Condolences to Dominica

The Holy Father sent a telegram of condolence to victims of hurricane Erika which struck the Caribbean island of Dominica.  The Pope's concern was voiced by the Cardinal Secretary of State, His Eminence, Pietro Parolin in a note which was dispatched to His Excellency, Gabriel Malzaire, Bishop of Roseau (Dominica) in Pope Francis' name.

Letter of Condolence

sent in the name of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

To the Right Reverend Gabriel Malzaire
Bishop of Roseau

Deeply saddened to learn of the tragic loss of life and destruction in the wake of Hurricane Erika, His Holiness Pope Francis sends his heartfelt condolences to the relatives of the deceased and prays for all those providing rescue and relief service. In commending the dead to the loving mercy of God, the Holy Father invokes upon their grieving families and all those affected by this disaster the blessings of perseverance, hope and peace.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State

Angelus concerning the Law

At noon today in Rome, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims who had gathered in Saint Peter's Square for the usual Sunday appointment.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

This Sunday's gospel presents a dispute between Jesus and some of the Pharisees and scribes.  The discussion concerns the value of the tradition of the elders (Mk 7:3) that Jesus, referring to the prophet Isaiah, defines as human precepts (Mk 7:7) and which should never be considered more important than God's commandment (Mk 7:8).  The ancient prescriptions in question include not only the precepts of God revealed to Moses, but a series of dictates that specified the directives of the Mosaic law.  The interpreters of the law used to apply these norms in a very scrupulous manner and would present them as authentic expressions of religiosity.  Therefore, they were accusing Jesus and his disciples of breaking these directives, especially the ones referring to the purification of the outside of the body (cf Mk 7:5).  Jesus' response carries the weight of a prophetic pronouncement: Neglecting the commandment of God, he says, you observe the traditions of men (Mk 7:8).  These are words that fill us with admiration for our Master: we feel that in Him there is truth and that his wisdom frees us from prejudice.

But be careful!  With these words, Jesus is warning us today too, that external observance of the law is not enough to be good Christians.   As it was for the Pharisees, so it is also for us: there is a danger of thinking that everything is okay, or worse, that we are better than others simply because we follow the rules and customs, even though we may not love our neighbour, or that we are hard of heart, or that we are better than another, or that we are proud.  The literal observance of the precepts is sterile if we do not change our hearts and if the commandments do not translate into concrete attitudes: openness to an encounter with God and with his Word in prayer, seeking justice and peace, caring for the poor, the weak and the oppressed.  We all know, in our communities, in our parishes, in our neighbourhoods, of examples of people who purport to be good Catholics, and make a point of being seen in church but who do harm to the Church and create scandal by their habits of daily lives, or who harm their families, speaking badly about others and things such as those.  This is what Jesus condemns, because this is counter-Christian witness.

Continuing his exhortation, Jesus focuses his attention on a more profound aspect and affirms: There is nothing outside a person which, by entering into him, can make him impure.  Only things that come out of a person can render him (or her) impure (Mk 7:15).  In this way, he points out the primacy of interiority, the primacy of the heart: it is not the things from outside that will make us holy or that will stop us from being saints, but our hearts which express our intentions, our choices and the desire to do everything out of love for God.  External attitudes are the consequence of decisions that we have made in our hearts, but not the opposite: even if we have the right external attitudes, if our hearts don't change, we aren't real Christians.  The border between good and evil exists not outside of us but within us.  We can ask ourselves: where is my heart?  Jesus used to say: Where your treasure is, there will your heart be too.  What is my treasure?  Is is Jesus and his doctrine?  If so, my heart is good.  Or is my treasure something else?  If so, it is the heart that must be purified and converted.  Without a purified heart, it is not possible for us to have truly clean hands or lips for proclaiming sincere words of love - everything is doubled, a double life - lips that speak words of mercy and of pardon.  Only a sincere and purified heart can do this.

Let us ask the Lord, through the intercession of the Holy Virgin, to grant us pure hearts, freed from every kind of hypocrisy.  This is the adjective that Jesus uses with the Pharisees: hypocrites, because they say one thing and do another.  A heart that is free from every hypocrisy, so that we can live according to the spirit of the law and come to its rightful end, which is love.

Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:

Dear brothers and sisters,

Yesterday, in Harissa, in Lebanon, the Syro-Catholic Bishop Flaviano Michele Melki, a martyr was beatified.  IN the context of a great persecution against the Christians, he was an untiring defender of the rights of his people, encouraging everyone to remain solid in the faith.  Today too, dear brothers and sisters, in the Middle East and in other parts of the world, Christians are being persecuted.  There are more martyrs today than there have ever been.  May the beatification of this martyred Bishop instill in them consolation, courage and hope, but may it also be a motivation for lawmakers and for governments to safeguard religious freedoms.  I call on the international community to do continue its efforts to end this violence and abuse.

Unfortunately, even in these recent days, many migrants have lost their lives in terrible experiences of travel.  For all these brothers and sisters, let us pray and invite others to pray.  In particular, I unite my voice with that of Cardinal Schönborn - who is here today - and with the entire Church in Austria that is praying for the seventy-one victims, among which were four children, found in a truck on the highway between Budapest and Vienna.  Let us confide each one of them to the mercy of God, and let us ask Him to help those responsible to work efficiently toward preventing such crimes, which offend the entire human family.  Let us pray in silence for all the migrants who are suffering and for those who have lost their lives.

I greet the pilgrims who have come from Italy and from many other parts of the world, especially the scouts from Lisbon and the faithful from Zara (Croatia).  I greet the faithful from Verona and from Bagnolo di NOgarole; the young people from the diocese of Vicenza, those from Rovato and those who have come from the parish of SAn Galdino in Milan; as well as the children from Salzano and from Acronate.

