The meeting before the assembly

This morning in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis received in audience the president for the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly, His Excellency Mr. Vuk Jeremic, who then went on to meet with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., accompanied by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States.

During the course of the cordial conversations, some issues of mutual interest were discussed, in particular, the resolution of international conflicts through peaceful means, with specific reference to the Middle East and the serious humanitarian emergencies those conflicts have caused. In this context, the importance of reconciliation between the communities that make up the various societies and respect for the rights of ethnic and religious minorities were emphasized.

Attention was also given to the problem of human trafficking and the plight of refugees and migrants. Regarding the present global economic crisis, mention was made of the role that the General Assembly of the United Nations could undertake in its programs—that would be environmentally friendly and, at the same time, capable of reducing the distance between the rich and the poor—for an agenda of sustainable development after 2015.

Today’s meeting confirmed the Holy See’s appreciation for the United Nation’s central role in seeking the common good of humanity. Also, the Catholic Church’s contribution, with the means proper to her and respectful of her identity, in promoting the complete dignity of the human person as well as peace and a culture of encounter was not overlooked, with the hopes that such values might always inspire the General Assembly’s debates and deliberations.

Discipleship, fellowship, sharing

Following the established tradition for the celebration of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, who is the Bishop of Rome, celebrated Mass today in the Cathedral of Rome, the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran.

Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi

Basilica of Saint John Lateran

Dear brothers and sisters,

In the gospel that we have just heard, there is one of Jesus' expressions that always captivates me: You give them something to eat (Lk 9:13).  Inspired by this phrase, I am guided in this meditation by three words: discipleship, fellowship and sharing.

1.  First of all, who are those who must be fed?  The response can be found at the beginning of the gospel passage: the crowd, the multitude.  Jesus is in the midst of the people, he welcomes them, he speaks to them, he cares for them, he shows them the mercy of God; from their midst, he chooses the Twelve Apostles and invites them to follow him, to immerse themselves as He does in the concrete situations of the world.  And the people follow him, listen to him, because Jesus speaks and acts in a new way, with the authority of someone who is authentic and concrete, who speaks and acts with conviction, who gives the hope that comes from God, who is the revelation of the Face of God who is love.  And the people joyfully bless the Lord.

This evening, we are the crowd spoken of in the Gospel, we too want to follow Jesus, to listen to him, to enter into communion with Him in the Eucharist, to accompany him.  Why do we do this?  Let us ask ourselves: how do I follow Jesus?  Jesus speaks in silence, in the Mystery of the Eucharist and every time he does, he reminds us that to follow him means that we must come out of ourselves and make of our lives not our own procession, but a gift offered to Him and to others.

2.  Let's take another step forward: where does the invitation that Jesus gives to the disciples come from - his invitation to feed the multitude?  It is based on two elements: first, it is motivated by the crowd who, following Jesus, finds itself in a deserted place, far way from inhabited spaces, and it is evening; and it is based on the preoccupation of the disciples who ask Jesus to send the crowd away so that they might go into the surrounding countryside to find food and lodging (cf Lk 9:12).  Faced with the needs of the croud, this is the solution proposed by the disciples: each person should take care of his or her own need; send the crowd away!  Everyone for himself; send the crowd away!  How often we Christians are tempted in this way!  Don't be bothered with the needs of others, send them away with a pious phrase: May God help you!, or with a not so pious word: Good luck, and we hope we don't see them any more.  But the solution proposed by Jesus goes in a different direction, a direction that surprises the disciples: You give them something to eat.  But how is it possible that we can feed a crowd?  We only have five loaves of bread and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people (Lk 9:13).  But Jesus is not discouraged: he asks the disciples to seat the people in communities of fifty people, raises his eyes to heaven, says the blessing, breaks the bread and gives it to the disciples so that they can distribute it (cf Lk 9:16).  This is a moment of profound communion: the crowd whose thirst is quenched by the Word of God, and whose hunger is fed on his bread of life.  And they were all satisfied, writes the Evangelist (cf Lk 9:17).

This evening, we are gathered around the table of the Lord, around the table of the Eucharistic sacrifice, in which he gives us once again his Body, making present the sacrifice of the Cross.  It is by listening to his Word, by feeding on his Body and his Blood, that He gathers us, a multitude, and makes of us a community - from anonymity to community.  The Eucharist is the Sacrament of community, which draws us out of our individualism to live together as his followers, to discover and strengthen our faith in Him.  Therefore, we must all ask ourselves before the Lord: how do I live the Eucharist?  Do I live it anonymously or as a moment of true communion with the Lord, and also with all my brothers and sisters who share the same table?  What are our Eucharistic celebrations like?

3.  One last element: where does the multiplication of the loaves come from?  The answer lies in Jesus' invitation to the disciples: You give ..., give, share.  What do the disciples share?  The little that they have: five loaves of bread and two fish.  But these are the very loaves of bread and fish which in the hands of the Lord feed the entire crowd.  And it is the disciples, bewildered by the inability of their means, by their poverty, who learn to put themselves at the service of others, to accomodate the crowd and to distribute - trusting the word of Jesus - the bread and fish which satisfies the crowd.  This means that in the Church, but also in society, one key word which we shouldn't fear is solidarity, knowing how to make available to God that which we have, our humble abilities, because only in the sharing, in the gift, will our lives be fruitful, bearing fruit.  Solidarity: a word that is frowned upon by the spirit of the world!

This evening, once again, the Lord distributes for us the bread which is his Body, He presents a gift.  And we experience the solidarity of God with man, a solidarity that can never be exhausted, a solidarity that never ceases to amaze us: God draws close to us, in the sacrifice of the Cross he comes down to us and enters into the darkness of death in order to give us his life, that triumphs over evil, egotism and death.  Tonight, Jesus gives us himself in the Eucharist, sharing in our pilgrimage; he provides food, real food that sustains our life even in moments when the road may be difficult, when obstacles slow our progress.  In the Eucharist, the Lord makes us follow his path, the path of service, of sharing, of giving, even the little that we have, the little that we are - if it is shared, it becomes wealth, because the power of God which is the power of love, enters into our poverty and transforms it.

Let us ask ourselves this eveing, adoring the Lord, truly present in the Eucharist: Do I allow myself to be transformed by Him?  Do I allow Him to give Himself to me, to guide me and invite me to always move outside of myself, to go out and not to be afraid of giving, to share, to love Him and to love others?

Brothers and sisters: discipleship, communion, sharing.  Let us pray that our participation in the Eucharist may always prompt us: to follow the Lord every day, to be instruments of communion, to share with Him and with our neighbour that which we are.  Then our lives will truly be fruitful.  Amen.

At the conclusion of the Mass, a procession took place, led by the Blessed Sacrament, then the Pope, then Cardinals, Bishops, priests and parishioners from various parishes of Rome and members of various confraternities.  This procession was so long that it reached its destination in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major before the last participants had even left the Lateran Archbasilica!

While the procession continued to assemble at the Lateran Archbasilica, the Holy Father spent the time in silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, while the crowds chanted and sang various songs and hymns.  The Holy Father concluded the gathering with Benediction.

