At 11:45 this morning, in the Consistory Hall at the Vatican, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience participants taking part in the Ecumenical Convention of Bishops, friends of the Focolare Movement on the theme of The Eucharist, mystery of communion (Grottaferrata, November 3-6, 2014).
Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the meeting with Bishop friends of the Focolare Movement
Dear brothers and sisters,
I offer you a heart-felt welcome on the occasion of your Ecumenical Convention, which has as its theme: The Eucharist, mystery and communion. This annual gathering which brings together not only various countries, but various Churches and Ecclesial communities, is an expression, a result of what can happen when we love the Word of God and are willing to conform our lives to the Gospel: these attitudes, sustained and accompanied by the grace of the Holy Spirit, give rise to countless initiatives and create solid friendships and profound moments of fraternity and sharing. I encourage you to build on this rich experience and to continue courageously, always attentive to the signs of the times and asking the Lord to bestow the gift of mutual listening and docility to his will.
I would like to focus particularly on one aspect that was touched upon by all three of the Brothers who just now took the floor, all of whom I wish to thank very much. I am referring to the acute awareness in our troubled world, of the value of a clear witness to unity between Christians and of an explicit declaration of esteem, respect and, more precisely, of fraternity between us. This fraternity is an illuminating sign and attribute of our faith in the risen Christ.
If in fact, we seek as Christians to respond in a meaningful way to the many problems and dramas of our time, we must speak and act like brothers, in such a way that all people might easily recognize it. This too is a way - perhaps for us the most important way - to respond to the globalization of indifference with a globalization of solidarity and fraternity, which will shine more brilliantly among the baptized.
The fact that in various countries there is a lack of freedom to publicly practice religion and to live openly according to the values of Christian ethics; the persecutions which confront Christians and other minorities; the sad phenomenon of terrorism; the plight of refugees caused by war and other reasons; the challenge of fundamentalism and, on the other extreme, of exaggerated secularism; all these realities challenge our consciences as Christians as as pastors.
These challenges are a call to seek with renewed commitment, to constantly and patiently seek paths that lead toward unity, so that the world may believe (cf Jn 17:21), and so that we ourselves might be filled with confidence and courage. Among these paths, there is one that is a main road, and that is the Eucharist as a mystery of communion. In his first letter to the Corinthians - in which the theme of division is a priority - the apostle Paul points clearly to the Last Supper as a central moment in the life of the community a moment of truth: that was the moment of fulfillment of the meeting between the grace of Christ and our responsibility: there, in the Eucharist, we clearly experience unity as a gift, and at the same time we see a responsibility, a serious responsibility for unity (cf 1 Cor 11:17-23).
Dear brothers and sisters, I hope that your gathering will bear abundant fruits of growth in communion and in the witness of fraternity. May the Virgin Mary support you in this commitment and in all your ministry. I ask you please to pray for me and I willingly invite you to pray to the Lord with me, that he may bless us all. Each one of us will pray now in his own language, and I gladly bless you all as well as the communities that are confided to your care.
Our Father ...
Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the meeting with Bishop friends of the Focolare Movement
Dear brothers and sisters,
I offer you a heart-felt welcome on the occasion of your Ecumenical Convention, which has as its theme: The Eucharist, mystery and communion. This annual gathering which brings together not only various countries, but various Churches and Ecclesial communities, is an expression, a result of what can happen when we love the Word of God and are willing to conform our lives to the Gospel: these attitudes, sustained and accompanied by the grace of the Holy Spirit, give rise to countless initiatives and create solid friendships and profound moments of fraternity and sharing. I encourage you to build on this rich experience and to continue courageously, always attentive to the signs of the times and asking the Lord to bestow the gift of mutual listening and docility to his will.
I would like to focus particularly on one aspect that was touched upon by all three of the Brothers who just now took the floor, all of whom I wish to thank very much. I am referring to the acute awareness in our troubled world, of the value of a clear witness to unity between Christians and of an explicit declaration of esteem, respect and, more precisely, of fraternity between us. This fraternity is an illuminating sign and attribute of our faith in the risen Christ.
If in fact, we seek as Christians to respond in a meaningful way to the many problems and dramas of our time, we must speak and act like brothers, in such a way that all people might easily recognize it. This too is a way - perhaps for us the most important way - to respond to the globalization of indifference with a globalization of solidarity and fraternity, which will shine more brilliantly among the baptized.
The fact that in various countries there is a lack of freedom to publicly practice religion and to live openly according to the values of Christian ethics; the persecutions which confront Christians and other minorities; the sad phenomenon of terrorism; the plight of refugees caused by war and other reasons; the challenge of fundamentalism and, on the other extreme, of exaggerated secularism; all these realities challenge our consciences as Christians as as pastors.
These challenges are a call to seek with renewed commitment, to constantly and patiently seek paths that lead toward unity, so that the world may believe (cf Jn 17:21), and so that we ourselves might be filled with confidence and courage. Among these paths, there is one that is a main road, and that is the Eucharist as a mystery of communion. In his first letter to the Corinthians - in which the theme of division is a priority - the apostle Paul points clearly to the Last Supper as a central moment in the life of the community a moment of truth: that was the moment of fulfillment of the meeting between the grace of Christ and our responsibility: there, in the Eucharist, we clearly experience unity as a gift, and at the same time we see a responsibility, a serious responsibility for unity (cf 1 Cor 11:17-23).
Dear brothers and sisters, I hope that your gathering will bear abundant fruits of growth in communion and in the witness of fraternity. May the Virgin Mary support you in this commitment and in all your ministry. I ask you please to pray for me and I willingly invite you to pray to the Lord with me, that he may bless us all. Each one of us will pray now in his own language, and I gladly bless you all as well as the communities that are confided to your care.
Our Father ...
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