A word about the Word

At 11:45 this morning, in the Consistory Hall at the Vatican, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the members of the Universal Biblical Alliance who were presenting a bible printed in Italian which is known as the Word of the Lord - the Interfaith Bible in modern language.

Address of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

to members of the Universal Biblical Alliance

Dear brothers in Christ,

Thank you for coming here to present me with a new Italian version of the Word of God Bible, an inter-faith translation in modern language, the fruit of a collaboration between the Universal Biblical Alliance - the Bible Society in Italy and the ELLEDICI Publishing House.  I want to tell you something that I've learned from my own experience.  The translation prepared by evangelicals and Catholics for the Bible in current language in Argentina has already done much good and continues to do well.  It's a good idea because simple people can understand it, because it is in real language, and it is close to the people.  When we did missionary activity in the parishes in Buenos Aires, we always went to the Bible Society and bought these translations.  They used to give me a good discount!  We would give copies of the bible to people, and they could understand it.  They understood!  It was a beautiful activity, and I like the fact that now it is available in Italian, because people will be able to understand the stories and the expressions which, if they are not well translated, will not be understood.

The preparation of an inter-faith version is a particularly significant effort, especially when you consider how much debates about Scripture have influenced divisions, especially in the West.  This inter-faith project, which has made it possible for us to embark upon a common journey for the past number of decades, has allowed you to entrust your heart to others who have accompanied you along the road, overcoming suspicions and mistrust, with the confidence that comes from a common love for the Word of God.

Yours is the fruit of patient, attentive, fraternal, competent work, above all, the work of believers.  If you didn't believe, you could never accomplish it; if you do not believe it, you will not be firm, says Isaiah (7:9).  I hope that this text, which is presented with the approval of the CEI and the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy might inspire all Italian-speaking Christians to meditate, live, witness to and celebrate the message of God.

I sincerely hope that all Christians might learn the sublime science of Jesus Christ (Phil 3:8) through frequent reading of the Word of God, since the sacred text provides nourishment for the soul and is the pure and everlasting source of spiritual life for us all.  We must therefore make every effort to ensure that every person can read the Word of God, because ignorance of the Scriptures, in fact, is ignorance of Christ, as Girolamo says (Comm. in Is., Prol.: PL24,17).

Thank you all very much; what you have achieved together is precious, precisely for the achievement of this goal and I want to encourage you to continue the journey you have begun, in order to always make the living Word of God better known and more profoundly understood.

My blessing will also accompany you; I give it to you willingly and I ask you to ask for it together, as brothers, as we pray together the Lord's Prayer.  Our Father ...

Thank you.

Malta at the Vatican

Today in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the President of Malta, Her Excellency Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.  Madame President subsequently met with Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the Secretary for Relations with States.

The cordial discussions focused on the good relations between the Holy See and Malta and highlighted the significant contribution made by the Catholic Church in the fields of education and welfare, especially in favour of the poor. The conversation then turned to various themes of mutual interest, with special reference to the role of Christian values in the edification of Maltese society and the strengthening of the institution of the family.

Finally, the Parties spoke about Malta’s contribution within the European Union, along with a number of questions of an international nature, such as the situations of conflict in the Mediterranean region, expressing hope for a prompt solution via dialogue, as well as the phenomenon of migration towards Europe, which involves commitment on the part of the Church and the Government.

Wisdom for parents

Here is my reflection for this week, the fruit of a week of prayer and inspired by the scriptures for this Sunday.

Love them always

As I read the words of today’s scriptures, I couldn’t help hearing the voices of some children and some adolescents I’ve known.  Any parent who has ever said no to a child who is in a grocery store and reaches for some candy at the checkout has heard this voice.  Any parent who has said no to extending a curfew has heard this voice: You’re not being fair.  Every parent wants his or her children to be happy but that doesn’t always mean that they should get what they ask for.  I think that one of the most difficult things for a parent to do is to say no to a child, yet there are times when no is the answer that must be given.  After all, if parents don’t make the rules, what guidance will children ever receive?

The experts say that restrictive rules: the ones that begin with no, should always be balanced with a positive side.  Be as quick to praise good behaviour as you are to restrict disobedience, but for some people this is a more difficult challenge.  Children need to know the limits, yes; but they also need to know when they’re on the right track.  In their quest for guidance, children look first of all to their parents for encouragement when they do well in school, or when they try out for a place on the team.  When their knees or their egos are scraped by the bumps and hard knocks of life, children will turn to their parents first for consolation.  When they must face defeat of any kind, children will turn to their parents for compassion and sympathy.

Many of us here today are parents, and all of us are children of our own earthly parents.  How many times have I heard it said that parenting doesn’t come with a handbook? … so where are young parents supposed to find the answers?  You know better than I do that in some cases, young mothers will turn to their own mothers to find the answers to at least some of their questions; young fathers may also turn to their own fathers to seek similar answers.  In some cases, especially if they don’t have good relationships with their parents, young parents will turn to their friends or to grandparents, or to those I might call surrogate parents for such guidance.

There was a time, not so long ago, when parents would encourage their children to turn also to prayer, to look to the family of faith for guidance and support.  I wonder how often that happens today.  The same questions that adult children ask of their parents today have been asked and answered of God.  Jesus even used stories of everyday life to teach his disciples and to teach us.  In today’s gospel, he presents a story that would have been very familiar to all his hearers: a father who asks his two sons to go out into the vineyard, to give him a hand.  How many times have fathers asked the same question of their sons and daughters today?  Hidden in that question is an invitation to spend some time together, to learn a lesson or two, but children don’t always recognize the invitation; they will usually accept if they see the merit, if the activity is enjoyable, but they will delay if they can find something more engaging.  The interesting part of this story is that Jesus says that it wasn’t the child who first said yes to his father’s request, but the one who first denied it who ended up answering the call, so let’s ask ourselves this week: what’s holding me back from saying yes to Jesus’ invitation to follow him? Am I willing to go into the vineyard?

