Every day 10 people are driven to a beach near Rome for a dip in the ocean, to sunbathe and then are brought to get pizza.
In an ongoing effort to help those going through hard times, Pope Francis is treating dozens of Rome’s homeless to a day at the beach and a pizzeria to enjoy the simple pleasures of the season.
Every day, 10 people are driven to a beach near Rome for a dip in the ocean, to sunbathe and then are brought to get pizza, the pontiff’s almsgiver, Polish monsignor Konrad Krajewski, told the La Stampa.
Krajewski drives groups on a daily basis to fulfill the homeless' "desire for normality," he said.
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The Vatican supplies the swimsuits and beach towels, the Associated Press wrote.
Many of the homeless live near Vatican City, where the pope has ordered showers and barbers be made available for them. Those wanting a scrub and a shave can head to the edge of St. Peter's Square.
Krajewski also gives out hot meals to homeless people at Italian train stations with the aid of Swiss Guards, he said.
Francis often speaks about the poor, saying in 2014 that “through them, you meet Jesus.”
“The world today is in urgent need of this witness of Divine mercy,” he told two French charities that work with the homeless, Catholic news site The Crux wrote. “In today’s time, the human person is often dismissed as useless…God, on the other hand, always recognizes the dignity and nobility of the child He loves. The poor are favored by the Lord, and are at the center of the Gospel.”
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