The nun who gave us Corpus Christi

This coming Sunday, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi (the Body and Blood of the Lord).  Although this Solemnity is transferred to the Sunday following the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity in many countries, it is observed today in Rome.

In honour of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, here is the text of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI's General Audience address from November 17, 2010, which was dedicated to Saint Juliana of Liège, the nun who is credited with helping to bring about the establishment of this Feast day.

Address of His Holiness, Benedict XVI

for the General Audience held on Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Saint Juliana of Cornillon

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This morning too I would like to introduce a female figure to you. She is little known but the Church is deeply indebted to her, not only because of the holiness of her life but also because, with her great fervour, she contributed to the institution of one of the most important solemn Liturgies of the year: Corpus Christi.

She is St Juliana de Cornillon, also known as St Juliana of Liège. We know several facts about her life, mainly from a biography that was probably written by a contemporary cleric; it is a collection of various testimonies of people who were directly acquainted with the Saint.

Juliana was born near Liège, Belgium between 1191 and 1192. It is important to emphasize this place because at that time the Diocese of Liège was, so to speak, a true Eucharistic Upper Room. Before Juliana, eminent theologians had illustrated the supreme value of the Sacrament of the Eucharist and, again in Liège, there were groups of women generously dedicated to Eucharistic worship and to fervent communion. Guided by exemplary priests, they lived together, devoting themselves to prayer and to charitable works.

Orphaned at the age of five, Juliana, together with her sister Agnes, was entrusted to the care of the Augustinian nuns at the convent and leprosarium of Mont-Cornillon.

She was taught mainly by a sister called Sapienza [wisdom], who was in charge of her spiritual development to the time Juliana received the religious habit and thus became an Augustinian nun.

She became so learned that she could read the words of the Church Fathers, of St Augustine and St Bernard in particular, in Latin. In addition to a keen intelligence, Juliana showed a special propensity for contemplation from the outset. She had a profound sense of Christ’s presence, which she experienced by living the Sacrament of the Eucharist especially intensely and by pausing frequently to meditate upon Jesus’ words: And lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age (Mt 28:20).

When Juliana was 16 she had her first vision which recurred subsequently several times during her Eucharistic adoration. Her vision presented the moon in its full splendour, crossed diametrically by a dark stripe. The Lord made her understand the meaning of what had appeared to her. The moon symbolized the life of the Church on earth, the opaque line, on the other hand, represented the absence of a liturgical feast for whose institution Juliana was asked to plead effectively: namely, a feast in which believers would be able to adore the Eucharist so as to increase in faith, to advance in the practice of the virtues and to make reparation for offences to the Most Holy Sacrament.

Juliana, who in the meantime had become Prioress of the convent, kept this revelation that had filled her heart with joy a secret for about 20 years. She then confided it to two other fervent adorers of the Eucharist, Blessed Eva, who lived as a hermit, and Isabella, who had joined her at the Monastery of Mont-Cornillon. The three women established a sort of spiritual alliance for the purpose of glorifying the Most Holy Sacrament.

They also chose to involve a highly regarded Priest, John of Lausanne, who was a canon of the Church of St Martin in Liège. They asked him to consult theologians and clerics on what was important to them. Their affirmative response was encouraging.

What happened to Juliana of Cornillon occurs frequently in the lives of Saints. To have confirmation that an inspiration comes from God it is always necessary to be immersed in prayer to wait patiently, to seek friendship and exchanges with other good souls and to submit all things to the judgement of the Pastors of the Church.

It was in fact Bishop Robert Torote, Liège who, after initial hesitation, accepted the proposal of Juliana and her companions and first introduced the Solemnity of Corpus Christi in his diocese. Later other Bishops following his example instituted this Feast in the territories entrusted to their pastoral care.

However, to increase their faith the Lord often asks Saints to sustain trials. This also happened to Juliana who had to bear the harsh opposition of certain members of the clergy and even of the superior on whom her monastery depended.

Of her own free will, therefore, Juliana left the Convent of Mont-Cornillon with several companions. For 10 years — from 1248 to 1258 — she stayed as a guest at various monasteries of Cistercian sisters.

She edified all with her humility, she had no words of criticism or reproach for her adversaries and continued zealously to spread Eucharistic worship.

She died at Fosses-La-Ville, Belgium, in 1258. In the cell where she lay the Blessed Sacrament was exposed and, according to her biographer’s account, Juliana died contemplating with a last effusion to love Jesus in the Eucharist whom she had always loved, honoured and adored. Jacques Pantaléon of Troyes was also won over to the good cause of the Feast of Corpus Christi during his ministry as Archdeacon in Lièges. It was he who, having become Pope with the name of Urban IV in 1264, instituted the Solemnity of Corpus Christi on the Thursday after Pentecost as a feast of precept for the universal Church.

In the Bull of its institution, entitled Transiturus de hoc mundo, (11 Aug. 1264), Pope Urban even referred discreetly to Juliana's mystical experiences, corroborating their authenticity. He wrote: Although the Eucharist is celebrated solemnly every day, we deem it fitting that at least once a year it be celebrated with greater honour and a solemn commemoration.

“Indeed we grasp the other things we commemorate with our spirit and our mind, but this does not mean that we obtain their real presence. On the contrary, in this sacramental commemoration of Christ, even though in a different form, Jesus Christ is present with us in his own substance. While he was about to ascend into Heaven he said ‘And lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age’ (Matthew 28:20). 

The Pontiff made a point of setting an example by celebrating the solemnity of Corpus Christi in Orvieto, the town where he was then residing. Indeed, he ordered that the famous Corporal with the traces of the Eucharistic miracle which had occurred in Bolsena the previous year, 1263, be kept in the Orvieto Cathedral — where it still is today.

While a priest was consecrating the bread and the wine he was overcome by strong doubts about the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist. A few drops of blood began miraculously to ooze from the consecrated Host, thereby confirming what our faith professes.

Urban IV asked one of the greatest theologians of history, St Thomas Aquinas — who at that time was accompanying the Pope and was in Orvieto — to compose the texts of the Liturgical Office for this great feast. They are masterpieces, still in use in the Church today, in which theology and poetry are fuse. These texts pluck at the heartstrings in an expression of praise and gratitude to the Most Holy Sacrament, while the mind, penetrating the mystery with wonder, recognizes in the Eucharist the Living and Real Presence of Jesus, of his Sacrifice of love that reconciles us with the Father, and gives us salvation. 

Although after the death of Urban IV the celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi was limited to certain regions of France, Germany, Hungary and Northern Italy, it was another Pontiff, John XXII, who in 1317 re-established it for the universal Church. Since then the Feast experienced a wonderful development and is still deeply appreciated by the Christian people.

I would like to affirm with joy that today there is a Eucharistic springtime in the Church: How many people pause in silence before the Tabernacle to engage in a loving conversation with Jesus! It is comforting to know that many groups of young people have rediscovered the beauty of praying in adoration before the Most Blessed Sacrament.

I am thinking, for example, of our Eucharistic adoration in Hyde Park, London. I pray that this Eucharistic springtime may spread increasingly in every parish and in particular in Belgium, St Juliana’s homeland.

