Vocations led by a spirit for mission

On May 17, 2017, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, we will celebrate the 54th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, focused on the theme: Led by the Spirit for Mission.

Today, the Vatican Press Centre published the Message which the Holy Father, Pope Francis has sent to bishops, priests, consecrated men and women and the faithful throughout the world in preparation for next year's observance of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

Message of His Holiness, Pope Francis

for the 54th World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Led by the Spirit for Mission

Dear brothers and sisters,

In the last few years, we have considered two aspects of the Christian vocation: the summons to go out from ourselves to hear the Lord’s voice, and the importance of the ecclesial community as the privileged place where God’s call is born, nourished and expressed.

Now, on this 54th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, I would like to reflect on the missionary dimension of our Christian calling. Those who drawn by God’s voice and determined to follow Jesus soon discover within themselves an irrepressible desire to bring the Good News to their brothers and sisters through proclamation and the service of charity. All Christians are called to be missionaries of the Gospel! As disciples, we do not receive the gift of God’s love for our personal consolation, nor are we called to promote ourselves, or a business concern. We are simply men and women touched and transformed by the joy of God’s love, who cannot keep this experience just to ourselves. For the Gospel joy which enlivens the community of disciples is a missionary joy (Evangelii Gaudium, 21).

Commitment to mission is not something added on to the Christian life as a kind of decoration, but it is instead an essential element of faith itself. A relationship with the Lord entails being sent out into the world as prophets of his word and witnesses of his love.

Even if at times we are conscious of our weaknesses and tempted to discouragement, we need to turn to God with confidence. We must overcome a sense of our own inadequacy and not yield to pessimism, which merely turns us into passive spectators of a dreary and monotonous life. There is no room for fear! God himself comes to cleanse our unclean lips and equip us for the mission: Your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out. Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I, send me’ (Is 6:6-8).

In the depths of their hearts, all missionary disciples hear this divine voice bidding them to go about, as Jesus did, doing good and healing all (cf Acts 10:38). I have mentioned that, by virtue of baptism, every Christian is a Christopher, a bearer of Christ, to his brothers and sisters (cf Catechesis, 30 January 2016). This is particularly the case with those called to a life of special consecration and with priests, who have generously responded, Here I am, Lord, send me! With renewed missionary enthusiasm, priests are called to go forth from the sacred precincts of the temple and to let God’s tender love overflow for the sake of humanity (cf Homily at the Chrism Mass, 24 March 2016). The Church needs such priests: serenely confident because they have discovered the true treasure, anxious to go out and joyfully to make it known to all (cf Mt 13:44).

Certainly many questions arise when we speak of the Christian mission. What does it mean to be a missionary of the Gospel? Who gives us the strength and courage to preach? What is the evangelical basis and inspiration of mission? We can respond to these questions by meditating on three scenes from the Gospels: the inauguration of Jesus’ mission in the synagogue at Nazareth (cf Lk 4:16-30); the journey that, after his resurrection, he makes in the company of the disciples of Emmaus (cf Lk 24:13-35) and, finally, the parable of the sower and the seed (cf Mt 4:26-27).

Jesus is anointed by the Spirit and sent. To be a missionary disciple means to share actively in the mission of Christ. Jesus himself described that mission in the synagogue of Nazareth in these words: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour (Lk 4:18-19). This is also our mission: to be anointed by the Spirit, and to go out to our brothers and sisters in order to proclaim the word and to be for them a means of salvation.

Jesus is at our side every step of the way. The questions lurking in human hearts and the real challenges of life can make us feel bewildered, inadequate and hopeless. The Christian mission might appear to be mere utopian illusion or at least something beyond our reach. Yet if we contemplate the risen Jesus walking alongside the disciples of Emmaus (cf Lk 24:13-15), we can be filled with new confidence. In that Gospel scene, we have a true liturgy of the street, preceding that of the word and the breaking of the bread. We see that, at every step of the way, Jesus is at our side! The two disciples, overwhelmed by the scandal of the cross, return home on the path of defeat. Their hearts are broken, their hopes dashed and their dreams shattered. The joy of the Gospel has yielded to sadness. What does Jesus do? He does not judge them, but walks with them. Instead of raising a wall, he opens a breach. Gradually he transforms their discouragement. He makes their hearts burn within them, and he opens their eyes by proclaiming the word and breaking the bread. In the same way, a Christian does not bear the burden of mission alone, but realizes, even amid weariness and misunderstanding, that Jesus walks with him, speaks to him, breathes with him, works with him. He senses Jesus alive with him in the midst of the missionary enterprise (Evangelii Gaudium, 266).

Jesus makes the seed grow. Finally, it is important to let the Gospel teach us the way of proclamation. At times, even with the best intentions, we can indulge in a certain hunger for power, proselytism or intolerant fanaticism. Yet the Gospel tells us to reject the idolatry of power and success, undue concern for structures, and a kind of anxiety that has more to do with the spirit of conquest than that of service. The seed of the Kingdom, however tiny, unseen and at times insignificant, silently continues to grow, thanks to God’s tireless activity. The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep or rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how (Mk 4:26-27). This is our first reason for confidence: God surpasses all our expectations and constantly surprises us by his generosity. He makes our efforts bear fruit beyond all human calculation.

With this confidence born of the Gospel, we become open to the silent working of the Spirit, which is the basis of mission. There can be no promotion of vocations or Christian mission apart from constant contemplative prayer. The Christian life needs to be nourished by attentive listening to God’s word and, above all, by the cultivation of a personal relationship with the Lord in Eucharistic adoration, the privileged place for our encounter with God.

I wish heartily to encourage this kind of profound friendship with the Lord, above all for the sake of imploring from on high new vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life. The People of God need to be guided by pastors whose lives are spent in service to the Gospel. I ask parish communities, associations and the many prayer groups present in the Church, not to yield to discouragement but to continue praying that the Lord will send workers to his harvest. May he give us priests enamoured of the Gospel, close to all their brothers and sisters, living signs of God’s merciful love.

Dear brothers and sisters, today too, we can regain fervour in preaching the Gospel and we can encourage young people in particular to take up the path of Christian discipleship. Despite a widespread sense that the faith is listless or reduced to mere duties to discharge, our young people desire to discover the perennial attraction of Jesus, to be challenged by his words and actions, and to cherish the ideal that he holds out of a life that is fully human, happy to spend itself in love.

Mary Most Holy, the Mother of our Saviour, had the courage to embrace this ideal, placing her youth and her enthusiasm in God’s hands. Through her intercession, may we be granted that same openness of heart, that same readiness to respond, Here I am, to the Lord’s call, and that same joy in setting out (cf Lk 1:39), like her, to proclaim him to the whole world.

From the Vatican
27 November 2016
First Sunday of Advent

Francis

General Audience on praying for the living and the dead

This morning's General Audience began at 9:30am in the Paul VI Hall where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every corner of the world.

In his speech, the Pope continued the catechesis on mercy, adding his meditation on the theme: Praying to God for the living and the dead (cf Rm 8:25-27).

After the customary summaries of his catechesis presented in various languages, the Holy Father offered greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.  Then he issued a call on the occasion of the World Aids Day which will be observed tomorrow and on the occasion of the International Conference on the Protection of the Patrimony of the conflict zone which will be held in Abu Dhabi from 2 to 3 December.

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!

With today's catechesis, we conclude the cycle dedicated to mercy.  But even though the catecheses are completed, mercy must continue!  Let us thank the Lord for all of this and let us keep it in our hearts as a source of consolation and comfort.