Angelus with the elderly

At the conclusion of the Eucharistic celebration outside the Vatican Basilica today, the Pope presented a copy of the Book of the Gospels, printed in large type, to every one of the elderly who was present.  The books were distributed to participants in Saint Peter's Square after the Mass was concluded.

Before the concluding rites of the Mass, the Holy Father recited the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims who were present in the Square.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Before concluding this celebration, I want to greet all the pilgrims, especially all of you elderly, who have come from so many different countries.  Thank you, with all my heart!

I extend a cordial greeting to those who are taking part in the Sing your faith pilgrimage, organized as part of the celebrations of the thirtieth anniversary of the choir of the Diocese of Rome.  Thank you for your presence here, and thank you for having shared your music for this celebration, along with the Sistine Chapel choir.  Continue to joyfully and generously share this liturgical service with your community!

Yesterday in Madrid, Bishop Álvaro del Portillo was proclaimed Blessed; may his exemplary Christian and priestly witness arouse within the hearts of many, the desire to always stay close to Christ and to the gospel.

Next Sunday, we will begin the Synodal Assembly on the theme of the family.  Here in our midst today is the person who is mainly responsible  for this gathering, Cardinal Baldisseri; pray for him.  I invite all people, individuals and communities to pray for this important gathering and I confide this intention to the intercession of Mary, Salus Populi Romani.

Now let us pray the Angelus together.  With this prayer, let us invoke the protection of Mary for all the elderly in the whole world, especially for those who live in particularly difficult situations.

At Mass with the elderly

At 10:30am today in Rome, Pope Francis presided at the celebration of the Mass which took place outside the Vatican Basilica.  This was a special celebration for the elderly and for grandparents who were taking part in The Blessing of Long Life, a meeting organized by the Pontifical Council for the Family.

One hundred priests from various parts of the world were also present and concelebrated with the Holy Father.

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI with Pope Francis at Mass today

Homily of His Holiness, Pope Francis

for the celebration of Mass

with the elderly

Today we accept the Gospel we have just heard (the Visitation, chosen for this special celebration) as a Gospel of encounter: the encounter between young and old, an encounter full of joy, full of faith, and full of hope.

Mary is young, very young. Elizabeth is elderly, yet God’s mercy was manifested in her and for six months now, with her husband Zechariah, she has been expecting a child.

Here too, Mary shows us the way: she set out to visit her elderly kinswoman, to stay with her, to help her, of course, but also and above all to learn from her – an elderly person – a wisdom of life.

Today’s first reading echoes in various ways the Fourth Commandment: Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you (Ex 20:12). A people has no future without such an encounter between generations, without children being able to accept with gratitude the witness of life from the hands of their parents. And part of this gratitude for those who gave you life is also gratitude for our heavenly Father.

There are times when generations of young people, for complex historical and cultural reasons, feel a deeper need to be independent from their parents, breaking free, as it were, from the legacy of the older generation. It is a kind of adolescent rebellion. But unless the encounter, the meeting of generations, is reestablished, unless a new and fruitful intergenerational equilibrium is restored, what results is a serious impoverishment for everyone, and the freedom which prevails in society is actually a false freedom, which almost always becomes a form of authoritarianism.

We hear the same message in the Apostle Paul’s exhortation to Timothy and, through him, to the Christian community. Jesus did not abolish the law of the family and the passing of generations, but brought it to fulfillment. The Lord formed a new family, in which bonds of kinship are less important than our relationship with him and our doing the will of God the Father. Yet the love of Jesus and the Father completes and fulfils our love of parents, brothers and sisters, and grandparents; it renews family relationships with the lymph of the Gospel and of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, Saint Paul urges Timothy, who was a pastor and hence a father to the community, to show respect for the elderly and members of families. He tells him to do so like a son: treating older men as fathers, older women as mothers and younger women as sisters (cf 1 Tim 5:1). The head of the community is not exempt from following the will of God in this way; indeed, the love of Christ impels him to do so with an even greater love. Like the Virgin Mary, who, though she became the mother of the Messiah, felt herself driven by the love of God taking flesh within her to hasten to her elderly relative.

And so we return to this icon full of joy and hope, full of faith and charity. We can imagine that the Virgin Mary, visiting the home of Elizabeth, would have heard her and her husband Zechariah praying in the words of today’s responsorial psalm: You, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth… Do not cast me off in the time of old age, do not forsake me when my strength is spent... Even to old age and grey hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to all the generations to come (Ps 71:5,9,18). The young Mary listened, and she kept all these things in her heart. The wisdom of Elizabeth and Zechariah enriched her young spirit. They were no experts in parenthood; for them too it was the first pregnancy. But they were experts in faith, experts in God, experts in the hope that comes from him: and this is what the world needs in every age. Mary was able to listen to those elderly and amazed parents; she treasured their wisdom, and it proved precious for her in her journey as a woman, as a wife and as a mother.

The Virgin Mary likewise shows us the way: the way of encounter between the young and the elderly. The future of a people necessarily supposes this encounter: the young give the strength which enable a people to move forward, while the elderly consolidate this strength by their memory and their traditional wisdom.

A meeting with the elderly

Today in Rome, an initiative of the Pontifical Council for the Family called a day dedicated to the elderly was celebrated.  Present in Saint Peter's Square were tens of thousands of elderly and grandparents from numerous countries, accompanied by other members of their families.

This meeting, called The Blessing of Long Life, began at 8:30am with a presentation titled The Path of the Elderly in 5 Stories from the Bible, 10 Words and a Story Worth Telling.

The Holy Father, Pope Francis arrived in the Square at 9:30 and began a dialogue with the elderly who were present, before the celebration of the Mass which began at 10:30.  At the invitation of Pope Francis, Pope emeritus Benedict XVI was also present for the dialogue and for the Mass this morning.

After having responded to the questions posed by the elderly, the Holy Father shared the following discourse with those who were present.

Remarks of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the encounter with the elderly

in Saint Peter's Square

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Thank you to all of you who have come!  And thank you for the joyous welcome: today is your feast, our feast!  I want to thank Monsignor Paglia and all those who prepared this meeting.  I especially wish to thank the Pope emeritus Benedict XVI for his presence.  I have said many times before that I appreciate the fact that he lives in the Vatican because it's like having a wise grandfather in the house.  Thank you!