Venerable John Paul II said in his Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia: “In many places, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is also an important daily practice and becomes an inexhaustible source of holiness. The devout participation of the faithful in the Eucharistic procession on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is a grace from the Lord which yearly brings joy to those who take part in it. Other positive signs of Eucharistic faith and love might also be mentioned (n. 10).

In  remembering St Juliana of Cornillon let us also renew our faith in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. As we are taught by the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist in a unique and incomparable way. He is present in a true, real and substantial way, with his Body and his Blood, with his Soul and his Divinity. In the Eucharist, therefore, there is present in a sacramental way, that is, under the Eucharistic Species of bread and wine, Christ whole and entire, God and Man (n. 282).

Dear friends, fidelity to the encounter with the Christ in the Eucharist in Holy Mass on Sunday is essential for the journey of faith, but let us also seek to pay frequent visits to the Lord present in the Tabernacle! In gazing in adoration at the consecrated Host, we discover the gift of God's love, we discover Jesus' Passion and Cross and likewise his Resurrection. It is precisely through our gazing in adoration that the Lord draws us towards him into his mystery in order to transform us as he transforms the bread and the wine.

The Saints never failed to find strength, consolation and joy in the Eucharistic encounter. Let us repeat before the Lord present in the Most Blessed Sacrament the words of the Eucharistic hymn “Adoro te devote”: [Devoutly I adore Thee]: Make me believe ever more in you, Draw me deeply into faith, / Into Your hope, into Your love. 

Thank you.

Pope discusses Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi

On Monday of this week, Pope Francis received Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, C.S., Papal Delegate for the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi in audience at the Vatican Apostolic Palace. During the meeting, which lasted some 45 minutes, Cardinal De Paolis gave His Holiness a report on the different stages of the review of the Legion and the Regnum Christi, especially on his third year as Papal Delegate.

The cardinal and the Pope also spoke about the main task entrusted to the Papal Delegate: to guide the Congregation to bring to a close the elaboration of new Constitutions of the Legion of Christ, which will be presented at an Extraordinary General Chapter, to be held foreseeably at the beginning of 2014. It will be up to the Chapter also to elect the new general government of the Congregation.

Cardinal De Paolis explained to the Pope the attention he has given to Regnum Christi, which he described as a precious reality that enriches the Legion’s field of action.  The Cardinal also spoke about the consecrated men and women and the lay people committed to the Movement.

Concluding his meeting,  the Papal Delegate informed the Pope that a Statute is foreseen for the Regnum Christi, which will regulate the life of the members and their relation with the Legionaries, and which will require the approval of the Chapter, the Assemblies of the consecrated men and women and of a General Assembly.

The final result of the process of renewal of the Regnum Christi and the Legion of Christ, under the guidance of the Papal Delegate, will be presented to the Holy Father, who will make the final decisions.

Words about the Word

Today, we celebrated the Mass of the Resurrection for the newest resident of his eternal Home.  His family and friends, and colleagues of his children and grandchildren gathered at the church this morning for the celebration, and then they shared a meal together before setting out on their pilgrim way.

Homily prepared for the Mass of Resurrection

Celebrated in memory of William Davis

Dear friends, we are here in this church today to pray with and for Isabel’s beloved husband, Bill, the father of four children who he loved very deeply, the grandfather of nine grandchildren and great grandfather to six little ones who knew him best as Grandpa whiskers.  In preparation for this celebration, I met yesterday with some of the family, and they told me about the fact that Bill and Isabel lived in various places in Northern and Southern Ontario during their married life.  As the stories were recounted, I came to understand Bill as a person who knew the importance of relationships.  Some of these relationships were cultivated while he was in the working world, and others were formed and strengthened on the golf course, around the card table, over a glass or two of ‘refreshment’.  The places and circumstances where the relationships began was only the beginning.  Over time, words were spoken, stories were told and retold, relationships were established and given time and occasions to grow.

It is perhaps fitting then that we should gather here to give thanks for the gift of this man’s life.  Words were an important part of his life, so how fitting is it that he should celebrate the transition from this world to the next in the presence of the one who we refer to as the Word (with a capital W).  Jesus’ words, spoken to the disciples, speak to the hearts who grieve today.  The words of scripture speak to our souls today, encouraging us to see in this encounter the truth that the life and death of each of us has its influence on others.  Bill’s life, his love for his family, his deep caring for every visitor and guest, his concern for every customer, his compassion for those who he called friends, are all part of the legacy he leaves for us today.  Each person who experienced his care is privileged to count him or herself as a beneficiary of Bill’s generosity, just as each of us who has come to know Jesus can count ourselves as privileged to be privy to the inheritance he has left us.

Jesus and Bill both used words to tell stories, to unite people, to share their hearts, their care and their love with others.  When Jesus spoke to the crowds, telling them about the love of the Father that is reserved for all of us, he promised eternal life.  This is the gift that Jesus offers to all of us – eternal life.  This is the reason why we gather here today – to celebrate the fact that Bill is now freed from the confines of physical ailments, and free to enjoy the fullness of life in the presence of our God.  At the moment of death, he stands before the judgement seat of God, but this has never been meant to be a fearful experience, because Christ died for us, he rose again to life, and in the light of His resurrection, we all have the promise of eternal life and everlasting love.  Now, and for all eternity, Bill can hear the voice of the Son of God who is the master story teller, the voice that speaks to his eternal soul, filling it with life from the source of all life.

What then can we learn from the experience we are living today?  There is wisdom to be gleaned from the lessons Bill has taught – the wisdom that comes from a heart that always knew how to speak with people, to make room for them, to listen to their stories and to share the joys and struggles of life and faith with them.  Each of us can learn to do the same.  Even at times when all physical strength is gone, there is still reason to hope, because the true source of our strength, the true reason for our hope comes from the Lord, and God will never leave us.  He surrounds us constantly with deep, abiding, life-giving love.  He enfolds us each morning with his kindnesses, renewing his promise of never-failing faithfulness.  Even as he welcomes Bill home today, our God waits for each of us, for each of us will leave this church today, and when we do, we will continue the journey of this life, until the day that we too will stand before the judgement seat of God, to be enwrapped in his love, to know the fullness of his love, and to hear him say to us the words for which we so deeply long: whoever listens to my words, and believes in the One who sent me, has eternal life; he has passed from death to life.

Celebrating the Gospel of Life

On Tuesday morning in the Vatican, at 11:30am local time in the John Paul II Hall at the Vatican Press Office, there was a press conference held, during which some further events marking the Year of Faith were outlined, including the Solemn Adoration of the Eucharist in the contemporary world, which will take place in Saint Peter's Basilica on Sunday, June 2; and World Evangelium Vitae Day, which will be observed in Saint Peter's Square two weeks later, on June 15 and 16.

Details of these two celebrations were presented by His Excellency, Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization and by His Excellency, José Octavio Ruiz Arenas, Secretary of the same Pontifical Council.

