in which Turkey has shown great commitment. Once again I thank Turkey for accepting so many refugees and I sincerely thank the Salesians of Istanbul.

These Salesians work with refugees, and they are good! I also met some German priests and a Jesuit and others who work with refugees, but that Salesian oratory for refugees is a beautiful thing. It is a hidden work. Thank you so much to all those people who work with refugees. We pray for all refugees and IDPs, and pray that the causes of this painful scourge may be eliminated."

The Pope's visit to the Salesian work in Istanbul has turned the spotlight on a little-known fact - what the Pope himself calls “a hidden work" – as a very precious and clear expression of the universal motherhood of the Church. It is interesting to note how greatly the work of a few simple people impacts on the lives of these young refugees.

In this regard Fr Andrés Callejas, Rector of the Salesian Community in Istanbul, spoke on TV2000, the broadcasting channel of the Italian Episcopal Conference. He said that refugees who passed through this centre have rebuilt their lives in Western countries and come back to Istanbul after twenty years to thank their benefactors. The genuine love they experience here has already inspired several vocations.

Published 04/12/2014