Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Joint efforts to promote education for the sake of peace

The staff-members of the Office of Inter-religious Dialogue and Cooperation (IRDC) of the World Council of Churches (WCC) as well as their colleagues from the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue (PCID), held their annual meeting at the PCID Offices on 30th-31st January 2017.

Both the delegations expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to meet a few days after the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. They gave thanks to God for their friendship and fruitful cooperation in promoting constructive relations with individuals and communities belonging to other religious traditions.

The principle aim of the meeting was to discuss and to deliberate upon a proposed joint document on Education for Peace, following similar joint projects in the past.

It was followed by the exchange of news and views on their respective activities over the past year and planned activities.

Both the PCID and the IRDC agreed to continue their collaboration, in particular, the work relating to the joint document on Education for Peace, given the urgency of the matter in today’s global context.

Monday, January 30, 2017

Archbishop Lacroix speaks about tragedy in Quebec City

Before boarding a flight from Rome to Quebec City today, the Archbishop of Quebec issued a statement concerning the attack that took place last night at a Mosque in Quebec City.


Statement of His Eminence, Gérald Cyprien Lacroix
Archbishop of Quebec

At this time when the people of Quebec are shaken by the attack that has left six dead and many other people wounded, the Catholic community wishes to express its solidarity with the families who have been affected, the Muslim community of Quebec, and the entire community of Sainte-Foy.  Whether we be Christian or not, an act of violence such as the one that took place at the great Mosque of Quebec affects all of us.  Hatred is the darkest expression of our humanity.  The Quebecois people has always been recognized as a people who seek to live in peace and respect.  We will respond to these heinous acts with solidarity and we will remain committed to continuing the process of building a society where social peace and respect for all cultures guides our day-to-day lives.

Early this morning, I was received by the Holy Father, after the celebration of the Mass and Pope Francis assures us of his prayer and his closeness in these moments of suffering.  As he hugged me, I felt as though he was pressing the entire population of Quebec against his heart.  The Pope is accompanying us in prayer at this time of suffering.

To the families affected by this event, our most sincere condolences and the assurance of our prayers.


In communion with the victims
Mass to be celebrated tomorrow

A Mass in communion with the victims of the attack that took place at the great Mosque of Quebec will take place tomorrow, 31 January 2017 beginning at 7:00pm at the church of Notre-Dame-de-Foy located at 820, rue du Chanoine-Martin.

The Catholic Church of Quebec invites everyone to come together tonight for a vigil which will take place in the Parc de la Visitation located at 2825 chemin Sainte-Foy on the site of the former Notre-Dame-de-Foy church.

The Diocese also invites everyone to a large gathering of solidarity organized by the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec which will take place at 2877 chemin Saint-Foy, in front of the great Mosque beginning at 1:00pm on Saturday, 4 February 2017.

As well, the public is encouraged to write in the register of condolences which has been developed by the Government of Quebec their words of condolence for the victims of the attack that took place at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec.

Washington's Archbishop speaks about the Executive Order

Yesterday, the Archbishop of Washington (DC) shared a letter with the priests of his Archdiocese concerning the Executive Order relating to refugees.


Statement of Cardinal Donald Wuerl
Archbishop of Washington (DC)

Dear brother priest,

Today, I write to you regarding the recent White House executive order which suspended entry into the country of foreign nationals from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen, for 120 days, reduced the number of refugees to be admitted to the United States, indefinitely suspended the resettlement of Syrian refugees, and calling for heightened review procedures for these peoples. A version of the order can be read here.

At this time, the legal situation is still fluid and news reports are sometimes confusing, but in the meantime, real people and real humanitarian concerns are being affected. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a statement on the matter, which you can review here.

My hope is that you might find helpful these additional thoughts. As I recently noted, we are called to care for one another, whether it be our longstanding neighbour down the street, or a newcomer to our nation seeking relief from brutal religious and political persecution. It was earlier this month that our Holy Father reminded us that Biblical revelation urges us to welcome the stranger; it tells us that in so doing, we open our doors to God, and that in the faces of others we see the face of Christ himself.

 Here in our Church of Washington, we strive to do just that every day, through our pastoral care, through our many services at the parish level and at Catholic Charities, and in some cases, by simply raising our voices to confirm the dignity of every human life. Last Friday at our Rallies and Masses for Life, and at the March for Life, our voices – our presence – could not be ignored in the defence of the unborn and life at every stage. So too now do we raise our voices in support of all refugees, especially those fleeing religious persecution.