I have heard the witnesses of a few of you who have described experiences which are common to many of the elderly and to grandparents.  But there was one that was different: the brothers who came from Qaraqosh, who escaped violent persecution.  Let's say a special thank you to them!  It is very good to see that you have come here today: this is a gift for the Church.  We offer you our support, our prayer and some concrete help.  Violence against the elderly is inhumane, like violence against children.  But God never abandons us, he is always with you!  With his help, you are already and you will continue to be the keepers of history for your people, and also for us, for the great family of the Church.  Thank you!

These brothers are witnesses to the fact that even in the midst of the most difficult trials, the elderly who have faith are like trees that continue to bear fruit.  And this is true also in the most ordinary of situations, where there can also be other temptations, and other forms of discrimination.  We heard some of that in other testimonials.

Old age is especially a time of grace in which the Lord renews his call: he calls us to care for and to transmit the faith, he calls us to pray, especially to intercede; he calls us to be close to those who are in need ... The elderly, grandparents have a special ability to understand the most difficult situations: a wonderful ability!  When they pray for these situations, their prayers are strong and powerful!

To grandparents who have received the blessing of seeing the children of their children (cf Ps 128:6), is given a special task: to transmit the experience of life, the history of a family, of a community, of a people; to simply share their wisdom, and their faith, the most precious inheritance!  Blessed are those families who have grandparents in their lives!  The grandfather is twice a father, and the grandmother is twice a mother.  In those countries where religious persecution has been cruel, for example in Albania, where I was visiting last Sunday, in those countries it was up to the grandparents to make sure that the little children were baptized in secret, and it was up to them to pass on the faith.  Good for them!  They were very brave in the face of persecution and have maintained the faith in those countries!

Not all of the elderly, the grandfathers and the grandmothers have families who can welcome them in their homes.  It's good therefore that we have homes for the elderly ... if they truly are homes and not prisons!  They are for the elderly, not for other people!  They should never become institutions where the elderly are forgotten, hidden or neglected.  I feel particularly close to the many elderly who live in such institutions, and I think with gratitude about all those who go to visit with them and to take care of them.  Homes for the elderly should be the lungs of the people in a country, in a neighbourhood, in a parish; they should be the sanctuaries of humanity where the elderly and the weak are cared for and protected like big brothers and big sisters.  It is so good to go in search of the elderly!  Look at our children: sometimes they are so listless and sad; go find an elderly person, and become joyous!

However, there is also the reality of the abandonment of the elderly: how many times we discard older people with attitudes that are akin to a hidden form of euthanasia! The culture of discarding human beings hurts our world. We discard children, young people and older people under the pretence of maintaining a balanced economic system the centre of which is no longer the human person, but money. We are all called to counter this culture of poisonous waste!

We Christians, together with all people of good will, are called to patiently build a more diverse, more welcoming, more humane, more inclusive society, that does not need to discard the weak in body and mind. On the contrary we need a society which measures its success on how the weak are cared for.

As Christians and as citizens, we are called to envision, with imagination and wisdom, ways of dealing with this challenge. A people who does not take care of grandparents, does not treat them well, has no future: such a people loses its memory and  its roots. But beware: you too have the responsibility to keep alive these roots in yourself with prayer, the reading of the Gospel and  the works of mercy. It is only is such a manner that we will remain as living trees, that even in old age will not stop bearing fruit.

Witnesses to love

Here's the text of the homily prepared for the wedding we celebrated earlier today.

Wedding homily for Lucas Major and Samantha Vossen

We have all come to this church today to witness a very special moment in the lives of two young people.  I should begin my reflection with a word of thanks.  Thank you, Lucas and Samantha for inviting us to be present today.  Thank you for saying yes.  Thank you for sharing your yes with each other, and for sharing it with all of us, and thank you most of all for saying yes to God`s invitation.  You may or may not have realized it, but God has been close to you, a part of your lives ever since the day you were baptized.  In both of your cases, your parents and other people who love you were present on that day when you began your journey of faith.  That journey has brought you to today, and once again there are people gathered here to celebrate with you: people who love you.

The Church teaches that we become part of God`s family on the day of our baptism, and from that day onward, we are always and forever sons and daughters of God.  Jesus is our beloved brother, the one who helps us to discover God`s love, the one who helps us to celebrate this love, the one who shows us the joy of being part of his family.  This is the joy we celebrate today.  God has called you, Lucas, and you, Samantha.  He has brought you together, and today he joins you together in a bond that will unite you for the rest of your lives.  The book of Genesis tells us that when Adam finally met his life partner, he was filled with great joy.  May you always know this joy, and discover it every day on the journey that lies ahead.

Joy is a funny thing.  It`s much deeper than laughter.  True joy, true happiness is a gift from God.  When we are truly happy, all things are right with the world, but we all know that life is filled not only with happiness, but with trial.  There will be days in your married life when you will not even want to look at each other; have you had one or two of those days already?  There will be days when you will wonder if the person standing beside you is really the person you married.  That`s what happens when two human beings share a common path.  There`s always a part of us that lets our own ego get in the way, and when that happens, trouble starts to brew, but luckily, if we think of the bumps in the road not so much as problems but as opportunities, then there is always hope.  Saint Paul reminds us today that we must always strive to speak, to act, to live in love.  Otherwise, we are nothing but noisy interruptions in the beautiful symphony that is being played out in our presence.

Start each day with a promise that you make to one another: a promise that you will do everything you can to be patient with yourself and with others; to be kind to yourself and to others; to put aside the temptation that might arise to be envious of others’ successes, or to boast about your own achievements.  Celebrate your achievements with deep gratitude, be quick to give compliments when they are merited and never forget that it is God who is the author of all things, so pray always for a spirit of gratitude in your hearts.

If you do these little things, other people will look to you.  Others will admire what they see in you.  Others will recognize the simple acts of love that you share.  One day at a time, you will be salt for the earth and light for the world.  These images may sound strange.  They were just as strange to the disciples who first heard Jesus use them to describe who they were, but there is a deep truth to what Jesus says.

