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Pope Francis in Malta: Prayer at the Grotto of St. Paul

Pope Francis

Sunday, April 3, 2022

Pope Francis prays in the Grotto of St. Paul in Rabat on April 3, 2022, during his apostolic visit to Malta. Photo courtesy of Vatican Media.
On Sunday, April 3, the second day of his apostolic visit to Malta, Pope Francis travelled to the west side of the island of Malta to visit the Grotto of St. Paul, a popular pilgrimage site – also visited by his predecessors on their apostolic visits in 1990 and 2010 – where tradition maintains that St. Paul and his companions were shipwrecked while the apostle was being transported to Rome to stand trial before Caesar (Acts 27:27–28:10).
After reciting a special prayer in the grotto before a statue of St. Paul, Pope Francis greeted a group of religious leaders in the nearby Church of St. Publius and a group of sick and vulnerable people in the Basilica of St. Paul.
Below is the text of the prayer he recited during his visit to the Grotto of St. Paul:
 

Prayer of His Holiness Pope Francis

Basilica of St Paul in Rabat
Sunday, 3 April 2022

 
God of mercy,
in your wondrous providence
you wished the Apostle Paul
to proclaim your love to the inhabitants of Malta,
who did not yet know you.
He preached your word to them
and he healed their infirmities.
Saved from shipwreck,
Saint Paul and his fellow travelers
found here to welcome them
pagan people of kindly heart,
who treated them with rare humanity,
recognizing that they were in need
of shelter, security and assistance.
No one knew their names,
their place of birth or their social status;
they knew only one thing:
that these were people in need of help.
There was no time for discussions,
for judgements, analyses and calculations:
it was the time to lend a helping hand:
they left their jobs, and did exactly that.
They lit a great fire,
to dry them and warm them.
They welcomed them with open hearts
And, together with Publius,
first in government and in mercy,
they gave them shelter.
Good Father,
grant us the grace of a kindly heart
that beats with love for our brothers and sisters.
Help us to recognize from afar those in need,
struggling amidst the waves of the sea,
dashed against the reefs of unknown shores.
Grant that our compassion
be more than empty words,
but instead light a bonfire of welcome,
that can dispel the memory of the tempest,
warm hearts and bring them together:
the fireplace of a house built upon rock,
the one family of your children,
sisters and brothers all.
You love them without distinction
and you desire that they may be one
with your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord,
through the power of the fire sent from heaven,
your Holy Spirit,
who burns away all enmity
and in the darkness of night lights the way
to your kingdom of love and peace.
R/. Amen
Text courtesy of Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Pope Francis prays in the Grotto of St. Paul in Rabat on April 3, 2022, during his apostolic visit to Malta. Photo courtesy of Vatican Media.


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