As the federal government pursues any legitimate national security concerns, we hope that it will do so not at the expense of innocent people who are in need, and that it will take all necessary actions to ensure that their safety is protected and that it will expedite all processes to address the need for humanitarian relief.

Through organizations such as the Knights of Columbus and In Defence of Christians, we must continue to make our voices heard, urging the U.S. government to welcome in a particular way Christian refugees, who have been the object of genocide, and all men, women and children fleeing persecution, that they be protected and welcomed after swift but appropriate screening. Through our immigrant and refugee outreach programs, we must continue to serve as a visible sign of God’s mercy and our solidarity with our brothers and sisters no matter how far they may have traveled.

The political debate, which is complex and emotionally highly charged, will continue, but we must do our best to remain focused on the pastoral and very real work we undertake every day for the vulnerable and most in need … for the strangers at our doors.

Asking God’s blessing on your ministry, and with every personal good wish, I am
Faithfully in Christ,
Donald Cardinal Wuerl
Archbishop of Washington

January 29, 2017

Chicago's Archbishop speaks about the Executive Order

Yesterday, the Archbishop of Chicago issued a statement regarding the Executive Order concerning Refugees and Migrants.


Statement of His Excellency, Blaise Cupich
Archbishop of Chicago

This weekend proved to be a dark moment in U.S. history. The executive order to turn away refugees and to close our nation to those, particularly Muslims, fleeing violence, oppression and persecution is contrary to both Catholic and American values.  Have we not repeated the disastrous decisions of those in the past who turned away other people fleeing violence, leaving certain ethnicities and religions marginalized and excluded? We Catholics know that history well, for, like others, we have been on the other side of such decisions.

These actions impose a sweeping and immediate halt on migrants and refugees from several countries, people who are suffering, fleeing for their lives. Their design and implementation have been rushed, chaotic, cruel and oblivious to the realities that will produce enduring security for the United States. They have left people holding valid visas and other proper documents detained in our airports, sent back to the places some were fleeing or not allowed to board planes headed here. Only at the eleventh hour did a federal judge intervene to suspend this unjust action.

We are told this is not the Muslim ban that had been proposed during the presidential campaign, but these actions focus on Muslim-majority countries. They make an exception for Christians and non-Muslim minorities, but not for Muslim refugees fleeing for their lives. Ironically, this ban does not include the home country of 15 of the 19 September 11 hijackers. Yet, people from Iraq, even those who assisted our military in a destructive war, are excluded.

The United States has a long history of welcoming refugees who are fleeing for their lives and Catholic organizations have helped to resettle many families, men, women, and children, from around the globe. Many of our priests, religious and laypeople have accompanied newcomers precisely to assist them in this process. Because of our history of aiding in refugee and migrant settlement for decades, we know the very lengthy and thorough vetting process they must face before they are admitted to our country. We have seen initial fear turn into a generous willingness of local communities to accept and integrate refugees. Here in Chicago generations of migrants have found a new home. We are better for it.

The world is watching as we abandon our commitments to American values. These actions give aid and comfort to those who would destroy our way of life. They lower our estimation in the eyes of the many peoples who want to know America as a defender of human rights and religious liberty, not a nation that targets religious populations and then shuts its doors on them.

It is time to put aside fear and join together to recover who we are and what we represent to a world badly in need of hope and solidarity. If we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. Pope Francis issued these challenging words to Congress in 2015, and followed with a warning that should haunt us as we come to terms with the events of the weekend: The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us.

January 29, 2017

Prayers for Muslims in Quebec City

The Holy Father, Pope Francis has sent a message of condolence to the Archbishop of Quebec, His Eminence, Gérald Cyprien Cardinal Lacroix.  Last evening, in Quebec City, Muslims who were at prayer within a Mosque were brutally attacked.


Message of the Cardinal Secretary of State
expressing condolences for the death of
Muslims attacked while they were at prayer

Having learned of the attack that took place in Quebec in a prayer room within the Islamic cultural centre, leaving many victims, His Holiness, Pope Francis confides to the mercy of God those who have lost their lives and is united in prayer with their family members who are mourning.  He expresses his profound sympathy to those who have been wounded and to their families, as well as to all people who have contributed to assisting them, asking the Lord to bring them comfort and consolation in their moment of need.