Intervention prepared by His Excellency, Rino Fisichella

President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization

The Year of Faith continues to unfold and to bear witness to rich and fruitful experiences, including initiatives put forward by various dioceses and encounters with the Holy Father.  The success of events planned thus far is a special comfort, but even more than the numbers, which are themselves significant - which to date demonstrate the presence of 4,300,000 pilgrims who have come to the Vatican - we must also take into account the active participation in prayer, reflection and spiritual involvement which has demonstrated the maturity with which various ecclesial groups and pilgrims have participated in these ecclesial experiences.

Today we present two more events that mark the continuing path of the Year of Faith.

First is the Eucharistic Adoration which will take place in St Peter's Basilica on Sunday, June 2 from 5:00pm to 6:00pm. We chose as a theme to give meaning to this event: One Lord, one faith, in order to bear witness to the sense of profound unity that characterizes this time. This is the first time that such an event has taken place in the history of the Church and we have reason to call it "historic." For one hour, the cathedrals of the world will be synchronized with Roman time and be in communion with the Pope in Eucharistic Adoration. We have had massive involvement in this initiative that has extended beyond the cathedrals and involved entire Conferences of Bishops, parishes, religious Congregations - especially the cloistered monasteries - and associations. It is difficult to provide exact numbers, but there are certainly thousands and thousands of participants. This moment proclaims the profound piety which the Church has when we are centred on the mystery of the Eucharist which is the source and summit of the Church's life. As we read in Porta fidei: We must rediscover the pleasure of feasting on the Word of God transmitted by the Church faithfully, and the Bread of life, offered in support of those who are his disciples (cf. Jn 6:51). The teaching of Jesus, in fact, still resounds in our time with the same effect: Do not labor for the food that perishes but for the food that remains in an everlasting way (Jn 6:27).  It is from this perspective that the organizational team for the Year of Faith has also conceived of this event. Of course, it is the celebration of the Eucharistic mystery in the Holy Mass which marks the climax, but as you know, since 1246 - the year in which it was instituted for the first time in Liège on the Feast of Corpus Christi - the worship of the Most Holy Eucharist has been progressively tested and found solid in the life of the Church.

The Holy Father has asked that as the faithful gather for this period of prayer, they keep before them two special intentions:

1. For the Church dispursed throughout the world and living as a sign of unity in Eucharistic adoration.  May the Lord make the Church always more obedient to His Word, so that she may be known in the world as a radiant presence, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless (Eph 5:27).  May the faithful proclamation of the Word bear fruit in mercy, and call all people to renew their commitment to love, making sense out of all pain and suffering, and responding with joy and peace.

2. For all those who, throughout the world, suffer from new slaveries, or who are victims of war, of personal betrayal, of drug trafficing and forced labour, for children and for mothers who endure violence.  That their silent cry may find an echo in the Church, so that by gazing upon the crucified Christ, we may never forget our brothers and sisters who are imprisoned by violence.  For all those who live in precarious economic situations, for the unemployed, the elderly, immigrants, the homeless, prisoners and those who are marginalized.  May the Church's prayer, and her acts of charity and kindness bring comfort and support them in hope, strengthening and emboldening them to defend the dignity of all persons.

A verification of answers that have come from different parts of the world is particularly interesting. With real emotion we read the letters of support received from several pastors.  From Carpi (directly affected by the earthquake a year ago), the bishop wrote to us that in the church which replaces the cathedral, in the very few viable parish churches which are still standing and in all the tents where the faithful continue to gather, worship will take place. The Cook Islands, Samoa and Honolulu will join us when it is 5:00am, while the highest point in the north - in Reykiavik, Iceland, it will be 3:00pm. These particular Churches match the Southern dioceses in countries such as South Africa, Chile and New Zealand. All the dioceses of Vietnam will join us at 10:00pm local time, while all the churches in Korea will be at midnight. From Oceania those who join the Adoration will gather when it is already June 3, from one to two in the morning. Among them there will be Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Diocese of Agaña in Guam and Wewak. For these churches, it will not be just a problem of a night vigil, but to overcome these and many difficulties due to the lack of electricity and climate, leaving them thirsting in their desire to participate. As the bishop tells us: Our people in the villages do not have electricity and in many parishes it is dangerous to walk in the dark ... this is also the rainy season and to make matters worse many of our parishes and villages in the past four months have been invaded by water from overflowing rivers ...  Despite this, they will be united in the same hour of Adoration. Even dioceses in the Galapagos Islands or in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, as the Vicariate of San José del Amazonas, as well as many churches where the presence of Catholics in strong minority as in Norway, Bangladesh, Iraq, Burkina Faso , Russia, Japan ... will be synchronized with the St. Peter's. There will be dioceses in the United States and Canada as well as others from Latin America from Peru to Argentina through Nicaragua, Colombia, Honduras, Ecuador and Mexico. All the dioceses of Asia, from India to Taiwan, from Singapore to the Philippines ... even in Israel.  All of them, in different time zones, will be united to Rome. We can not forget, of course, the full participation of the Church in Europe that extends to Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, and the Italian dioceses, almost all of which, according to the different local traditions, will participate in prayer. Adoration therefore extends the traditional procession of Corpus Christi. In short, it will be full hour of prayer, fraternal communion in the faith and support of all.

A second event will take place on June 15 and 16 under the title: Believing, they might have life. We called it the Evangelium vitae gathering to attest to all people the great theme that revolves around the efforts of the Church for the promotion, respect and defense of the dignity of human life. In this gathering, we offer to all believers around the world the opportunity to be represented in this moment of communion between the many forces that are dedicated to the Gospel of life.

Pope Francis will preside at the Holy Eucharist on Sunday June 16 at 10.30am together with all people of life and will provide his and focus his attention on the many patients present at the celebration.

As for the other events, this course will follow the now traditional format established for the Year of Faith. First, the pilgrimage to the tomb of Peter, which will be held on Saturday afternoon from 2:00pm to 5:00pm, while at the same time anyone who may wish to take this opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharistic Adoration will have the opportunity to do so. In the morning of Saturday, June 15. different language groups will have a catechesis provided in various churches of Rome. The Italian language catechesis will be offered by Cardinal Camillo Ruini; the English-language catechesis by Cardinal Raymond Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura; the French-language catechesis by His Grace, Pierre d'Ornellas, Archbishop of Remes; in Polish by Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, President of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Health Workers, a department which has been particularly instrumental in the organization of this event, along with the Pontifical Academy for Life.  The American group has also organized, on Saturday morning, a brief meeting led by Francis Beckwith, a professor at Baylor University in Texas and Robert Royal, President of Faith and Reason Institute in Washington DC.

In the evening of Saturday, June 15 at 8:30pm, there will be a silent candlelight vigil to call attention to the issue of human life and its intangible value. The vigil will move in procession to Saint Peter's Square where it will conclude with some important testimonies. To date we have received commitments to participation in this gathering from groups who will come from Italy, USA, Germany, Japan, Hungary, Romania, Spain, France, Canada, New Zealand, Argentina, Great Britain, Belgium, Slovakia, Costa Rica, Portugal and Australia.  There will be families, episcopal conferences, dioceses, parishes, religious orders, seminarians, health and humanitarian organizations such as the Order of Malta, movements, universities, associations as well as the Red Cross, Pro-Life organizations and many groups and people who have at heart the promotion and defense of life even though they do not profess membership or participation in a particular faith tradition.