One of the most valuable properties of salt is that it preserves food.  It also flavors food; without salt, food is bland.  You have come to celebrate your wedding in this faith community, and therefore we are counting on you to preserve the faith that has been shared with you.  Pray every day for the grace to discover the quiet whisper of Jesus’ voice.  It is a voice that will speak in your heart.  It will teach you kindness, compassion and love for each other and for all peoples.  The world so badly needs the light of your faith so that instead of being swallowed up by the struggles that seem to surround us, we can be refreshed by the example of people like you who willingly reach out to others, sharing your joy with us.  Your joy can be contagious if you allow others to see it and to celebrate it; let your children see this joy in you and they too will want to imitate it and to share it with others.

From the day of your baptism, the community of faith has been praying for you.  We will always pray for you, asking God to grant you many happy years together … and we will always love you, just as God will always love you, no matter where life may lead you.  

Pope Francis' Message for Migrants and Refugees

On Tuesday morning of this week, at 11:30am in the John Paul II Hall at the Vatican Press Centre, there was a Press Conference held to present the Holy Father's Message for the upcoming World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which will be observed on January 18, 2015.  The theme of this year's message is A Church without borders, mother to all.

Message of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (2015)

Church without frontiers, mother to all

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Jesus is the evangelizer par excellence and the Gospel in person (Evangelii Gaudium, 209). His solicitude, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized, invites all of us to care for the frailest and to recognize his suffering countenance, especially in the victims of new forms of poverty and slavery. The Lord says: I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me (Mt 25:35-36). The mission of the Church, herself a pilgrim in the world and the Mother of all, is thus to love Jesus Christ, to adore and love him, particularly in the poorest and most abandoned; among these are certainly migrants and refugees, who are trying to escape difficult living conditions and dangers of every kind. For this reason, the theme for this year’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees is: Church without frontiers, mother to all.

The Church opens her arms to welcome all people, without distinction or limits, in order to proclaim that God is love (1 Jn 4:8,16). After his death and resurrection, Jesus entrusted tothe disciples the mission of being his witnesses and proclaiming the Gospel of joy and mercy. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples left the Upper Room with courage and enthusiasm; the strength of the Holy Spirit overcame their doubts and uncertainties and enabled all to understand the disciples’ preaching in their own language. From the beginning, the Church has been a mother with a heart open to the whole world, and has been without borders. This mission has continued for two thousand years. But even in the first centuries, the missionary proclamation spoke of the universal motherhood of the Church, which was then developed in the writings of the Fathers and taken up by the Second Vatican Council. The Council Fathers spoke of Ecclesia Mater to explain the Church’s nature. She begets sons and daughters and takes them in and embraces them with her love and in her heart (Lumen Gentium, 14).

The Church without frontiers, Mother to all, spreads throughout the world a culture of acceptance and solidarity, in which no one is seen as useless, out of place or disposable. When living out this motherhood effectively, the Christian community nourishes, guides and indicates the way, accompanying all with patience, and drawing close to them through prayer and works of mercy.

Today this takes on a particular significance. In fact, in an age of such vast movements of migration, large numbers of people are leaving their homelands, with a suitcase full of fears and desires, to undertake a hopeful and dangerous trip in search of more humane living conditions. Often, however, such migration gives rise to suspicion and hostility, even in ecclesial communities,prior to any knowledge of the migrants’ lives or their stories of persecution and destitution. In such cases, suspicion and prejudice conflict with the biblical commandment of welcoming with respect and solidarity the stranger in need.

On the other hand, we sense in our conscience the call to touch human misery, and to put into practice the commandment of love that Jesus left us when he identified himself with the stranger, with the one who suffers, with all the innocent victims of violence and exploitation. Because of the weakness of our nature, however, we are tempted to be that kind of Christian who keeps the Lord’s wounds at arm’s length (Evangelii Gaudium, 270).

The courage born of faith, hope and love enables us to reduce the distances that separate us from human misery. Jesus Christ is always waiting to be recognized in migrants and refugees, in displaced persons and in exiles, and through them he calls us to share our resources, and occasionally to give up something of our acquired riches. Pope Paul VI spoke of this when he said that the more fortunate should renounce some of their rights so as to place their goods more generously at the service of others (Octogesima Adveniens, 23).

The multicultural character of society today, for that matter, encourages the Church to take on new commitments of solidarity, communion and evangelization. Migration movements, in fact, call us to deepen and strengthen the values needed to guarantee peaceful coexistence between persons and cultures. Achieving mere tolerance that respects diversity and ways of sharing between different backgrounds and cultures is not sufficient. This is precisely where the Church contributes to overcoming frontiers and encouraging the moving away from attitudes of defensiveness and fear, indifference and marginalization … towards attitudes based on a culture of encounter, the only culture capable of building a better, more just and fraternal world (Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2014).

Migration movements, however, are on such a scale that only a systematic and active cooperation between States and international organizations can be capable of regulating and managing such movements effectively. For migration affects everyone, not only because of the extent of the phenomenon, but also because of the social, economic, political, cultural and religious problems it raises, and the dramatic challenges it poses to nations and the international community (Caritas in Veritate, 62).

At the international level, frequent debates take place regarding the appropriateness, methods and required norms to deal with the phenomenon of migration. There are agencies and organizations on the international, national and local level which work strenuously to serve those seeking a better life through migration. Notwithstanding their generous and laudable efforts, a more decisive and constructive action is required, one which relies on a universal network of cooperation, based on safeguarding the dignity and centrality of every human person. This will lead to greater effectiveness in the fight against the shameful and criminal trafficking of human beings, the violation of fundamental rights, and all forms of violence, oppression and enslavement. Working together, however, requires reciprocity, joint-action, openness and trust, in the knowledge that "no country can singlehandedly face the difficulties associated with this phenomenon, which is now so widespread that it affects every continent in the twofold movement of immigration and emigration" (Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2014).