Once again, the Holy Father firmly condemns the violence that engenders so much suffering and, imploring from God the gift of mutual respect and peace, he invokes upon the families of the victims and upon all people touched by this drama as well as upon all the people of Quebec the benefit of divine blessings.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State of His Holiness

Pontifical Council sends condolences

The Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue has learned with great sadness and indignation of the attack against Muslim faithful who were gathered in prayer in Quebec City inside their cultural centre.

With this senseless act, the sacredness of human life was violated, as were the respect due to a community in prayer and a place of worship and welcome.

The Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue firmly condemns this act of unprecedented violence and sends its full solidarity to the Muslims of Canada, assuring them of its fervent prayer for the victims and for their families.

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Blessed are you

One of Jesus' most famous orations is the source of inspiration for the encouragement that is offered to us today.  Let us dare to look deeply within, and to discover the joy of being disciples and making a difference in the world.


The view from here

This morning’s gospel passage is one of the most well-known and most often quoted of Jesus’ teachings.  It took place on a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee, in the northern part of the country we know today as Israel.  Jesus had grown up to the south of Galilee, but it was on the shores of this Sea, which is actually an inland lake, that he spent much of the time that we have come to know about – his adult years, the years of his public ministry.

Last November, a group of us visited a number of the places along those shores.  Despite the fact that there had not been any rain in that region since May, and that most of the rest of the landscape was brown and parched, the Mount of the Beatitudes – the place where the words of today’s gospel were spoken – was still lush and green, dotted with palm trees: an oasis in the midst of a desert.

The Mount of the Beatitudes is actually more like a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee.  On the day we were there, the sky was brilliant blue and the sun was warm and inviting.  Even today, visitors can imagine the scene as people would have been gathered on that hillside, much like us who are gathered here in this church, listening to the words Jesus spoke.  There was something different about these words: they were not filled with political promises; they did not stir fear in the hearts of those who heard them.  Rather, these are words of encouragement for a people who have otherwise been beaten down, words of promise for a people who have had very little hope, words of praise for a people who have heard nothing but threats.

The hillside of Jesus’ sermon has been transported to this place.  This morning, these words are offered to this crowd: to you and to me.  If we look deep within our hearts, perhaps we are the ones this morning who are poor in spirit (Mt 5:3): aware of all the challenges that we must face, but confident that if we turn to God in our time of need, he will hear us.   Perhaps we are mourning (Mt 5:4) because someone we have known and loved has died, or perhaps there has been a breakup in our marriage, or perhaps a very good friend has moved away.  Perhaps we have encountered the great grace of meekness (Mt 5:5), not the sense of powerlessness that leads to despair but rather the sense of humility: the knowledge that each of us has something unique to offer, a gift that God has given us so that we in turn can help someone else to discover him.  Perhaps we are aware of others who have been unjustly treated by the society around us (Mt 5:6) and we truly want to help, but we’re not sure what we can do.  Maybe we have a decision to make about whether to exact vengeance for some way in which we have been wronged, or whether there is a way that we would make a more profound statement by practicing mercy and forgiveness (Mt 5:7).  There may even be a current situation in our lives where we are being tempted to doubt whether things are truly as they seem; instead of giving in to the temptation to judge, perhaps this is the time when we should pray for the grace to remain pure in heart (Mt 5:8).  All of us face situations from time to time when we encounter division and quarreling.  These are most painful when they occur in our families and among those who are closest to us.  It would be much easier for us to bury our heads in the sand, to ignore the elephant in the room, but Jesus challenges us to find ways to be peacemakers (Mt 5:9), even if it should mean that we might end up being persecuted as a result of the fact that we chose to act out of a sense of doing what was right.

This weekend, after the Masses, we invite you to join us for a pancake breakfast.  It’s being sponsored by the North Bay Right to Life.  Our faith teaches us to respect the sanctity of life at all moments from conception to natural death, yet there are times when choosing to do so means that we will most certainly face persecution (Mt 5:10). 

It’s never been easy to be a follower of Jesus; yet, we count on the encouragement that He offers: Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad: your reward will be great in heaven (Mt 5:11-12).

