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October 24, 2021 "I express my closeness to the thousands of migrants, refugees and others in need of protection in Libya", said Jorge Mario Bergoglio at the Sunday Angelus. "I never forget you. I hear your cries and pray for you. Many of these men, women and children are subjected to inhuman violence. Once again I ask the international community to keep its promises to seek common, concrete and lasting solutions for management of migratory flows in Libya and throughout the Mediterranean. And how much those who are sent back suffer! There are real concentration camps there ... "Pope Francis recalled.



"It is necessary to put an end to the return of migrants to unsafe countries and to give priority to the rescue of human lives at sea with rescue devices and predictable disembarkation". It is the Pope's appeal to the Angelus. "To guarantee them dignified living conditions, alternatives to detention, regular immigration routes and access to asylum procedures. Let us all feel responsible for these brothers and sisters who have been victims of this very serious situation for too many years and pray for them in silence".



"If faith is alive, prayer is not about needs of the moment"


When faith is alive, prayer is heartfelt: it does not beg for small change, it is not reduced to the needs of the moment. To Jesus, who can do everything, everything must be asked ". Thus Pope Francis before the recitation of the Angelus." Do not forget this - he added off the cuff -. He is looking forward to pouring his grace and joy into our hearts, but unfortunately we are the ones who keep our distance, perhaps out of shyness, laziness or disbelief. Many of us when we pray we do not believe ".



The Pontiff commenting on the Gospel of today's Liturgy which tells of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar to whom Jesus restores sight, underlines the force with which man begs him.

"Let us ask ourselves: 'How is my prayer going?' Is it courageous, does it have the good insistence of Bartimaeus', does it know how to 'grasp' the passing Lord, or is it content to give him a formal greeting every now and then, when I remember? These lukewarm prayers that help nothing. And then: is my prayer 'substantial', does it lay bare my heart before the Lord? heartless?".