It is necessary to respond to the globalization of migration with the globalization of charity and cooperation, in such a way as to make the conditions of migrants more humane. At the same time, greater efforts are needed to guarantee the easing of conditions, often brought about by war or famine, which compel whole peoples to leave their native countries.

Solidarity with migrants and refugees must be accompanied by the courage and creativity necessary to develop, on a world-wide level, a more just and equitable financial and economic order, as well as an increasing commitment to peace, the indispensable condition for all authentic progress.

Dear migrants and refugees! You have a special place in the heart of the Church, and you help her to enlarge her heart and to manifest her motherhood towards the entire human family. Do not lose your faith and hope! Let us think of the Holy Family during the flight in Egypt: Just as the maternal heart of the Blessed Virgin and the kind heart of Saint Joseph kept alive the confidence that God would never abandon them, so in you may the same hope in the Lord never be wanting. I entrust you to their protection and I cordially impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing.

From the Vatican, 3 September 2014
Franciscus

General Audience on the visit to Albania

Today's General Audience began at 10:00am local time in Saint Peter's Square where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful who had come from various parts of Italy and all corners of the world.

During his address, the Pope shared his meditation on his recent trip to Albania.

After having summarized the Holy Father's remarks in various languages, His Holiness spoke words of greeting to each group of the faithful who was present.  He then issued a call for prayer for the African countries who are suffering from the Ebola epidemic.

The General Audience concluded as it always does with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the imposition of the Apostolic Blessing.

Catechesis of His Holiness, Pope Francis

for the General Audience

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning.

Today, I want to speak about the Apostolic Voyage that I just made to Albania last Sunday.  I do this first of all as an act of thanksgiving to God, who made it possible for me to make this visit in order to demonstrate in a physical and tangible way, my own personal closeness and the concern of the entire Church for the people of that land.  I also want to renew my fraternal gratitude to the Albanian bishops, to the priests and to the religious who are present there in such a committed manner.  My grateful thoughts also extend to the authorities who welcomed me with such courtesy, as well as to all those who cooperated in any way toward the fulfillment of this visit.

This visit was born out of a desire to be present in a country which, after having been oppressed for a long time by an atheistic and inhumane regime, is now experiencing a time of peaceful coexistence between a variety of religious adherents.  It seemed to me that it would be important to encourage them in this endeavor so that they might continue their journey with tenacity and so that they might deepen every aspect in favor of the common good.  This was the reason why, in the middle of the visit, there was an inter-religious gathering where I saw, with great satisfaction, that the peaceful and fruitful coexistence between persons and communities belonging to various religions is not only desired, but concretely possible.  They are doing it!  There is an authentic and fruitful dialogue taking place about relativism and it takes into account the identity of each participant.  The various religious expressions are in fact united by their common journey of life and a will to do good for others while not denying or downplaying each community's own particular identity.

The meeting with priests, consecrated persons, seminarians and members of lay movements was an occasion to remember gratefully, even accented by particular emotion, the numerous martyrs of the faith.  I was also thankful for the presence of a few elderly, who personally experienced some terrible persecutions, echoing the faith of so many heroic testimonies from the past, each of which followed Christ even if to do this bore extreme consequences.  It is precisely this intimate union with Jesus, the relationship of love with Him that gave rise to these martyrs - as is the case for every martyr - the strength to face the painful events that led them to martyrdom.  Even today, as it was yesterday, the strength of the Church is not found in a particular capacity for organization or structure, all of which is necessary: the Church does not find her strength there.  Our strength is the love of Christ!  A strength which sustains her in moments of difficulty and which inspires heroic apostolic actions which offer goodness and forgiveness to everyone, testifying to God's mercy.

Travelling along the main roads of Tirana which lead from the airport to the great central square, I could see the portraits of forty priests who had been assassinated during the communist dictatorship and whose causes for beatification have already begun.  In total, there have been hundreds of Christian religious and Muslims assassinated, tortured, imprisoned and deported solely because they believed in God.  These were dark years, during which religious freedom was burned to the ground and belief in God was forbidden; thousands of churches and mosques were destroyed, transformed into stores and cinemas which propagated the marxist ideology; religious books were burned and parents were prohibited from giving their children the religious names of their ancestors.  The memory of these dramatic events is essential for the future of a people.  The memory of the martyrs who stood firmly in faith is a guarantee for the future of Albania; for their blood was not spilled in vain, but was a seed which bore the fruit of peace and fraternal collaboration.  Today, in fact, Albanian is an example not only of the rebirth of the Church, but also of the peaceful co-existence between religions.  Therefore, the martyrs did not give their lives without purpose, they are victors: in their heroic witness shines the omnipotence of God which always consoles his people, opening new possibilities and horizons of hope.

This message of hope, founded on faith in Christ and on the memory of the past, I entrusted to the entire Albanian population which I witnessed as an enthusiastic and joyous people in the places where we met, in the celebrations and in the streets of Tirana.  I encouraged them all to draw new energy from the Risen Lord, in order to be evangelical leaven in society and to engage as they already have, in charitable activity and education.

I wish once more to thank the Lord, for with this voyage, he allowed me to meet a courageous and strong people, who have not been left cowering in pain.  To all the brothers and sisters in Albania, I renew my invitation to be courageous and to do good in order to build the present and the future of their country and of Europe.  I entrust  the fruits of my visit to Our Lady of Good Counsel, venerated in the Shrine of Scutari; may she continue to guide the journey of this martyred-people.  The bitter experience of the past strengthens your ties more and more in openness toward your brothers, especially those who are most vulnerable, and makes them participants in the dynamism of charity so necessary in today's socio-cultural context.  I hope that all of us might today salute this courageous people, as they work toward the realization of peace and unity.

Following this Catechesis, the Holy Father's words were summarized in various languages, and he himself offered words of greeting to each of the groups of pilgrims who were present.  To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:

I greet the new students of the Venerable English College in Rome and I assure them of my closeness in prayer as they begin their studies for the priesthood. Upon all the English-speaking pilgrims taking part in today’s Audience, including those from England, Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, India, China, Japan, Kenya, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, I invoke the joy and peace of the Lord Jesus. God bless you!