Angelus about the gift of poverty

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

Present today, among others were young boys and girls who are members of Catholic Action in the Diocese of Rome who have concluded the month of January which they have traditionally dedicated to peace with a Caravan of Peace.  At the conclusion of the Angelus, two young people who had been invited to the Papal apartment, read a message in the name of Catholic Action Rome.


Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

This Sunday's liturgy allows us to meditate upon the Beatitudes (cf Mt 5:1-12a), which begin the great speech called the sermon on the mount, the magna carta of the New Testament.  Jesus shows God's willingness to lead all men to happiness.  This message was already present in the preaching of the prophets: God is close to the poor and the oppressed and frees them from their mistreatments.  But in this preaching of Jesus, he follows a particular path: beginning with the term blessed,  which means happy: continuing with the indication of conditions for this blessedness; and concluding by making a promise.  The reason for blessedness, for happiness, is not in some required conditions - for example: poverty of spirit, affliction, hunger for justice, persecution ... - but in the promise that follows, a promise of acceptance in faith as a gift from God.  It begins with the uncomfortable situation of being open to the gift of god and entering into the new world, the kingdom proclaimed by Jesus.  This is not an automatic mechanism, but a life journey following in the footsteps of the Lord, so that the reality of hardships and affliction are seen in a new perspective and experienced as the conversion that it brings about.  We cannot be blessed if we do not change our hearts, so that we can appreciate and experience God's gifts.

I want to focus on the first Beatitude: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Mt 5:4).  The poor in spirit are those who have taken upon themselves the sentiments and attitudes of the poor, who accept their condition, do not rebel, but rather are humble, docile, open to God's grace.  The happiness of poverty - of spiritual poverty - has a double dimension: in respect to possessions and in respect to God.  Regarding possessions, material possessions, this poverty of spirit is sobering: not necessarily an act of surrender, but the ability to taste the essential, to share; the capacity to renew every day a sense of wonder for the goodness of things, without the added weight of voracious desire to possess them.  The more I have, the more I want; the more I have, the more I want: this is voracious consumerism, and it kills the soul.  Men and women who do this, who have this attitude - the more I have, the more I want - are not happy and do not manage to find happiness.  Regarding our relationship with God, we should praise him and recognize that the world is a blessing and that at its origin there was the creating love of the Father, but we should also be open to Him, docile to his Lordship: and He, the Lord, is the Great One; I am not great simply because I have so many possessions!  He is great: He who wanted to create the world for all mankind, and wanted to do this so that mankind would be happy.

Someone who is poor in spirit is a Christian who does not rely on himself, on material riches, one who does not insist on his own opinions, but listens with respect and willingly defers to the decisions of others.  If in our community, we all were a bit more poor in spirit, there would be less division, disagreement and controversy!  Humility, like charity, is a virtue that is essential for people to live together in Christian community.  In this evangelical sense, the poor are those who keep the goal of the Kingdom of heaven alive, allowing us to glimpse what we can look forward to at the heart of the community which favours the sharing of all possessions.  I want to repeat this: favours the sharing of possessions.  Always having hearts and hands open (he opens his hands), not closed (he closes his hands together).  When the heart is closed (he holds his hands closed over his heart), it is restricted: it doesn't know how to love.  When a heart is open (he opens his hands), it continues along the path of love.

May the Virgin Mary, model of and the first fruits of the poor in spirit, who always remained docile to the will of the Lord, help us to abandon ourselves to God who is rich in mercy, so that He may fill us with His gifts, especially abandonment to his forgiveness.



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

Dear brothers and sisters,

As you can see, the invaders have arrived ... they're here!  Today, we celebrate the World Day of those who suffer from leprosy.  This illness, although it is declining in incidence, is still present among the most feared and affects the poorest of the poor and those who are marginalized.  It is important that we continue to fight against this disease but also against the discrimination that is affiliated with it.  I encourage all those who are engaged in helping victims of Hansen's disease to reintegrate into society, for whom we all continue to pray.

I affectionately greet all of you who have come from various parishes throughout Italy and other countries, as well as associations and groups.  In particular, I greet the students from Murcia and Badajoz, the young people from Bilbao and the faithful from Castellón.  I greet the pilgrims from Reggio Calabria, Castelliri and the Sicilian group from the National Association of Parents.  I also want to renew my closeness to the people of Central Italy who are still suffering the consequences of the earthquake and the difficult atmospheric conditions.  We must continue to support our brothers and sisters with the constant help of our institutions and solidarity.  And please, may they never have to wait or continue to suffer because of any kind of bureaucracy!

