Having begun with the chanting of Mid-morning Prayer, and following the introductory remarks offered by the President-delegate, the Holy Father, Pope Francis addressed a few words to the Synod Fathers.
Dear Beatitudes, Eminences, Excellencies, brothers and sisters,
The Church continues today the dialogue which was begun with the convocation of the Extraordinary Synod on the Family - and undoubtedly also before that time - in order to evaluate and to reflect together on the text of the Instrumentum laboris, which was developed from the Relatio Synodi and from the responses received from various Episcopal Conferences as well as from other organizations.
As we know, the Synod is a journey undertaken together in a spirit of collegiality and synodality, courageously adopting holy confidence (parresia), pastoral and doctrinal zeal, wisdom, frankness and keeping always before our eyes the good of the Church, of the family and the supreme law, the salvation of souls (cf Code of Canon Law, 1752).
I should mention that the Synod is not a convention or a parlor, not a parliament or a senate, where everyone must be in agreement. Instead, the Synod is an expression of the Church, that the Church is journeying together and attempting to interpret reality with the eyes of faith and with the heart of the Lord: it is the Church that is questioning herself about her fidelity to the deposit of faith, for she is not a museum to be looked at or even to be protected , but rather a living font to which the Church can drink to quench the thirst for life and to illuminate the deposit of faith.
The Synod moves necessarily within the Church and within the Holy People of God, of which we are part both as pastors and as servants.
The Synod is also a protected space where the Church experiences the action of the Holy Spirit. In the Synod, the Spirit speaks through the tongues of every person who allows him or herself to be guided by the God who always surprises us, by God who reveals to the little ones, that which he hides from the wise and the intelligent, by the God who has created the law and the Sabbath for man and not vice versa, by God who leaves the ninety-nine sheep in order to seek out the one that is lost, by God who is always greater than our reasoning and our calculations.
We should remember though that the Synod can only be a place where the Holy Spirit will act if we participate and clothe ourselves with apostolic courage, evangelical humility and prayerful trust.
The apostolic courage that refuses to be intimidated before the seductions of the world, or the temptation to close off the hearts of men from the light of truth which supports it with small and temporary lights, is nonetheless confronted with the impetuousness of some hearts which - notwithstanding good intentions - distance people from God. The apostolic courage to enliven and not to make of our Christian lives, museums of memories (Homily at the Casa Santa Marta, April 28, 2015).
The evangelical humility that is capable of emptying us of our own conventions and prejudices in order to listen to our brother Bishops and to to be filled with God. Humility that leads us not to point fingers against others in order to judge them, but to extend a hand in order to help while never feeling superior to them.
Prayerful trust is the action of the heart when it is opened to God, when we silence all our whispers in order to listen to the gentle voice of God that speaks in the silence. Without listening to God, all our words would be mere words unable to satisfy, unable to serve. Without allowing ourselves to be guided by the Spirit, all our decisions would be mere decorations which instead of exalting the gospel would attempt to cover it up, to hide it.
Dear brothers,
As I said, the Synod is not a parliament, where in order to reach a consensus or a common agreement, there must be negotiations, plea bargains or compromises; instead, the only method in the Synod is that of openness to the Holy Spirit, with apostolic courage, with evangelical humility and with trusting prayer; so that He will guide us, illuminate us and place before our eyes not our own personal appearances, but faith in God, faithfulness to the Magesterium, the good of the Church and the salvation of souls (salus animarum).
Finally, I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Synod; to His Excellency, Fabio Fabene, Under-secretary; to the Relator, His Eminience, Cardinal Péter Erdő and to the Special Secretary, His Excellency, Bruno Forte; to the President-delegates, to the recorders, to the consultors, to the translators and to all those who have worked with true faithfulness and total dedication to the Church: thank you very much!
I also want to thank you, dear Synod Fathers, Fraternal Delegates, Auditors, and Assessors for your active and fruitful participation.
A special note of thanks should be directed to the journalists who are present at this moment, and to those who are following us at a distance. Thank you for your enthusiastic participation and for your admirable attention.