When the speaking of greetings to all linguistic groups was complete, the Pope continued:

My thoughts now go to the those African countries where many are suffering because of the Ebola epidemic.  I am close to all those people who have fallen victim to this terrible sickness.  I invite you to pray for them and for those who have so tragically lost their lives.  My wish is that the international community will not abandon its efforts to alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters.  Let us pray to Our Lady for our brothers and sisters who are sick and suffering.

A moment with children

Leaving the Cathedral of Tirana, the Holy Father, Pope Francis then went to the Bethany Assistance Centre located at Bubq Fushe-Kruje, thirty kilometres from Tirana.  At 6:30pm, in the church dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua, the Pope met with children, members of the staff and volunteers from the Centre.  There were also some members of the staffs from other Albanian care centres present.

Following a word of greeting offered by one of the workers at the Bathany Association who is a manager at the facility and a witness given by one of the young men who was raised at the Centre, Pope Francis addressed those who were gathered there.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the meeting with children and staff

of the Bethany Assistance Centre

Dear Friends,

I thank you from my heart for your joyful welcome! Above all, I wish to thank those of you who, each day, offer to so many children and youngsters in need of care, tenderness, a serene environment and friendliness. May you be also true educators, giving good example in the way you live and the way you offer support.

In places such as this we are all confirmed in the faith; each one is helped in his or her belief, because we see the faith visibly expressed in practical acts of charity. We see how faith brings light and hope in situations of grave hardship; we observe how faith is rekindled in hearts touched by the Spirit of Jesus who said, Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me (Mk 9:37). This faith, working through charity, dislodges the mountains of indifference, of disbelief and of apathy, and opens hands and hearts to work for what is good and share this experience. Through humble gestures and simple acts of service to the least among us, the Good News that Jesus is risen and lives among us is proclaimed.

This Centre, furthermore, shows that it is possible to live together peacefully and fraternally as people of different ethnicities and followers of various religious confessions. Here differences do not prevent harmony, joy and peace, but rather become occasions for a greater mutual awareness and understanding. The variety of religious experiences reveals a true and reverential love of neighbour; each religious community expresses itself through love and not violence, and is never ashamed of showing goodness! The persons who nourish goodness in their heart, find that such goodness leads to a peaceful conscience and to profound joy even in the midst of difficulties and misunderstandings. Even when affronted, goodness is never weak but rather, shows its strength by refusing to take revenge.

Goodness is its own reward and draws us closer to God, who is the Supreme Good. It helps us to think like him, to see our lives in the light of his plan of love for each one of us, and enables us to delight in life’s daily joys, helping us in difficulties and in trials. Goodness offers infinitely more than money, which only deludes, because we have been created to receive the love of God and to offer it, not measuring everything in terms of money or power, which is the danger that kills us all.

Dear friends, in her greeting, your Director recalled the steps taken by your Association and the works that were inspired by the founder, Mrs Antonietta Vitale, whom I cordially greet and thank for her welcome. Your Director also spoke of help given by benefactors and described the progress of various projects. She noted too, how many children have been lovingly welcomed and cared for. Mirjan spoke, on the other hand, of a personal experience, of wonder and gratitude for an encounter which was life-changing for him, and which opened new horizons, offering opportunities to make new friends, and particularly one Friend who is greater than all the others, namely, Jesus. Mirjan said something very poignant in regard to those volunteers who offer their help; he said, For fifteen years now they have sacrificed themselves joyfully out of love for Jesus and for us. This phrase reveals how making a gift of oneself for the love of Jesus gives birth to joy and hope, and it also shows how serving one’s brothers and sisters is transformed into an experience of sharing God’s kingdom. The words of Mirjan-Paolo might seem paradoxical to many in our world who are slow to grasp their meaning and who frantically seek the key to existence in earthly riches, possessions and amusements. What these people discover, instead, is estrangement and bewilderment.

The secret to a good life is found in loving and giving oneself for love’s sake. From here comes the strength to sacrifice oneself joyfully, and thus the most demanding work is transformed into a source of a greater joy. In this way, there is no longer any fear of making important choices in life, but they are seen for what they are, namely, as the way to personal fulfilment in freedom.

May the Lord Jesus and his Mother, the Virgin Mary, bless your Association, this Bethany Centre and the other centres which love has initiated and providence has built. May God bless all the volunteers, benefactors and the children and adolescents who have been welcomed here. May your patron, Saint Anthony, accompany you along the way. I encourage you to continue faithfully serving the Lord Jesus in the poor and abandoned, and to pray to him so that the hearts and minds of all may be opened to goodness, to charity shown in works, which is the source of real and authentic joy. I ask you also kindly to pray for me, and from my heart, I bless each one of you.

Praying with priests, religious, seminarians and lay movements

Pope Francis celebrated Vespers at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Tirana this evening, accompanied by priests, men and women religious, seminarians and members of various lay movements.

Address of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

to priests, men and women religious, seminarians

and members of lay movements

Dear brothers and sisters,

It is a great joy for me to meet with you in your beloved homeland; I thank God for the opportunity and I thank you for your hospitality! Here in your midst, I can better express my closeness to your task of evangelization.

Since the moment your country has been free from dictatorship, the ecclesial communities in Albania have begun again to journey onward and to organize themselves for pastoral work, looking to the future with hope. I am particularly grateful to those Pastors who paid a great price for their fidelity to Christ and for their decision to remain united to the Successor of Peter. They were courageous in the face of difficulty and trial! There are still priests and religious among us who have experienced prison and persecution, like the sister and brother who have told us their story. I embrace you warmly, and I praise God for your faithful witness that inspires the whole Church to continue to proclaim the Gospel with joy.

Treasuring this experience, the Church in Albania can grow in its missionary and apostolic zeal. I know and appreciate the effort you make to oppose those new forms of dictatorship that threaten to enslave individuals and communities. If the atheist regime sought to suffocate the faith, these new forms of dictatorship, in a more insidious way, are able to suffocate charity. I am referring to individualism, rivalry and heated conflicts: these are worldly mentalities that can contaminate even the Christian community. We need not be discouraged by these difficulties; do not be afraid to continue along the path of the Lord. He is always at your side, he gives you his grace and he helps you to sustain one another; to accept one another as you are, with understanding and mercy; he helps you to deepen fraternal communion.