The final spiritual work of mercy asks us to pray for the living and the dead.  Through it, we can also support the final corporal work of mercy that invites us to burry the dead.  This may seem a strange request, and yet, in some places in the world where people live under the scourge of war, with bombings that day and night sow fear in innocent victims, this work is sadly present.  The bible gives a good example in this regard: it speaks of old Tobit who, risking his own life, buried the dead despite being banned from doing so by the king (cf Tobit 1:17-19; 2:2-4).  Even today there are those who risk their lives in order to bury poor victims of war.  Therefore, this corporal work of mercy is not far from our daily existence.  It makes us think about what happened on Good Friday, when the Virgin Mary, along with Saint John and a few women were standing near the cross of Jesus.  After his death, Joseph of Arimathea arrived, a rich man, a member of the Sanhedrin but one who had become a disciple of Jesus, who offered his own new tomb, hewn out of rock.  He went personally to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus: truly a work of mercy performed with great courage (cf Mt 27:57-60)!  For Christians, burial is an act of piety, but also an act of great faith.  We lay within tombs the bodies of our loved ones in hope of the resurrection (cf 1 Cor 15:1-34).  This is a ritual that continues to be powerfully felt within our people, one that finds special resonance in this month of November which is dedicated in particular to the memory and prayer for the dead.

Praying for the dead is, above all, a sign of our gratitude for the witness that they have left us and the good that they have done.  It is an act of thanksgiving to the Lord for all that he has given them, and for their love and their friendship.  The Church prays for the dead in a special way during the Mass.  The priest says: Remember Lord, your faithful who have gone before us, marked with the sign of faith who now sleep in peace.  Grant to them O Lord, and to all those who sleep in Christ, the blessing of light and peace (Roman Canon).  This is a simple, efficient reminder that is filled with meaning because it confides our loved ones to the mercy of God.  We pray with Christian hope that they are now with Him in paradise, while we wait for the day when we will find ourselves caught up in the mystery of love that we do not understand, but which we know to be true because it is a promise that Jesus has made to us.  We will all rise one day, and we will all remain with Jesus, with Him.

The memory of the faithful departed should not stop us from also remembering to pray for the living, who together with us face every day the trials of life.  The need for this prayer is even more evident if we see it in the light of the profession of faith that says: I believe in the communion of the saints.  It is this mystery that expresses the beauty of the mercy that Jesus has revealed to us.  In fact, the communion of the saints shows us that we are all immersed in the life of God and we live in his love.  All of us, living and dead, are part of the communion, like a union; united in the community of those who have been Baptized, and those who have been nourished by the Body of Christ and who are part of the great family of God.  We are all part of the same family, united.  And for this reason, we pray for one another.

There are many ways for us to pray for our neighbours!  They are all valid and acceptable to God if they are done with heart.  I think especially of all the mothers and fathers who bless their children in the morning and at night.  This practice still exists in some families: blessing children and praying with them; I think of all those who pray for the sick, those who go out in search of the sick and pray for them; of all the silent intercessions, sometimes offered with tears, and the many difficult situations in which people offer their prayers.  Yesterday, there was a good man, an entrepreneur, who came to Mass at Santa Marta.  This young man had to close his factory because he couldn't keep it going, and he was crying, as he said: I do not want to leave more than 50 families without work.  I can declare the company bankrupt, and go home with my money but my heart will cry for the rest of my life for these 50 families.  This is a good Christian who prays with his work: he came to Mass to pray that the Lord would give him a way out, not only for his own sake, but for the sake of the 50 families.  This is a good man who knows how to pray, with heart and with the facts; one who knows how to pray for others, and in difficult situations.  And don't look for the easiest way out: What others are doing.  This is a Christian.  It was so good for me to hear him speak!  And my goodness, there are many others today like him, at this very moment many people are suffering because of the lack of work; I also think of giving thanks for good news concerning a friend, a relative, a colleague ...: Thank you Lord, for this good thing!, this too is an example of praying for others!  Thanking the Lord when things go well.  Sometimes, as Saint Paul says: we do not know the best way to pray, but the Spirit himself will intercede with inexhaustible groaning (Rm 8:26).  It is the Spirit who prays within us.  Let us therefore open our hearts, so that the Holy Spirit, having perceived the desires that are contained within the depths of our hearts, can be purified and be brought to their completion.  However, for us and for others, let us always pray that the will of God may be done, like in the Our Father, because His will is surely the greatest good, the good will of a Father who will never abandon us: pray and let the Holy Spirit pray within us.  And this is truth is a beautiful part of our lives: praying in thanksgiving, praising God, asking for something, crying when we face difficult situations, like that man.  But our hearts must always be open to the Spirit so that the Spirit can pray within us, with us and for us.

Concluding this catechesis on mercy, let us commit ourselves to praying for each other, so that the corporal and spiritual works of mercy may become more and more our way of life.  As I said at the beginning, the catecheses about mercy conclude here.  We have spoken about all 14 works of mercy but mercy continues and we must practice mercy in these 14 ways.  Thank you.



The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages, and he offered greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.  To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from England, the Philippines and the United States of America. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke an abundance of joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!

At the conclusion of the General Audience, the Holy Father issued the following calls for prayer:

Tomorrow, December 1, is the World Day against AIDS, organized by the United Nations.  Millions of people are living with this disease and only half of them have access to lifesaving therapies.  I invite you to pray for them and for their loved ones, and to work toward solidarity so that even the poor can benefit from diagnoses and from adequate care.  Finally,  I call upon all people to adopt responsible action to prevent further spread of this disease.

Led by France and the United Arab Emirates, with the collaboration of UNESCO, an international conference on the protection of the patrimony in conflict zones will be held in Abu Dhabi from December 2 to 3 of this year.  This is a theme that is unfortunately far too real.  Convinced that the protection of cultural assets is an essential dimension of the defence of human beings, I hope that this event will mark a new step in the process of the implementation of human rights.

Pilgrimage of Politicians from the Alps

At 9:00am this morning, in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience a group of elected French politicians from the Rhône region and the Alps who are on a pilgrimage in Rome.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the audience with elected French politicians

from the Rhône region and the Alps

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

Accompanied by Cardinal Philippe Barbarin and by the Bishops from the Province of Lyon, you are accomplishing a journey that prolongs the Jubilee of Mercy.  On this occasion, I am pleased to cordially greet you and to briefly address you.

In the current international context, marked by frustrations and fear, intensified by the attacks and the blind violence that have so profoundly torn at your country, it is all the more important that you seek to develop a sense of the common good and of the public interest.  Therefore, together with the Bishops of France, I would like to point out the necessity in a changing world, that we rediscover the meaning of politics.  The Bishops have written this document now, and I remember that twenty years ago, the policy of redefining the policy did much good.  Now, this other policy will also do good.  Undeniably, French society is rich in potential and diversity that are called to become opportunities, provided that the republican values of liberty, equality and fraternity are not merely bandied about in an illusory way, but explored and understood in relation to their true transcendent foundations.  Fully at play is a true debate concerning the values and orientations common to all.  In this debate, Christians are called to participate along with all believers of other religions and all men of good will, even non-believers, in order to promote the growth of a better world.

In this sense, the search for the common good that is within you must lead you to listen with particular attention to all people in precarious positions, without forgetting migrants who have fled from their countries due to war, suffering and violence.  In this way, in the exercise of your responsibility, you will contribute to the building of a more just and humane society, a friendly and fraternal society.

I entrust your journey to Christ, the source of our hope and our commitment to the common good, I invoke upon all of you, your families, your country and your Bishops who are accompanying you, the blessings of the Lord.  Thank you.

