This morning's General Audience began at 9:25am (EST+6) in Saint Peter's Square, where the Holy Father met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every corner of the world.
Before making his way to Saint Peter's Square, at 9:20am, inside the Paul VI Hall, te Pope met with those who are sick and with a few children from the Italian territory known as the Land of Fires (located between Naples and Casserta) suffering from leukemia, along with their parents
In his speech, the Pope reflected on his recent pilgrimage to Chile and Perú. He then issued a call for the current situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered particular greetings for each group of the pilgrims who were in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
This audience is taking place in two parts: you, here in the Square, and a group of children who are a little sick, who are in the (Paul VI) Hall. They can see you and you can see them: in this way, we are together. Let us greet the children who are in the Hall: it is better for them to be there so that they won't catch a cold, that's why they are there.
Two days ago, I returned from my Apostolic journey to Chile and Perú. Let us applaud Chile and Perú! They are two brave sets of people, truly good ... I thank the Lord because everything went well: I was able to meet the People of God who are journeying in that land - even those who are not on the journey, who are a bit closed in ... but they are good people - and to encourage the social development of both countries. I renew my gratitude to the civil authorities and to my brother Bishops, who welcomed me with such care and generosity; as well as all the collaborators and volunteers. Consider that there were more than 20,000 volunteers in each country: 20,000 and more in Chile, 20,000 in Perú. They are good people: the majority of them were youth.
My arrival in Chile had been preceded by various protests, for many reasons, as you read in the newspapers. And this made the motto of my visit even more current and alive: My peace I give you. These are the words Jesus spoke to the disciples, words that we repeat at every Mass: the gift of peace, what only Jesus who died and rose again can give to those who trust in Him. Not only every one of us needs peace, our world also needs peace, today, in this third world war fought in pieces ... Please, let us pray for peace!
In my meeting with the political and civil authorities of the country, I encouraged them to work toward democracy in Chile, as a space for solidarity and encounter, capable of including diversity: for this reason, I indicated as a method the path of listening: in particular, listening to the poor, to the youth and to the elderly, immigrants and also listening to the earth.
In the first Eucharist, celebrated for peace and justice, the Beatitudes resounded, especially Blessed are those who work for peace, they will be called sons of God (Mt 5:9). A Beatitude for all to bear witness to through their style of closeness, concern for others and sharing, thus strengthening - with the grace of Christ - the fabric of the ecclesial community and of the entire society.
In this style of closeness, gestures and words become more important, and one of the important gestures that I could accomplish was to visit the women's prison in Santiago: the faces of those women, many of whom were young mothers, with their little children in their arms, expressed so much hope in spite of everything. I encouraged them to demand, of themselves and of the institutions, a serious journey of preparation for re-entry into society, as a horizon that gives meaning to their daily suffering. We cannot think of a prison, no matter which prison, without this dimension of reintegration, because if there is no hope for social reintegration, the prison is a source of infinite torture. On the other hand, when we work toward reintegration - even those with life sentences can be reintegrated - by working from prison toward society, a dialogue opens up, but at all times, a prison should have this dimension of reintegration, always.
With the priests and the consecrated persons and with the Bishops of Chile, I had two very intense meetings, made even more fruitful by the shared suffering they have experienced due to some wounds that have afflicted the Church in that country. In particular, I confirmed my brothers in rejecting any compromise with the sexual abuse of minors, and at the same time in trusting in God who, through this difficult trial is purifying and renewing his ministers.
The other two Masses in Chile were celebrated - one in the south and the other in the north. The one that was celebrated in the south, in Araucanía, the land where the Mapuche indians live, transformed the dramas and trials of those people into joy, launching a call for peace that is harmony in the midst of diversity and for the rejection of all violence. The Mass celebrated in the north, in Iquique, between the ocean and the desert, was a hymn to the encounter between peoples, which is expressed in a singular way in popular religiosity.
