Pope Francis pays tribute to Jean
Vanier
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| Pope Francis receives Jean Vanier in audience in the Vatican on 21 March 2014 |
Christian philosopher, writer and humanist Jean Vanier, an
ardent advocate for the most marginalized by society, died on 7 May aged 90.
Pope Francis paid tribute to him as he travelled back to the Vatican after a
three-day apostolic visit to the Balkan nations of Bulgaria and North
Macedonia.
By Linda Bordoni
“I want to express my gratitude for his testimony” Pope
Francis told journalists aboard the papal flight from Skopje to Rome,
as he recalled Jean Vanier who died on Tuesday.
As he prepared for the questions put to him during the usual
inflight press conference upon his return from an apostolic visit abroad, the
Pope’s priority was to pay his heartfelt tribute to the man whom, he said, was
able to read and interpret the Christian gaze on “the mystery of death, of the
cross, of suffering”, on “the mystery of those who are discarded by the world”.
Jean Vanier, who gave up a career in the Navy to follow in
the footsteps of Christ, was the founder of two international organizations for
people with intellectual disabilities: “L’Arche” and “Faith and Light”. He
advocated for marginalized people for over five decades, highlighting the
profound teachings and the gifts that they offer.
The Pope said he knew of Vanier’s illness through Sister
Genevieve who kept him informed.
“A week ago I called him on the phone, he listened to me,
but he could barely speak” he said.
Pope Francis said that Jean Vanier worked “not only for the
least but also for those who, even before being born,” risk being condemned to
death.
“He spent his life in this way” the Pope concluded: “Thank
you to him and thank you God for having given us a man of such great witness”.
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