The Pope’s visit Francis to Morocco on March 30-31 will be «a great event for our Church,» said Archbishop Cristòbal Lòpez of Rabat, Fides News Agency reported February 25, 2015.
«They will be two very demanding days, full of meaningful meetings,» starting with the migrants of the diocesan Caritas of the capital and the social center run by the Daughters of Charity, on the outskirts of the city, according to the archbishop. A visit to the Mohamed VI Institute for the formation of the Imams and preachers is also scheduled, as well as the meeting with His Majesty the King and the Moroccan people on the esplanade of the Hassan Mosque.
«All Christians who want to meet the Pope during the Mass can do so,» Archbishop Lopez said. «You will need to have patience and pass the necessary security measures, but it will be important to be there.
«The Eucharist, the culmination and source of all Christian life, will also be the culmination of Pope Francis’ visit and the source of all that will result from his presence among us.»
Archbishop Lopez points out: «The Pope will come to Morocco as the father of all Catholic Christians, a person of good will who wants to meet everyone. And for everyone, he presents himself as ‘Servant of Hope’. He comes to fill us with hope, to give us strength, to recover from discouragement, to instill enthusiasm; he comes to announce the Gospel to us.
«On our behalf, we must welcome him as a human being like us, the voice that announces his message, the Gospel. Attention must be paid to listening to his words, to receiving his message, witnessed by words and gestures. The Pope is not the sun; he is the finger; let us look at the sun, which is Christ, and not the finger. The Pope is arriving: let’s get ready to welcome him!»