I wish you all a good Sunday.  Please don't forget to pray for me.  Enjoy your lunch and good bye!

Preliminary results of the autopsy

Following the sudden death of the former Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency Józef Wesołowski, which occurred on August 27, 2015, the Office of the Vatican Promotor of Justice, as part of the obligations of its competence, ordered the execution of an autopsy and appointed a commission of three experts led by Professor Giovanni Arcudi, Professor of Forensic Medicine at the University of Rome at Tor Vergata.

The investigations took place yesterday afternoon and, based on initial conclusions drawn from microscopic examination, the cause of death has been confirmed as a cardiac arrest.

In the coming days, the Office of the Promotor of Justice will receive subsequent reports based on the usual laboratory examinations which were carried out by the commission.

God's gift of love

This evening, we celebrated the wedding of two of our parishioners.  We have been privileged to share a number of the steps in their journey, and so it is fitting that we should also be present to celebrate the day when they proclaim their love for one another and pray for the strength to live from this day onward as husband and wife.

Homily for the wedding of Kevin Dionne and Cindy Grasser

In preparation for today’s celebration, I asked Kevin and Cindy to choose the readings that have just been proclaimed.  I find it interesting that they chose this particular passage from the book of Genesis because it describes a journey that was undertaken by Abraham’s servant to find Rebekah (Gn 24:48-49), the difficulty that Rebekah’s family had with letting go of her (Gn 24:55), a blessing that they prayed over her (Gn 24:60) and a return journey that brought Rebekah and Isaac together (Gn 24:61-67).

The relationship that has developed between Kevin and Cindy has also been a journey of sorts.  Together, they have experienced joys and challenges.  They have learned from one another, they have grown in their ability and willingness to support one another, and we who call Saint Peter’s our parish home have also had the great privilege to accompany them during a part of this journey, when Cindy came to the Church and asked us to help her learn about what it means to be part of this faith community.

Today, we have gathered in this place of prayer to pray for you, Kevin and Cindy.  I’m told that just a few days ago, Kevin even called Cindy’s mom to ask her for her daughter’s hand in marriage.  Like Rebekah’s parents (spoken of in the Book of Genesis), Kevin and Cindy’s family members are here today to pray for them, to ask the Lord to accompany them on their journey and to grant them the gift of truly knowing how much they are loved.

Saint John reminds us today that love is from God, a special gift that God gives to his people.  God has loved each of us at every moment of our lives; because he has loved us, he has also taught us how to love.  In fact, everyone who loves is begotten of God and knows God (1 Jn 4:7).  The road that lies ahead will not always be smooth; there will always be challenges, but if you have discovered the gift of love that has brought you together and if you continue every day to believe that this gift is the glue that holds you together; if you continue every day to pray for each other and to believe that your parents, your family members, your friends and your parish community is also praying for you, you will also be able to rely on our prayers to help you always to believe that God’s love is living and active in your marriage.

Pray for each other every day of your marriage and never forget the words that Jesus speaks to you today: As the Father loves me, so I also love you.  Remain in my love (Jn 15:9).  God’s love for his beloved children knows no limits, just like your love for William, Jonathon and Elizabeth knows no limit.  When Jesus shared the secret of remaining in God’s love, he knew that the reward for staying connected to God’s love is that his joy would be in us, and our joy would be complete (Jn 15:11).  Joy is the sign that convinces us that God is indeed living among us.  Joy is the sign that Jesus is part of every relationship we have.  Joy is the indication that we have discovered the love of God and are able to share that love with others whose journeys cross paths with ours.

Former Nuncio dies at the Vatican

His Excellency, Józef Wesołowski, former Apostolic Nuncio who was scheduled be tried last month within the Vatican walls for sexual abuse of minors while serving as Nuncio to the Dominican Republic, was found dead in his apartment in the Vatican in the early hours of this morning.

The Vatican Authorities intervened immediately and found that his death was due to natural causes.  The Promotor of Justice has ordered an autopsy, which will be carried out today, the results of which will be communicated as soon as possible.

The Holy Father has been duly informed.

Let me go

One week after we celebrated the funeral for one of Temagami's most beloved residents, another holy woman from that place has also completed her journey Home.  These two were friends and relatives in this life.  Now they are joined together for all eternity.

Funeral homily for Kathleen (Kay) Morrison

Less than a week ago, we were gathered in this very church to bid farewell to one of the pillars of this community.  Today, we have come once again, this time to commend our sister Kay into the loving embrace of our God, and to support her children, their spouses and their extended families with our love and our prayer.

It is never easy to bid farewell to someone we have known and loved, but it is possible for us to seek comfort in the arms of our God this day, for he is the one who has planted the gift of hope in our hearts, and this hope is not deceptive (Rom 5:5) because each one of us has been loved by our God from the very moment of our conception.  Think about it: some of us who are here today are mothers and fathers.  You know what it’s like to love your children.  You know that at any moment, you would do anything you could for your children.  There has never been a moment when you did not love your children, ever since the first moment that you were aware of your children’s existence.  Kay loved each one of her children with this kind of unfailing love – even the adopted ones.  God loves each one of us with the same everlasting love.

Trying to describe the love that God has for us, Saint Paul says that it is not easy to die, even for a good person, though of course, for someone really worthy – like a child of ours – we might be prepared to die (Rom 5:7) but even before any of us knew one another, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8) to show us how much he loves us, how much God loves us.