Now, I want to speak with you, young boys and girls of Catholic Action, from parishes and Catholic schools throughout Rome.  This year, along with the Cardinal Vicar, you have come to the end of your Caravan of Peace, whose slogan is Surrounded by Peace: it's a beautiful slogan.  Thank you for your presence and your generous commitment to building a society of peace.  Now, let us all listen to the message that your friends, here beside me, are about to read.

(reading of the message)

And now comes the release of the doves, the symbols of peace.  Symbols of peace ...

I wish you all a good Sunday, I wish you peace, humility, sharing in your families.  Please, don't forget to pray for me.  Enjoy your lunch and goodbye!

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Words for Institutes of Consecrated Life

At 11:50am this morning, in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in Audience those who are participating in the Plenary Assembly of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.  The theme of this gathering is: Faithfulness and perseverance: interweaving of responsibilities.

Following an introduction and greetings offered by the Cardinal Prefect, His Eminence, João Braz de Aviz, the Pope spoke the following words to those who were in attendance.


Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
addressed to the Congregation for
Institutes of Consecrated Life and
Societies of Apostolic Life

Dear brothers and sisters,

It is a joy for me to welcome you today, while you are meeting in Plenary Sessions to reflect on the theme of faithfulness and abandonment.  I greet the Cardinal Prefect and thank him for his words of introduction; and I greet all of you and express my gratefulness for your work and service of consecrated life in the Church.

The theme that you have chosen is important.  We can truly say that in this moment, faithfulness is being put to the test; the statistics that you have examined show this to be true.  We are facing a hemorrhage that is weakening consecrated life and the very life of the Church.  We are worried by the number of those who abandon the consecrated life.  It is true that some leave through an act of conscience, for they recognize, after a period of serious discernment, that they have never had a vocation; but others become less faithful with time, many times only a few years after having professed perpetual vows.  What has happened?

As you have pointed out, there are many factors to be considered with regard to faithfulness in this current time of change which is not only a change of time, a period which makes it difficult for us to accept serious and difficult commitments.  A little while ago, a bishop told me that there was a good young man who had a university degree; he was working in one of the parishes and one day he went to see his bishop and told him: I want to become a priest, but only for ten years.  We live in a provisional culture.

The first factor that does not help us to maintain faithfulness is the social and cultural context in which we move.  We live immersed in a so-called culture of fragments, of provision, which can lead us to live a la carte and to become slaves to fashion.  This culture induces the need to always have the side doors open to other possibilities, fed by consumerism and forgetting the beauty of a simple and austere life, which often leads us to feel an interior void.  This culture has also created a strong sense of practical relativism, according to which everything is judged in terms of self-realization which many times is extraneous to gospel values.  We live in a society where economic rules replace moral directives, dictate their own laws and impose their own systems of reference at the expense of the values of life; a system where the dictatorship of money and profit advocates for a vision of existence which sees those who are no longer useful as disposable.  In this situation, it is clear that we need first to be evangelized and only then will we be able to evangelize.

To this factor of socio-cultural context, we must add others.  One of them is the world of youth, a complex world which at the same time is rich and challenging.  Not negative but complex - yes, righ and challenging.  There is no shortage of very generous youth, who are supportive and committed at the religious and social levels; young people who are seeking a truly spiritual life; young people who are hungry for something different from that which the world offers.  There are some marvellous young people and there are lots of them.  However, even among the young, there are many victims of worldly reasoning, who can be described as: in search of success at any price, easy money and easily-attained pleasures.  This logic seduces many young people.  Our commitment cannot be any other than to stay close to them in order to infect them with the joy of the gospel and of belonging to Christ.  This culture must be evangelized if we want to help young people not to give in.

