Pope honours Italian missionary
nun at General Audience
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| Pope Francis with Sr Maria Concetta Esu at the General Audience (Vatican Media) |
Pope Francis on Wednesday honoured Sr Maria Concetta Esu for
her tireless work as a midwife in Africa over the past 60 years.
By Lydia O'Kane
Sister Maria Concetta Esu is an Italian nun who
for almost 60 years has devoted her life to missionary work in Africa. In her
profession as a midwife, Sister Concetta has delivered thousands of babies and
at 85 her commitment to children, mothers and families continues.
In recognition of her tireless efforts, Pope Francis at the
end of his General Audience on Wednesday, honoured this Sister
from the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Joseph of Genoni, telling her
this accolade was “a sign of our affection and our ‘thanks’ for all the work
you have done in the midst of our African brothers and sisters, in the service
of life…”
The Pope told the pilgrims present that he had met Sr Maria
Concetta in Bangui in the Central African Republic during his visit to open the
Jubilee of Mercy in 2015, adding, “that day, too, she came from Congo in a
canoe, … to do her shopping in Bangui.”
While honouring this religious sister, the Pontiff also took
the opportunity to express his gratitude to all the missionaries, priests,
religious and laity, who, he said, may not make the news, but “sow the seeds of
the Kingdom of God in every part of the world.”
The Pope also spoke of Brazilian Cardinal Cláudio Hummes,
who he recounted “goes to the cemetery and visits the graves of missionaries;
many young people who have died from diseases...” Pope Francis said that the
Cardinal told him, ‘they all deserve to be canonized’, because their life has
been ‘consumed’ in service.
Sister Maria Concetta, who is in Rome for a meeting with her
Congregation, is due to return to Africa to continue her work. Bidding her
farewell, Pope Francis said, “Let us accompany her with prayer. And may her
example help us all to live the Gospel wherever we are."
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