Greetings for the Feast of Saint Andrew

Continuing the tradition of exchanging delegations for their respective patronal feast days - on 29 June in Rome for the celebration of Saints Peter and Paul and on 30 November in Istanbul for the celebration of Saint Andrew - Cardinal Kurt Koch is leading a delegation on behalf of the Holy See for the feast of the Ecumenical Patriarch.  Cardinal Koch, the President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the Unity of Christians, is accompanied by His Excellency, Brian Farrell and by Monsignor Andrea Palmieri, respectively Secretary and Under-secretary of that same dicastery.  In Istanbul, the delegation has been joined by the Apostolic Nuncio to Turkey, Archbishop Paul F. Russell.

The Holy See's delegation has participated in the solemn Divine Liturgy presided over by His Holiness, Bartholomew in the parish church of Saint George at the Fanar and have had a meeting with the Patriarch as well as conversations with the Synodal commission entrusted with relations with the Catholic Church.

Cardinal Koch has presented to the Ecumenical Patriarch a message signed by the Holy Father, which was read aloud at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, as well as a gift.

Message of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the Feast day of Saint Andrew

To His Holiness Bartholomaios
Archbishop of Constantinople
Ecumenical Patriarch

It gives me great joy, Your Holiness, to renew the tradition of sending a delegation to the solemn celebration of the feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle, patron of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in order to convey my best wishes to you, my beloved brother in Christ, as well as to the members of the Holy Synod, the clergy and all the faithful gathered in remembrance of Saint Andrew. In this way, I am pleased to respond to your custom of sending a delegation of the Church of Constantinople for the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, patron saints of the Church of Rome.

The exchange of delegations between Rome and Constantinople on the occasion of the respective feast days honouring the brother apostles Peter and Andrew is a visible sign of the profound bonds that already unite us. So too, it is an expression of our yearning for ever deeper communion, until that day when, God willing, we may witness to our love for one another by sharing the same eucharistic table. In this journey towards the restoration of eucharistic communion between us, we are sustained by the intercession not only of our patron saints, but by the array of martyrs from every age, who despite the tragedy of our divisions … have preserved an attachment to Christ and to the Father so radical and absolute as to lead even to the shedding of blood (Saint Pope John Paul II, Ut unum sint, 83).

It is for Catholics a source of real encouragement that at the Great and Holy Council held last June in Crete, the strong commitment to re–establishing the unity of Christians was confirmed. Ever faithful to your own tradition, Your Holiness has always remained conscious of existing difficulties to unity and has never tired of supporting initiatives which foster encounter and dialogue. The history of relations between Christians, however, has sadly been marked by conflicts that have left a deep impression on the memory of the faithful. For this reason, some cling to attitudes of the past. We know that only prayer, common good works and dialogue can enable us to overcome division and grow closer to one another.

Thanks to the process of dialogue, over the last decades Catholics and Orthodox have begun to recognize one another as brothers and sisters and to value each other’s gifts, and together have proclaimed the Gospel, served humanity and the cause of peace, promoted the dignity of the human being and the inestimable value of the family, and cared for those most in need, as well as creation, our common home. The theological dialogue undertaken by the Joint International Commission has also made a significant contribution to mutual understanding. The recent document Synodality and Primacy in the First Millennium. Towards a Common Understanding in Service to the Unity of the Church is the fruit of a longstanding and intense study by members of the Joint International Commission, to whom I extend my heartfelt gratitude. Though many questions remain, this shared reflection on the relationship between synodality and primacy in the first millennium can offer a sure foundation for discerning ways in which primacy may be exercised in the Church when all Christians of East and West are finally reconciled.

I recall with great fondness our recent meeting in Assisi with other Christians and representatives of religious traditions gathered to offer a united appeal for peace throughout the world. Our gathering was a joyful opportunity to deepen our friendship, which finds expression in a shared vision regarding the great questions that affect the life of the Church and of all society.

Your Holiness, these are some of my deepest hopes that I have wanted to express in a spirit of genuine fraternity. In assuring you of my daily remembrance in prayer, I renew my best wishes for peace, health and abundant blessings upon you and all those entrusted to your care. With sentiments of brotherly affection and spiritual closeness, I exchange with Your Holiness an embrace of peace in the Lord.

From the Vatican
30 November 2016

Francis

Condolences to Columbia and Brazil

The Holy Father has sent messages of condolences - signed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, His Eminence, Pietro Parolin to Brazil and Columbia after having heard the news of the horrific plane crash which took place yesterday in Medellin (Columbia).

Message of Condolence

to the Bishop of Sonsón-Rionegro (Columbia

His Excellency, Fidel León Cadavid Martín
Bishop of Sonsón-Rionegro

The Holy Father, hauntingly pained to learn the painful news of the grave aircraft accident which claimed many victims, is offering prayers for the eternal rest of those who have died.  I also ask Your Excellency to convey the sentiments expressed by His Holiness t the families of those who have so senselessly been lost, as well as expressions of affection, solidarity and consolation to those who have been injured and affected by these tragic events.  The Holy Father implores the Lord to pour out upon them the gifts of spiritual serenity and Christian hope, and he imparts his heart-felt Apostolic benediction.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State of His Holiness

Message of His Holiness, Pope Francis
to the President of the Brazilian Episcopal Conference

His Eminence, Cardinal Sérgio daRocha
Archbishop of Brasília and President of the CNBB

Having received the tragic news of the airliner accident in Columbia, which took the lives of many Brazilian victims, Pope Francis asks Your Eminence to transmit his condolences and his sharing of the pain of all those who are suffering such loss.  At the same time, the Holy Father implores from heaven comfort and healing for all those who are wounded as well as courage and Christian hope for all those who are grieved by these tragic events.  To all those who are suffering and who seek consolation, His Holiness sends his Apostolic blessing.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State of His Holiness

Condolences to Jesuits

The Holy Father, Pope Francis has sent a telegram to express his condolences at the death of Reverend Father Peter Hans Kolvenbach, SJ, former Superior General of the Society of Jesus, which happened last Saturday, 26 November.

Telegram of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

expressing condolences to the Jesuits

Reverend Father Arturo Sosa Abascal, SJ
General Superior of the Society of Jesus
General Curia
Borgo Santo Spirito, 3
00193 Rome

Having heard the news of the departure of Reverend Father Peter Hans Kolvenbach, SJ, former Superior General of the Society of Jesus, I wish to express to you and to the entire family of Jesuits my most sincere condolences.

Recalling the constant loyalty of Father Kolvenbach to Christ and to his gospel, together with a generous commitment to exercising with a spirit of service his office for the good of the Church, I raise prayers of intercession invoking eternal peace for his soul from the source of divine Mercy.

Spiritually present at the funeral ritual, I willingly impart the Apostolic benediction to you, to your brothers and to all those who share your sadness during this period of mourning.

Francis

Vatican City
27 November 2016

Gratitude to the organizers of the Jubilee

At 11:10am today, in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the Organizers and the team of people who were responsible for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, marking the closing of the Holy Year.

Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

addressed to organizers of the

Extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning.

I am pleased to welcome you after the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee in order to express my personal gratitude for all your work during this Holy Year.

In a special way, I greet the indefatigable Monsignor Rino Fisichella.  To him and to his team at the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, I confided the organization of the Jubilee, which was a very busy year, filled with initiatives throughout the Church, where he was able to touch with his very hands, the fruits of God's mercy.  In the beginning, my intuition was very simple; as always, the Lord surprises us and surpasses our expectations, and so my desire has become a reality which we are able to celebrate with much faith and joy in the Christian community throughout the world.  The Doors of Mercy that were opened in all the Cathedrals and Shrines made it possible for the faithful to find no obstacle to experiencing the love of God.  Something really extraordinary happened, and must now be fit into our daily lives in order for us to make mercy a permanent commitment and style of life for all believers.

