On 10 June Saturday, the meeting on Human Fraternity took place in Saint Peter’s Square Pope Francis said “the heavens above invite us to walk together, to rediscover each other as brothers and sisters and to believe in the fraternity as the foundation of our pilgrimage.” He praises the Declaration on Human Fraternity prepared by 30 Nobel Prize laureates and signed at the meeting conclusion.
The Pope added his voice to all those present in affirming “the desire for fraternity and peace in the world.” The worldwide dimension of the event came through with moving testimonies and interviews of people of all walks of life from around the globe sharing experiences of their trials and tribulations.
All underscored the gestures of goodwill and fraternity that they had received, despite the scars left from harrowing experiences of war, poverty, or suffering. #NotAlone, but united together in solidarity and friendship, they have been able to go forward in life and called on everyone to come together as brothers and sisters to witness to our common humanity and to respond to the call to the fraternity.
“Indeed, the heavens above invite us to walk together, to rediscover each other as brothers and sisters and to believe in fraternity as the foundation of our pilgrimage.”
Participants shared their experiences and testimonies also live with link-ups to over eight countries around the world, including Italy (Trappani), Congo (Brazzaville), the Central African Republic (Bangui), Ethiopia, Argentina (Buenos Aires), Israel (Jerusalem), Japan (Nagasaki), and Peru (Lima).
Recalling his Encyclical Fratelli tutti, the Pope in his message says authentic fraternity calls us to see each other as a brother or a sister – not just a statistic, or a “other”, but a human person who has dignity and merits respect. In our suffering world marked by exploitation and indifference, violence and wars, “tweaks and adjustments are not enough,” the Pope writes.
“Only a great spiritual and social covenant born from the heart and centered on fraternity can restore the sacredness and inviolability of human dignity as the core of relationships.”