Rome, Italy, Feb 7, 2019 / 09:24 am
Often spaces of suffering, prisons should be places of hope and the possibility of redemption, Pope Francis told prison personnel Thursday, urging them to have compassion on the 'wounds' of their imprisoned brothers and sisters.
Everyone who works in a prison, in whatever capacity, is called "to help those who have unfortunately fallen into the trap of evil, to rise again and to grow in hope," he said Feb. 7, adding that it is possible for prisons, with the right cooperation, to become places of redemption.
"All this is possible through paths of faith, work and professional formation, but above all of spiritual closeness and compassion, following the example of the good Samaritan, who has stooped to look after his wounded brother."
"This attitude of closeness, which finds its root in the love of Christ, can foster in many prisoners the trust, the awareness, and the certainty of being loved," he stated.