After praying the midday Angelus, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2020, with those gathered in St. Peter’s Square, present were two young people of the Catholic Action of the Diocese of Rome, who, with the “Caravan of Peace,” ended the month of January, traditionally dedicated by them to the theme of peace.

At the end of the Angelus prayer, the two children belonging to two different Roman parishes and invited to the papal apartment, read a message in the name of Catholic Action of Rome.

ZENIT has translated their full message into English and publishes it below:

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Italian Catholic Action, Diocese of Rome

Dear Pope Francis,

We, the youngsters of ACR [Catholic Action of Rome] are here together with you, with our parents, teachers and friends, to cry out to our city and to the whole world our wish for peace!

We have come to meet with you on this first “Sunday of the Word of God,” which you desired so that we can all concentrate “on the great value that the Word of God occupies in our daily existence.”

From this year on, it will be an appointment that we will attend with joy!

In this associative year, together with Catholic Action and together with the Cardinal Vicar and the whole city of Rome, we are learning to understand how, with our commitment and little daily gestures we can make our city better. The slogan that accompanies us is, in fact, “The Just City.” It’s said that Rome is a noisy and confusing city. Well! Today we wish to bring a bit of that noise and positive confusion to make ourselves heard and to launch our messages of peace!

In the Gospel passage on which we reflected; Jesus says to us that every time we help someone who is in need, we will have done it to Him. It’s because of this that — this year also — we re committed to do little renunciations and to help children and families of two villages in Pakistan with the “Mission Bhatti Onlus” Association and, in Kenya, with the Africa Calls Onlus Association, supporting them in their primary needs.

Dear Pope, thank you for receiving us also this year! It’s a very important moment for us:

  • It’s the year that, be it in the parishes as well as in diocesan and national Catholic Action the positions of responsibility are renewed. We entrust to you all those that have been or will be called to guide and accompany our associations!
  • It’s the year in which we conclude the celebrations of the 150 years of the Diocesan Catholic Action and of the 50 years of Youngsters’ Catholic Action. We want to blow these candles out with you! Each group present today has brought one, expressing a desire for ACR: we hope to become ever “greater” in the faith and to be ever closer to our brothers, to the least and to the poor!

Dear Pope, we have been doing the Caravan of Peace for 41 years: we thank you for the opportunity that you have given us to come to Saint Peter’s and the streets of Rome to shout for Peace; thank you because every time you make us feel at home.!

Thank you, Pope Francis, for what you are and what you represent for us. Remember that ACR always prays for you and to say together with us today that “Rome Shouts Peace!”

The A.C.R. of Rome that loves you so much.

[Translation by ZENIT’s Virginia Forrester]

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