The meetings with young people and at the Catholic University of Chile responded to the crucial challenge of offering a great sense to the life of new generations. To the young people I entrusted the programatic word of Saint Albert Hurtado: What would Christ do in my place? And to the University community, I proposed the model of integral formation, which translates Catholic identity into an ability to participate in the construction of united and plural societies, where conflicts are not hidden but rather managed in dialogue. There are always conflicts: even at home; they always exist. But dealing with evil conflicts is even worse. We must not hide conflicts under the bed: conflicts that come to light can be faced and resolved with dialogue. Think about the little conflicts that you have surely experienced at home: you should not try to hide them but face them. Seek the proper moment to speak about them: conflicts can be resolved in this way, with dialogue.
In Perú, the motto for the visit was: United in hope. United, not in a sterile uniformity, where everyone is equal: this is not unity; but in the full richness of the differences that we inherit from our history and our culture. I witnessed this richness emblematically in my encounter with the people of Peruvian Amazonia, who also provided a start to the itinerary for the Pan-Amazon Synod which will be convoked in October 2019, as well as the moments I experienced with the people of Puerto Maldonado, and with the children at the Little Prince welcoming centre. Together, we said no to economic and ideological colonization.
Speaking to the political and civil authorities in Perú, I appreciated the environmental, cultural and spiritual heritage of that country, and I focused on the two realities most seriously threaten it: ecological and social degradation and corruption. I do not know if you heard talk about corruption here ... I don't know ... It exists not only in those places: even here and it is more dangerous than influenza! It mixes and ruins hearts. Corruption ruins hearts. Please, say no to corruption. And I noticed that no one is exempt from responsibility in the face of these two wounds and that the commitment to counter them concerns everyone.
The first public Mass in Perú, I celebrated on the banks of the ocean, near the city of Trujillo, where the storm called Niño costiero (Coastal Niño) severely affected the people last year. I encouraged them to react but also to other storms such as the underground, the lack of education, of work and safe housing. In Trujillo, I also met the priests and the consecrated men and women from northern Perú, and shared with them the joy of the call and the mission, and the responsibility of communion in the Church. There, I encouraged them to be enriched by their memory and faithful to their roots. And among those roots there is popular devotion to the Virgin Mary. Also in Trujillo, there was a Marian celebration during which I crowned the Virgin of the Door and proclaimed her as Mother of Mercy and of Hope.
The final day of the trip, last Sunday, began in Lima, with a strong spiritual and ecclesial accent. In the most celebrated Shrine in Perú, where the painting of the Crucifixion known as Señor de los Milagros (the Lord of Miracles) is venerated, I met approximately 500 cloistered contemplative religious Sisters: truly a lung of faith and of prayer for the Church and for all of society. In the Cathedral, I performed a special act of prayer for the intercession of the Peruvian saints, and that was followed by a meeting with the Bishops of the country, to whom I proposed the exemplary figure of Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo. I also pointed out to Peruvian youth, the Saints as men and women who did not waste their time putting on their own image, but who followed Christ who looked upon them with hope. As always, the words of Jesus give full sense to everything, and this was also true of the gospel passage for the final Eucharistic celebration which summarized God's message for his people in Chile and in Perú: Repent and believe in the gospel (Mk 1:15). In this way - the Lord seemed to say - you will receive the peace that I offer and you will be united in my hope. This is more or less a summary of the trip. Let us pray for these two sister nations, for Chile and for Perú, that the Lord may bless them.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages and His Holiness offered greetings to each group of pilgrims in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from England, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Korea and the United States of America. In the context of this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, I offer a special greeting to the group from the Bossey Ecumenical Institute. I also greet the priests of the Institute for Continuing Theological Education of the Pontifical North American College. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!
When all the groups of people had been addressed, the Pope offered the following call for prayer:
Unfortunately, we continue to receive concerning news from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Therefore, I renew my call for everyone to commit to avoiding every form of violence. On her part, the Church wants nothing other than to contribute to peace and the common good of society.
Good morning, I greet all of you, and thank you for coming.
It is better that you should be here, because it's cold outside. You can see the Audience on the screens, and from the Square, they can see you. It's connected. You will be more comfortable here, you won't be cold, you can sit ... Even the small children can play and so everything will be fine.
Now, I want to give you my blessing. Let us pray to Our Lady. Sit, sit down everyone ...
(Hail Mary ... and blessing)
Have a good day, and pray for me, good bye! Now, how are the children? Hello, hello!
