To the Prisoners of Papuda Prison (1 July 1980)

On Tuesday, 1 July 1980, the Holy Father visited the prisoners of Papuda Prison in Brasilia, to whom he brought the call and consolation of Christ, the Redeemer of men.

Brothers and very dear children in Our Lord Jesus Christ:

1. I have listened with the greatest attention to your words, from the mouth of your representative. Thank you so much!

The visit that I pay you today, although brief, means a lot to me. It is the visit of a Shepherd who wanted to imitate the Good Shepherd (cf. Jn 10, 1 ss.), in his gesture of seeking with greater concern for the sheep that strayed for whatever reason ( Lk 15, 4) and of rejoicing when find her.

It's a friend's visit. As a friend, I would like to bring you at least a bit of serenity and hope, to find the will to be better and the courage to do so.

It is the visit of the Vicar of Christ. You know from reading the Gospel that He, the Christ, exempt from sin, hated sin, but loved sinners and visited them to grant them forgiveness. I would like to bring you the call and consolation of the Redeemer of man

2. In you I find human persons and I know that every human person corresponds to a "thought" of God. In this sense, every human being is fundamentally good and made for happiness.

There was in the lives of almost all of you that moment when you distanced yourself from God's plan. What is badly done should weigh you down, but not be considered something fatal. You can return to reflect on the thought of God. You can be happy again.

I find in you men redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. This blood speaks to you of the infinite love of the Father and of his Son Jesus for you, as for all men. He offers you the greatest joy in the world, which is knowing how to love and feeling loved. He instills in you the strength from above, necessary to change your life.

I find in you true brothers and I want to tell you that, in moments of loneliness and sadness, you can be sure, you can have the certainty that this common Father is close to you and that in him you can meet all your brothers, who are the Christians and Catholics from all over the world.

3. I hope that the time spent here will be for you, despite everything, what it was for many others in the same conditions: a time of grace, of regeneration, of discovery of God in Jesus Christ. Let his Word be your reading. May his invisible presence be a comfort to you.

I would like to go, for a visit like this, to all the prisons in Brazil. Let this be a symbol and each prisoner feel visited by the Pope.

A fraternal greeting to all those who work in this house and in all the similar ones in Brazil. May the Lord bless your hard work, delicate, but of great importance. Exercise it with love, in the service of men, your brothers.

May this prison, like all the others in Brazil and the world, say in its silent language: NO to heartbreak, violence, evil; YES to love, because only love saves and builds.

With my apostolic blessing.

Copyright © Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice VaticanaBrothers and very dear children in Our Lord Jesus Christ: