At 11:15 this morning, in the Sala Clementina at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with a group of those participating in the XXIII General Chapter of the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians whose gathering is focused on the theme To be, today, a place that evangelizes with youth.
Dear Sisters, Mother Yvonne expressed gratitude for this audience but it wouldn't be possible without her insistence! I don't know if this Superior General knows how to govern, I don't know, that's something that you know, but I know that she knows how to knock at the door, and to knock with purpose, yes! I assure you! I want to thank you, mother, for all that you have done, and for all that you have said. I too must permit myself a bit of insistence as I think about Patagonia ... That's all I'll say!
In these days, you have focused your attention on the theme To be today a place that evangelizes with youth, which is a wonderful theme to be discussed in the social and ecclesial context of our time, characterized by so many forms of spiritual and material suffering. In fact, today we suffer from poverty but also from a lack of love and right relationships. In such a context, you can provide counsel above all for the fragility of youth to whom you are dedicated with loving commitment, according to the example of Don Bosco and following in the footsteps of Mother Mazzarello. You are called to offer the message of the gospel to all people as it is demonstrated in the Father's merciful love for every person.
From your work, some fundamental orientations are emerging for the life of each religious and every community.
Firstly, the commitment to allow ourselves to be guided by the possibility of going out, of undertaking a journey toward the many zones of geographic and existential confinement, with a preferential option for the poor and for those who are excluded in various ways. There are so many of these!
Then the awareness of the need to implement appropriate processes for change and of pastoral conversion, thereby transforming your houses into places of evangelization, where above all, young people can become involved in your mission. It's a matter of creating a climate of coresponsibility which fosters the faith journey of individuals and personal closeness to Jesus so that He can continue to draw them to himself. In this way young people are formed and become themselves agents of evanglization for other youth.
I cannot fail to encourage you to continue the journey with enthusiasm along the lines of action which the Holy Spirit points out to you. Open your hearts to welcome the interior movements of God's grace; widen your gaze, widen your gaze in order to recognize the most authentic and most urgent needs of a society and of a generation which is changing. Above all, be prophetic witnesses and an educative presence, through unconditional acceptance of young people, facing the challenge of interculturalism and identifying paths to rendering your apostolic work more and more effective in a context - the context of youth - which is permeated with the virtual world and with new technology, especially digital technology.
In order to do this, we need always to put Christ at the centre of their existence: always leaving space for the Word of God which illuminates, orientates and sustains; always feeding the missionary spirit with persistent prayer, with adoration, with the practice of wasting time before the Tabernacle.
At the same time, you are called to witness to the ideal of fraternal communion between yourselves, with sentiments of reciprocal welcome, accepting your limits and valuing the qualities and gifts that each one brings, according to the teaching of Jesus: By this, all will know that you are my disciples; if you love one another (Jn 13:35). I want to repeat some advice which in these days I have given to another group of religious: unity. Never, never should there be between you either envy or jealousy; don't permit these things to exist! Be always united, but the most dangerous is the terrorism of religious life: the terrorism of idle chatter and gossip has already entered into our lives. If you have something against one of your sisters, go and tell it to her face. Never practice this kind of terrorism, because idle chatter and gossip are a bomb which is thrown on the entire community, and it can destroy everything. Unity without the terrorism of gossip.
This unity requires - as you already know so well - a serious period of formation, which includes updating in the human sciences which can be so helpful in your mission. In fact, you need to know how to listen with openness and comprehension to all those who come to you seeking moral and human support; you need to know how to interpret the situations in which you find yourselves, in order to be able to inculturate the gospel message. In this regard, the mission ad gentes offers you a vast scope for making a gift of yourselves in love.
In the course of this Chapter, you have not failed to reflect on your daily apostolic activities, which keep you in contact with the joys, the hopes and the sufferings of the people. Standing in the courtyards with the children, in the halls with the alumni, with the youth in the heart of cities or in virtual neighbourhoods, in markets with young women, you bring together both reality and ever-changing problems which challenge you. Continue to be missionaries of hope and of joy, witnessing to the true values of your Salesian identity, especially the category of encounter, a fundamental aspect of your charism: it is a refreshing spring and a vital part of your ability to share the love that energizes your passion for God and for the youth. The inevitable difficulties, which you will meet along the way, will not slow the enthusiasm of your apostolic actions. On the contrary, the example of Saint John Bosco and of Saint Domenica Marzzello encourage you to contribute even more enthusiastically to the new evangelization with your activities aimed at education and schooling, at catechesis and the formation of young apostles.
Dear Sisters, you know how much the Church values the consecrated life. In fact, this life is at the very heart of the community and is a decisive element for her mission, which provides a specific contribution through the witness of a life entirely given to God and to others. May this be, with the help of Blessed Mary, who you venerate with the title of Help of Christians, the committed task of each and every member of your Congregation! With this hope, I willingly impart to you and to all your sisters the Apostolic Blessing, and I ask you to pray for me ... and don't forget Patagonia. Thank you!
