‘GOD WEEPS’ FOR PRIESTS’ VICTIMS
Doing the lord’s work in prison
PHILADELPHIA — Pope Francis visited a Philadelphia jail Sunday and ministered to prisoners, urging the incarcerated to use their time behind bars to find a new spiritual path.
His Holiness met with 100 inmates at of the CurranFromhold Correctional Facility, including killers, rapists and mobsters.
He’s the first pope to visit an American lockup.
“This time in your life can only have one purpose: To give you a hand in getting back on the right road, to give you a hand to help you rejoin society,” Francis said.
“All of us are part of that effort, all of us are invited to encourage, help and enable your rehabilitation.”
The inmates, some heavily tattooed, wore their blue jailissued uniforms.
The incarcerated faithful appeared to be moved by Francis’ visit. Two of them even gave Francis a hug.
“May you make possible new opportunities, new journeys, new paths,” Francis said while standing in front of a wooden chair inmates constructed for Sunday’s visit.
CurranFromhold Correctional houses 3,000 inmates.
“Jesus invites us to share in his lot, his way of living and acting. He teaches us to see the world through his eyes,” Francis said.
“Eyes which are not scandalized by the dust picked up along the way, but want to cleanse, heal and restore. He asks us to create new opportunities — for inmates, for their families, for correctional authorities, and for society as a whole.” Frank Rosario,
with David K. Li in NY, Wires