The Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Cardinal Michael Czerny SJ, travelled to Belgium from 27-29 September.
This mission took place at the invitation of the Belgian Bishops‘ Conference, and coincided with Pope Francis’ Apostolic Journey to Luxembourg and Belgium, from the 26th to the 29th of the month.
On his arrival in Brussels, the Prefect met Catholic social organizations at the headquarters of Caritas Internationalis, to whom he spoke about the relationship between synodality and the Church's social commitment. In the evening, a meeting and exchange with the country's bishops and cardinals was planned.
On 28 September, Cardinal Czerny took part in the ‘Hope Happening’, the programme dedicated to young people as part of the official celebrations for the Holy Father's visit to Belgium. A rich programme consisting of workshops and moments of prayer and dialogue.
With the young people, in the morning, the Prefect shared a walk of several kilometers, the ‘Walk of Hope’, through the streets of Brussels, during which he took about poverty and migration. He then presided over the Holy Mass dedicated to them and, in the afternoon, gave a talk focusing on the themes of social justice, global solidarity, human rights and the Church's commitment to contemporary challenges. This was followed by a moment of discussion, opened to questions from young people.
In the late afternoon, Cardinal Czerny joined Pope Francis in a visit to the local community of Jesuit religious at the ‘Saint Michel’ College.