A new cycle begins

Today’s General Audience began at 10:30am in Saint Peter’s Square, where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and faithful who had come from various parts of Italy and other parts of the world.  During his discourse, spoken in Italian, the Holy Father began a new cycle of catechesis on the Ministry of the Church, inspired by the words of the documents and texts of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council.  The theme for today was The Church: Family of God.

Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the General Audience

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Last Wednesday I underlined the deep bond between the Holy Spirit and the Church. Today I would like to start some catecheses on the mystery of the Church, a mystery that we all live in and of which we are part. I would like to do this with some well-known expressions of the texts of Vatican II.

First: the Church as the family of God

In recent months, more than once I made reference to the parable of the prodigal son, or rather of the merciful father (cf. Lk 15:11-32). His youngest son leaves his father's house, squanders everything and decides to return because he realizes that he has made a mistake, but no longer considers himself worthy of being a son, and thinks that he might be readmitted as a servant. The father instead runs to meet him, hugs him, restores him to the dignity of a son and throws a feast. This parable, as others in the Gospel, well describes God's plan for humanity.

What is this plan? It's to make of all of us the one family of his children, in which each will feel close and feel loved by Him, as in the Gospel parable, that each may feel the warmth of being the family of God. In this great design, the Church finds its roots; the Church is not an organization born out of an agreement made by some people, but - as Pope Benedict XVI has reminded us many times - it's God's work, it is born from this plan of love that takes place progressively in history. The Church was born from the desire of God to call all people to communion with Him, to His friendship, and indeed to participate as his sons of his own divine life. The very word Church, from the Greek word ekklesia, means convocation: God summons us, he urges us to come out of our individualism, of our tendency to close in upon ourselves and calls us to be his family. And this call has its origin in creation itself. God created us to live in a deep friendship with him, and even when sin broke this relationship with him, with others and with creation, God did not abandon us. The whole history of salvation is the story of God seeking man, offering him His love, welcoming him. He called Abraham to be the father of a multitude, he chose the people of Israel to forge a covenant that embraces all people, and sent, in the fullness of time, his Son so that his plan of love and salvation might come true in a new and everlasting covenant with all humanity. When we read the Gospels, we see that Jesus gathers around him a small community that welcomes his word, follows him, shares his journey, becomes his family, and with this community He prepares and builds his Church.

Where is the Church born? It is born from the supreme act of love of the cross, from the open side of Jesus from which flow blood and water, symbols of the sacraments of the Eucharist and baptism. In the family of God, in the Church, the lifeblood is the love of God that is expressed in loving Him and others, all without distinctions and without measure. The Church is a family in which one loves and is loved.

When does the Church become manifest? We celebrated this two Sundays ago: it is manifested when the indwelling of the Holy Spirit fills the heart of the Apostles and drives them to go out and start the journey to proclaim the Gospel, to spread the love of God.

Still today someone says: Christ yes, the Church no. Like those who say, I believe in God but not in priests. But it is precisely the Church that brings us Christ and leads us to God; the Church is the great family of God's children. Of course it also has human aspects; in those who compose it, pastors and faithful, there are flaws, imperfections, sins, even the Pope has them, and he has many, but the beautiful thing is that when we realize that we are sinners, we find the mercy of God, which always forgives. Don’t forget it: God always forgives and receives us in his forgiving and merciful love. Some say sin is an offence against God, but it is also an opportunity to be humbled, to realize that there’s something more beautiful: the mercy of God. Let us think of this.

Let us ask ourselves today: how much do I love the Church? Do I pray for her? Do I feel part of the family of the Church? What do I do so that it may be a community where everyone feels welcomed and understood, feels the mercy and love of God that renews life? Faith is a gift and an act that affects us personally, but God calls us to live our faith together, as a family, like the Church.

Let us ask the Lord, in a special way in this Year of Faith that our communities, the whole Church, may increasingly be true families living and bearing within them the warmth of God. Thank you.

At the end of the catechesis, spoken in its entirety in Italian, syntheses were provided in various languages.  Following the presentation of the syntheses, the Holy Father expressed particular greetings to groups of the faithful who were present.  Here is the text of his greeting offered to English-speaking pilgrims:

I offer a cordial welcome to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, including those from England, Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Canada and the United States. May you always grow in love for Christ and for God’s family which is the Church. God bless you all!

Last of all the language groups, His Holiness concluded his remarks with an address to the Italian-speaking pilgrims.  Here is the English-language translation of his remarks:

I greet now the many Italian-speaking pilgrims: parishes, associations, institutions and schools. In particular, my affectionate thoughts go out to the faithful of the Diocesan Community of L'Aquila, Vallo della Lucania, and Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi, accompanied by their respective pastors. May your pilgrimage in this Year of Faith help each of you to participate more fully in Christ and to bear witness to him with joy and courage. I greet the participants in the meeting sponsored by Caritas Italiana, with the Presiding Bishop Monsignor Giuseppe Merisi; as well as those who take part in the meeting of the Foundation Communità di Gesù; the seminarians and students of the Pontifical Faculty of Southern Italy and the pilgrimage sponsored by the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of Genoa.

I turn, finally, to you, dear young people, the sick and newlyweds. In this last audience of the month of May, my thoughts go spontaneously to Mary, bright star of our Christian walk. May we make constant reference to her to find in her intercession and in the examples of her life inspiration and sure guidance in our daily pilgrimage of faith.

Tomorrow, the feast of Corpus Christi, as we do every year, we will be celebrating Holy Mass in Saint John Lateran at 7:00 p.m. At the end of the Mass, a solemn procession will follow that will end at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. I invite the faithful of Rome and pilgrims to join in this act of faith in the Eucharist, which is the most precious treasure of the Church and of humanity.

The General Audience concluded with the singing of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.

Angelus of the Trinity

Having returned from his pastoral visit to the Roman Parish of Saints Elizabeth and Zacharia, at noon (local time) this past Sunday, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of the papal study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims who had gathered in Saint Peter’s Square.

Greeting of His Holiness, Pope Francis

to pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square

prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters!

Hello! This morning I made my first pastoral visit to a parish of the Diocese of Rome. I thank the Lord and I ask you to pray for my pastoral service and for this Church of Rome, which has the mission of presiding in universal charity.

Today is Trinity Sunday. The light of Easter renews in us every year the joy and stupor of the faith: let us understand that God is not something vague, our God is not something vaporous, he is concrete, he is not an abstraction, but has a name: God is love. This is not a sentimental or emotive love, but the love of the Father that is the origin of every life, the love of the Son who dies on the cross and rises, the love of the Spirit, who renews man and the world. Understanding that God is love does us a lot of good, because it teaches us to love, to give ourselves to others as Jesus gave himself to us, to walk with us. Jesus walks with us along the road of life.

The Most Holy Trinity is not the product of human reasoning; it is the face with which God himself revealed himself, not from the height of a cathedra, but walking with humanity. It is precisely Jesus who revealed the Father and promised us the Holy Spirit. God walked with his people in the history of the people of Israel and Jesus always walked with us and promised us the Holy Spirit, who is fire, who teaches us all the things that we do not know, who guides us from within, he gives us the good ideas and the good inspirations.