Before making his way to Saint Peter's Square, at 9:20am, inside the Paul VI Hall, te Pope met with those who are sick and with a few children from the Italian territory known as the Land of Fires (located between Naples and Casserta) suffering from leukemia, along with their parents
In his speech, the Pope reflected on his recent pilgrimage to Chile and Perú. He then issued a call for the current situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered particular greetings for each group of the pilgrims who were in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.
Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
This audience is taking place in two parts: you, here in the Square, and a group of children who are a little sick, who are in the (Paul VI) Hall. They can see you and you can see them: in this way, we are together. Let us greet the children who are in the Hall: it is better for them to be there so that they won't catch a cold, that's why they are there.
Two days ago, I returned from my Apostolic journey to Chile and Perú. Let us applaud Chile and Perú! They are two brave sets of people, truly good ... I thank the Lord because everything went well: I was able to meet the People of God who are journeying in that land - even those who are not on the journey, who are a bit closed in ... but they are good people - and to encourage the social development of both countries. I renew my gratitude to the civil authorities and to my brother Bishops, who welcomed me with such care and generosity; as well as all the collaborators and volunteers. Consider that there were more than 20,000 volunteers in each country: 20,000 and more in Chile, 20,000 in Perú. They are good people: the majority of them were youth.
My arrival in Chile had been preceded by various protests, for many reasons, as you read in the newspapers. And this made the motto of my visit even more current and alive: My peace I give you. These are the words Jesus spoke to the disciples, words that we repeat at every Mass: the gift of peace, what only Jesus who died and rose again can give to those who trust in Him. Not only every one of us needs peace, our world also needs peace, today, in this third world war fought in pieces ... Please, let us pray for peace!
In my meeting with the political and civil authorities of the country, I encouraged them to work toward democracy in Chile, as a space for solidarity and encounter, capable of including diversity: for this reason, I indicated as a method the path of listening: in particular, listening to the poor, to the youth and to the elderly, immigrants and also listening to the earth.
In the first Eucharist, celebrated for peace and justice, the Beatitudes resounded, especially Blessed are those who work for peace, they will be called sons of God (Mt 5:9). A Beatitude for all to bear witness to through their style of closeness, concern for others and sharing, thus strengthening - with the grace of Christ - the fabric of the ecclesial community and of the entire society.
In this style of closeness, gestures and words become more important, and one of the important gestures that I could accomplish was to visit the women's prison in Santiago: the faces of those women, many of whom were young mothers, with their little children in their arms, expressed so much hope in spite of everything. I encouraged them to demand, of themselves and of the institutions, a serious journey of preparation for re-entry into society, as a horizon that gives meaning to their daily suffering. We cannot think of a prison, no matter which prison, without this dimension of reintegration, because if there is no hope for social reintegration, the prison is a source of infinite torture. On the other hand, when we work toward reintegration - even those with life sentences can be reintegrated - by working from prison toward society, a dialogue opens up, but at all times, a prison should have this dimension of reintegration, always.
With the priests and the consecrated persons and with the Bishops of Chile, I had two very intense meetings, made even more fruitful by the shared suffering they have experienced due to some wounds that have afflicted the Church in that country. In particular, I confirmed my brothers in rejecting any compromise with the sexual abuse of minors, and at the same time in trusting in God who, through this difficult trial is purifying and renewing his ministers.
The other two Masses in Chile were celebrated - one in the south and the other in the north. The one that was celebrated in the south, in Araucanía, the land where the Mapuche indians live, transformed the dramas and trials of those people into joy, launching a call for peace that is harmony in the midst of diversity and for the rejection of all violence. The Mass celebrated in the north, in Iquique, between the ocean and the desert, was a hymn to the encounter between peoples, which is expressed in a singular way in popular religiosity.
The meetings with young people and at the Catholic University of Chile responded to the crucial challenge of offering a great sense to the life of new generations. To the young people I entrusted the programatic word of Saint Albert Hurtado: What would Christ do in my place? And to the University community, I proposed the model of integral formation, which translates Catholic identity into an ability to participate in the construction of united and plural societies, where conflicts are not hidden but rather managed in dialogue. There are always conflicts: even at home; they always exist. But dealing with evil conflicts is even worse. We must not hide conflicts under the bed: conflicts that come to light can be faced and resolved with dialogue. Think about the little conflicts that you have surely experienced at home: you should not try to hide them but face them. Seek the proper moment to speak about them: conflicts can be resolved in this way, with dialogue.