A few months ago, we almost lost Kay.  Having knocked at heaven’s door, she came back to live among us for a time.  At first, she wasn’t sure why God hadn’t taken her home.  I went to visit with her at her home one day, and she told me about the out-of-body experience she had had.  She described seeing her own lifeless body, the doctors working frantically to bring her back to life, and she spoke of a wonderful warmth, a desire she had to continue that last leg of the journey, but before she could pass from death to the fullness of life (cf Jn 5:24), she was brought back to earth, to the confines of her mortal body.  I told her then that perhaps God needed her to share this wisdom with all of us, to tell us about how wonderful it will be when we are called Home to the Father’s house.  I told her that it was up to her to tell this story so that people who get too caught up with surrounding ourselves with all the good things this life has to offer might have an opportunity to question our human wisdom, and perhaps entertain the thought that there might just be such a thing as life after death, a place called heaven.

So at last, the hour is here when our sister Kay, who has fallen asleep and completed her journey to that place of wonder, warmth and light, can hear the voice of the Son of God speaking (cf Jn 5:25), a place where she is reunited with her husband Gordon and all her beloved relatives and friends who have gone before us.

Her soul is in the hands of God, in a place where no torment can ever touch her again (cf Wis 3:1).  Life in heaven is the reward that awaits all of us, the reward that we look forward to when our earthly life has come to an end.  This gift of hope is rich with the promise of immortality (Wis 3:4) and every pain we suffer in this life will be dwarfed by the joy that we will one day experience when we too are reunited with her to live forever in heaven.

Let us therefore join our voices in prayer this day, thanking God for the many years he granted us to live with Kay at our side, for the wisdom she imparted to us, for the privilege of having known her and having been known by her, for the great joy of having loved her, and having been loved by her.  Today, we commend her immortal soul into the loving arms of Jesus who is the source of our hope.  May she rest now in peace, and know at last the certain joy of life in all its fullness.

His 100th General Audience

This morning's General Audience (Pope Francis' 100th) began at 10:00am in Saint Peter's Square, where the Holy Father met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every corner of the world.

During his speech, the Pope continued the cycle of teachings on the family, concluding his reflection on the three dimensions that characterize family life: celebrations, work and prayer, focusing todayon the importance of prayer.

Following a series of summaries of his catechesis presented in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each of the groups of the faithful who were present.  Then, he issued an invitation for those who were present to take part in a Liturgy of the Word over which he will preside in the afternoon of September 1 in the Vatican Basilica to mark the first World Day of Prayer for the care of creation.

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

Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the General Audience

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

After having reflected on how a family lives in times of celebration and of work, let us consider now the time of prayer.  The most frequent complaint of Christians has to do with time: Do you have to pray more ...; I want to do it but sometimes I don't have enough time.  We continually feel this way.  Our regret is sincere, certainly, for the human heart continually wants to pray, even without knowing it: and if we cannot, we are not at peace.  Why does this trouble arise?  We must cultivate in our heart a loving warmth for God, an affectionate love.

We can ask ourselves a very simple question.  It's okay to believe in God with all our hearts, to hope that he will help us when we face difficulties, to feel the need to thank him.  All this is good, but do we also love the Lord, even just a little bit?  Does thinking about God move us, surprise us, soften our hearts?

Let us consider the makeup of the great commandment, that supports all the others: You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength (Deut 6:5; Mt 22:37).  This commandment uses the intense language of love, revealed in God.  Thus, the spirit of prayer lives in all of us here, and if it is alive here, it has also been alive throughout all of time, and will never die.  Can we think of God as a caress that keeps us alive, before whom nothing else existed?  A caress from which nothing, even death, can separate us?  Or do we think of Him only as a great Being, the Omnipotent one who has made everything, the Judge who controls every one of our actions?  All of this is true, surely, but only when God is the object of all our affections do the meanings in all our words become fully realized.  So, we feel happy, and also a bit confused because He is always thinking about us, and loving us!  Is this not impressive?  Are we not impressed that God embraces us with the love of a father?  This is so beautiful!  He could have simply been recognized as the supreme Being; he could have given his commandments and waited for results.  Instead, God made everything we see and touch, and he continues to create infinite possibilities.  He is always guiding us on our way through life, protecting us, loving us.

If affection for God is not enough to light the fire, the spirit of prayer will not warm with time.  We can also multiply our words: like the pagans do, Jesus says, or we can also create rituals: like the Pharisees do (cf Mt 6:5, 7).  A heart that is filled with affection for God can create a prayer even from a thought that has no words, or an invocation uttered before a sacred image, or a kiss sent toward the church.  It is beautiful when a mother teaches her little children to send kisses to Jesus or to Our Lady.  There is so much tenderness in such a moment!  At that moment, the hearts of children are transformed into places of prayer.  This is a gift of the Holy Spirit.  Let us never forget to ask for this gift, for each of us!  The Spirit of God has its special way of saying in our hearts: Abba - Father, and of teaching us to say Father just like Jesus used to say it, an experience that we can never have on our own (cf Gal 4:6).  It is through the gift of our families that we learn to ask for and to appreciate this gift of the Spirit.  If you learn this lesson with the same spontaneity with which we learn to say daddy and mommy, you will have learned it for good.  When this happens, it's time for the entire family to sit together at the feet of God and to seek a time of spontaneous prayer.

As we are well aware, family time is a complicated matter, often crowded, busy and filled with preoccupations.  There is always too little time, never enough time, and there are so many things that need to be done.  Those who have families soon learn to solve equations that not even great mathematicians can solve: how do we make twenty-four hours feel twice as long!  There are mothers and fathers who should win Nobel prizes for this ability.  Out of 24 hours, they can move in and find 48.  I don't know how they do it!  There is so much work in families!

