Pope sends greetings to people of the Amazon

On Monday morning, Pope Francis received in audience Bishop Bernardo Bahlmann of Obidos, in the state of Pará, Brazil, who presented the project of the “Barco/Navio Hospital Papa Francisco.” Bishop Bahlmann was accompanied by Franciscan friars Francisco Belotti and Afonso Lamberti Obici. 

Bishop Bahlmann descrived it as a “bold” project, which will cover a thousand kilometers within the state of Pará, offering medical assistance to a thousand communities along the river and 12 municipalities, for a total of about 700,000 people. At the audience, a five-minute video and a model of the project were presented to the Pope.

Below, please find an unofficial translation of Pope Francis’ greetings to the people of the Amazon:

A warm greeting, from my heart,

to all the inhabitants and peoples of the Amazon.

I have great affection for you who are concerned for the earth,

who love the earth, who love nature and God.

I invite you to go forward!

I send a greeting to all of you who work in the Boat-Hospital

that will bring good to many during its 1000 kilometer journey.

I pray for you and please pray for me.

God bless you.