All of you, in various ways, made it possible that this event of grace be celebrated in an orderly and serene manner, with great numbers of pilgrims, and in a way that highlighted the profound spiritual value that the Jubilee represents.  My thoughts of gratitude go first of all to the Minister of the Interior who, as the person responsible for security made it possible for pilgrims, not only in Rome but in all national territories, to experience this Jubilee with the necessary security and tranquility.  Together with him, I thank the Chief of Police and the Superintendent of Rome who together with the Vatican Gendarmerie demonstrated how reciprocal collaboration can really offer security services to everyone.  I thank the members of the bilateral Commission between the Holy See and the Italian Government in the person of the Under-secretary to the Prime Minister.  I cannot forget the Swiss Guard corps and all the Vatican Institutions, especially the Governatorate and the Basilica of Saint Peter for their great sense of dedication.  A grateful thought is also offered for all the efforts made by the leaders of the Lazio Region, with the President, above all for the methodical organization of the sanitation services.  To the Technical Secretariat, presided over by the Prefect of Rome, which brought together the various administrative bodies, including the Comune of Rome, goes the praise for having made possible the effective performance of all the Jubilee events.

Lastly, my most sincere gratitude to the numerous volunteers from various parts of the world and to all those who collaborated with their daily work, sometimes silently and discretely, to make this extraordinary Jubilee truly an experience of grace.

If you wish to obtain mercy, you yourself should be merciful (Saint Augustine, Speech 259, 3).  These words spoken by Saint Augustine can provide comfort for all of us.  With your commitment, you have offered not only a competent contribution, but you have also demonstrated a real service of mercy to millions of pilgrims who came to Rome.  May your fatigue be compensated with the experience of mercy which the Lord will never forget.  Thank you.

Speaking with the Scientists

At 10:40am today, in the Consistory Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience a group of individuals who are participating in the Plenary meeting of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, taking place at the Vatican from 25 to 29 November and focused on the theme: Science and Sustainability: the impact of scientific and technological knowledge on human society and the environment.

Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

addressed to participants taking part in the

Plenary Assembly of the 

Pontifical Academy of Sciences

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

I am pleased to welcome you on the occasion of your plenary session and I thank the President, Professor Werner Arber, for his kind words. I wish to thank you for the contribution you are making which, with the passing of time, increasingly reveals its usefulness for scientific progress, for the cause of cooperation between human persons and especially for the care of the planet on which God has allowed us to live.

Never before has there been such a clear need for science to be at the service of a new global ecological equilibrium. At the same time we are seeing a renewed partnership between the scientific and Christian communities, who are witnessing the convergence of their distinct approaches to reality in the shared goal of protecting our common home, threatened as it is by ecological collapse and consequent increase of poverty and social exclusion. I am pleased that you perceive so deeply the solidarity which joins you to the humanity of both today and tomorrow, in a sign of great care for mother earth. Your commitment is all the more admirable in its orientation towards the full promotion of integral human development, peace, justice, dignity and human freedom. Proof of this, in addition to the accomplishments of the past, is evident in the many topics you seek to examine in this plenary session; these range from great discoveries in cosmology, to sources of renewable energy, to food security, and even a passionate seminar on power and the limits of artificial intelligence.

In the Encyclical Laudato Si’ I stated that we are called to be instruments of God our Father, so that our planet might be what he desired when he created it and correspond with his plan for peace, beauty and fullness (LS, 53). In our modern world, we have grown up thinking ourselves owners and masters of nature, authorized to plunder it without any consideration of its hidden potential and laws of development, as if subjecting inanimate matter to our whims, with the consequence of grave loss to biodiversity, among other ills. We are not custodians of a museum or of its major artefacts to be dusted each day, but rather co-operators in protecting and developing the life and biodiversity of the planet and of human life present there. An ecological conversion capable of supporting and promoting sustainable development includes, by its very nature, both the full assuming of our human responsibilities regarding creation and its resources, as well as the search for social justice and the overcoming of an immoral system that produces misery, inequality and exclusion.

Very briefly, I would say that it falls to scientists, who work free of political, economic or ideological interests, to develop a cultural model which can face the crisis of climatic change and its social consequences, so that the vast potential of productivity will not be reserved only for the few. Just as the scientific community, through interdisciplinary dialogue, has been able to research and demonstrate our planet’s crisis, so too today that same community is called to offer a leadership that provides general and specific solutions for issues which your plenary meeting will confront: water, renewable forms of energy and food security. It has now become essential to create, with your cooperation, a normative system that includes inviolable limits and ensures the protection of ecosystems, before the new forms of power deriving from the techno-economic model causes irreversible harm not only to the environment, but also to our societies, to democracy, to justice and freedom.

Within this general picture, it is worth noting that international politics has reacted weakly – albeit with some praiseworthy exceptions – regarding the concrete will to seek the common good and universal goods, and the ease with which well-founded scientific opinion about the state of our planet is disregarded. The submission of politics to a technology and an economy which seek profit above all else, is shown by the distraction or delay in implementing global agreements on the environment, and the continued wars of domination camouflaged by righteous claims, that inflict ever greater harm on the environment and the moral and cultural richness of peoples.

Despite this, we do not lose hope and we endeavour to make use of the time the Lord grants us. There are also many encouraging signs of a humanity that wants to respond, to choose the common good, and regenerate itself with responsibility and solidarity. Combined with moral values, the plan for sustainable and integral development is well positioned to offer all scientists, in particular those who profess belief, a powerful impetus for research.

I extend my best wishes for your work and I invoke upon the activities of the Academy, upon each of you and your families, abundant divine blessings. I ask you please to not forget to pray for me. Thank you.

Ireland at the Vatican

Earlier today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland, His Excellency Mister Enda Kenny, who subsequently met with His Eminence, the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin who was accompanied by His Excellency, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.

The cordial discussions evoked the historic bond between the Holy See and Ireland, and underlined the constant contribution guaranteed by the Catholic Church in the social and educational fields. Attention was also paid to the importance of the role of Christians in the public sphere, especially in the promotion of respect for the dignity of every person, beginning with the weak and defenceless.

The conversation continued with an exchange of views on Europe, with particular reference to the migratory phenomenon, youth employment and the main challenges that the continent is called to face from a political and institutional point of view.

First Angelus for Advent

At noon today, the first Sunday of Advent, 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 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!

Today the Church begins a new liturgical year, that is to say a new journey of faith for the people of God, and as always, we begin with Advent.  Today's passage from the gospel (cf Mt 24:37-44) introduces us to one of the key themes of Advent: the Lord's visit to humanity.  The first visit - we know all of them - took place with the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus in the stable in Bethlehem; the second takes place in the present: the Lord continually visits us, every day, walking at our side and sharing with us his consoling presence; finally, there will be a third visitation, the final visit, that we profess every time we recite the Creed: He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.  Today, the Lord speaks of this final visit, the one that will take place at the end of time, and he tells us where our journey will lead us.

The Word of God brings out the contrast between the normal unfolding of events, the daily routine, and the unforeseen coming of the Lord.  Jesus says: As it was in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, taking wives and husbands, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away (Mt 24:38-39): this is what Jesus says.  It is always striking to think about the hours that precede great disasters: everything is tranquil, people are doing normal things without realizing that their lives are about to be turned upside down.

