The following are the extemporaneous remarks the Holy Father Francis addressed to the people with disabilities who awaited him in front of the apostolic nunciature of Bogotá yesterday evening:

Words of the Holy Father

Good evening and thank you, thank you for the beautiful things, thank you for the dance, thank you for the song, thank you for being here, all of you. Thank you very much.

Maria said a beautiful thing – that the human is seen most of all when… repeat it, Maria, read it, I would like to hear it again, just this part that I said.

Child: “We want a world where vulnerability is recognised as essential in the human. That far from weakening us, strengthens and dignifies us. A place of mutual encounter that humanises us”.

All this is a message, a world where vulnerability is considered as the essence of the human… Because we are all vulnerable, all of us. Inside, in our feelings, there are many things that do not work inside us, but no-one sees them. And others we see, all of them. And this vulnerability needs to be respected, caressed, healed as far as possible, so that it bears fruit for others. We are all vulnerable. Maria, will you answer a question? Who is the only person who is not vulnerable?

Child: “God”.

God! God is the only one Who is not vulnerable, all others are vulnerable, and in some we see this, in others not. But it is the essence of the human, this need to be supported by God, all of us. This is why we must not, we cannot discard anyone, is that clear? Because every one of us is a treasure, which is offered to God, that God may make him grow in his own way.

Thank you for the witness you give. Thank you for your words.

Come, before we go, let us pray a Hail Mary together and I will give you my blessing.

“Hail Mary…”

And please, do not forget to pray for me, because I am very vulnerable.