Peace be with you! Dearest brothers and sisters, this was the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for the flock of God. I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all the peoples, and all the earth: Peace be with you.
This is the peace of the risen Christ, a disarming and humble and preserving peace. It comes from God. God, who loves all of us, without any limits or conditions. Let us keep in our ears the weak but always brave voice of Pope Francis, who blessed Rome — the Pope who blessed Rome and the world that day on the morning of Easter.
Allow me to continue that same blessing. God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs his light. Humanity needs him like a bridge to reach God and his love. You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace.
Thank you, Pope Francis!
Thank you to my Cardinal brothers who chose me to be the successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united church searching all together for peace and justice, working together as women and men, faithful to Jesus Christ without fear, proclaiming Christ, to be missionaries, faithful to the Gospel.
I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian. He said, “With you I am a Christian, for you a bishop.” So may we all walk together toward that homeland that God has prepared for us.
To the church of Rome, a special greeting: We have to look together how to be a missionary church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.
And if you allow me also, a word, a greeting to all those and in a particular way to my dear diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru, where a faithful people has accompanied its bishop, has shared its faith and has given so much, so much to continue being a faithful church of Jesus Christ.
To all of you, brothers and sisters of Rome, of Italy, and of the whole world, we want to be a synodal Church, a Church that walks, a Church that always seeks peace, always seeks charity, always strives to be close especially to those who suffer.
Today is the day of the supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii. Our Mother Mary always wants to walk with us, to be close, to help us with her intercession and her love.
So I would like to pray together with you: let us pray together for this new mission, but also for the whole Church and for peace in the world. Let us ask for this special grace from Mary, our Mother.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
