I Felt Only Love
Pope Francis gave him a long loving embrace! During his general audience at St. Peter’s Square on 6 November, 2013 Pope Francis embraced Riva Vincenzo! Riva was a special person with a disfigured face due to a rare disease, causing neuronal tumors. During his life Riva endured rejection and isolation because of his appearance. That embrace of the Pope transformed him to regain his dignity and communion with humanity. ‘I felt only Love’ were words of Riva, in an interview. The transforming encounter with Pope Francis was an experience of Resurrection for him. On 10 January, 2024 at the age of 58, Riva died a healed, liberated and grateful person. The encounter with Pope Francis was life changing for Riva; so also it was for the viewers of the photograph of this compassionate gesture. By embracing Riva, Pope touched the world. Many were inspired to shed their prejudices! How many of our brothers and sisters experience rejection, exploitation and helplessness; they grope in the ‘shadow of death’! They wait for someone, for a long loving embrace so that they may reclaim their dignity and enter into New Life.
Encountering Kamati
Some 28 years ago, accompanied by my Community Sister and a native, I was exploring the reserved forests of Wayanad, Kerala. Though a lover of elephants, I was afraid there would be one hiding somewhere and might attack us. Instead of the elephant, I was surprised to find two little huts, just 20 feet ahead of us, close to the electric fence fixed to prevent attack of elephants. We wondered if anyone lived there. Hearing us an indigenous Pania woman, feeble, anemic, small in stature and clad in minimum clothes came out. Her name was Kamati. Through her, we learned that she had given birth to her baby just five days earlier. Her husband had gone out looking for work. She was there alone with her newborn baby in the forest with the threat of wild animals. Kamati told us that she had rice and chilly ‘chutney’ for breakfast. She was suffering from fever. Instinctively, I touched her forehead to check her temperature; and I felt the heat. I thought to myself, if only I had a paracetamol tablet! I was struck down by helplessness. I called her to come and both of us sat on the stones there. She said that she couldn’t go with us to the town to get medicine. I was shocked to hear that she had never gone to the town or gotten into a bus.
Sr Dr Shalini Podimattam RGS
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