by Carlo Marroni
On the flight back from Mongolia, the pontiff jokes about the next mission in Vietnam. And he sends the message back to China
2′ reading
“I am sure that John XXIV will go to Vietnam, that is certain that he will be there,” Pope Francis joked when journalists asked him about the possibility of his trip to Vietnam during the return flight from Mongolia. “Vietnam,” said the Pope, “is one of the most beautiful experiences of dialogue that the Church has had in recent times.” “The parties – he continued – had the good will to understand each other and to look for a way to move forward “Even if there were problems.” According to Francis, “the problems with Vietnam will be overcome sooner or later.” The President was with us, we spoke very freely.” “I am very positive about relations with Vietnam,” he affirmed Pope. Good work is done, there is a good dialogue with them, they are very respectful. When a culture opens up, there is an opportunity for dialogue, but not when there is a closure. And with Vietnam I want to say that the dialogue is open.”
“Traveling is not easy for me now”
Francis speaks about his difficulties in apostolic journeys: “I tell you the truth: for me it is no longer as easy to go on a journey as it was at the beginning. “There are restrictions on walking, let’s see,” Pope Francis replied to a question from journalists about the trips he planned during the flight back from Mongolia. In addition to the one in Marseille on September 22nd and 23rd (and perhaps in Argentina at the end of the year), Francis only said: “Then there is someone in a small country in Europe, we’ll see if we can do it.” ) possible trip to China that he would like to make is of course out of the question. But Bergoglio reiterates the message to Beijing: “Relations with China are very respectful, I personally have great admiration.” Pope Francis said this in his response to journalists during the press conference on the return flight from Mongolia.
I spoke about “Great Russia” in a cultural sense
Then a comment on his sentences about Russia a few days ago: “I was perhaps not happy to talk about ‘Great Russia’, not in a geographical sense, but more in a cultural sense, but what they taught me at school “Spirit: Peter I, Catherine II…” This is how the Pope reacted to the controversy surrounding his phrases about the “Great Mother Russia” on the flight back from Mongolia. “Which may not be entirely consistent with what historians tell us,” he admitted, “but it was an addition that came to mind.” But what I wanted to convey is to take responsibility for your own legacy .”
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