A stand on the Esplanade de la Major
Les September 23 and 24, we were on the Mediterranean Encounters Village in Marseille.
Invited to hold a stand alongside some 70 associations at the Mediterranean Meetings, 8 of us went there... with Our Lady! The city was in turmoil to welcome the Pope, these Meetings, the Mission Congress... and the Rugby World Cup! By running the stand, we were able to make many beautiful encounters, and also pray to Our Lady with the people who passed by. So we are in the process of transforming the test so that the World Day of the Poor can also be experienced in Marseille with Fratello!
On Saturday, we experienced the Mass at the Velodrome with 65,000 people! A strong moment of communion between all, with the Pope, both very collected and very festive (olas throughout the stadium!)
An unexpected encounter!
Three days before our arrival in Marseille, the Holy Father's travel department contacted us and gave us an appointment at the archdiocese on Friday evening! We didn't ask for anything and so welcomed this gift with wonder and joy...
Of course we took the Virgin Mary with us. We waited a bit in a living room in the archdiocese, then... he arrived! After greeting him, we simply offered to Praying together the Virgin Mary, for her own purposes. So we sang a “Hail Mary” and then Bishop Aveline prayed for the poor of Marseilles. We ended with an Our Father. It was simple and profound. Finally, we quickly talked about our desire to make this statue pilgrim so that Mary could bring comfort to the poor! Finally we asked the Pope to send fragile people on a mission at the end of the World Day of the Poor!
We give thanks for this moment spent with Pope Francis. He asked us to pray for him.
May the Lord strengthen him in his mission at the service of the Church, and that together we form a Poor church for the poor!
You too can join Fratello events for the 7th World Day of the Poor! Find all the events hither. We look forward to seeing many of you!
For any information: contact@wearefratello.org
