This morning's General Audience began at 10:00am in the Paul VI Hall where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every part of the world.
During his speech, the Pope continued the cycle of catecheses on the family, focusing on the situation faced by those who are divorced and by those who, having experienced the breakdown of their marriages, find themselves involved in new unions.
Following summaries of his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered particular expressions of greeting to each of the groups of the faithful who were present.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the imparting of the Apostolic Blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
With this catechesis, we continue our reflection on the family. After having spoken, the last time, of families who have been wounded because of misunderstandings between those who are married, today, I want to focus our attention on another reality: how we take care of those who, following an irreversible failure of their matrimonial bond, have undertaken a new union.
The Church knows very well that such situations contradict the Christian Sacrament. However, the gaze of the teacher must always begin in the heart of the mother; a heart which is motivated by the Holy Spirit and always seeks the good and the salvation of the person. This is the reason why she feels the need out of love for the truth, to discern the situation well. Pope Saint John Paul II expressed this reality in the Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris consortio (FC, 84), by pointing out the difference between those who have suffered because of a separation as opposed to those who have caused it. This discernment is very important.
If we look at these new bonds through the eyes of little children - and little children are always watching - with the eyes of children, we will see an even more urgent need to develop in our communities a real welcome for people who are experiencing such situations. This is the reason why it is important that the style of community, her language, her attitude, should always be attentive to people, beginning with those who are small. They are the ones who suffer the most in such situations. What's more, how could we ever recommend to parents that they should do everything in their power to teach their children about the Christian life, including providing them with the example and conviction of a practiced faith, if we keep them away from the life of the community as though they were excommunicated? We should make every effort not to add to the weight that children in such situations are already bearing! Unfortunately, the number of such children and youth is really large. It is important that they be able to experience the Church as a mother who is attentive to all people, always available to listen and to welcome.
In recent decades, truthfully, the Church has neither been insensitive nor lazy. Thanks to the continual deepening that has been accomplished by Pastors, guided and confirmed by my Predecessors, there has been a growing awareness that we need fraternal and attentive hospitality, in love and in truth, reserved for the baptized who have established a new relationship following the failure of a sacramental marriage; in fact, these people have not been excommunicated; they have not been excommunicated! ... and they should never be treated as such: they are still part of the Church.
Pope Benedict XVI spoke about this question, calling for careful discernment and wise pastoral care, knowing that there is no simple recipe (Speech to the VII World Meeting of Families, Milan, June 2, 2012, response number 5).
Thus the repeated invitation of the Pastors to openly and consistently demonstrate the community's willingness to welcome them and to encourage them, in order that they might experience and further deepen their sense of belonging to Christ and to the Church through prayer, by listening to the Word of God, by attending the liturgy, through the Christian education of their children, by taking care of and serving the poor and by being committed to justice and to peace.
The biblical icon of the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11-18) summarizes the mission that Jesus received from the Father: to give his life for his sheep. This attitude is a model for the Church, which welcomes her children like a mother who gives her life for them. The Church is called to always be the open house of the Father ...No door should ever be closed! No door should ever be closed! - In this way, everyone can participate in the life of the Church, everyone can be part of the community. The Church ... is the paternal house where there is room for everyone with all of their problems (Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii gaudium, 47).
In the same way, all Christians are called to imitate the Good Shepherd. Above all, Christian families can collaborate with Him in caring for wounded families, accompanying them with the community's life of faith. Each person plays a part in taking on the attitude of the Good Shepherd, who knows every one of his sheep, and who excludes no one from his infinite love!
The Holy Father's teaching was then summarized in various languages, and His Holiness offered particular words of greeting to each of the groups of the faithful who were present. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I offer an affectionate greeting to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, including those from England, South Africa, China and the United States. May your stay in the Eternal City confirm you in love for our Lord, and may he make you his witnesses, especially for families who feel separated from the Church. May God bless you all!
During his speech, the Pope continued the cycle of catecheses on the family, focusing on the situation faced by those who are divorced and by those who, having experienced the breakdown of their marriages, find themselves involved in new unions.
Following summaries of his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered particular expressions of greeting to each of the groups of the faithful who were present.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the imparting of the Apostolic Blessing.
Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
With this catechesis, we continue our reflection on the family. After having spoken, the last time, of families who have been wounded because of misunderstandings between those who are married, today, I want to focus our attention on another reality: how we take care of those who, following an irreversible failure of their matrimonial bond, have undertaken a new union.
The Church knows very well that such situations contradict the Christian Sacrament. However, the gaze of the teacher must always begin in the heart of the mother; a heart which is motivated by the Holy Spirit and always seeks the good and the salvation of the person. This is the reason why she feels the need out of love for the truth, to discern the situation well. Pope Saint John Paul II expressed this reality in the Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris consortio (FC, 84), by pointing out the difference between those who have suffered because of a separation as opposed to those who have caused it. This discernment is very important.
If we look at these new bonds through the eyes of little children - and little children are always watching - with the eyes of children, we will see an even more urgent need to develop in our communities a real welcome for people who are experiencing such situations. This is the reason why it is important that the style of community, her language, her attitude, should always be attentive to people, beginning with those who are small. They are the ones who suffer the most in such situations. What's more, how could we ever recommend to parents that they should do everything in their power to teach their children about the Christian life, including providing them with the example and conviction of a practiced faith, if we keep them away from the life of the community as though they were excommunicated? We should make every effort not to add to the weight that children in such situations are already bearing! Unfortunately, the number of such children and youth is really large. It is important that they be able to experience the Church as a mother who is attentive to all people, always available to listen and to welcome.
In recent decades, truthfully, the Church has neither been insensitive nor lazy. Thanks to the continual deepening that has been accomplished by Pastors, guided and confirmed by my Predecessors, there has been a growing awareness that we need fraternal and attentive hospitality, in love and in truth, reserved for the baptized who have established a new relationship following the failure of a sacramental marriage; in fact, these people have not been excommunicated; they have not been excommunicated! ... and they should never be treated as such: they are still part of the Church.
Pope Benedict XVI spoke about this question, calling for careful discernment and wise pastoral care, knowing that there is no simple recipe (Speech to the VII World Meeting of Families, Milan, June 2, 2012, response number 5).
Thus the repeated invitation of the Pastors to openly and consistently demonstrate the community's willingness to welcome them and to encourage them, in order that they might experience and further deepen their sense of belonging to Christ and to the Church through prayer, by listening to the Word of God, by attending the liturgy, through the Christian education of their children, by taking care of and serving the poor and by being committed to justice and to peace.
The biblical icon of the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11-18) summarizes the mission that Jesus received from the Father: to give his life for his sheep. This attitude is a model for the Church, which welcomes her children like a mother who gives her life for them. The Church is called to always be the open house of the Father ...No door should ever be closed! No door should ever be closed! - In this way, everyone can participate in the life of the Church, everyone can be part of the community. The Church ... is the paternal house where there is room for everyone with all of their problems (Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii gaudium, 47).
In the same way, all Christians are called to imitate the Good Shepherd. Above all, Christian families can collaborate with Him in caring for wounded families, accompanying them with the community's life of faith. Each person plays a part in taking on the attitude of the Good Shepherd, who knows every one of his sheep, and who excludes no one from his infinite love!
The Holy Father's teaching was then summarized in various languages, and His Holiness offered particular words of greeting to each of the groups of the faithful who were present. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I offer an affectionate greeting to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, including those from England, South Africa, China and the United States. May your stay in the Eternal City confirm you in love for our Lord, and may he make you his witnesses, especially for families who feel separated from the Church. May God bless you all!
No comments:
Post a Comment