At 11:20am today (Rome time) in the Consistory Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the youth of Catholic Action Italy (A.C.R.) for their annual exchange of Christmas greetings.
Dear boys and girls,
Once again this year, representing the young people of Catholic Action throughout Italy, you have come to present your Christmas greetings to the Pope. For me, these are particularly joyful greetings, which you offer along with the fruit of your work aimed at solidarity with the poor and with people who are disadvantaged. Thank you with all my heart for your gesture!
I am also thankful because, in this joy-filled circumstance, you are updating me about your activities and initiatives which demonstrate the vitality of Catholic Action (ACR). In this regard, I wish to tell you that I appreciate very much all the meetings that you hold in order to get to know and to be close to others throughout the year - this is the 150th anniversary of the foundation of Catholic Action - by the grandparents of the Association. This is a very beautiful and important thing, because the elderly are the historical memory of any community, a patrimony of wisdom and faith worth listening to, caring for and valuing.
In your training, which involves the slogan Ready to go, using the metaphor of photography, you commit yourselves to fixing your attention on the decisive moments of Jesus' life, in order to try to focus more and more on him, your greatest and most faithful friend. Looking at life and at the mission of Jesus, we understand that God is Love. Therefore, be good photographers both about what Jesus did and about the reality that you are living in, keeping your eyes attentive and vigilant. Many times, there are people who are forgotten: no one is looking to them, no one wants to see them. They are the most poor, the weakest, relegated to the margins of society because they are considered to be problems. Instead, they are the image of the Child Jesus who was rejected and found no welcome in the city of Bethlehem, they are the living flesh of the suffering and crucified Christ. So this can be one of your commitments; first of all I ask you: Who do I need to pay attention to? Only to those who are strong, those who are successful at school, at sports? Who do I pay the least attention to? Who do I pretend not to see? Do I choose to turn and look the other way? ... These are the ones who are living on the peripheries: try to fix your eyes on the friends and the people who no one else ever sees and dare to take the first step toward meeting them, giving them a bit of your time, a smile, a gesture of tenderness.
Dear children, be friends and witnesses of Jesus, who came to all of us in Bethlehem. During this feast of Christmas which is so close, you are called to make this joy known to all your friends, in cities, in parishes and in your families. Thank you again for your visit. I bless you with affection, together with your dear ones, with your teachers, with your assistants and with all the friends of ACR. Don't forget to pray for me. Merry Christmas!
Now, I will give you my blessing. First, let us pray to Our Lady, all together: Hail Mary ...
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
addressed to members of Catholic Action Italy
Dear boys and girls,
Once again this year, representing the young people of Catholic Action throughout Italy, you have come to present your Christmas greetings to the Pope. For me, these are particularly joyful greetings, which you offer along with the fruit of your work aimed at solidarity with the poor and with people who are disadvantaged. Thank you with all my heart for your gesture!
I am also thankful because, in this joy-filled circumstance, you are updating me about your activities and initiatives which demonstrate the vitality of Catholic Action (ACR). In this regard, I wish to tell you that I appreciate very much all the meetings that you hold in order to get to know and to be close to others throughout the year - this is the 150th anniversary of the foundation of Catholic Action - by the grandparents of the Association. This is a very beautiful and important thing, because the elderly are the historical memory of any community, a patrimony of wisdom and faith worth listening to, caring for and valuing.
In your training, which involves the slogan Ready to go, using the metaphor of photography, you commit yourselves to fixing your attention on the decisive moments of Jesus' life, in order to try to focus more and more on him, your greatest and most faithful friend. Looking at life and at the mission of Jesus, we understand that God is Love. Therefore, be good photographers both about what Jesus did and about the reality that you are living in, keeping your eyes attentive and vigilant. Many times, there are people who are forgotten: no one is looking to them, no one wants to see them. They are the most poor, the weakest, relegated to the margins of society because they are considered to be problems. Instead, they are the image of the Child Jesus who was rejected and found no welcome in the city of Bethlehem, they are the living flesh of the suffering and crucified Christ. So this can be one of your commitments; first of all I ask you: Who do I need to pay attention to? Only to those who are strong, those who are successful at school, at sports? Who do I pay the least attention to? Who do I pretend not to see? Do I choose to turn and look the other way? ... These are the ones who are living on the peripheries: try to fix your eyes on the friends and the people who no one else ever sees and dare to take the first step toward meeting them, giving them a bit of your time, a smile, a gesture of tenderness.
Dear children, be friends and witnesses of Jesus, who came to all of us in Bethlehem. During this feast of Christmas which is so close, you are called to make this joy known to all your friends, in cities, in parishes and in your families. Thank you again for your visit. I bless you with affection, together with your dear ones, with your teachers, with your assistants and with all the friends of ACR. Don't forget to pray for me. Merry Christmas!
Now, I will give you my blessing. First, let us pray to Our Lady, all together: Hail Mary ...
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