Today we praise God not for a particular mystery but for himself, for his great glory, as the liturgical hymn says. We praise him and we thank him because he is Love, and because he calls us to enter into the embrace of his communion, which is eternal life.

Let us place our praises in the hands of the Virgin Mary. She, the most humble of creatures, through Christ has already arrived at the goal of the earthly pilgrimage: she is already in the glory of the Trinity. Because of this Mary our Mother, Our Lady, shines for us as a sign of sure hope. She is the Mother of hope; on our journey, on our road, she is the Mother of hope. She is also the Mother who consoles us, the Mother of consolation and the Mother who is with us on the journey. Now we all pray to Our Lady together, our Mother who accompanies us on the journey.

The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary ...

I am the handmaiden of the Lord; be it done unto me according to your word.

Hail Mary ...

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

Hail Mary ...

Pour forth we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts.

That we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your son

was made known by the message of an angel

may, by his passion and death on the cross

be brought to the glory of the Resurrection,

through the same Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Following the recitation of the Angelus the Holy Father made the following remarks:

Dear brothers and sisters,

Yesterday, in Palermo, Don Giuseppe Puglisi, priest and martyr, killed by the mafia in 1993, was beatified. Don Puglisi was an exemplary priest, especially dedicated to pastoral work with young people. Teaching them according to the Gospel, he snatched them out of the hands of organized crime, and so they tried to defeat him by killing him. In fact, however, he is the one who won, with the risen Christ. I think of the many sufferings of men and women, and of children, who are exploited by the mafia, who exploit them by forcing them into work that makes them slaves, with prostitution, with many social pressures. The mafia is behind this exploitation and slavery. Let us pray to the Lord that he convert the hearts of these people. They cannot do this! They cannot make us, their brothers, slaves! We must pray to the Lord! Let us pray that these mafiosi convert to God and praise God through the shining witness of Don Giuseppe Puglisi, and let us treasure his example!

I greet with affection all of the pilgrims present, the families, the parish groups, who have come from Italy, Spain, France and many other countries. I greet in particular the Associazione Nazionale San Paolo degli Oratori e dei Circoli Giovanili (National Association of St. Paul of Oratories and Youth Groups). Dear friends, may St. Philip Neri, whom we remember today, and Blessed Giuseppe Puglisi assist you in your efforts. I greet the group of Chinese Catholics who are present, who have gathered in Rome to pray for the Church in China, invoking the intercession of Mary Our Help.

My thoughts go out to those who promote the Giornate del Sollievo (Day of Relief) for the sick who are close to the end of their earthly journey; and to the Associazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla (Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association). Thank you for your work! I greet the Associazione Nazionale Arma di Cavalleria (National Calvary Corps Association), and the faithful of Fiumicello, near Padova.

I wish everyone a good Sunday and a good lunch!

His first parish visit

A bit of catching up is in order, so you will please excuse the tardiness.  I'll try to get caught up as soon as possible.

On Sunday morning (just past), at 8:30am local time, the Holy Father left the Vatican and traveled by helicopter to the parish of Saints Elizabeth and Zachary in Valle Muricana (Prima Porta), in the northern sector of Rome, where he conducted his very first pastoral visit.  Since the Holy Father is the Bishop of Rome, like all other Bishops, a part of his pastoral responsibility is to visit the parishes within his Diocese.

 Upon his arrival at the parish, the Holy Father met with families, children who were baptized during the preceding year, and with the sick.  After this initial meeting, he heard the confessions of some of the faithful.

At 9:30am, he presided at the Eucharistic Celebration, which was introduced by a word of welcome from the Pastor, Father Benoni Ambarus.  During the liturgy, the Holy Father gave the Eucharist to 16 children who had never received the Eucharist before, and also to 28 other children who had received their First Communion in the preceding Sundays.

Before returning to the Vatican for the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father greeted the other parish ministers and collaborators who were present for the celebration of the Mass.

At the beginning of the Eucharistic celebration, having heard the words of greeting offered to him by the Pastor of the parish, the Holy Father improvised the following:

Dear first sentinel, dear second sentinel, dear sentinels, I am pleased by the words of welcome which you offered: which at first glace carry a negative meaning, but which also have a positive sense.  Do you know why?  Because when all is said and done, the truth of the situation is found somewhere between the two senses.  It is better understood.  In fact, that which you have said, also becomes a sentinel, does it not?

I thank you for your duty, for the work of being sentinels.  I thank you also for your welcome today, the feast of the Trinity.  Today there are some priests present who are well known to you, but they are also the two secretaries of the Pope, the Pope who is in the Vatican, right?  Today, the Bishop has come here.  And these two priests do good work.  But one of them, Father Alfred, is celebrating today his 29th anniversary of priestly ordination.  Let us applaud him!  Let us pray for him and ask that he might persist for at least another 29 years.  Now, let us begin the Mass, in a spirit of piety, in silence, praying together for one another.

Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

For his pastoral visit to the parish of 

Saint Elizabeth and Saint Zachary, Valle Muricana

Dear brothers and sisters,

The pastor’s words made me think of a beautiful thing about Our Lady. When Our Lady, just having received the announcement that she would be the mother of Jesus, and the announcement that her cousin Elizabeth was expecting, the Gospel says, she set out in haste; she did not wait. She did not say to herself, But I’m pregnant now, so I had better look after my health. My cousin will have friends who perhaps will help her. She heard something and she set out in haste. It is lovely to think about these actions of Our Lady, our Mother, who sets out in haste, because it tells us about helping. She goes to help, she does not go to boast and say to her cousin: Now listen, I’m in charge now because I am God’s mamma! No she did not do that. She went to help! And Our Lady is always like this. She is our Mother, who always comes in haste when we need help. It would be nice to add to the litanies of Our Lady one that says Our Lady who sets out in haste, pray for us! This is beautiful, isn’t it? Because she always goes in haste she does not forget her children. And when her children are in difficulty, have a need and they call upon her, she goes in haste. And this makes us safe, the safety of always having our mother near, at our side. We go, we travel better in life when we have our mamma near. Let us think about this grace of Our Lady, this grace that she gives us: of being with us, but without making us wait. Always! She is – we have confidence in this – there to help us. Our Lady who always goes in haste, for us.