A third conditioning factor comes from within consecrated life itself, where along with such holiness - there is such holiness in consecrated life! - there is no shortage of situations of counter-witness which makes faithfulness difficult.  Some such situations, among others, include: routine, fatigue, the weight of managing structures, internal divisions, the search for power - ambitions - a worldly manner of governing institutions, challenges to authority that sometimes result in authoritarianism and at other times in a laissez-faire approach.  If the consecrated life seeks to maintain its prophetic mission and its appeal, while continuing to be a school of faithfulness to those who are close as well as to those who are far away (cf Eph 2:17), we must maintain the freshness and novelty of the centrality of Jesus, the attraction of spirituality and the strength of the mission, demonstrating the beauty of following Christ and radiating hope and joy.  Hope and joy.  These help us to see how a community is doing, what makes it tick.  Is there hope, is there joy?  Very good.  But when there is less hope and no joy, things are terrible.

One aspect that we should care for in a particular way is the life of fraternity lived in community.  It must be nourished by community prayer, reading the Word, active participation in the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation, fraternal dialogue and sincere communication between all members, fraternal correction, mercy toward a brother or a sister who sins, and sharing of responsibilities.  All of this, accompanied by an eloquent and joyous witness of simple life lived side by side with the poor and a mission that favours those on the peripheries of existence.  The renewal of fraternal life in community depends very much on the result of pastoral vocations, the power to say: come and see (Jn 1:39) and the perseverance of brothers and sisters young and old, because when a brother or a sister finds no support in his or her consecrated life within the community, he or she will go outside in search of it, with all that this implies (cf Fraternal life in community, 2 February 1994, 32).

A vocation, like faith itself, is a treasure that we carry in earthen vessels (cf 2 Cor 4:7); this is why we must care for it, like we care for something that is truly precious, so that no one can rob us of this treasure, nor can it lose its beauty with the passage of time.  This task is first and foremost something that we must all aim to accomplish, we who have been called to follow Christ more closely with faith, hope and charity, cultivating these treasures daily through our prayer and strengthening them through good theological and spiritual formation, which is defended against the culture of passing realities and allows us to walk on firm in our faith.  On this basis, it is possible to practice the evangelical counsels and to have the same sentiments as Christ (cf Phil 2:5).  A vocation is a gift that we have received from the Lord, who has set his gaze upon us and has loved us (cf Mk 10:21) calling us to follow him in the consecrated life, and at the same time, it is a responsibility to be lived by everyone who has received this gift.  With the grace of the Lord, each one of us is called to take on a personal responsibility for our own human, spiritual and intellectual growth, and at the same time, to keep the flame of our vocation alive.  This means that we in turn must keep our eyes fixed on the Lord, always being attentive to continue the journey according to the logic of the gospel and not to fall prey to the criteria of worldliness.  Many times, the greatest infidelities begin with small deviations and distractions.  In this case too, it is important that we make Saint Paul's exhortation our own: It is now the time to wake from sleep (Rom 13:11).

Speaking about fidelity and abandonment, we should give great importance to accompaniment.  This is something that I want to point out.  Consecrated life must invest in preparing qualified companions who are qualified for this ministry.  I say consecrated life because the charism of spiritual accompaniment, which we call spiritual direction, is a lay charism.  Even priests have access to spiritual directors but this practice is first and foremost for the laity.  How many times I have encountered a Sister who says: Father, do you know of a priest who can be my director - But tell me, is there not a wise woman in your own community, a woman of God? - Yes, there is one who is very old, but ... - Go to her!  Take care of the members of your own Congregations.  In the last Plenary, you already discussed this need; it is also present in your recent document New wine, new wineskins (cf nn. 14-16).  We can never place enough emphasis on this need.  It is hard to remain faithful if we are walking alone, or with the guidance of a brother or sister who is not capable of listening attentively and patiently, or without having adequate experience in the consecrated life.  We need brothers and sisters who are experts in the ways of god, in order to do what Jesus did with his disciples on the road to Emmaus: accompany them on the journey of life and in the moments when they are disoriented, rekindling hope and faith within them through the Word and the Eucharist (cf Lk 24:13-35).  This is the delicate and demanding task of a companion.  More than a few vocations are lost because of a lack of good accompaniment.  All of us consecrated persons, young and old, need help in the human, spiritual and vocational moments we experience, but we must also avoid whatever modes of accompaniment might create dependencies.  This is important: spiritual accompaniment should never create dependency.  While we must avoid any practice of accompaniment that might create dependencies that protect, control or create childishness, we cannot resign ourselves to merely walking the road, we need closeness in our accompaniment, frequent and fully adult encounters.  Everything that helps another to secure continual discernment that leads to the discovery of the will of God, to seeking in every possible way to cry to the Lord, as Saint Ignatius would say, or - with the words of Saint Francis of Assisi - to always desire that which is pleasing to You (cf FF, 233).  Discernment requires, both on the part of the accompanier and the person being accompanied, a refined spiritual sensitivity, an ability to stand before oneself and before the other sine proprio, with complete abandon and lack of prejudice, without personal concern or that of a group.  In addition, we should remember that in the process of discernment, it is not a matter solely of choosing between good and evil, but between good and better, between that which is good and that which will lead us to identify ourselves with Christ.