The spirit of prayer returns some time to God, taking us away from the obsession of our lives to focus on the things that we never have time for, we recover peace in necessary things, and we discover the joy of unexpected gifts.  Our best guides in this matter are the sisters Martha and Mary, who are spoken of in the gospel we have heard today; they learned from God the harmony of family rhythms: the beauty of celebrations, the serenity of work, the spirit of prayer (cf Lk 10:38-42).  A visit from Jesus, who they loved, was a moment to celebrate.  One day though, Martha learned that the work of hospitality, though important, is not everything, but listening to the Lord, as Mary was doing, was the essential thing, the better part at the time.  Prayer flows from listening to Jesus, from reading the gospel.  Let us never forget this, every day, we should read a passage of the gospel.  Prayer flows from intimate knowledge of the Word of God.  Is there such intimacy in our family relationships?  Do we have a copy of the gospels at home?  Do we open the bible once in awhile to read it together?  Do we meditate while reciting the rosary?  The gospel, read and meditated upon in a family setting is like good bread that feeds the heart.  In the morning or at night, when we sit at table, let us learn to say a prayer together, with great simplicity: and Jesus will come to live among us, like he used to visit with the family of Martha and Mary and Lazarus.  One thing that is very dear to me, and which I have seen in cities: there are children who have never learned how to make the sign of the cross!  You, fathers, mothers, teach your children how to pray, how to make the sign of the cross: this is a beautiful task for mothers and fathers!

Through prayer in families, in moments of strength and in difficult situations, we are confided to each other's prayer, and each one of us in a family is cared for by the love of God.

As is customary, following this catechesis, which was spoken in Italian, summaries were presented in various languages, and the Holy Father offered greetings to each of the groups of pilgrims who were present.  To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including those from England, Denmark, Malta, China, Dubai, Nigeria, Canada and the United States of America. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke an abundance of joy and peace in the Lord Jesus. God bless you all!

Angelus for the final part of the discourse

At noon today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims who were gathered in Saint Peter's Square for the usual Sunday appointment.

Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis

prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today we conclude our reading of the sixth chapter of the gospel of John, and the bread of life discourse, spoken by Jesus the day after the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes.  At the conclusion of that speech, the great enthusiasm that was present the day before had died away because Jesus had told them that he was the bread that came down from heaven, and that he would give his flesh as food and his blood as drink, alluding clearly to the sacrifice of his own life.  Those words caused disappointment among the people, who judged him to be unworthy of being the Messiah, not believing him to be the winner. Instead, some of them were expecting Jesus to be a Messiah who should speak and act in such a way that his mission would succeed, right away, but this is an incorrect understanding of the mission of the Messiah!  Even the disciples could not accept the unsettling words spoken by their Master.  Today's gospel passage refers to their discomfort: This word is difficult! - they said - who can accept it? (Jn 6:60).

In truth, they had understood Jesus' words well.  So well that they did not want to listen to them, because this was a speech that put their mentality into crisis.  The words of Jesus always put us into crisis, for example when we are faced with the spirit of the world, with worldliness.  But Jesus offers us the key to overcoming every difficulty; a key made up of three elements.  First, his divine origin: He is descended from heaven and will return to the place where he was before (Jn 6:62).  Second, his words can be understood only through the action of the Holy Spirit, He who gives life (Jn 6:63); it is truly the Holy Spirit who helps us to understand Jesus well.  Third: the real cause of misunderstandings of his words and the lack of faith: Among you there are some who do not believe (Jn 6:64), says Jesus.  In fact, at that time, the Gospel says, many of his disciples turned back (Jn 6:66).  In response to such defection, Jesus did not diminish or change his words; actually he compels us to make up our minds: either to stay with Him or to separate ourselves from Him.  He told the disciples: Do you also wish to go away? (Jn 6:67).

At this point, Peter makes his confession of faith in the name of the other Apostles: Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life (Jn 6:68).  He doesn't say, where are we going? but to who shall we go?  The underlying problem is not a matter of going and abandoning the work that was begun, but of who to follow.  Based on Peter's question, we understand that faithfulness to God is a question of faithfulness to a person to whom we are bound in order to walk together along the road.  And this person is Jesus.  All that we have in the world is not enough to satisfy our infinite hunger.  We need Jesus, we need to be with Him, to nourish ourselves at his table, to feed on his eternal word!  To believe in Jesus means to place him at the centre, the meaning of our lives.  Christ is not an optional accessory: he is the living bread, necessary nourishment.  To be bound to him, in a true relationship of faith and of love does not mean that we are enslaved, but profoundly free, always on the journey.  Every one of us can ask ourselves: who is Jesus for me?  Is he a name, an idea, simply a historical person?  Or is he truly the person who loves me and gave his life for me, the one who journeys with me?  For you, who is Jesus?  Do you spend time with Jesus?  Do you seek to know him through his word?  Do you read the gospel, every day, just a little bit of the gospel in order to know Jesus?  Do you carry a small copy of the gospel with you in your pocket, in your purse, in order to read it, everywhere you go?  The more we spend time with him, the more the desire will grow in us to stay with him.  Now, I ask you politely, let's take a moment of silence and every one of us, in silence, in our hearts, let's ask ourselves a question: Who is Jesus for me?  In silence, each one of us, let's answer this question in our hearts.

May the Virgin Mary help us to go always toward Jesus, so that we can experience the freedom that He offers us, and may she help us to clean up our choices for worldly things so that we can be free from all our fears.

Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:

Dear brothers and sisters,

With preoccupation, I am following the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, which has been accelerated again in these past weeks.  I renew my call for respect of the commitments agreed to in order to bring about peace with the help of organizations and people of good will who are responding to the humanitarian emergency in that country.  May the Lord grant peace to Ukraine, which is preparing to celebrate her national day tomorrow.  May the Virgin Mary intercede for us!

