BANGKOK, Nov 22 (TNA) – His Holiness Pope Francis has
urged for actions to help trafficked women and children and beggars during his
first Holy Mass on Thai soil.
Over 60,000 people joined the Holy Mass at Supachalasai
National Stadium in Bangkok on Thursday evening (Nov 21), a highlight of the historic
papal visit to Thailand.
Pope Francis said his thoughts went to women and children
who were victims of prostitution and human trafficking, young people enslaved
by drug addiction and a lack of meaning that makes them depressed and destroys
their dreams, migrants, deprived of their homes and families, many others who
feel orphaned and abandoned, and exploited fishermen and bypassed beggars.
“All of them are part of our family… they are our mothers,
our brothers and sister,” Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis also told Thai Catholics to be the missionary
disciples of Jesus following first missionaries to Thailand, reflecting the
motto for his visit “Christ’s Disciples, Missionary Disciples.”
The first papal visit since Pope John Paul II’s in 1984 coincides
with the 350th anniversary of the establishment of the Apostolic Vicariate of
Siam (the former name of Thailand) in 1669.
“The 350th anniversary helps us to go forth joyfully to
share the new life born of the Gospel with all the members of our family whom
we do not yet know,” Pope Francis said. (TNA)
