Photo by Rick Govic on Unsplash
Thousands of people gave the Pope a rapturous send off to his historic 4-day trip to Belgium on Sunday.
Under unclouded blue skies, some 40,000 packed into the country’s national stadium on the outskirts of Brussels to attend a Mass by Pope Francis.
The trip was not without criticism in some quarters but, for those attending his last event of what was the first papal visit to Belgium for nearly three decades, there was nothing but unbridled love and affection for the 87-year-old Pontiff.
Arriving at the stadium, normally used for football and rock concerts, in the same tiny white Fiat he’d used for the rest of his visit to Belgium the Pope was greeted by large numbers of well-wishers who lined the route in the streets outside.
The large Eucharistic celebration in the King Baudouin Stadium was also attended by Philippe,the Belgian King, and other senior members of the country’s Royal family, plus leading political figures along with Queen Mathilde and the Belgian bishops.
I spoke briefly to some of those attending, many of whom had set off in the early hours in order to arrive on time for the 10am Mass.
Olivier Vanholsbeek, who had travelled from his home near Mons, said, “I had to be here for this today. This is a truly historic occasion. After all, it is not often you get the chance to attend a Mass given by the Pope.”
Caroline Leonard, who lives in Antwerp and like thousands of others had been given a small Belgian/Vatican flag to wave during the Mass, said, “It is so wonderful to see the Pope in Belgium. The world lacks any real leadership so it is great that here we have a true global leader who seeks to do only good.”
Another participant was 78-year-old Isabelle Hardiquest, from Brussels, who noted, “I will never see another Pope so being here today is extra special for me.”
Security was particularly tight for the Pope and everyone was careful checked by security staff before they were allowed to enter the stadium.
Before the Mass took place, organisers had decided to change the choice of a song written by the priest-composer Paul Schollaert after it emerged he had been accused of molesting young women before his recent death.
Organisers issued a statement which read: “The recent revelations about the composer of the closing song chosen for this celebration are shocking and hurtful.We have therefore changed this choice.”
The Pope was greeted with huge roars of delight when he entered the stadium and, during a tour of the surrounding track in the “Pope-mobile”, blessed several babies and young children who had been handed to his entourage by their parents in the packed stands.
ln his homily, the Pope, who remained seated for much of the Mass, made a veiled reference to the plight of refugees. He spoke of the need to allow “space for those who are in need” and to show “compassion for those who suffer and cannot move forward in life.”
He added, “Let us think, for example, of those without documents. They are people, sisters and brothers, who, like all of us, dream of a better future for themselves and their loved ones. Instead, they go unheard and end up as victims of exploitation.”
During his visit, the Pope spoke with Belgian victims of sexual abuse.
Earlier in his visit, the King noted that the Pope had “condemned the unspeakable tragedy of sexual abuse within the Church in the strongest possible terms” and had “taken tangible steps to combat these horrific acts.”
Philippe, speaking at the start of the trip, said, “Children have been deeply wounded, scarred for life. The same is true for the victims of forced adoption.”
“It has taken far too long for their cries to be heard and acknowledged. It has taken far too long to begin looking for ways to repair the irreparable. We recognise the efforts of the Church in Belgium in this regard, efforts which must continue resolutely and relentlessly.”
He told the Holy Father: “Your life and actions are defined by your selflessness. Tirelessly, you work for our shared home, the Earth, for the complete development of every individual and for dialogue among the philosophical, spiritual and religious.”
On Saturday, Pope Francis went to the catholic university at Louvain in Louvain-la-Neuve to celebrate its upcoming 600th anniversary. He called for global action on climate change, a message welcomed by Belgian Christian NGOs and organisations who said this was more urgent and universal than ever.
During his visit the Pope also with members of Belgium’s civil society at the Castle of Laeken where, in his address, he said he was very pleased to visit the country, adding, “When I think of this country, what comes to mind is something small yet great; a country in the west that at the same time is also at the centre, as if Belgium were the beating heart of an enormous organism.”
“Indeed, it would be a mistake to judge the quality of a country by its geographical size. Belgium may not be a large state, yet its particular history has been impactful. Immediately after the Second World War, the exhausted and downhearted peoples of Europe, in beginning a profound process of peace, cooperation and integration, looked to your country as a natural location to establish key European institutions.”
“This was because Belgium was on the fault line between the Germanic and Latin worlds, sandwiched between France and Germany, two countries that had most embodied the opposing nationalistic ideals underlying the conflict. We could describe Belgium as a bridge between the continent and the British Isles, between the Germanic and French-speaking regions, between southern and northern Europe, a bridge enabling concord to spread and disputes to abate, a bridge where all people, with their own languages, ways of thinking and beliefs can meet others and choose conversation, dialogue and sharing as the means of mutual interaction.”
He added, “It is thus easy to see how great little Belgium really is. How Europe needs Belgium to remind it that its history comprises peoples and cultures, cathedrals and universities, achievements of human ingenuity, but also many wars and the will to dominate that sometimes led to colonialism and exploitation. “Europe needs Belgium in order to continue along the path of peace and of fraternity among its peoples. Indeed, Belgium is a reminder to all others that when nations disregard borders or breach treaties by employing the most varied and untenable excuses, and when they use weapons to replace actual law with the principle of might is right, then they open Pandora’s box, unleashing violent storms that batter the house, threatening to destroy it.”
The Pope added, “Belgium is more essential than ever for keeping alive the memory of the European continent. Indeed, it provides an irrefutable argument for developing a timely and continuous cultural, social and political movement that, at the same time, is both courageous and prudent. A movement that excludes from the future the idea and practice of war as a viable option with all its catastrophic consequences.”
The Pope, who left Belgium to return to Rome soon after the event via a military airfield, concluded, “Belgium’s history calls Europe to return to its path, rediscover its true identity, and invest once again in the future by opening itself to life and hope by overcoming the demographic winter and the torments of war.”
