MEETING OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE HOLY FATHER AND THE SYNOD FATHERS, ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
Paul VI Audience Hall
[…] And then, this concreteness also in welcoming. So many of your examples, which
you have given today, are about welcoming. Michel asked this question: “How can
we overcome the increasingly widespread mentality that sees in the foreigner, in the
different, in the migrant, a danger, a harm, an enemy to be chased away?”. This is
the mentality of exploiting people, of making slaves of the weakest. It is about closing
not only doors, but also closing hands. And today populism — which has nothing to
do with what is popular — is somewhat in fashion. Popular is the culture of the people,
the culture of each of your peoples which is expressed in art; it is expressed in
culture; it is expressed in the science of the people; it is expressed in celebration!
Every people celebrates in their own way. This is popular. But populism is the
opposite: it is being closed to this based on a model. We are closed, there is only us.
And when we are closed we cannot move forward. Be careful. It is the mentality that
Michel spoke of: “How can we overcome the increasingly widespread mentality that
sees in the foreigner, in the different, in the migrant a danger, a harm, a danger to
be chased away?”. It is overcome with an embrace, by welcoming, with dialogue,
with love which is the word that opens all doors. […]