I cordially greet all the pilgrims, from Rome and from other countries, especially the new seminarians from the Pontifical North American College who have come to Rome to undertake their theological studies.

I greet the sports groups from San Giorgio su Legnano, the faithful from Luzzana and from Chioggia; and the boys and the young people from the diocese of Verona.

And don't forget, this week, to stop every day for just a moment to ask yourselves: Who is Jesus for me?  Every one of you, answer this question in your heart.

I wish you all a good Sunday.  And please, don't forget to pray for me!  Enjoy your lunch and good bye!

A message to the Waldensian and Methodist Church

On the occasion of the Synod of the Waldensian and Methodist Church, being held in Torre Pellice (Turin, Italy) from August 23-28, 2015, the Holy Father, Pope Francis has sent a message to the Bishop of Pinerolo, His Excellency, Pier Giorgio Debernardi, through the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin.

Pope Francis visited a Waldensian Evangelical Church
in Turin on Monday, June 22, 2015

Message of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the Synod of the Waldensian and Methodist Church

His Excellency, the Most Reverend
Pier Giorgio Debernardi
Via Vescovado 1
10064 Pinerolo, TO

His Holiness, Pope Francis is pleased to send cordial and fraternal greetings to those who are participating in the Synod of the Waldensian-Methodist Church.  As a sign of his spiritual closeness, he assures you of a fervent remembrance in his prayers, that the Lord may grant to all Christians the joy of journeying with sincerity of heart toward full communion, in order that they may bear witness to Jesus Christ and to his gospel, working together in service to humanity, especially by sharing in the dignity of the human person and in the promotion of justice and peace as they provide a communal response to the suffering that afflicts so many people, especially the poor and the weak.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State of His Holiness

A new home in heaven

Here is the text of the homily I prepared for the funeral of one of the cherished and beloved residents of Temagami.  Having devoted her life to the parish in that community, and to the service of others who shared her journey of faith, she now enters into the house of the Father who has finally called her Home.

Funeral homily for Irene McCart

Irene’s family: her sons and daughters, her grandchildren, her sisters and their families have come here this morning to pray along with other members of Irene’s parish family and with friends who she and you have known all (or almost all) your lives.

Irene wasn’t born in Temagami (that honour belongs to the town of Callander), but she has lived here for so long that it might feel as though she was, or at the very least that she has become a part of the fabric of this community.  She was a relatively young child when John and Bertha brought her and the rest of her siblings to the shores of this lake.  Here, Irene lived for the better part of almost eight decades (after all, she was 13 when they arrived), here she loved and was loved in return, here she laughed and found much happiness and here she lamented as she – and we – have experienced so many changes to the landscape of this place over such a short period of time.

The mere size of the gathering that has come to this church today, and the great number of others who have expressed their condolences to Irene’s family since the news began to spread last Sunday of her return to the Father’s house, is a testament to the number of people who crossed paths with her and the number of lives that were influenced by her.  Many of us might indeed have felt that a part of us died with her.  In the words of the Book of Lamentations, from which we have read this morning, we may have had moments during this past week when we felt as though our soul is shut out from peace, as though we have forgotten what it is like to be happy, as though all our strength is gone (cf Lam 3:17).   These are natural human emotions and feelings, but to remain in such despair is worthless, gall and wormwood says the author of Lamentations (Lam 3:19).

We have come here today to pray for this lady who in her turn has prayed so fervently for all of us, to celebrate the life that she has lived, to give thanks to God for the love, the joy and the happiness that we have known as we have shared the journey of faith with her.

Irene worked for many years at Bell Canada in North Bay and subsequently with her husband Gord at the Shell station here in Temagami (I was told that even though it’s now a Petro Canada station, it will always be known by some as the Shell).  She also worked for a time with Scotia Bank, and was even coerced at one point into further training, the reward for which was that she was named the manager of the local branch.  These positions all required her to be a woman of some substance, and she was more than capable of living up to them, yet despite the fact that she could at times be a force to be reckoned with, when she entered the doors of this church, she always knew that she was a child of God.

Her Catholic faith was at the heart of Irene’s life.  She was devoted to the life of this community.  Because of her devotion, she was once granted the Diocesan Award of Merit.  A few months ago, while visiting here, Bishop Plouffe sang her praises, but she herself never sought such recognition.  Instead, she was content to spend time within these walls, at times accompanied by crowds of friends and relatives, and at other times all by herself in the company of Jesus who lives here in the tabernacle.  She spent countless hours both in communal and in silent prayer; no doubt her prayers were offered for each one of the members of her family, for friends with whom she had had the pleasure of spending so many happy hours and for those who were experiencing challenges and struggles. 

On many occasions, she heard the words of Jesus, spoken in the gospel passage that we have read today: Come to me, all you who labour and are over-burdened, and I will give you rest … I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Mt 11:28-29).  These words are also spoken to us today: to those of us who find ourselves tired out by the efforts of daily life, wearied by the emotional strain of these past days, over-burdened by all the demands that are placed upon us either by others or by ourselves.  Jesus invites us all to come to him, to rest in him, to discover the joy of knowing him, of knowing his heart, of trusting in him who is always gentle with us and ready to provide us with the rest that our souls so dearly seek.  It’s up to each one of us to accept his invitation, but if we do, he is always faithful to his word.