The gospel certainly doesn't intent to scare us, but to open our horizons to another larger dimension which on one hand relates to everyday things but on the other hand makes them more precious, decisive.  Our relationship with the God-who-comes-to-visit makes us see every gesture, everything in a different light, gives it new meaning, new symbolic value.

From this perspective, this visit is also a call to sobriety, to not be preoccupied with the things of this world, with material realities, but rather to use them wisely.  If, on the contrary, we were to allow ourselves to be conditioned and overwhelmed by them, we would be unable to perceive that there is something very important: our final encounter with the Lord: and this is what is important.  That one, that encounter.  Everyday things should always be seen in this light; they should be directed toward this horizon.  This encounter with the Lord that is coming for each of us.  At that moment, as the gospel says: two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other will be left (Mt 24:40).  This is an invitation for us to be vigilant, because not knowing when he will come, we have to always be ready to go.

During this time of Advent, we are called to expand the horizons of our hearts so that we can marvel at that unfolds every day, presenting us with all things new.  To do this, we must learn not to depend on our own securities, our own plans, for the Lord will come at an hour that we cannot know or imagine.  He comes to introduce us to a dimension that is more beautiful, much more vast.

May Our Lady, the Virgin of Advent, help us not to consider ourselves as masters of our own lives, and not to resist when the Lord comes to change our lives; rather, may she help us to be ready to allow ourselves to be visited by Him, as an expected guest who we welcome even though he may upset our plans.



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

Dear brothers and sisters,

I want to assure the people of Central America, especially Costa Rica and Nicaragua, of my prayers; they have been struck by a hurricane and also by an earthquake in recent days.  And I also pray for the people of northern Italy who are suffering due of floods.

I greet all of you pilgrims, who have come from Italy and from various other countries: families, parish groups and associations.  In particular, I greet the faithful who have come from Lebanon, Egypt, Slovakia, and the choir from Limburg (Germany).  I warmly greet the Ecuadorian community that is present here, the families who are part of the Tra Noi (Between Us) Movement, the groups from Altamura, Tieti, San Casciano in Val di Pesa; UNITALSI from Capaccio and the alumni from Bagheria.

I wish you all a good Sunday and a good Advent journey toward your encounter with the Lord.  May this be a time of hope!  Go out to meet the Lord who is coming to meet us.  True hope, founded on God's faithfulness and our responsibility.  And please, don't forget to pray for me.  Enjoy your lunch and good bye!

Awarding the Ratzinger prize

At 11:00am today, in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis conferred the Ratzinger Prize to two people.  This award has been given since 2011, when it was introduced by the Vatican's Joseph Ratzinger - Benedict XVI Foundation.

The award winners this year are:

• Monsignor Inos Biffi, Ordinary Emeritus of Systematic Theology and of the History of Medieval history in the Faculty of Theology of Northern Italy, teacher of the same material in the Faculty of theology of Lugano, member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, president of the Institute for History and Medieval history in Milan and director of the Institute of the History of Theology in the Faculty of Theology in Lugano; and
• Professor Ionnis Kourempeles, born in Athens in 1965, who studied Theology in the Faculty of Theology at Salamanca, Erlangen and Heidelberg.  He teaches the History of Dogma as well as Dogmatic and Symbolic Theology in the Faculty of Theology at the Aristotle University in Salamanca.  Professor Kourempeles is the first Othodox to be granted the Ratzinger Prize;

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

addressed to the 2016 winners of the Ratzinger Prize

Your Eminences,
Your Excellencies,
Dear award winners,
Dear brothers and sisters,

I am happy to meet with you on such an important occasion in the context of the conclusion of the activities organized by the Joseph Ratzinger - Benedict XVI Foundation.  This is also a way for me to express once more, together with you, our great affection and our gratitude to Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, who continues even now to accompany us with his prayer.

I congratulate you on the successful outcome of the International Symposium on the topic of escatology - Analysis and Perspectives, which took place in the past few days at the University of the Holy Cross and which concluded this morning at the Augustinianum with the lecture by Cardinal Ravasi.  We know that the theme of escatology occupied a very important place in the theological work of Professor Joseph Ratzinger, in his work as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and finally also in his teachings during his Pontificate.  We cannot forget his profound considerations concerning eternal life and hope in the encyclical Spe salvi.  The subject of escatology is fundamental when we reflect on the meaning of our lives and our history without remaining closed in a material or otherwise purely worldly approach.  The Jubilee of Mercy, only just concluded, reminded us many times that mercy is at the heart of the protocol according to which Jesus says we will be judged: I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink ... (Mt 25:35).  The depth of Joseph Ratzinger's thought, solidly founded on Scripture and the Patristics, constantly nourished by faith and prayer, helps us to remain open to the horizon of eternity, making sense in this way also of our hopes and our human commitments.  His is a  thoughtful and a fruitful magisterium, which has been able to focus on the fundamental references of our Christian life, the person of Jesus Christ, charity, hope and faith.  And the whole Church will forever be grateful to him.

But since the occasion of this annual gathering is the awarding of the 2016 Ratzinger Prize, I must also congratulate the illustrious persons to whom it has been awarded by the Foundation's Scientific Committee.  My congratulations are therefore offered to Monsignor Inos Biffi who, as we heard in the introduction, is receiving this prize in recognition of the merits of a life entirely dedicated to theological studies in the Church and in his service: a prize that recognizes the career of a great theologian; and to the younger Professor Ioannis Kourempeles, who receives the prize in recognition  of the quality of his theological work done so far, in appreciation for the interest he has dedicated to the thought of Joseph Ratzinger, and as encouragement to continue probing the fruitfulness of the encounter between Ratzinger's thought and Orthodox theology.

Congratulations and best wishes to the winners for their theological work, and to the Foundation for carrying out its work.  May the Lord bless you and your work for his Kingdom ... and I bless all of you here present, as well as those who are dear to you.  Thank you.

Cunning but gentle

Here is the reflection I prepared for the funeral that we celebrated today, a reflection on the life of faith with some inspiration from Saint John Chrysostom.

Funeral homily for John (Jack) Larivière

I would like to begin by publicly expressing my condolences to Anne and to Jack’s children, as well as your families and all of Jack’s friends.  Thank you also to James for the tribute you paid to your father.  Over the past few days, I have learned a few things about Jack, including the fact that he was a very proud man who didn’t suffer fools lightly.  This gained him a certain reputation, but Jack was also very well respected among his colleagues, looked up to by many who were his junior as a man of wisdom, one who had gained their respect.

This was the persona that many people saw on the outside, but what of his heart?  Perhaps no one except for he himself ought venture a judgement in this respect, but let me use the wisdom of Saint John Chrysostom, a holy man, a priest who lived in the fourth century after Christ, to try shedding a bit of light on what the heart of the true believer aims to portray.  In one of his sermons, Saint John spoke of the need for all those who are followers of Jesus to be as cunning as serpents in the ways we live our faith while also as gentle as lambs in the sight of others.  We can do this because we have confidence that when this earthly life comes to an end, we too will gain the reward of everlasting life.

This morning, we are gathered here in this church, people of faith, participating in an act of faith and trust.  The Book of Wisdom reminds us today that the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God (Wis 3:1).  This is a promise that is made to each one of us from the day of our baptism.  In the eyes of the unwise – that is to say, those who look at the events of this life without the benefit of faith – they seemed to have died … their going thought to be a disaster … (Wis 3:2).  It is true that at a human, emotional level, death is very final.  The history that we have shared with Jack during the many years he lived here on earth has now come to an end, and we now mourn his passing, but his soul is now at peace and he would have us believe nothing else than the fact that all his hopes, rich with immortality (Wis 3:4) have been fulfilled.

