'People's Pontiff' denounces quest for physical perfection
Pope Francis said those with disabilities should not be denied receiving the sacrament.
Pope Francis delivers his speech at a special audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican on Saturday. Pope Francis met disabled people participating in a meeting promoted by Italian Episcopal Conference.
Fabio Frustaci/AP
Pope Francis denounced "discrimination"听against those diagnosed with disabilities, urging they not be institutionalized or denied receiving the sacrament.
"The world does not become better because only apparently 鈥榩erfect鈥� people live there ... but when human solidarity, mutual acceptance and respect increase," the pope said Sunday at a St. Peter鈥檚 Square Mass dedicated to , according to Vatican Radio.
The pope decried the rationale that it is better to keep those with disabilities "apart, in some 鈥榚nclosure鈥� 鈥� even a gilded one 鈥� or in 鈥榠slands鈥� of pietism or social welfare, so that they do not hold back the pace of a false well being,"听according to the Associated Press.
"What an illusion it is when people today shut their eyes in the face of sickness and disability,"听he added. "They fail to understand the real meaning of life, which also has to do with accepting suffering and limitations."
The pope pushed for inclusion at the Jubilee of the Sick and Disabled on Sunday, another directive by the "People鈥檚 Pontiff"听to promote mercy and compassion.
As the 海角大神 Science Monitor鈥檚 Harry Bruinius wrote in April, following the release of the pope鈥檚 pastoral exhortation "Amoris Laetitia," the pope鈥檚 emphasis "on pastoring has often clashed with conservatives."
"The majority continues to emphasize the clarity of the church鈥檚 objective teachings rather than 'the mud of the street,'" wrote Mr. Bruinius. Yet the pope鈥檚 actions have resonated with a wider public, as he has not only addressed subjects once taboo for the church, but also uncharacteristically advocated for more compassion towards gay and divorced Catholics.听
Sunday, the pope criticized denying sacraments to those with disabilities. While the church encourages those with disabilities receive the sacrament, certain texts require those with disabilities be able to distinguish the sacrament from ordinary food.
In a candid question-and-answer session, the pope said it鈥檚 no excuse to ever even if a priest might think they don鈥檛 understand, according to the Catholic News Agency.
"Each one of us has a different way of understanding things ... but each of us has the ability to know God,"听he said, according to the Catholic News Agency.
The pope decried the practice of because an unborn child appears to have a disability as well.
"In some cases, we are even told that it is better to eliminate them as soon as possible, because they become an unacceptable economic burden in time of crisis,"听he said, according to Crux.
Sunday's Mass included many people with disabilities.听A blind woman used Braille to read aloud from the Bible, the liturgy was translated in sign language, and, in a first for Vatican ceremonies, participants diagnosed with mental disabilities acted out a parable as it was read aloud.
This report contains material from the Associated Press.听