At 11:00am this morning (5:00am EDT) inside the Consistory Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience those who are representing the Italian Gymnastics Federation, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of their establishment.
Dear friends!
Welcome to this meeting, which commemorates the 150th anniversary of your institution, founded to promote the culture of sports through physical education. I greet you all and thank your President for his words.
The presence of sports associations in society is not only functional in organizing sports activities. They are also called to foster a mentality that, through sport, promotes the integral development of the human person and social friendship. It is about understanding and living sports not only as a source of physical well-being, but as a courageous, positive and optimistic life ideal. In this sense, sport becomes a formative experience that helps the new generations above all to cultivate the values of life: love for loyalty and justice, a taste for beauty and goodness, and the search for freedom and solidarity.
Nowadays the system of sports appears at times to be conditioned by a logic based on profit, by an exaggerated competitive spirit and, unfortunately, also by violent attitudes. These are three bad things: profit, exaggerated competition and sometimes violent attitudes. And all three of these ugly attitudes lack one thing: the amateur dimension of sport. When sport loses the amateur dimension these attitudes come out, which lower the level of sport. Faced with these negative aspects, leaders and athletes who are animated by the Christian faith can testify to the humanizing power of the Gospel even in sports circles, and thus contribute to building a more fraternal society.
This is what I wish you on this anniversary. May you always experience sports with loyalty and a healthy competitive spirit, without losing the amateur inspiration. This will help you to face the races of life with courage and honesty, with joy and serene trust in the future. I entrust your Federation to the Lord and I bless you. Please, I ask you to pray for me. Thank you!
Testo originale nella lingua italiana
Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
addressed to the members of the
Italian Gymnastics Federation
Dear friends!
Welcome to this meeting, which commemorates the 150th anniversary of your institution, founded to promote the culture of sports through physical education. I greet you all and thank your President for his words.
The presence of sports associations in society is not only functional in organizing sports activities. They are also called to foster a mentality that, through sport, promotes the integral development of the human person and social friendship. It is about understanding and living sports not only as a source of physical well-being, but as a courageous, positive and optimistic life ideal. In this sense, sport becomes a formative experience that helps the new generations above all to cultivate the values of life: love for loyalty and justice, a taste for beauty and goodness, and the search for freedom and solidarity.
Nowadays the system of sports appears at times to be conditioned by a logic based on profit, by an exaggerated competitive spirit and, unfortunately, also by violent attitudes. These are three bad things: profit, exaggerated competition and sometimes violent attitudes. And all three of these ugly attitudes lack one thing: the amateur dimension of sport. When sport loses the amateur dimension these attitudes come out, which lower the level of sport. Faced with these negative aspects, leaders and athletes who are animated by the Christian faith can testify to the humanizing power of the Gospel even in sports circles, and thus contribute to building a more fraternal society.
This is what I wish you on this anniversary. May you always experience sports with loyalty and a healthy competitive spirit, without losing the amateur inspiration. This will help you to face the races of life with courage and honesty, with joy and serene trust in the future. I entrust your Federation to the Lord and I bless you. Please, I ask you to pray for me. Thank you!
Testo originale nella lingua italiana
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