{"id":15816,"date":"2020-11-07T15:58:34","date_gmt":"2020-11-07T20:58:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/?p=15816"},"modified":"2020-11-07T15:58:34","modified_gmt":"2020-11-07T20:58:34","slug":"pope-little-house-of-mercy-a-beacon-of-light-and-hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/pope-little-house-of-mercy-a-beacon-of-light-and-hope\/","title":{"rendered":"Pope: Little House of Mercy a beacon of light and hope"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/etc\/designs\/vatican-news\/release\/library\/main\/images\/vatican-news-header-white.png\" alt=\"Vatican News\" title=\"Vatican News\"\/>                                                                                                                                                  <\/p>\n<figure>                                                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/content\/dam\/vaticannews\/multimedia\/2018\/09\/12\/porta%20santa-della-misericordia-gela.JPG\/_jcr_content\/renditions\/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.750.422.jpeg\" alt=\"A dining room at the Little House of Mercy in Gela, Sicily\" title=\"A dining room at the Little House of Mercy in Gela, Sicily\"\/>                          A dining room at the Little House of Mercy in Gela, Sicily                                                 <\/figure>\n<p>                                 POPE<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.chiesa-e-religioni.Papa.papa-francesco.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">                             Pope Francis                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.paesi-e-luoghi.Europa.Italia.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">                             Italy                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.cultura-e-societa.solidarieta.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">                             solidarity                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.cultura-e-societa.solidarieta.associazioni-caritative.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">                             charitable organizations                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>                   Pope: Little House of Mercy a beacon of light and hope         Pope Francis writes to the Little House of Mercy in Sicily, encouraging the founder and his collaborators to persevere in their mission.                                <\/p>\n<p>By Vatican News staff writer<\/p>\n<p>Pope Francis has penned a letter to show his closeness to the Piccola Casa della Misericordia (\u201cLittle House of Mercy\u201d) in Gela, Sicily, and to encourage those who spend themselves there every day without reserve.<\/p>\n<p>Noting that the House was built to assist \u201cthose suffering from hardship and precariousness,\u201d the Pope said:<\/p>\n<p>The work of being close to loved ones who are in difficult conditions is a beacon of light and of hope in the darkness of suffering and resignation. It is an appreciated sign of the Church\u2019s sharing in the hardships and burdens of its own people; it is an admirable example of evangelical charity, and of the Church \u201cgoing forth\u201d [\u201cChiesa in uscita\u201d], which is so good for both the ecclesial and the civil community.<\/p>\n<figure>                                     <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/content\/dam\/vaticannews\/multimedia\/2018\/09\/12\/papa%20e%20don%20lino.jpg\/_jcr_content\/renditions\/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.750.422.jpeg\" alt=\"Pope Francis with Fr Pasqualino Di Dio, founder of the Little House of Mercy\"\/>                   <\/figure>\n<p>       Pope Francis with Fr Pasqualino Di Dio, founder of the Little House of Mercy           <\/p>\n<h2>Inspired by Pope Francis<\/h2>\n<p>The impetus for the \u201cLittle House of Mercy\u201d came from Pope Francis himself. In 2013, at the beginning of the papacy, a young priest from Piazza Amerina, Fr Pasqualino Di Dio, was granted an audience with the new Pope. Father Di Dio spoke with the Holy Father about the social realities in his diocese, and especially the difficulties faced by many families in his own city of Gela.<\/p>\n<p>Pope Francis suggested the foundation of a House that would be a sign of God\u2019s mercy. Now, seven years later, the Little House of Mercy includes a canteen, a centre for listening and accompaniment, and a food bank. Volunteers provide counselling, family mediation services and school assistance to children, working in partnership the Caritas aid organisation, and with local parishes, institutions, and associations. With the collaboration of the \u201cRaphael\u201d Social Cooperative, the Little House of Mercy also operates a medical clinic, a dormitory, a store, and workshops for sewing, carpentry and ceramics.<\/p>\n<figure>                                     <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/content\/dam\/vaticannews\/multimedia\/2018\/09\/12\/1_7.jpg\/_jcr_content\/renditions\/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.750.422.jpeg\" alt=\"At work in the Little House of Mercy\"\/>                   <\/figure>\n<p>       At work in the Little House of Mercy           <\/p>\n<h2>Bearing witness to the tenderness and mercy of the Father<\/h2>\n<p>In his letter, addressed to Fr Di Dio, Pope Francis writes, \u201cI encourage you, and all those who collaborate in your projects for good, to persevere in your praiseworthy mission of bearing witness to the tenderness and mercy of the Father, offering sharing and solidarity to the weakest most discouraged.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Father Di Dio, for his part, sees Pope Francis\u2019 words as \u201ca sign of the Pope\u2019s affection, and also a confirmation for the work that so many men and women of good will are doing in silence in the service of the little ones of the Gospel.\u201d He describes the work of volunteers and benefactors of the Little House as \u201ca dream of love, especially during this time of confusion and suffering largely caused by the pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure>                                     <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/content\/dam\/vaticannews\/multimedia\/2018\/09\/12\/Visita%20del%20Card.%20Montenegro%20e%20di%20Mons.%20Gisana%20amici%20della%20Piccola%20Casa%20della%20Misericordia.jpg\/_jcr_content\/renditions\/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.750.422.jpeg\" alt=\"At the Little House of Mercy in Gela\"\/>                   <\/figure>\n<p>       At the Little House of Mercy in Gela           <\/p>\n<h2>The Eucharist at the heart of the work<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cAll the services undertaken in our Centre have their fulcrum in Eucharistic adoration,\u201d explains Fr Di Dio. \u201cThis is where strength and Providence come from.\u201d He adds:<\/p>\n<p>We are called in this difficult time to turn our attention to the weakest and most vulnerable, without being dominated by the culture of waste [\u201ccultura dello scarto\u201d] and suspicion, which must be replaced by the promotion and safeguarding of the other, certain that life is possessed only when it is given away, and that the Lord does not abandon us. <\/p>\n<p>                        <a href=\"http:\/\/www.comunicazione.va\/en\/sostienici.