Jesus Christ lived, died and rose again.  This is the certainty that we profess by our presence here today.  Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we can also be certain that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus (1 Thes 4:14).  It is our certain hope that when the Lord comes, he will cry out a command … and with the sound of God’s trumpet … those who have died in Christ will be the first to rise, and we who are alive … will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord (1 Thes 4:16-17).

Our physical separation from Jack is therefore a temporary thing.  One day we will be reunited with him.  Until that time, Jesus encourages us as he also encouraged his first disciples: Do not let your hearts be troubled; believe in God and believe also in Jesus (Jn 14:1).  Having benefitted from the example that was given to us by Jack as he lived his life of service to others - demanding perfection from himself and from others but also maintaining a deep concern for the welfare of his fellow workers, and for the wellbeing of his family and friends - we too must now go from this place to continue the work of caring for others.  We too must continue to look out for those who suffer injustices in our world, and be courageous enough to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.  We too must seek ways to be cunning as we joyfully proclaim good news to those who are downtrodden, those who have been cast aside, and those who are in need of hope, all the while being gentle with ourselves and with others as we invite them to discover the truths we have come to know in faith. 

Do not be afraid to speak of the promise of new life that awaits us, even to those who may be fearful about the future.  Fear is a natural human reaction when we are faced with something we do not understand.  Fear was hidden in the words uttered by Saint Thomas when he voiced the question that was in the hearts of all the disciples as they heard Jesus speaking about his impending suffering and death: But Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way? (Jn 14:5) The answer Jesus gave portrays the confidence of one who is certain of his destiny and confident in the promise of love: I am the way, the truth and the life (Jn 14:6).  Today, these words are also addressed to us: come to me when you are uncertain about anything and never fear that when I have prepared a place for you in the Father’s house, I will come and take you to myself (Jn 14:3).

Speaking with youth involved in civil service

At 11:30am today, in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience a group of young people from the Civil National Service fifteen years after the promulgation of the law that created the Service in Italy.

Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

addressed to young people who are part of

the Civil National Service

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning.

We must not forget what was said by the Minister: social protection.  The earthquake that has taken place here, close to us ... continue; protect those people and protect those who are in danger of a human earthquake, one that comes from within, those who are alone, abandoned, forgotten, in this culture that takes such pleasure in forgetting about people.  Thank you, Mister Minister, for all of this and let us hope that your challenge is taken up by all of us.  Thank you.

And I am happy to have this meeting, fifteen years after the promulgation of the law that instituted in Italy the National Civil Service.  I greet the Minister, the Under-secretary and the other representatives of institutions, as well as those who are responsible for the promotion of projects and those who follow up on them.  My greetings go out above all to you, dear young people, who have chosen to dedicate a part of your time and your lives to a project of volunteering and promoting society.  The appreciation gained from volunteering, even for a determined length of time, is a treasure not only for society and for those who take joy in their work, but also for you yourselves as it helps you to grow and to mature.

You are a precious strength, a dynamic force for this country: your contribution is an indispensable part of achieving good in society, especially as you take into account the presence of the weak.  The work of a united society is the aim of every civilized community that wishes to be egalitarian and fraternal.  This ideal is betrayed every time that we witness passively the growth of inequality between various social groups or among different nations of the world; when we reduce opportunities to provide assistance to the weak without guaranteeing them other forms of protection; when we accept the dangerous logic of re-armaments and invest precious resources in order to acquire armaments - and this is currently a real wound - or when the poor become trapped and instead of holding out a helping hand, we abandon them to suffering.

All these attitudes represent an affront to our society and its culture, introducing criteria and practices that leave it marked by indifference and oppression, which make life more difficult not only for those who are forgotten or discriminated against, but also for those who forget and those who discriminate: attitudes that leave us closed off to the needs of others and incapable of meeting our brothers and sisters in the flesh.  Such encounters are the only way for us to discover what is good.  By means of your service, you are called to carry out a critical function in confronting these perspectives which are contrary to the natural human tendency, a prophetic function that demonstrates how it is possible to think and to act in different ways.

Special consideration should also be afforded to all the other educative and assistance programmes being carried out by the Italian Civil Service, through which, in various ways, you are close to children, young people, disabled persons, those who are marginalized and those who are in need of help.  During these months therefore, an extraordinary commitment is being called for in order to assist the people who have become victims of earthquakes; to all of them I wish to renew my closeness and my encouragement.  All these realities become for you opportunities for human growth and for sharing experiences, knowledge and sensitivity.

Dear young people, I hope that you will follow the path that gives you the fullest significance and joy in life.  This path is not the same for everyone, but each person can find the one that is most suited to his or her personality, to his or her gifts, to his or her situation.  However, there are common coordinates, without which you will always be unable to find them, and one of these coordinates is that of service.  Surely the path of service runs against the dominant current, but in reality every one of us is content and fulfilled only when we are useful to someone else.  This releases within us a new energy, it helps us to see that we are not alone and it expands our horizons.  I invite you to continue along this path of service and to take as your perfect model of humanity Jesus himself, who always kept a place for others in his heart, even to the point of giving his life for us.

To the institutions, which I thank for their work in favour of youth who are involved in a year of volunteer service, I ask you to promote more and more a true spirit of solidarity within the people of this land.  Such sensitivity becomes less and less occasional and and more and more structural, to the point of pervading all the actions of various public and private entities.  In fact, the degree of civilization of a people is measured based on their capacity to respect and to promote the rights of every person, beginning with those who are weak.

I thank you for this gathering.  I invoke over you and your work the blessings of the Lord, so that he may help you to always act boldly and unselfishly, looking into the distance toward the horizons of hope.  And please, pray also for me.  Thank you.

Condolences to Cuba

The Holy Father has sent a message of condolence at the death of the former President of the Councils of State and Ministers of the Republic of Cuba, His Excellency, Fidel Castro.

Telegram of condolence of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the death of Fidel Castro

His Excellency, Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz
President of the Councils of State and Ministers
of the Republic of Cuba
La Habana

Having received the sad news of the death of your beloved brother, His Excellency, Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, former President of the Councils of State and Ministers of the Republic of Cuba, I express my sentiments of sympathy to Your Excellency and to the relatives of the deceased dignitary, as well as to the government and the people of that beloved nation.

At the same time, I offer prayers to the Lord for his soul and I confide all the Cuban people to the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Charity of Cobre, Patroness of that country.

Francis

Study Commission begins its work

Today at the Vatican, the first meeting of the Study Commission on the Diaconate of Women took place.  This commission was established by the Holy Father on August 2 with the purpose of doing an objective study on the situation in the early Church.

Chaired by Archbishop Luis Ladaria Ferrer, S.J., Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Commission members will meet in morning and evening sessions over two days in the offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Greetings to Austrailia

Pope Francis has sent a letter on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of St John Paul II’s words to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Alice Springs, Australia on 29 November 1986. The letter was sent to the Chairperson of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC), John Lochowiak, by the Apostolic Nuncio to Canberra Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana.

The Holy Father writes that, this anniversary affords me the happy opportunity to express my deep esteem for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and for your ancient cultural heritage.

He also draws from the words of Pope John II which stress, your culture, which shows the lasting genius and dignity of your race, must not be allowed to disappear. Do not think that your gifts are worth so little that you should no longer bother to maintain them. Share them with each other and teach them to your children. Your songs, your stories, your paintings, your dances, your languages, must never be lost.

In July the Pope’s prayer intention was for Respect for Indigenous Peoples.