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
for the gathering with the
Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians
Dear Sisters, Mother Yvonne expressed gratitude for this audience but it wouldn't be possible without her insistence! I don't know if this Superior General knows how to govern, I don't know, that's something that you know, but I know that she knows how to knock at the door, and to knock with purpose, yes! I assure you! I want to thank you, mother, for all that you have done, and for all that you have said. I too must permit myself a bit of insistence as I think about Patagonia ... That's all I'll say!
In these days, you have focused your attention on the theme To be today a place that evangelizes with youth, which is a wonderful theme to be discussed in the social and ecclesial context of our time, characterized by so many forms of spiritual and material suffering. In fact, today we suffer from poverty but also from a lack of love and right relationships. In such a context, you can provide counsel above all for the fragility of youth to whom you are dedicated with loving commitment, according to the example of Don Bosco and following in the footsteps of Mother Mazzarello. You are called to offer the message of the gospel to all people as it is demonstrated in the Father's merciful love for every person.
From your work, some fundamental orientations are emerging for the life of each religious and every community.
Firstly, the commitment to allow ourselves to be guided by the possibility of going out, of undertaking a journey toward the many zones of geographic and existential confinement, with a preferential option for the poor and for those who are excluded in various ways. There are so many of these!
Then the awareness of the need to implement appropriate processes for change and of pastoral conversion, thereby transforming your houses into places of evangelization, where above all, young people can become involved in your mission. It's a matter of creating a climate of coresponsibility which fosters the faith journey of individuals and personal closeness to Jesus so that He can continue to draw them to himself. In this way young people are formed and become themselves agents of evanglization for other youth.
I cannot fail to encourage you to continue the journey with enthusiasm along the lines of action which the Holy Spirit points out to you. Open your hearts to welcome the interior movements of God's grace; widen your gaze, widen your gaze in order to recognize the most authentic and most urgent needs of a society and of a generation which is changing. Above all, be prophetic witnesses and an educative presence, through unconditional acceptance of young people, facing the challenge of interculturalism and identifying paths to rendering your apostolic work more and more effective in a context - the context of youth - which is permeated with the virtual world and with new technology, especially digital technology.
In order to do this, we need always to put Christ at the centre of their existence: always leaving space for the Word of God which illuminates, orientates and sustains; always feeding the missionary spirit with persistent prayer, with adoration, with the practice of wasting time before the Tabernacle.
At the same time, you are called to witness to the ideal of fraternal communion between yourselves, with sentiments of reciprocal welcome, accepting your limits and valuing the qualities and gifts that each one brings, according to the teaching of Jesus: By this, all will know that you are my disciples; if you love one another (Jn 13:35). I want to repeat some advice which in these days I have given to another group of religious: unity. Never, never should there be between you either envy or jealousy; don't permit these things to exist! Be always united, but the most dangerous is the terrorism of religious life: the terrorism of idle chatter and gossip has already entered into our lives. If you have something against one of your sisters, go and tell it to her face. Never practice this kind of terrorism, because idle chatter and gossip are a bomb which is thrown on the entire community, and it can destroy everything. Unity without the terrorism of gossip.
This unity requires - as you already know so well - a serious period of formation, which includes updating in the human sciences which can be so helpful in your mission. In fact, you need to know how to listen with openness and comprehension to all those who come to you seeking moral and human support; you need to know how to interpret the situations in which you find yourselves, in order to be able to inculturate the gospel message. In this regard, the mission ad gentes offers you a vast scope for making a gift of yourselves in love.
In the course of this Chapter, you have not failed to reflect on your daily apostolic activities, which keep you in contact with the joys, the hopes and the sufferings of the people. Standing in the courtyards with the children, in the halls with the alumni, with the youth in the heart of cities or in virtual neighbourhoods, in markets with young women, you bring together both reality and ever-changing problems which challenge you. Continue to be missionaries of hope and of joy, witnessing to the true values of your Salesian identity, especially the category of encounter, a fundamental aspect of your charism: it is a refreshing spring and a vital part of your ability to share the love that energizes your passion for God and for the youth. The inevitable difficulties, which you will meet along the way, will not slow the enthusiasm of your apostolic actions. On the contrary, the example of Saint John Bosco and of Saint Domenica Marzzello encourage you to contribute even more enthusiastically to the new evangelization with your activities aimed at education and schooling, at catechesis and the formation of young apostles.
Dear Sisters, you know how much the Church values the consecrated life. In fact, this life is at the very heart of the community and is a decisive element for her mission, which provides a specific contribution through the witness of a life entirely given to God and to others. May this be, with the help of Blessed Mary, who you venerate with the title of Help of Christians, the committed task of each and every member of your Congregation! With this hope, I willingly impart to you and to all your sisters the Apostolic Blessing, and I ask you to pray for me ... and don't forget Patagonia. Thank you!
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