'Panama, land of summons and dreams', Pope Francis

From Panama to the whole world  and especially to the thousands of pilgrims from 150 countries that are participating in the World Youth Day, Pope Francis declared the Isthmus a  “hub of hope….land of the summon, where their leaders were invited to forge the unification dream of a Great Motherland.”

He also asked governments and public officials to “live a life that demonstrates public service, that is synonym of honesty and justice, and not another form of corruption."

The Pope also asked the catholic bishops to participate more in the resolution of migratory crisis that is affecting the countries in the region, “it is necessary to go beyond denouncements”, said the priest.

The Supreme Pontiff had first a private meeting with the President of the Republic and later a public encounter, where he surprised the attendees, the majority of them Panamanian government officials and representatives of the diplomatic corp by quoting the words of the well known Panamanian poet, Ricardo Miro.

In this horizon it appears that the words of Ricardo Miro came alive, when he sang to his beloved land then said: “Because seeing you, Motherland, it was said / that you were formed by divine will / so that under the sun that illuminates you / the whole Humanity will join you” (Motherland of my loves),  said Francis.

The Pope greeted the Panamanian people who, from Darien to Chiriqui and Bocas del Toro, (border provinces) have made an invaluable effort to welcome so many young people. He defined Panama as a land of "summons and dreams".

The Pope said that Panama is a privileged country due to its location, it has become an strategic enclave, not only for the region but for the whole world. Bridge between the oceans and a natural land for encounters, the narrowest nation in the American continent, symbol of  sustainability born through the capacity to create links and alliances.

A call to the bishops
With a call to society and in particular to the Catholic Church, Pope Francis asked for a dialogue to begin between migrants and the communities that welcome them, he pointed out the need to act beyond denouncements about the situation, in which migrants from all over the world have to live.

In a message given this morning during an encounter with Central American bishops, the Pontiff quoted the Episcopal Secretariat of Central America last pastoral letter, highlighting the migratory crisis in the region and the dangers that "entails for the dignity of the people" to leave their countries to escape poverty and violence.

Over the last few years Central America has suffered a succession of migration crisis with massive exodus from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, with people running away to the United States. Likewise in South America, with the recent migratory waves from Venezuela, as well as the historic migration of Colombians in the region.

Translation Marijulia Pujol