God’s faithfulness is everlasting.  Irene knew this.  Those of us who have experienced it, know it.  This is the reason why we gather here this morning, to pray for her as her earthly journey has now ended and as she crosses to threshold into our heavenly homeland.  Indeed, the favours of the Lord are not all past, his kindnesses are not all exhausted (Lam 3:22).  The Lord is good to those who trust him (Lam 3:25) and so we can be sure that he is there at the door of heaven to meet Irene.

In case we should ever doubt this to be true, we need only look to the words that Saint Paul addressed to the believers in Corinth.  We know that he who raised the Lord Jesus to life will raise us with Jesus in our turn (2 Cor 4:14).  Irene heard these very words repeated countless times.  She no doubt repeated them in her heart, questioned them, and eventually came to believe them.  This is why there was never any weakening in her resolve.  Even though her body was growing weaker, her mind remained sharp as though her inner soul was being renewed day by day (2 Cor 4:16).

Every person we meet, every life with which we interact provides us with an opportunity to learn, to become stronger.  Irene’s legacy, her gift to all of us is proof through her own life of the things that should always be important to us: work hard, never compromise on things that are important to you, always find time for friends and never skip dessert.  Because she held these truths so dear, she always knew that the troubles of this world train us for the carrying of the weight of eternal glory (2 Cor 4:17).  What’s really important is that we should always have our eyes fixed on things that are eternal (cf 2 Cor 4:18).

Today, we will bury the moral remains of our beloved sister in faith, but we rejoice with her too on this day, for now she has entered a house built by God, … an everlasting home not made by human hands, a home in the heavens (2 Cor 5:1).

May she rest in peace.

In Christ, all will be made alive

Here is the text of the homily I prepared for the funeral of a lady who sat in one of the front pews in our church - every week.  Now having completed her journey home, her family gathered today to assist her on her journey Home with our prayers.

Funeral homily for Evelyn Gooding

Carol and Judy, your brothers and sisters in faith have assembled here today to express our condolences to you and to your family.  Together, we join our voices to implore the gift of mercy from our God for your mother, our sister Evelyn, and we celebrate the fact that the promise of life that was first made to her on the day of her baptism is now fulfilled.

Our presence here today is an act of faith.  The words first spoken by Saint Paul to the early Christian community at Corinth still bear the same truth that was proclaimed to them when he first wrote them: we are not all going to die, but we will all be changed (1 Cor 15:51).  Human hearts who are experiencing the pain of being separated from someone we have known and loved may find it difficult to believe these words, but there is deep truth in them.  God’s dream for us, for his people, has always been that we should live, that we should know the fullness of life.  Our lives here on earth, whether they be for eight decades or for longer, give us a chance to practice the virtues that will be perfected in heaven.  It is only when we go to heaven, when we live fully in Christ, that we ourselves will be made fully alive, so the moment that is referred to by human logic as death is only a change for the believing soul that is finally reunited with God who created it in the first place.

This gathering is therefore a celebration.  We rejoice with Evelyn today, for in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor 15:52), she has been freed from all the limitations she experienced in this life, and is now restored to wholeness.  Finally reunited with her beloved husband Ken and her cherished daughter Barbara, she has been welcomed into the loving arms of God who is the author of all life.

While she was here on earth, Evelyn taught you about Jesus.  She introduced you to the life of faith, and she provided you with the example of her faith.  She in turn had learned her faith from her own parents, but it was in the depth of prayer that she deepened this faith, that she heard the voice of Jesus saying to her as he had once said to his own disciples: I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but to do the will of the one who sent me (Jn 6:38).  The world around us would have us believe that each of us should have the right to do whatever we please, but Jesus tells us that we are sent, like him, to do the will of the one who sends us.  Mothers and fathers who have been blessed with children therefore have a responsibility to do the will of the one who has created each of the treasures they have received, teaching them all to believe that whoever sees the son and believes in him shall have eternal life (Jn 6:40).

Not only do we celebrate today because Evelyn has now entered into eternal life, where a banquet of rich food awaits her (cf Is 25:6); we also give thanks because she has done the will of God who entrusted her with three beautiful daughters, and blessed her with six grand-children and eight great grand-children.  Having completed the work of introducing you to Jesus, of helping you to see the son and to believe in him, she has now fallen asleep, but she still waits for the day when we shall all be raised to eternal life, the day when we will see her again.

Thinking about Migrants and Refugees

This morning, the Vatican Press Office released the theme which has been chosen by the Holy Father, Pope Francis for the 102nd World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which will be observed on January 17, 2016.

Migrants and refugees challenge us.

The response of the gospel of mercy.

The celebration of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 
in the context of the Year of Mercy
The theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year fits well in the context of the Year of Mercy which he proclaimed with the Bull entitled Misericordiae vultus dated April 11, 2015, and which will take place between December 8, 2015 and November 20, 2016.

With the theme: Migrants and refugees challenge us.  The response of the gospel of mercy, we want to emphasize two aspects.

With the first part of the theme: Migrants and refugees challenge us, we want to recognize the dramatic situation faced by many men and women, forced to abandon their own lands.  We should not forget, for example, the current tragedies at sea which are claiming many victims among the migrants.  Faced with the apparent risk that this phenomenon may be forgotten, the Holy Father presents the drama of migrants and refugees as a reality that must be challenged.  This point is evidenced in the Bull Misericordiae vultus when he affirms: Let us not fall into humiliating indifference or a monotonous routine that prevents us from discovering what is new! Let us ward off destructive cynicism! Let us open our eyes and see the misery of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters who are denied their dignity, and let us recognize that we are compelled to heed their cry for help! May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity! May their cry become our own, and together may we break down the barriers of indifference that too often reign supreme and mask our hypocrisy and egoism! (MV, 15)

With the second part of the theme: The response of the gospel of mercy, we want to connect especially the phenomenon of migration with the world's response and, in particular, that of the Church.  In this context, the Holy Father invites Christian people to reflect during the Jubilee on the works of corporal and spiritual mercy, such as the welcoming of foreigners, not forgetting that Christ himself is present among the little ones, and that at the end of life, we will be judged based on our response of love (cf Mt 25:31-45).

