Pope Francis expressed his joy at being in the Diocesan Shrine of Mary Help of Christians, Boroko. As stated, that he was baptized by a Salesian in a parish of Buenos Aires, the clergy responded with a thunderous applause. From the life of Don Bosco, he recalled that in 1844 Our Lady inspired Don Bosco to build a Basilica. Our Blessed Mother told Don Bosco, “Here is my home, from here my glory goes forth”. And she added, “If she had the courage to build, great graces for the gospel and for young people would follow”.

The beautiful shrine and the testimonies shared highlight the following:

1.     The courage to begin,

2.     The beauty of being present and 

3.     The hope of growing.

He compared the building of the shrine to the struggle of missionaries to establish the gospel. He highlighted St Peter Chanel, Bl Mazzucconi, Bl Peter ToRot, St Mother Teresa, St Mary McKillop, St. Maria Goretti, Bl Ceferino Namuncurá, St Francis de Sales, and the other saints on the stained-glass windows of the shrine as models to be imitated. He thanked the early missionaries who risked their lives and for the sacrifices they made. He invited all the be instruments of the Lord and preach the gospel to the peripheries despite the lack of necessities. 

He highlighted three special attitudes: 

1.         Compassion, closeness, and tenderness. 

2.         The beauty of being present and 

3.         The hope of growing.

The Holy Father thanked the missionaries, bishops, priests, religious and catechists for their courage, beauty and hope to witness to the gospel in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. After the Hail Mary the Holy Father blessed the congregation. A ‘lakatoi’, a sailing vessel from dug out logs, fastened together, was then gifted to the Holy Father.