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">                 <\/p>\n<figure>                                                                                                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/etc\/designs\/vatican-news\/release\/library\/main\/images\/support-comunicazione-banner.png\" alt=\"Your contribution for a great mission:support us in bringing the Pope&#039;s words into every home\" title=\"Your contribution for a great mission:support us in bringing the Pope&#039;s words into every home\"\/>                                       <\/figure>\n<p>                 Your contribution for a great mission:<br \/>support us in bringing the Pope&#039;s words into every home             <\/a>                           Topics         <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.chiesa-e-religioni.Papa.papa-francesco.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">                             Pope Francis                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.paesi-e-luoghi.Europa.Italia.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">                             Italy                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.cultura-e-societa.solidarieta.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">                             solidarity                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<li>                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/taglist.cultura-e-societa.solidarieta.associazioni-caritative.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">                             charitable organizations                         <\/a>                     <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>                                                07 November 2020, 13:03             <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>                              Send                      <\/li>\n<li>             <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/en\/pope\/news\/2020-11\/pope-little-house-of-mercy-a-beacon-of-light-and-hope.print.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">                 Print             <\/a>         <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A dining room at the Little House of Mercy in Gela, Sicily POPE Pope Francis Italy solidarity charitable organizations Pope: Little House of Mercy a beacon of light and hope Pope Francis writes to the Little House of Mercy in Sicily, encouraging the founder and his collaborators to persevere in their mission. By Vatican News staff writer<br \/>\n Pope Francis has penned a letter to show his closeness to the Piccola Casa della Misericordia (\u201cLittle House of Mercy\u201d) in Gela, Sicily, and to encourage those who spend themselves there every day without reserve.<br \/>\n Noting that the House was built to assist \u201cthose suffering from hardship and precariousness,\u201d the Pope said:<br \/>\n The work of being close to loved ones who are in difficult conditions is a beacon of light and of hope in the darkness of suffering and resignation. It is an appreciated sign of the Church\u2019s sharing in the hardships and burdens of its own people; it is an admirable example of evangelical charity, and of the Church \u201cgoing forth\u201d [\u201cCh..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[83],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Pope: Little House of Mercy a beacon of light and hope - WORLD CATHOLIC NEWS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/pope-little-house-of-mercy-a-beacon-of-light-and-hope\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pope: Little House of Mercy a beacon of light and hope - WORLD CATHOLIC NEWS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A dining room at the Little House of Mercy in Gela, Sicily POPE Pope Francis Italy solidarity charitable organizations Pope: Little House of Mercy a beacon of light and hope Pope Francis writes to the Little House of Mercy in Sicily, encouraging the founder and his collaborators to persevere in their mission. By Vatican News staff writer Pope Francis has penned a letter to show his closeness to the Piccola Casa della Misericordia (\u201cLittle House of Mercy\u201d) in Gela, Sicily, and to encourage those who spend themselves there every day without reserve. Noting that the House was built to assist \u201cthose suffering from hardship and precariousness,\u201d the Pope said: The work of being close to loved ones who are in difficult conditions is a beacon of light and of hope in the darkness of suffering and resignation. It is an appreciated sign of the Church\u2019s sharing in the hardships and burdens of its own people; it is an admirable example of evangelical charity, and of the Church \u201cgoing forth\u201d [\u201cCh..\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/pope-little-house-of-mercy-a-beacon-of-light-and-hope\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"WORLD CATHOLIC NEWS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/World-Catholic-News-109605280463871\/?modal=admin_todo_tour\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-11-07T20:58:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/etc\/designs\/vatican-news\/release\/library\/main\/images\/vatican-news-header-white.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Worldcatholicn1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Worldcatholicn1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/\",\"name\":\"WORLD CATHOLIC NEWS\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/pope-little-house-of-mercy-a-beacon-of-light-and-hope\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.vaticannews.va\/etc\/designs\/vatican-news\/release\/library\/main\/images\/vatican-news-header-white.png\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/pope-little-house-of-mercy-a-beacon-of-light-and-hope\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/pope-little-house-of-mercy-a-beacon-of-light-and-hope\/\",\"name\":\"Pope: Little House of Mercy a beacon of light and hope - WORLD CATHOLIC NEWS\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/pope-little-house-of-mercy-a-beacon-of-light-and-hope\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2020-11-07T20:58:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-11-07T20:58:34+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/#\/schema\/person\/491272a1cdc8eb55245d48e5044377c8\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/pope-little-house-of-mercy-a-beacon-of-light-and-hope\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/#\/schema\/person\/491272a1cdc8eb55245d48e5044377c8\",\"name\":\"NEWS DESK\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/#personlogo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f27f47f91f7d6f43179d283d82de5681?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"NEWS DESK\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15816"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15816"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15816\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}