Being a disciple of Jesus, the Church is always called to proclaim liberty to those who are prisoners to the new slavery of modern society (Misericordiae vultus, 16), at the same time as she must deepen the relationship between justice and mercy, two dimension of the same reality (cf MV, 20).

The celebration of the World Day and of the Jubilee in the context of the local Churches
Following the desire of the Holy Father, who desires that every particular Church should be directly involved in living this Holy Year (Misericordiae vultus, 3), the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees offers the following directions:

• It suggests that the Jubilee day be celebrated especially at the diocesan and national levels, in the context closest to migrants and refugees, including their participation, and also involving that of the Christian community;
• It proposes that the main Jubilee event should take place on January 17, 2016, the next World Day of Migrants and Refugees;
• It encourages dioceses and Christian communities, which have not already done so, to schedule initiatives, benefitting from this occasion to observe the Year of Mercy;
• It invites all people not to forget the aspect of sensitizing the Christian community to the phenomenon of migration;
• It hopes that attention focused on migrants and on their situations will not be reduced only to a one-day occurrence;
• It remembers that it is also important to develop concrete signs of solidarity which have a symbolic value and which express closeness and attention paid to migrants and to refugees.

On the occasion of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, a Pontifical Message will also be published, as is usually the case.

The World Day of Migrants and Refugees
This day traces its origins to the circular letter: Suffering and preoccupations, which the Sacred Consistorial Congregation sent on December 6, 1914 to all Italian Diocesan Ordinaries.  In it, a concern was expressed for the first time about instituting an annual day for promoting awareness about the phenomenon of migration and to promote a collection to assist with pastoral efforts aimed at assisting Italian emigrants and to prepare missionaries for eventual emigration.  As a result of this publication, on February 21, 1915, the first celebration of the Day of Migrants and Refugees was observed.

General Audience on the role of work in families

This morning's General Audience began at 9:45am in the Paul VI Hall, where the Holy Father met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every other part of the world.

During his speech, Pope Francis - continuing the cycle of catecheses on the family - continued his reflection on the three dimensions that characterize family life: celebration, work and prayer, focusing today on the role of work.

Summaries of this catechesis being provided, the Holy Father also addressed greetings to each of the groups of the faithful that was present.

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

Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the General Audience

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

After reflecting on the value of celebrations in family life, today we focus on a complementary element, which is that of work. Both celebration and work are part of the creative design of God.

Work, it is commonly said, is necessary to maintain the family, for the children to grow and to ensure a dignified life for loved ones. The best thing that can be said about a serious and honest person is: He is a worker, in fact, he is really one who works, he is one that doesn’t live off the backs of others.  There are so many Argentines today, I have seen, and I will say as we say: no vive de arriba (who don't live supported by others). Do you understand?

In fact, work, in its many forms, beginning with household work, also cares for the common good. And where does one learn this hard-working lifestyle? It is learned first of all in the family. The family educates us about how to work with the example of parents: the father and mother that work for the good of the family and of society.

In the Gospel, the Holy Family of Nazareth appears as a family of workers, and Jesus himself is called the son of the carpenter (Mt 13:55) or actually the carpenter (Mk 6:3).  And Saint Paul does not fail to admonish Christians: If anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat (2 Thes 3:10). This is a good recipe for losing weight: don’t work, don’t eat!

The Apostle is referring explicitly to the false spiritualism of some that, in fact, live on the backs of their brothers and sisters without doing anything, (2 Thes 3:11). In the Christian concept, the commitment of work and the life of the spirit are not at all opposed to one another. It is important to understand this concept! Prayer and work can and must exist together in harmony, as Saint Benedict teaches. Lack of work also harms the spirit, as lack of prayer also harms practical activity.

To work – I repeat in a thousand ways – is proper to the human person. It expresses his dignity of being created in the image of God. Therefore, it is said that work is sacred. And, consequently, the management of employment is a great human and social responsibility, which cannot be left in the hands of a few or discharged on a divinized market. Causing the loss of jobs means creating serious social damage. I am saddened when I see that there are people without work, who don’t find work, and don’t have the dignity of bringing home the bread for their families. And I rejoice so much when I see that some (political) leaders make many efforts to find jobs and to see that all people have work. Work is sacred. Work gives dignity to a family. We must pray that work is not lacking in any family.

Therefore, like celebration, work is also part of the design of God the Creator. In the Book of Genesis, the subject of the earth as a home-garden, entrusted to the care and work of man (cf Gen 23:8, 15), is anticipated with a very touching passage: On the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground (Gen 2:4b-6a). It’s not romanticism, it is a revelation of God; and we have the responsibility to understand and assimilate it in depth. The Encyclical Laudato Si’, which proposes an integral ecology, also contains this message: the beauty of the earth and the dignity of work are made to be combined; both go together: the earth becomes good when it is worked by man. When work is detached from God’s covenant with man and woman, when it is separated from its spiritual qualities, when it is held hostage solely to the logic of profit and scorns the affections of life, the humiliation of the soul contaminates everything: even the air, the water, the grass, the food ... Civil life is corrupted and the habitat is damaged. And the consequences strike, above all, the poor and poor families. The modern organization of work sometimes shows a dangerous tendency of considering the family as a burden, a weight, a passive element for the productivity of work. But we ask ourselves: what productivity? And for whom? The so-called smart city is, without a doubt, rich in services and organization; however, it is often hostile, for instance, to children and the elderly.

