MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
“A little piece of the Malvinas” and Falklands' berries for Pope Francis
Daniela was in St Peter's square last Wednesday and after waiting a long time Francis finally emerged, blessing the sick and then approaching the faithful. (Pic El Sureño) 
The long distance runner from Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego has competed three times in the Falklands' marathon An Argentine teacher and runner who has competed three times in the annual Falklands marathon met last week Pope Francis, in Rome, and handed him a “little piece of the Falklands” and some of the berries that the Argentine soldiers had to eat during their time in the 1982 conflict.
Daniela Badra also gave the pope a video with a peace message from Monsignor Michael Bernard Mc Partland, who until 2015 served as the Apostolic Prefect of the Falkland Islands and Ecclesiastic Superior of St. Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha, and whom she met during the several trips to the Falklands, according to reports in the Tierra del Fuego media.
Daniela was in St Peter's square last Wednesday and after waiting a long time Francis finally emerged, blessing the sick and then approaching the faithful.
“I kissed his hand, he held them, looked at my eyes and listened quietly while I begged for those without jobs and no voice, and then I told him I was the only Argentine woman to run three times the Malvinas marathon and then I put in his hands 'little pieces of the Malvinas', elements I collected in Darwin each time I travelled to the Islands”, said Ms Daniela.
She added, “I also gave him some berries I collected in the Islands, the same our boys had to eat during the war. He was grateful, smiled and surprised because I had given him 'a little piece of the Malvinas'. He blessed me and moved on”.
“It was a very emotional moment, I felt like embracing him but I didn't dare, it was a moment I will never forget”.
Apparently Daniela who lives in Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego took to distance running and has competed three times in the Falklands' marathon, and in one of those occasions came across Monsignor Michael Bernard McPartland with whom she became acquainted and finally recorded a video with the peace message from the South Atlantic.
Ms Badra is a teacher, expert in Autism-Asperger, and mother of two children, Julieta, 24 and Agustín who accompanied her to Rome.
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Read all commentsWonder if the silly bitch knew that all the gravel surrounds to the graves and on the pathways came from- ENGLAND!!
Nov 30th, 2016 - 12:13 pm +8It is not local stone!!
Same as when we see other silly b****s kissing the tarmac at the foot of the aircraft steps when they arrive- its tarmac/concrete was made from 100% materials shipped in from UK at that time- only the water is local!
And with luck an RAF Police Dog cocked his leg in that area the day before anyway.
ElaineB, I think that the Powers-that-be in Argentina prefer the fiction that bringing stuff to Argentina from the Falklands is an internal movement, not an importation, as it is simply moving from one part of 'their' territory to another. Quite how she smuggled them into Italy and out again into the Vatican is another matter. However, it does say that she gave him some of the berries they had to eat during the conflict so perhaps they were just the pips stored in someone's bottom before being handed over over the Pope?
Nov 30th, 2016 - 12:00 pm +7Just love El Papa stories.
Nov 30th, 2016 - 10:50 am +6Reference the Falklands - Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, said in 2012 when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires that Britain had “usurped” the disputed islands from Argentina. In 2011, he said the islands were “ours,” a view most Argentinians share. He's wrong of course:
Falklands – Some Relevant International Law:
https://www.academia.edu/17799157/Falklands_-_Some_Relevant_International_Law
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