Dear brothers and sisters, thank you again; I invoke upon you and upon your service as members and collaborators with the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, the continual assistance of the Holy Spirit, and with all my heart I give you my blessing.  Thank you.

A challenge not yet won

This morning, the Holy See Press Centre published the text of a Message written by the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, His Eminence, Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, on the occasion of the 64th World Leprosy Day (Hansen's Disease) which will be celebrated tomorrow: Sunday, January 29, 2017.


Message of His Eminence, Cardinal Peter Turkson
for World Leprosy Day

The eradication of leprosy and the reintegration of people afflicted by hanseniasis:
a challenge not yet won

The development of effective pharmacological therapies and the major efforts at a planetary level of many national and international institutions and agencies, with the Catholic Church in the front line, over the last decades have inflicted a very severe blow on Hansen’s disease, known more commonly as leprosy. Hanseniasis, which in the year 1985 still afflicted over five million people in the world, today has about 200,000 new cases each year, but much – very much – still has to be done.

For that matter, as it was highlighted last June at the end of the symposium Towards Holistic Care for People with Hansen’s Disease Respectful of their Dignity, which was organized by the then Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, every new case of Hansen’s disease is one case too many, as is every residual form of stigma attached to it. Every law that discriminates against patients with Hansen’s disease is one law too many, as is every form of indifference. Within the framework of the initiative promoted in cooperation with the Nippon Foundation-Sasakawa Health Foundation, with the contribution of the Order of Malta, the Raoul Follereau Foundation and the Good Samaritan Foundation, it was further emphasized that given their role, it is important for the leaders of all religions, in their teachings, writings and speeches, to contribute to the elimination of discrimination against people afflicted by Hansen’s disease. On the other hand, as was also emphasized subsequently by the World Health Organization during the World Forum on hanseniasis held in Seoul in November, that physical and psychological care should be provided to patients during and after the end of their treatment.

In addition, we should all commit ourselves – and at all levels – to ensuring that in all countries policies relating to the family, to work, to schools, to sports, and to policies of every other kind, that directly or indirectly discriminate against these people are changed, and that governments develop implementing plans that involve people with this disease.

Lastly, strengthening scientific research in order to develop new medical products, and obtain better diagnostic instruments in order to increase the possibility of early diagnosis, is fundamental.

Indeed, in large part new cases are identified only when the infection has provoked permanent lesions and has marked, by now for life, the adults or boys or girls who have this disease. On the other hand, especially in the most remote areas, it is difficult to assure the assistance that is needed to finish the treatment or it is difficult for the patients themselves to understand the importance of – or give priority to – continuing with the pharmacological treatment where this has been begun.

But treatment is not enough. A person who has been cured of this disease must be reintegrated to the full into his or her original social fabric: his or her family, community, school, or work environment.

In order to promote and contribute to this process of reintegration, which for that matter remains almost impossible in many contexts, associations of former patients should be further supported and encouraged. At the same time, the spread of communities, with these former patients, should be promoted which – as has already taken place, for example, in India, in Brazil and in Ghana – become real families who understand and welcome people, offering a fertile terrain for mutual aid and authentic brotherhood.

With reflection upon the healing of the man with leprosy by Jesus narrated in the first chapter of the Gospel According to Mark, Christ moved with pity … stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him: 'I will do it. Be made clean'. The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then he said to him, 'See that you tell no one anything but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them’.

Thus it was that Jesus not only healed the person in his entirety but also called on the man whom he healed to go to the one who could declare his full reintegration into society, his readmission into the human consortium.