Evangelization is more effective when it is carried out with oneness of spirit and with sincere teamwork among the various ecclesial communities as well as among missionaries and local clergy: this requires courage to seek out ways of working together and offering mutual help in the areas of catechesis and catholic education, as well as integral human development and charity. In these settings, the contribution of the ecclesial movements that know how to work in communion with Pastors is highly valuable. That is precisely what I see before me: bishops, priests, religious and laity: a Church that desires to walk in fraternity and unity.

When love for Christ is placed above all else, even above our legitimate particular needs, then we are able to move outside of ourselves, of our personal or communal pettiness, and move towards Jesus who, in our brothers and sisters, comes to us. His wounds are still visible today on the bodies of so many men and women who are hungry and thirsty; who are humiliated; who are in hospital or prison. By touching and caring for these wounds with tenderness, it is possible to fully live the Gospel and to adore God who lives in our midst.

There are many problems that you encounter every day. These problems compel you to immerse yourselves with fervour and generosity in apostolic work. And yet, we know that by ourselves we can do nothing: Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain (Ps 127:1). This awareness calls us to give due space for the Lord every day, to dedicate our time to him, open our hearts to him, so that he may work in our lives and in our mission. That which the Lord promises for the prayer made with trust and perseverance goes beyond what we can imagine (cf Lk 11:11-12): beyond that which we ask for, God sends us also the Holy Spirit. The contemplative dimension of our lives becomes indispensable even in the midst of the most urgent and difficult tasks we encounter. The more our mission calls us to go out into the peripheries of life, the more our hearts feel the intimate need to be united to the heart of Christ, which is full of mercy and love.

Considering the fact that the number of priests and religious is not yet sufficient, the Lord Jesus repeats to you today The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest, (Mt 9: 37-38). We must not forget that this prayer begins with a gaze: the gaze of Jesus, who sees the great harvest. Do we also have this gaze? Do we know how to recognize the abundant fruits that the grace of God has caused to grow and the work that there is to be done in the field of the Lord? It is by gazing with faith on the field of God that prayer springs forth, namely, the daily and pressing invocation to the Lord for priestly and religious vocations. Dear seminarians, postulants and novices, you are the fruit of this prayer of the people of God, which always precedes and accompanies your personal response. The Church in Albania needs your enthusiasm and your generosity. The time that you dedicate today to a solid spiritual, theological, communitarian and pastoral formation, is directed to adequately serving the people of God tomorrow. The people, more than seeking experts, are looking for witnesses: humble witnesses of the mercy and tenderness of God; priests and religious conformed to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who are capable of communicating the love of Christ to all people.

Together with you and the entire Albanian people, I want to give thanks to God for the many missionaries whose activity was decisive for the renewal of the Church in Albania and which continues to be of great importance to this day. These missionaries have offered significant contributions to the consolidation of the spiritual patrimony that the Albanian bishops, priests, consecrated religious and lay persons have preserved in the midst of difficult trials and tribulations. Let us acknowledge the great work done by the religious institutes for the revival of Catholic education: these efforts are worth recognizing and sustaining.

Dear brothers and sisters, do not be discouraged in the face of difficulties. Following in the footsteps of your fathers, be tenacious in giving testimony to Christ, walking together with God, toward the hope that never disappoints. In your journey, rest assured that you are accompanied and supported by the love of the whole Church. I thank you with all my heart for this meeting, and I entrust each one of you and your communities - your plans and your hopes - to the holy Mother of God. I bless you from my heart and I ask you please to pray for me.

Pope meets with leaders of religious communities in Albania

Leaving the Nunciature in Tirana, at 4:00pm, the Holy Father, Pope Francis traveled to the Catholic University of Our Lady of Good Counsel where he met with the leaders of other religions and Christian denominations.

Present for this encounter were representatives of six major religious communities who are present in the country: Muslims, Bektashi, Catholics, Orthodox, Evangelicals and Jews.

The gathering was introduced by the President of the Albanian Episcopal Conference, His Excellency, Angelo Massafra, OFM, Archbishop of Scutari-Pult who offered words of welcome to the Pope.

Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis

for the meeting with leaders of 

religious communities present in Albania

Dear friends,

It is a great pleasure to be here at this meeting which brings together leaders of the main religious confessions present in Albania.  With deep respect I greet each one of you and the communities that you represent; and I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to Archbishop Massafra for his words of introduction. It is important that you are here together: it is a sign of the dialogue which you experience daily, seeking to build among yourselves bonds of fraternity and cooperation for the good of the whole of society. Thank you for what you do.

Albania sadly witnessed the violence and tragedy that can be caused by a forced exclusion of God from personal and communal life. When, in the name of an ideology, there is an attempt to remove God from society, it ends up adoring idols, and very soon men and women lose their way, their dignity is trampled and their rights violated. You know well how much pain comes from the denial of freedom of conscience and of religious freedom, and how from such a wound comes a humanity that is impoverished because it lacks hope and ideals to guide it.

The changes that have come since the 1990’s have had the positive effect, among other things, of creating the conditions for an exercise of authentic religious freedom. This has made it possible for each community to renew traditions which were never really extinguished, despite ferocious persecution. With this religious freedom has come also the possibility for every person to offer, according to their own religious convictions, a positive contribution; firstly, to the moral reconstruction of the country and then, subsequently, to the economic reconstruction.

In reality, as John Paul II stated during his historic visit to Albania in 1993, Religious freedom … is not only a precious gift from the Lord for those who have faith: it is a gift for each person, because it is the basic guarantee of every other expression of freedom … Only faith reminds us that, if we have one Creator, we are therefore all brothers and sisters. Religious freedom is a safeguard against all forms of totalitarianism and contributes decisively to human fraternity (Message to the Albanian People, 25 April 1993).