Witness: meet a Dutch Cardinal

On Sunday November 27, 2016, beginning at 8pm on Salt+Light Television, the latest Witness interview: with Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk, Archbishop of Utrecht will air.  Cardinal Eijk was born on June 22, 1953 in Duivendrecht, The Netherlands. He was ordained a priest on June 1, 1985. He studied medicine and holds doctorates in medical bioethics research (thesis on euthanasia) and in philosophy. He has taught ethics and moral theology and served on the executive board of the association for pro-life doctors in The Netherlands. He was co-founder and president of an association which organizes conferences and publications on medical ethics. From 1997-2000 he was part of the International Theological Commission.

On July 17, 1999, Willem Eijk was appointed Bishop of Groningen-Leeuwarden and received episcopal ordination on November 6, 1999. He chose as his episcopal motto Noli recusare laborem (Do not reject the work), taken from the last prayer of Saint Martin. On December 11, 2007, he was appointed Archbishop of Utrecht. In May 2008 Pope Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop Eijk a member of the Congregation for the Clergy in addition to his duties as Archbishop of Utrecht. After serving in various capacities in the Dutch Bishops’ Conference, he was elected President in 2011. On February 18, 2012, Pope Benedict elevated Archbishop Eijk to the College of Cardinals. He is Cardinal-Priest of the Church of San Callisto. Cardinal Eijk was also appointed a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education. He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis.

Dancing in heaven

Today we celebrated the reunification of a husband and wife who have been separated by the barrier we call mortality.  Now reunited, they watch over us, care for us and love us from the heavens.

Funeral homily for Geroge Tiernay

It seems just a short while ago that those who are part of the Tiernay family were gathered in this very church to commend the soul of George’s wife Gisele into the loving embrace of our God; now we have returned once again to the place where we so often meet with Jesus, this time to entrust the soul of our father, our grandfather, our great-grandfather, our friend into the arms of the Lord.

Yesterday at the funeral home, and I’m sure for many days prior, stories have been told and retold of the countless moments in George’s earthly life when he so generously gave of himself: stories of his childhood and teen years, his dreams and aspirations; stories of the war years; stories of the day he returned home into the embrace of his family; stories of his love for dancing, and for his favorite dance partner; stories of his love for music, and the joy he took in sharing his music with so many; stories of his love for children, and his endless willingness to spend time with all of those he loved.

Life was not always easy, but the moments of joy are remembered far easier than the experiences of challenge, yet it is the trying times that help to shape our hearts, our characters, and this truth was equally as true for George as it is for anyone else.  The wisdom of the Book of Ecclesiastes (Ecc 3:1-11) is the fact that we must all seek balance in our lives.  This can be a life-long quest, one that is never complete until the day we return to the Father’s house, but we do get glimpses along the way, and they help us to keep working at it.

At this moment in our lives, there is sadness in our hearts.  We know that this earthly life that we live will not go on forever, yet the moment of parting is never an easy one.  At times such as these, we must allow the Lord to help us find the balance: Do not let your hearts be troubled (Jn 14:1).  These words that he spoke to his disciples, he repeats to us.

We come together, we pray together because we believe that God sent his son Jesus to live among us; we believe that Jesus suffered and died for us; we believe that God raised him to life again and that he returned to the Father’s house, and we believe that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us into his presence (2 Cor 4:14).  George’s physical body was ravaged by disease; it grew weaker and weaker until it could no longer keep him alive, but now his soul has been released and returns to God who created it in the first place.

Even as his soul now rests in the Father’s house, he still watches over us.  Human eyes can no longer see him, yet he is present to us, like the angels: guiding our steps, holding us and helping us to find the way that will eventually lead us Home.  You might say that George and Gisele, united once again, are now able to help us to put on the lens of faith.  Through this lens, we learn how to look not at what can be seen, but at what cannot be seen (2 Cor 4:18), the eternal truth that one day we will be reunited with them in the Father’s house: a place not made by human hands, a place that is eternal, in the heavens (cf 2 Cor 5:1).

Greetings to Verona

Pope Francis has sent a video message to Verona, addressed to participants who are taking part in the Festival of Social Doctrine of the Church, a gathering that is taking place from November 24 to 27, 2016.

Video message of His Holiness, Pope Francis

addressed to participants taking part in the

Festival of the Social Doctrine of the Church

A warm greeting to all of you attending the Sixth Festival of the Social Doctrine of the Church. The theme this year is: In the midst of the people. This expresses the great truth – we are made to be with others – that I reiterated in the aftermath of my election as bishop of Rome. Our humanity is greatly enriched if we are with all other people, whatever their situation. It is isolation, not sharing, that harms. Isolation develops into fear and distrust, and prevents us from enjoying fraternity. It must be said that we run greater risks when we isolate ourselves than when we open ourselves up to others: the possibility of harming ourselves resides not in encounter but in narrow-mindedness and denial. The same is true when we take responsibility for another person: I think of the sick, the elderly, immigrants, the poor, the unemployed. When we take care of another person, we complicate our lives less than when we concentrate only on ourselves.

To stay in the midst of the people does not only mean being open and encountering others, but also letting ourselves be encountered. We need to be looked at, called, touched, challenged; we need others so we can participate in all that which only others can give to us. Relationships demand this exchange between people: experience teaches us that usually we receive more from others than we give. Among our people there is a genuine human richness. There are innumerable stories of solidarity, of help, of support, experienced in our families and in our communities. It is impressive to see how some people bear, with dignity, economic hardship, pain, hard work and difficulties. Meeting these people, you touch their greatness with your hand, and receive almost a light by which it becomes clear that hope for the future can be cultivated; it can be believed that good is stronger than evil, because they are there. In the midst of the people, we have access to the teaching of facts. To provide an example: I was told that recently a girl died, aged just nineteen. It was immensely painful, and many people attended the funeral. What struck all those present was not only the absence of desperation, but the perception of a certain serenity. After the funeral, those who were there expressed their wonder at leaving the celebration with the sense of being relieved of a burden. The mother of the girl said, I have received the grace of serenity. Daily life is woven of these facts, that mark our existence: they never lose their effectiveness even though they never make the headlines. It happens just like that: without speeches or explanations one understands what does or does not have value in life.

Being in the midst of the people also means being aware that each one of us is part of a population. Real life is possible because it is not the sum of many individualities, but rather the articulation of many people who work together to constitute the common good. Being together helps us to see the whole. When we see the whole, our outlook is enriched and it becomes evident that the roles that each person fulfills within social dynamics can never be isolated or rendered absolute. When the people are separated from those in command, when decisions are made by power and not by popular sharing, when those who command are more important than the people and decisions are made by the few, or anonymously, or always dictated by real or presumed emergencies, then social harmony is endangered, with serious consequences for the people: poverty increases, peace is jeopardized, money takes control and the people suffer. Being in the midst of the people therefore is good not only for the life of individuals, but is good for all.

Being in the midst of the people highlights the plurality of colours, cultures, races and religions. People enable you to touch the richness and beauty of diversity. Only by great violence can variety be reduced to uniformity, the plurality of thoughts and actions to a sole way of acting and thinking. When you are with the people you touch humanity: there is never just the head, there is always the heart too; there is more concreteness and less ideology. To resolve the problems of the people, it is necessary to start from the ground, to get our hands dirty, to be courageous, to listen to others. I think that it comes naturally to us to ask, how can one do this? We can find the answer by looking to Mary. She is a servant, humble and merciful, she journeys with us, she is concrete. She never takes centre stage but hers is a constant presence. If we look to Her, we find the best way of being in the midst of the people. Looking to Her, we can all follow human paths without fear or prejudice, and with Her we can become capable of not excluding anyone. This is my hope for all of you.