Our Lady also helps us to understand God well, to understand the life of Jesus, the life of God, to understand well what the Lord is, how the Lord is, who is God. I ask you, children: Who knows who God is? Raise your hand, tell me. Okay! Creator of the earth. And how many Gods are there? 1? But they told me that there are 3: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! How do we explain this? Is there 1 or is there 3? 1? 1? And how do we explain that one is the Father, the other the Son and the other Holy Spirit? Louder, louder! Good answer. They are 3 in 1, 3 persons in 1. And what does the Father do? The Father is the origin, the Father, who created everything, created us. What does the Son do? What does Jesus do? Who knows how to say what Jesus does? He loves us? And what else? What did Jesus do on the earth? He saved us! And Jesus came to give his life for us. The Father creates the world; Jesus saves us. And the Holy Spirit, what does he do? He loves us! He gives you love! All the children together: the Father creates everything, he creates the world, Jesus saves us; and the Holy Spirit? He loves us! And this is the Christian life: talking to the Father, talking to the Son, talking to the Holy Spirit. Jesus saved us, but he also walks with us in life. Is this true? And how does he walk? What does he do when he walks with us in life? This is hard. The one who answers it wins! What does Jesus do when he walks with us? Louder! The first one: he helps us. He guides us! Very good! He walks with us, he helps us, he guides us and he teaches us how to go forward. And Jesus also gives us the strength to walk. Is that right? He supports us! Good! In difficulties, right? And even in school work! He supports us, he helps us, he guides us, he supports us. Okay! Jesus is always with us. Good. But listen, Jesus gives us strength. How does Jesus give us strength? You know how he gives us strength! Louder, I can’t hear you! In Communion he gives us strength, the way he helps us is by giving us strength. He comes to us. But when you say He gives us Communion, a piece of bread gives you so much strength? It’s not bread? It’s bread? This is bread but what is on the altar, is it bread or not? It looks like bread! It’s not really bread. What is it? It is the body of Jesus. Jesus comes into our heart. Well, let’s all think about this: the Father gave us life; Jesus gave us salvation, he accompanies us, he guides us, he supports us, he teaches us; and the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit give us? He loves us! He gives us love. Let us think about God like this and ask Our Lady, Our Lady who is our Mother, always quick to help us, that she help us always to understand well how God is: how the Father is, how the Son is and how the Holy Spirit is. Amen.

For Trinity Sunday

Three in one

As you may know , members of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada are holding their annual Diocesan Convention here in Sault Ste. Marie this weekend.  Since Father Trevor is the Diocesan Spiritual Advisor, he has to spend the weekend at the Convention, and I told him that since I would be here for the Convention, but didn’t need to be there for all the meetings, I would come to celebrate Mass with you.

Today, the Church celebrates Trinity Sunday.  Having just completed the liturgical season of Easter, and particularly the Solemnity of Pentecost last weekend, this Sunday is dedicated to one of the most central mysteries of our faith.  Our Church believes and teaches that there is one God, but this one God is made known to us in three persons: God, the Father who has created all things; Jesus, the Son who was sent by the Father to redeem the world; and the Holy Spirit, the gift of the Father and the Son, who was sent on the day of Pentecost to be the enduring gift by which we might know that our God is always with us.

These three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit have existed since before the work of creation began (cf Prov 8:22).  Together, these three are united, they are One God, so when we pray to the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit are also receiving our prayer.  When we ask Jesus for some grace, the Father also receives our request, and the Holy Spirit who is present in the hearts of all believers, ever since that first Pentecost, helps us to receive the answers to our prayers by teaching us to be people of faith, people who believe, people who hope, people filled with the joy of knowing that we are not alone.

While he was on earth, Jesus knew that he himself could never teach us everything that we would need to know about God and about the Kingdom.  That’s why he told his disciples: I still have many things to say to you, but he knew that when the Spirit of truth came he would guide the disciples in all truth.  None of us is able to do all the work that we must do without relying on others.  Each of us must do a little bit, and together, if we share our talents and gifts, we can help one another to grow, and we can build our communities of faith into vibrant examples of Christ’s presence in the world.

While in this world, we must face all kinds of trial, but Saint Paul reminds us that because of our belief that God sent his son Jesus to live and die for us, we live by faith and by grace.  Every day of our lives we should give thanks to God for these gifts.  Guided by the light of our faith, we learn to endure the challenges that this world places before us, and if we endure, we also build character.  The inner strength we call character makes us more aware of the grace of Christ in our lives, and therefore we can hope in Him because his love will never fail us (Rom 5:1-5).  He is present to us, made known to us by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us as our companion in this life, until the day that we meet God face to face in heaven.

Pray to God the Father, to Jesus the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  Ask them to take care of those we love.  Ask them to give us the strength of faith and the grace we need to be faithful disciples and witnesses of love in our world.  Let us also pray for one another, and help one another to be more deeply convinced of the joy and love of our God so that the world around us may come to believe that our God, who has always been present in our world, really, truly, deeply loves us and fills us with the radiance of his peace.

From the Vatican to the Middle East

The Congregation for the Oriental Churches has issued today, a note explaining that the Cardinal Prefect of that Congregation, His Eminence, Leonardo Sandri will travel to Lebanon from May 24 to 28 of this year, and then will continue on to Jordan, where he will visit until June 1.

In addition to attending the Ordination of the new Maronite Bishops of Argentina and Australia, on Sunday, May 26 His Eminence will celebrate Mass at the Inter-ritual Shrine of Our Lady of Zahleh, assisted by the Melkite Archbishop and other Bishops of the Eastern Churches as well as members of the faithful belonging to those rites. The main intention of the prayer in this circumstance will be a plea for peace in Syria, in Lebanon and throughout the Middle East. In the days following the celebration of this Mass, the Cardinal will meet the Maronite, Melkite, Syrian and Armenian Patriarchs, as well as some members of religious communities, especially young volunteers currently working with Caritas Lebanon, who are working with other humanitarian organizations to render assistance to those affected by the tragedy of refugees from Syria.

The visit to Jordan will also be devoted to meeting the pastors and faithful of the various Catholic communities, in particular with the Greek-Melkites of Petra and Philadelphia and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, whose territory extends to the entire country.  On Thursday, May 30, the Cardinal will attend the inauguration of the University of Malaba, which belongs to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.  Also expected to be in attendance at that inauguration is His Majesty, King Abdullah II of Jordan. 

Before returning to Rome, the Cardinal will visit the refugee camp where those from Syria and other Middle Eastern regions are currently living.

To everyone, both pastors and faithful, to those in places of Authority and to they people of Lebanon and Jordan, the Cardinal will bring the affectionate greeting of His Holiness, Pope Francis who is filled with anxiety and sharing the pain of these regions.  Through the presence of Cardinal Sandri, the Holy Father wishes to impart his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of his closeness in prayer and hope in the Lord for the entire area of the Middle Eastern countries.

Prayer aid for faith in China

Tomorrow is the World Day of Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians.  In anticipation of that day, an Italian publisher dedicated to the missions has published a booklet to aid in prayer for the Church in China, as May 24 is the World Day of Prayer for the Church there.

• Pope calls for prayer in favour of Chinese Christians

Since China mandates that religious organizations be registered with the Patriotic Association and strictly controlled by the government, many Catholics live their faith within the underground Church.

Editrice Missionaria Italiana (EMI) [Italian Missionary Publishers] publishd Forti nella tribolazione, perseveranti nella preghiera [Strong in Tribulation, Steadfast in Prayer] as an Italian-language guide to help participate in the World Day of Prayer, created by Benedict XVI in 2007.

Forti nella tribolazione, perseveranti nella preghiera is a booklet that proposes a Vigil of Prayer made up of important points for reflection on the history and difficulties of the Church in China. Among other things, the aid includes texts from Benedict XVI and excerpts of his 2007 Letter to Chinese Catholics. In that text, the Pope exalted the testimony of faith of Catholics of China inviting the Church in China to unity, recalling that no difficulty can separate us from the love of Christ.
Also, among the different testimonies of concrete faith contained in the aid, is that of Don Bao, a Chinese priest who recounts his suffering spiritual journey, always illumined by faith. The choice of the Catholic faith and consecration entailed for him clandestinity, poverty and loneliness. But Don Bao confirms: My strength is Jesus Himself. He said: 'You did not choose me, but I chose you. On this path I find the cross but also joy and peace.'