He immediately then added, True religious freedom shuns the temptation to intolerance and sectarianism, and promotes attitudes of respect and constructive dialogue (ibid.).  We cannot deny that intolerance towards those with different religious convictions is a particularly insidious enemy, one which today is being witnessed in various areas around the world.  As believers we must be particularly vigilant so that, in living out with conviction our religious and ethical code, we may always express the mystery we intend to honour. This means that all those forms which present a distorted use of religion, must be firmly refuted as false since they are unworthy of God or humanity. Authentic religion is a source of peace and not of violence! No one must use the name of God to commit violence!   To kill in the name of God is a grave sacrilege. To discriminate in the name of God is inhuman.

Seen in this light, religious freedom is not a right which can be guaranteed solely by existing legislation, although laws are necessary. Rather religious freedom is a shared space, an atmosphere of respect and cooperation that must be built with everyone’s participation, even those who have no religious convictions. Allow me to outline two attitudes which can be especially helpful in the advancement of this fundamental freedom.

The first attitude is that of regarding every man and woman, even those of different religious traditions, not as rivals, less still enemies, but rather as brothers and sisters. When a person is secure in his or her own beliefs, there is no need to impose or put pressure on others: there is a conviction that truth has its own power of attraction. Deep down, we are all pilgrims on this earth, and on this pilgrim journey, as we yearn for truth and eternity, we do not live autonomous and self-sufficient individual lives; the same applies to religious, cultural and national communities. We need each other, and are entrusted to each other’s care. Each religious tradition, from within, must be able to take account of others.

The second attitude which fosters the promotion of religious freedom is the work done in service of the common good.  Whenever adherence to a specific religious tradition gives birth to service that shows conviction, generosity and concern for the whole of society without making distinctions, then there also exists an authentic and mature living out of religious freedom. This presents itself not only as a space in which to legitimately defend one’s autonomy, but also as a potential that enriches the human family as it advances. The more men and women are at the service of others, the greater their freedom!

Let us look around us: there are so many poor and needy people, so many societies that try to find a more inclusive way of social justice and a path to economic development! How great is the need for the human heart to be firmly fixed on the deepest meaning of experiences in life and rooted in a rediscovery of hope! Men and women, inspired in these areas by the values of their respective religious traditions, can offer an important, and even unique, contribution. This is truly a fertile land offering much fruit, also in the field of inter-religious dialogue.

And then there is always this ghost of everything is relative; relativism. There is one clear principle: there can be no dialogue if it does not come from one's own identity. Without identity, dialogue cannot exist. It would be a phantom dialogue, a dialogue in the air, it does not work. Each one of us has our own religious identity, and we are faithful to it. But the Lord knows where he is carrying this history. Let us move forward from our own identity, not from an imaginary one. That does not work, it does not help. That is relativism! That which brings us together is the path of life. It is the good will to do good for the brothers and sisters. And as brothers, we go forward together. And each one of us offers the witness of their own identity to the other, and dialogues with the other. Then, when dialogue moves a bit forward on theological matters, that is beautiful but that which is most important is walking together without betraying one's own identity, without masking it, without hypocrisy. It does me well to think about this.

Dear friends, I encourage you to maintain and develop the tradition of good relations among the various religious communities in Albania, and to be united in serving your beloved homeland.

With a bit of a sense of humor, this room looks like a soccer match: the Catholics on one side and everyone else on the other; everyone together for the good of the homeland and for humanity.

Continue to be a sign for your country, and beyond, that good relations and fruitful cooperation are truly possible among men and women of different religions. And I ask you a favour: please pray for me, because I need your prayers, I really need them. Thank you.

Generosity that begets envy

Here is the text of the homily I prepared for this weekend's encounter with the people of God: a reflection on the generosity of God.

Generosity that begets envy

Close your eyes, if you dare, just for a moment.  Picture in your mind a time when you were happy; look around you and pay attention to the details: is there anyone else present with you? … What’s the weather like? … Are there any particular sounds or smells?  Rest in that place for just a moment, soak it in, revel in the feelings of contentedness. Give thanks to God for this brief moment of happiness … then open your eyes.

Can you believe that our God is that generous?  He created the scene, the memory that you just held in your mind.  He created the colours, the sounds, the people who were present … and he did all that just so you could enjoy a moment of happiness.  Sometimes, perhaps far too often, we forget that our God takes the time to prepare such wonderful things for us, and always in such intricate detail.

In today’s gospel, we find Jesus teaching his disciples about the boundless generosity of God.  As always, he uses images that they, and we, can easily comprehend: every one of the disciples would have been familiar with vineyards; they are dotted throughout the landscape.  Every one of the disciples would also have had a good idea about the amount of money that labourers could earn while they assisted with the harvest, and each one of the disciples would have been well aware of the number of such labourers who either travelled from place to place in search of work or went without work on more days than they would like to count.

The point of the parable is that each and every person has dignity.  Each and every person is entitled to work.  None of God’s beloved children is forgotten, left to sit by idly, excluded from his love, his care, his concern.  The divine landowner is always going out, searching for us, calling us to come and to join him in the vineyard.  Some of us hear this call early in the morning of our lives, others hear it at mid-morning, at noon, at mid-afternoon or even in the waning hours of the day.  Regardless of when we are called, Jesus is always willing to accept us.

The prophet Isaiah says that we should seek the Lord while he may be found.  Each day presents us with a new opportunity to seek the Lord, to discover his will for us, to hear his call to come into the vineyard.  If we accept his invitation, we should be prepared for surprises.  God’s thoughts are not our thoughts so sometimes disciples are placed in situations that we ourselves would not choose, yet every one of those experiences helps us to discover that we are never left alone.  God only ever desires what is good for us: that we should be the best of disciples, that we should know deep within us that we are loved, and that we should be so filled with the joy of knowing this love that we are willing to shout this good news from the rooftops and windows of our homes, from the sidewalks and coffee shops of our city, and from the desks and computers in our places of work.

Strive every day to live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ and Christ in turn will reward you because our God is so generous that his generosity even begets envy.