Before bidding farewell, I would like to thank the Bishop of Verona for his welcome, all the volunteers for their willingness and generosity, and Don Adriano Vincenzi for his work in the study and implementation of the social doctrine of the Church. And may I remind you, do not forget to pray for me. Thank you.

Vietnam at the Vatican

Pope Francis met with the President of Vietnam, Tran Dai Quang, in a private audience on Wednesday. A statement from the Holy See Press Office said, During the cordial meeting, the good relations between the Holy See and Vietnam were recalled, which are sustained by a common spirit of dialogue and the constant search for the correct instruments so that they may progress. The statement said the collaboration between the Church and the Vietnamese State was also highlighted.

President Tran Dai Quang presented Pope Francis with a small drum with a bronze base, while the Holy Father gave him a medal of his pontificate and copies of Evangelii gaudium, Amoris laetitia, and Laudato si'.

Afterwards, President Tran Dai Quang met with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher.

Synod of Bishops at work

From November 21 to 22, 2016 the second meeting of the XIV Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops met under the leadership of the Holy Father, Pope Francis.

The work began with an intervention by the Secretary General, His Eminence, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri.  In his words of greeting offered to the Holy Father, recognizing his presence at the meeting, His Eminence took the occasion to offer his congratulations to the newly-created Cardinals who were present for this meeting.  In fact, among the members of the Council, two of the newly-created Cardinals: His Eminence Sérgio Da Rocha and His Eminence Carlos Osoro Sierra were in attendance.  In addition, three Prefects of Dicasteries within the Roman Curia were invited to take part in the meeting: their Eminences, Joāo Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life; Beniamino Stella, Prefect of the Congregation for Clergy; and Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life.

Then, the proposal for the preparatory document for the XV General Ordinary Assembly was examined, elaborated upon by the General Secretary with the help of competent experts in the synodal theme: Youth, faith and vocational discernment.  In this respect, the members of the Council manifested their appreciation for the work done on the document and offered their suggestions for its improvement.

The document, which includes a questionnaire, will be sent to the various Episcopal Conferences, to Synods of the Oriental Catholic Churches sui iuris and to other rightful Organizations, in order that it may be distributed to all dioceses and to other ecclesial institutions.  The members of the Council met in study groups divided according to continents in order to formulate some questions specifically addressed to young people in various geographical and cultural contexts.  Finally, proposals concerning the text and the questionnaire were gathered and inserted into the draft document, which was subsequently approved unanimously.

Finally, the members of the Council discussed possible revisions to the Ordo Synodi Episcoporum.  In this regard, His Excellency, Fabio Fabene, Under-secretary of the Synod of Bishops gave a report concerning the work which the General Secretariat is developing with the help of experts, in view of revisions to the synodal norms.  There was then a period of fruitful exchange of opinions.

At the conclusion of the work, the Holy Father thanked the Council members and the other participants for their contributions and for the spirit of fraternal communion that was experienced during this meeting.

General Audience about teaching

This morning's General Audience began at 10:00am in the Paul VI Hall where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from all corners of the world.

During his speech, the Pope continued the catechesis on mercy, adding his meditation on the theme: To advise and to teach (cf Lk 10:21-22).

After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.

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

Catechesis of His Holiness, Pope Francis

for the General Audience

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

The Jubilee is finished, today we return to normal, but we are still reflecting on the works of mercy and so we continue along the way.

Our reflection on the spiritual works of mercy focuses today on two actions that are strongly connected to each other: advising the doubtful and teaching the ignorant, that is to say those who do not know.  The word ignorant is too strong, but it refers to those who do not know something and who should be taught.  These are works that can be experienced either in a simple, familiar way, available to everyone, or - especially the second one, that of instructing - on a more institutional , organizational level.  We can think for example of the many children who still suffer from illiteracy.  It is hard to understand this: in a world where technical-scientific progress has taken us so far, there are still illiterate children!  This is an injustice.  How many children suffer from a lack of instruction.  This is a condition of great injustice that affects the dignity of persons.  Without instruction, the uneducated easily become prey to exploitation and various forms of social unrest.

Throughout the centuries, the Church has felt the need to engage in education because her mission of evangelization includes a commitment to restore dignity to the poor.  Beginning with the first example of a school founded right here in Rome by Saint Justin, in the second century, to help Christians to better know and understand the sacred Scriptures, up to Saint Joseph Calasanz, who opened the first free schools in Europe, there is a long list of Saints who in various eras offered instruction to the most disadvantaged, knowing that in this way they would be able to overcome suffering and discrimination.  Many Christians, lay people, consecrated brothers and sisters and priests have dedicated their lives to teaching, to the education of children and youth.  This is wonderful: I invite you to thank them all with your applause (the crowd applauded).  These pioneers in education fully understood this work of mercy, and dedicated their lives to transforming society.  Through this simple work, with few structures in place, they were able to restore dignity to many people!  And the instruction they gave was often also focused on work.  We can consider Saint John Bosco, who prepared first by working with youth in the streets, with the Oratory and then with schools and offices.  In this way, we have given rise to many professional schools that prepare people for work while educating them in human and Christian values.  Therefore, education is a particular form of evangelization.

The more education grows, the more people will acquire the certainties and awarenesses that we all need in life.  Good instruction teaches us to be critical, including a certain kind of doubt, useful for asking questions and for verifying the results that are attained, always with a view to greater knowledge.  But the work of mercy which entails instructing the doubtful does not involve this kind of doubt.  Instead, expressing mercy to the doubtful is more about soothing the doubt and the suffering the come from fear and the anxieties that are the consequence of doubt.  It is therefore truly an act of love with which we seek to support a person the weakness that is caused by uncertainty.

I think that someone might ask me: But Father, I have many doubts about faith, what should I do?  Do you never have doubts?  I have many ... Certainly, everyone has doubts at one time or another!  Doubts that involve our faith, in a positive manner, are signs that we want deeper, better knowledge of God, Jesus and the mystery of his love for us.  But, I have this doubt: I seek, I study, I see or I ask for advice about what to do.  These are doubts that make us grow!  Therefore, it is good that we should question our faith because doing so leads us to deepen it.  However, doubts must also be overcome.  In order for this to happen, we must listen to the Word of God, and understand what it teaches us.  One path that helps us a lot in this regard is catechesis, through which the proclamation of faith meets us in the reality of our personal and communal lives.  At the same time, we have another path that is equally important, the path of living our faith as much as possible.  Let us not make our faith a matter of abstract theories where doubts can be multiplied.  Rather, let us see in our faith a source of life.  Let us always seek to practice our faith in service to our brothers, especially those who are in need.  In this way, many doubts disappear because we feel the presence of God and the truth of the gospel of love which, without any merit on our part, lives within us and can be shared by us with others.

As you can see, dear brothers and sisters, these two works of mercy too are not far distant from our lives.  Every one of us can commit ourselves to putting the words of the Lord into practice; he says that the mystery of God's love was not revealed to the wise and the intelligent, but to little ones (cf Lk 10:21; Mt 11:25-26).  Therefore, the most profound teaching that we are called to pass on is the surest certainty for resolving our doubt: the love of God with which we are called to love (cf Jn 4:10).  A great love that is always freely given.  God never changes his mind about his love!  He always continues with this aspect; he gives his love for all times, and therefore we must always feel strongly responsible to be witnesses, offering mercy to our brothers and sisters.  Thank you.



This catechesis was then summarized in various languages, and the Holy Father offered greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.  To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from England, Scotland, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and the United States of America. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke an abundance of joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!