generalspeaking

Having a Ball of Piety

"You'd think they could at least put their garbage in all the bins. I'm also pretty surprised that people who call themselves Christians would throw away all this food."
Jose da Silva, Rio De Janeiro, Copacabana beach

Well, this was a Papal celebration for Catholic youth, after all. And Mr. da Silva is a crotchety 75-year old who has seen much of life. A retired farm worker, he hasn't the means to live if he 'retires' completely from work. So he supplements his income through performing a huge favour for society and the environment that just incidentally also benefits him financially, although in a meagre fashion. He collects empty cans for recycling.

And he felt fairly disgusted seeing Copacabana's mosaic sidewalks piled with trampled cardboard, plastic bags, empty water bottles, cookie wrappers and other food waste as orange-uniform-clad trash collectors did their best to restore a semblance of tidy order out of the remains of a crowd estimated at three million people assembled to hear Pope Francis speak in person at his final mass in Brazil.

Clearly the youth, whom Pope Francis enjoined to spread their faith "to the fringes of society, even to those who seem farthest away, most indifferent...The church needs you, your enthusiasm, your creativity and the joy that is so characteristic of you", have not quite subscribed to that old adage that cleanliness is next to Godliness. Slovenliness is far more 'characteristic', obviously, of youth. And joie de vivre becomes them.



They are young, after all, and youth are not particularly driven to tidiness and respect. Their sheer numbers was amazing, crowding themselves within an entire four kilometre crescent of the broad beach. Flag-waving faithful. Some of them seizing the moment by taking an early morning swim in the Atlantic. While others bequeathed Pope Francis with their very best regards, tossing T-shirts, flags and soccer jerseys at him as he drove by in his open-sided car.

For his part, the pontiff was clearly delighted with the lively scene. He did the religio-political thing of kissing babies, graciously accepting gifts, waving to the crowd, partaking of a mate tea handed to him. Perhaps even instinctively holding his breath at the miasmic stench of garbage and human waste in the humid environment which must have helped enormously to give the beach the atmosphere of a squalid refugee camp.


That a good time was had by all -- youth, that is -- was attested to by the young people who spent the night on the beach -- the enjoyment of an all-night slumber party ending the Catholic youth fest -- wrapped in flags and sleeping bags as protection against the night-time frigid air. "We were dying of cold, but it was worth it. It was a tiring day, but it was a great experience", enthused Lucrecia Grillera, 18, from Argentina, approvingly.

Labels: Celebrity, Charity, Christianity, Communication, Entertainment, Fidelity, Heritage Human Relations

posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, July 30, 2013