Healing cynicism and indifference starts with small gestures — little sparks of beauty that can mend societies.
The Pope suggested this in a message delivered today to participants in the XXI Joint Meeting of the eleven Pontifical Academies.
The Pope’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, read the Message to participants gathered in the Apostolic Chancery on Tuesday afternoon. They are exploring the theme: Sparks of beauty to give a more human visage to our cities.
“Taking care of people, starting with the smallest and weakest, and of their daily bonds,” writes Pope Francis, “necessarily also means taking care of the environment in which they live. Small gestures, simple actions, small sparks of beauty and love can heal, ‘mending’ the often lacerated and divided human fabric [of society], as well as that of a city and of the environment, representing a concrete alternative to indifference and cynicism.”
The Holy Father’s Message was addressed to Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, who also serves as President of the Coordinating Committee for the Pontifical Academies.