The publication was edited by Gerolamo Fazzini, editor-in-chief of Credere, and Father Angelo Lazzarotto, PIME, missionary with a long experience of relations with China (author of What Future for the Church in China?, EMI, 2012.

Professing their faith

This evening in Rome, Pope Francis joined the Bishops of Italy as they gathered in Saint Peter’s Basilica for their 65^th General Assembly.

The gathering began with opening remarks by Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, the President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, followed by the Liturgy of the Word.  Pope Francis offered a brief meditation on the readings.

At the conclusion of the evening's ceremonies, Pope Francis led the Bishops in a solemn Profession of Faith.

Meditation offered by His Holiness, Pope Francis

on the occasion of the Profession of Faith

to inaugurate the 65th General Assembly

of the Italian Bishops' Conference

Dear Brothers in the Episcopate,

The readings we have heard make us think. They have made me think a great deal. I have made something like a meditation. For us bishops, and first of all for me, a bishop like you, I share it with you.

It is significant - and I am particularly happy - that our first meeting should be held right here in the place that preserves not only the tomb of Peter, but also the living memory of his witness of faith, of his service to the truth, and of the gift he gave of himself – to the point of martyrdom – for the Gospel and for the Church.

This evening this altar of the Confession becomes our Lake of Tiberias, on the shores of which we listen to the wonderful dialogue between Jesus and Peter, with the question addressed to the Apostle, but which should resound in our own hearts, the hearts of bishops: 

Do you love me?; “Are you my friend?” (cf. Jn 21:15 ff) The question is addressed to a man who, despite his solemn declaration, was overcome by fear and went back on his word.

“Do you love me?”; “Are you my friend?”
The question is addressed to me and to each one of you, to all of us: if we avoid reacting too hastily and superficially, it encourages us to look within, to enter into ourselves.

“Do you love me?”; “Are you my friend?”
He who searches hearts (cf. Rom 8:27) makes himself a beggar of love, and questions us on the only really essential question, the premise and condition for pastoring his sheep, his lambs, his Church. Every ministry is based on this intimacy with the Lord; to live in him is the measure of our ecclesial service, which is expressed in an openness to obedience, to emptying of self, as we heard in the Letter to the Philippians, to total giving (cf. Phil 2:6-11).

Moreover, the consequence of loving the Lord is giving everything - absolutely everything, even one’s very life - for Him: this is what must distinguish our pastoral ministry; it is the litmus test that shows how profoundly we have embraced the gift received in response to the call of Jesus, and how we are joined to the people and the communities that have been entrusted to us. We are not expressions of a structure or an organizational need: even with the service of our authority we are called to be a sign of the presence and action of the Risen Lord, and so, to build up the community in fraternal charity.
Not that this is taken for granted: even the greatest love, in fact, when it is not continuously fed, fades and goes out. Not without reason, the Apostle Paul warns: Take heed for yourselves and for all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the Church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son (Acts 20:28).

The lack of vigilance - we know – makes the Pastor lukewarm; he becomes distracted, forgetful and even impatient; it seduces him with the prospect of a career, the lure of money, and the compromises with the spirit of the world; it makes him lazy, turning him into a functionary, a cleric worried more about himself, about organisations and structures, than about the true good of the People of God. He runs the risk, then, like the Apostle Peter, of denying the Lord, even if he is present to us and speaks in His name; the holiness of the hierarchy of Mother Church is obscured, making it less fertile.

Who are we, Brothers, before God? What are our challenges? We all have so many, each one of us knows his own. What is God saying to us through them? What are we relying on to overcome them?

As it was for Peter, the insistent and heartfelt question of Jesus can leave us saddened and may leave us more aware of the weakness of our freedom, beset as it is by a thousand internal and external constraints, which often cause confusion, frustration, even disbelief.

These are certainly not the feelings and attitudes that the Lord intends to arouse; rather, the Enemy, the Devil, takes advantage of them to isolate us in bitterness, in complaints, and in discouragement.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, does not humiliate us or abandon us to remorse: in Him, the tenderness of the Father speaks, He who comforts and raises up; He who makes us pass from the disintegration of shame – because shame surely causes us to disintegrate – to the fabric of trust; who restores courage, recommits responsibility, and consigns us to the mission.

Peter, purified by the fire of forgiveness, can humbly say, Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you (Jn 21:17). I am sure we can all say this from the heart. In this Peter, purified, in his first letter exhorts us to feed the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly, not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock (1 Peter 5,2-3).

Yes, to be pastors means to believe every day in the grace and strength that comes to us from the Lord, despite our weakness, and to fully assume the responsibility of walking in front of the flock, freed from the burdens that hinder a healthy apostolic swiftness, and without hesitation in leading, to make our voice recognizable both to those who have embraced the faith, but also to those who are not of this fold (John 10:16): we are called to make our own the dream of God, whose house knows no exclusion of persons or nations, as Isaiah prophetically announced in the First Reading (cf. Is 2:2-5).

Therefore, being pastors also means to be ready to walk in the midst of and behind the flock: capable of listening to the silent story of the suffering and bearing up the steps of those who are afraid of not succeeding; careful to raise up, to reassure, and inspire hope. By sharing with the humble our faith always comes out strengthened: let us put aside, therefore, any form of arrogance, to incline ourselves toward those the Lord has entrusted to our care. Among these, a special place is reserved for our priests: especially for them, our hearts, our hands, and our doors remain open at all times. They are the first faithful we bishops have, our priests. Let us love them! Let us love them from the heart! They are our sons and our brothers.

Dear brothers, the profession of faith that we now renew together is not a formal act, but is a renewal of our response to the Follow Me with which the Gospel of John concludes (21:19): allow your own life to unfold according to the plan of God, committing your whole self to the Lord Jesus. From here springs the discernment that recognises and takes on the thoughts, the expectations, and the needs of the men of our time.

With this in mind, I sincerely thank each of you for your service, for your love for the Church and the Mother, and here, I place you, and I place myself, too, under the mantle of Mary, Our Mother.

Mother of the silence that preserves the mystery of God, deliver us from the idolatry of the present, to which those who forget are condemned. Purify the eyes of pastors with the balm of memory:that we might return to the freshness of the beginning, for a praying and penitent Church.

Mother of the beauty that blossoms from fidelity to daily work, remove us from the torpor of laziness, of pettiness, and defeatism. Cloak Pastors with that compassion that unifies and integrates: that we might discover the joy of a humble and fraternal servant Church.

Mother of the tenderness which enfolds in patience and mercy, help us burn away the sadness, impatience, and rigidity of those who have not known what it means to belong.

Intercede with your Son that our hands, our feet and our hearts may be swift: that we may build the Church with the truth in charity.

Mother, we will be the People of God, on pilgrimage towards the Kingdom. Amen.