In Perú, the motto for the visit was: United in hope. United, not in a sterile uniformity, where everyone is equal: this is not unity; but in the full richness of the differences that we inherit from our history and our culture. I witnessed this richness emblematically in my encounter with the people of Peruvian Amazonia, who also provided a start to the itinerary for the Pan-Amazon Synod which will be convoked in October 2019, as well as the moments I experienced with the people of Puerto Maldonado, and with the children at the Little Prince welcoming centre. Together, we said no to economic and ideological colonization.
Speaking to the political and civil authorities in Perú, I appreciated the environmental, cultural and spiritual heritage of that country, and I focused on the two realities most seriously threaten it: ecological and social degradation and corruption. I do not know if you heard talk about corruption here ... I don't know ... It exists not only in those places: even here and it is more dangerous than influenza! It mixes and ruins hearts. Corruption ruins hearts. Please, say no to corruption. And I noticed that no one is exempt from responsibility in the face of these two wounds and that the commitment to counter them concerns everyone.
The first public Mass in Perú, I celebrated on the banks of the ocean, near the city of Trujillo, where the storm called Niño costiero (Coastal Niño) severely affected the people last year. I encouraged them to react but also to other storms such as the underground, the lack of education, of work and safe housing. In Trujillo, I also met the priests and the consecrated men and women from northern Perú, and shared with them the joy of the call and the mission, and the responsibility of communion in the Church. There, I encouraged them to be enriched by their memory and faithful to their roots. And among those roots there is popular devotion to the Virgin Mary. Also in Trujillo, there was a Marian celebration during which I crowned the Virgin of the Door and proclaimed her as Mother of Mercy and of Hope.
The final day of the trip, last Sunday, began in Lima, with a strong spiritual and ecclesial accent. In the most celebrated Shrine in Perú, where the painting of the Crucifixion known as Señor de los Milagros (the Lord of Miracles) is venerated, I met approximately 500 cloistered contemplative religious Sisters: truly a lung of faith and of prayer for the Church and for all of society. In the Cathedral, I performed a special act of prayer for the intercession of the Peruvian saints, and that was followed by a meeting with the Bishops of the country, to whom I proposed the exemplary figure of Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo. I also pointed out to Peruvian youth, the Saints as men and women who did not waste their time putting on their own image, but who followed Christ who looked upon them with hope. As always, the words of Jesus give full sense to everything, and this was also true of the gospel passage for the final Eucharistic celebration which summarized God's message for his people in Chile and in Perú: Repent and believe in the gospel (Mk 1:15). In this way - the Lord seemed to say - you will receive the peace that I offer and you will be united in my hope. This is more or less a summary of the trip. Let us pray for these two sister nations, for Chile and for Perú, that the Lord may bless them.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages and His Holiness offered greetings to each group of pilgrims in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from England, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Korea and the United States of America. In the context of this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, I offer a special greeting to the group from the Bossey Ecumenical Institute. I also greet the priests of the Institute for Continuing Theological Education of the Pontifical North American College. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!
When all the groups of people had been addressed, the Pope offered the following call for prayer:
Unfortunately, we continue to receive concerning news from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Therefore, I renew my call for everyone to commit to avoiding every form of violence. On her part, the Church wants nothing other than to contribute to peace and the common good of society.
Greetings to the sick and to children
inside the Paul VI Hall
Good morning, I greet all of you, and thank you for coming.
It is better that you should be here, because it's cold outside. You can see the Audience on the screens, and from the Square, they can see you. It's connected. You will be more comfortable here, you won't be cold, you can sit ... Even the small children can play and so everything will be fine.
Now, I want to give you my blessing. Let us pray to Our Lady. Sit, sit down everyone ...
(Hail Mary ... and blessing)
Have a good day, and pray for me, good bye! Now, how are the children? Hello, hello!
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