Let us begin our journey, invoking the help of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary and Saint Joseph! Thank you!
Remarks of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
at the beginning of the Synod
Dear Beatitudes, Eminences, Excellencies, brothers and sisters,
The Church continues today the dialogue which was begun with the convocation of the Extraordinary Synod on the Family - and undoubtedly also before that time - in order to evaluate and to reflect together on the text of the Instrumentum laboris, which was developed from the Relatio Synodi and from the responses received from various Episcopal Conferences as well as from other organizations.
As we know, the Synod is a journey undertaken together in a spirit of collegiality and synodality, courageously adopting holy confidence (parresia), pastoral and doctrinal zeal, wisdom, frankness and keeping always before our eyes the good of the Church, of the family and the supreme law, the salvation of souls (cf Code of Canon Law, 1752).
I should mention that the Synod is not a convention or a parlor, not a parliament or a senate, where everyone must be in agreement. Instead, the Synod is an expression of the Church, that the Church is journeying together and attempting to interpret reality with the eyes of faith and with the heart of the Lord: it is the Church that is questioning herself about her fidelity to the deposit of faith, for she is not a museum to be looked at or even to be protected , but rather a living font to which the Church can drink to quench the thirst for life and to illuminate the deposit of faith.
The Synod moves necessarily within the Church and within the Holy People of God, of which we are part both as pastors and as servants.
The Synod is also a protected space where the Church experiences the action of the Holy Spirit. In the Synod, the Spirit speaks through the tongues of every person who allows him or herself to be guided by the God who always surprises us, by God who reveals to the little ones, that which he hides from the wise and the intelligent, by the God who has created the law and the Sabbath for man and not vice versa, by God who leaves the ninety-nine sheep in order to seek out the one that is lost, by God who is always greater than our reasoning and our calculations.
We should remember though that the Synod can only be a place where the Holy Spirit will act if we participate and clothe ourselves with apostolic courage, evangelical humility and prayerful trust.
The apostolic courage that refuses to be intimidated before the seductions of the world, or the temptation to close off the hearts of men from the light of truth which supports it with small and temporary lights, is nonetheless confronted with the impetuousness of some hearts which - notwithstanding good intentions - distance people from God. The apostolic courage to enliven and not to make of our Christian lives, museums of memories (Homily at the Casa Santa Marta, April 28, 2015).
The evangelical humility that is capable of emptying us of our own conventions and prejudices in order to listen to our brother Bishops and to to be filled with God. Humility that leads us not to point fingers against others in order to judge them, but to extend a hand in order to help while never feeling superior to them.
Prayerful trust is the action of the heart when it is opened to God, when we silence all our whispers in order to listen to the gentle voice of God that speaks in the silence. Without listening to God, all our words would be mere words unable to satisfy, unable to serve. Without allowing ourselves to be guided by the Spirit, all our decisions would be mere decorations which instead of exalting the gospel would attempt to cover it up, to hide it.
Dear brothers,
As I said, the Synod is not a parliament, where in order to reach a consensus or a common agreement, there must be negotiations, plea bargains or compromises; instead, the only method in the Synod is that of openness to the Holy Spirit, with apostolic courage, with evangelical humility and with trusting prayer; so that He will guide us, illuminate us and place before our eyes not our own personal appearances, but faith in God, faithfulness to the Magesterium, the good of the Church and the salvation of souls (salus animarum).
Finally, I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Synod; to His Excellency, Fabio Fabene, Under-secretary; to the Relator, His Eminience, Cardinal Péter Erdő and to the Special Secretary, His Excellency, Bruno Forte; to the President-delegates, to the recorders, to the consultors, to the translators and to all those who have worked with true faithfulness and total dedication to the Church: thank you very much!
I also want to thank you, dear Synod Fathers, Fraternal Delegates, Auditors, and Assessors for your active and fruitful participation.
A special note of thanks should be directed to the journalists who are present at this moment, and to those who are following us at a distance. Thank you for your enthusiastic participation and for your admirable attention.
Let us begin our journey, invoking the help of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary and Saint Joseph! Thank you!
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