Sometimes, someone who plans is interested in the management of the individual workforce, in assembling and using or discarding according to economic convenience. The family is a great testing ground. When the organization of work holds it hostage or, in fact, places obstacles in its way, then we are certain that human society has begun to work against itself!

Christian families receive from this circumstance a great challenge and a great mission. They bring to the field the fundamentals of God’s creation: the identity and bond of man and woman, the procreation of children, the work that renders the earth domestic and the world habitable. The loss of these fundamentals is a very serious affair, and in the common home there are already too many cracks! The task isn’t easy. At times, it might seem to family associations, that they are like David before Goliath ... but we know how that challenge ended! Faith and shrewdness are needed. In this difficult moment of our history, may God grant us to receive his call to work with joy and hope, to give dignity to ourselves and to our families.

This catechesis was then summarized in various languages, and the Holy Father offered greetings to each of the groups of pilgrims who were present.  To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:

I offer an affectionate greeting to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, including those from Japan. May Jesus Christ strengthen you and your families in faith, so that you may be a sign to the world of his love and mercy. May God bless you all!

A message to Taizé

Marking the 75th anniversary of the Community of Taizé, which will be observed tomorrow, August 20, during the same year that would have marked the centenary of the birth of Brother Roger Schutz, who founded the Community and the tenth anniversary of his death, Pope Francis has sent a message to Brother Aloïs and to the entire Community of Taizé.

Message of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

to Brother Aloïs

and the Community of Taizé

During this year when the Community of Taizé is celebrating three anniversaries, the seventy-fifth of her foundation, the hundredth of the birth of Brother Roger and the tenth of his death, I unite myself with you in giving thanks to God, He who always calls forward new witnesses who are faithful to the end.  I have confided to my venerable brother, Cardinal Kurt Koch, the task of transmitting to you and to all the members of your Community, the assurance of my affection for you.

As Pope Benedict XVI said to young people, on the occasion of the European meeting organized by the Community of Taizé in Rome in 2012, Brother Roger was a tireless witness of the gospel of peace and of reconciliation, motivated by the fire of ecumenism and holiness (Speech, 29 December 2012).

It is this fire that motivated him to establish a community that would be considered as a veritable parable of communion which, up until now, has played an important role in building bridges of friendship between Christians.

Searching passionately for unity within the Church, the Body of Christ, Brother Roger opened himself to the treasures of various Christian traditions, without breaking any connection with his original protestant roots.  Through the perseverance which he demonstrated throughout his long life, he helped to change the relationships among Christians who are still separated from one another, marking out a road of reconciliation for many of them.

Nourished by Sacred Scripture, Brother Roger also referred to the teaching of the holy Fathers of the Church; drawing from the Christian sources, he was able to communicate their truths to the young.

Brother Roger understood the new generations; he had confidence in them.  He made Taizé a place of meeting where young people from all parts of the world could feel respected and accompanied in their spiritual quest.

Brother Roger loved the poor, the disadvantaged, those who appear not to matter.  He demonstrated, by his existence and by the presence of his brothers, that prayer goes hand in hand with human solidarity.

I give thanks to God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit for the life of Brother Roger, including his violent death.  May the Community of Taizé always maintain the ardent witness he gave to the risen Christ and the call which he untiringly repeated to choose to love.

From the Vatican
16 August 2015

Francis

Condolences to Bangkok

Following the terrorist attacks that have taken place in recent days in Thailand, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, has sent a message to His Majesty, King Bhumibol Adulyadej on the Pope's behalf.

Telegram sent by His Eminence, Pietro Cardinal Parolin

on behalf of His Holiness, Pope Francis

His Majesty
Bhumibol Adulyadej
King of Thailand
Bangkok

His Holiness, Pope Francis was deeply saddened to learn of the injury and loss of life caused by the attack at the Erawan Hindu Shrine and of the threat to life and property caused by the bombing at the Sathorn Pier. He expresses his heartfelt solidarity with Your Majesty and all those affected by these acts of violence. Mindful of the security and emergency personnel who are seeking the perpetrators of these crimes, while also assisting the injured, their families and those of the deceased, His Holiness offers the assurance of his prayers and invokes the divine blessings of peace and healing upon the Kingdom.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State

A guide to the election

With the federal election campaign underway in Canada, the Commission for Justice and Peace of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has issued a guide inviting Catholics to vote with discernment.

The 2015 Federal Election Guide offers some basic principles drawn from Catholic moral and social teaching to help voters analyze and evaluate public policies and programs.

The election will be held on October 19, to elect members to the House of Commons of the 42nd Parliament.

The guide includes five principles, with points to better understand the application of each one.

The principles include respect for human life, building a just society, the person and the family, Canada in the world, and a healthy society in a healthy environment.

Condolences to Esztergom-Budapest

Yesterday, Cardinal László Paskai, OFM, Archbishop emeritus of Esztergom-Budapest (Hungary), died.  His Holiness, Pope Francis sent a telegram of condolence to the current Archbishop of that See, His Eminence, Péter Cardinal Erdõ.

Telegram of condolence sent by His Holiness, Pope Francis

for the death of Cardinal László Paskai, OFM

His Eminence Péter Cardinal Erdő
Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest

I was saddened to learn the news of the death of His Eminence Cardinal László Paskai, OFM. I offer prayerful condolences to you, the clergy, men and women religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest, and I thank Almighty God for his many years of service to the Church in Hungary. In commending his soul to the merciful love of the Father and uniting myself spiritually to all assembled for the solemn funeral rites, I impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of consolation and peace in the Lord.

Francis