Perhaps today as yesterday this is one of the greatest obstacles to be overcome for those who have been marked by hansensiasis and for those who work for them. The disabilities, the unmistakeable signs left behind by this disease, are still today similar to brands. Fear of this disease, which is one of the most feared in human history, defies reason; lack of knowledge by a community about this pathology excludes those who have been cured of it, who, in their turn, because of the suffering and the forms of discrimination that they have endured, have lost the sense of dignity that belongs to them and is inalienable even though their bodies have mutilations. For them, and above all with people who are victims of leprosy, we must engage ourselves more deeply so that they can find welcome, solidarity and justice.

Friday, January 27, 2017

Speaking about dialogue between the Churches

At 12:15pm today, in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the members of the International Mixed Commission for theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches.


Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the meeting with members of the
International Mixed Commission for theological dialogue
between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches

Dear brothers in Christ,

In offering you a joyful welcome, I thank you for your presence and for the kind words that Metropolitan Bishoy addressed to me on your behalf.  Through you, I send cordial greetings to the Heads of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, my venerable brothers.

I am grateful for the work of your Commission, which began in 2003 and is now holding its fourteenth meeting.  Last year you began an examination of the nature of the sacraments, especially baptism.  It is precisely in baptism that we rediscovered the basis of communion between Christians.  As Catholics and Oriental Orthodox, we can repeat the words of the Apostle Paul: For in the one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body (1 Cor 12:13).  In the course of this week, you have further reflected on historical, theological and ecclesiological aspects of the Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of the whole Christian life, which admirably expresses and brings about the unity of God’s people (Lumen Gentium, 11).  I encourage you to persevere in your efforts and I trust that your work may point out helpful ways to advance on our journey.  It will thus facilitate the path towards that greatly desired day when we will have the grace of celebrating the Lord’s Sacrifice at the same altar, as a sign of fully restored ecclesial communion.

Many of you belong to Churches that witness daily the spread of violence and acts of brutality perpetrated by fundamentalist extremism.  We are aware that situations of such tragic suffering more easily take root in the context of great poverty, injustice and social exclusion, due to instability created by partisan interests, often from elsewhere, and by earlier conflicts that have led to situations of dire need, cultural and spiritual deserts where it becomes easy to manipulate and incite people to hatred.  Each day your Churches, in drawing near to those who suffer, are called to sow concord and to work patiently to restore hope by offering the consoling peace that comes from the Lord, a peace we are obliged together to bring to a world wounded and in pain.

Saint Paul also writes: If one member suffers, all suffer together (1 Cor 12:26).  Your sufferings are our sufferings.  I join you in praying for an end to the conflict and for God’s closeness to those who have endured so much, especially children, the sick and the elderly.  In a particular way, my heart goes out to the bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, and the lay faithful who have been cruelly abducted, taken hostage or enslaved.

May the Christian communities be sustained by the intercession and example of our many martyrs and saints who bore courageous witness to Christ.  They show us the heart of our faith, which does not consist in a generic message of peace and reconciliation but in Jesus himself, crucified and risen.  He is our peace and our reconciliation (cf Eph 2:14; 2 Cor 5:18).   As his disciples, we are called to testify everywhere, with Christian fortitude, to his humble love that reconciles men and women in every age.  Wherever violence begets more violence and sows death, there our response must be the pure leaven of the Gospel, which, eschewing strategies of power, allows fruits of life to emerge from arid ground and hope to dawn after nights of terror.

The centre of the Christian life, the mystery of Jesus who died and rose out of love, is also the point of reference for our journey towards full unity.  Once more the martyrs show us the way.  How many times has the sacrifice of their lives led Christians, otherwise divided in so many things, to unity!  The martyrs and saints of all ecclesial traditions are already one in Christ (cf Jn 17:22); their names are written in the one common martyrology of God’s Church.  Having sacrificed themselves on earth out of love, they dwell in the one heavenly Jerusalem, gathered around the Lamb who was slain (cf Rev 7:13-17).  Their lives, offered as a gift, call us to communion, to hasten along the path to full unity.  Just as in the early Church the blood of the martyrs was the seed of new Christians, so in our own day may the blood of so many martyrs be a seed of unity between believers, a sign and instrument of a future of communion and peace.

Dear brothers, I am grateful for the efforts you make towards attaining this goal.  In thanking you for your visit, I invoke upon you and your ministry the blessing of the Lord and the loving protection of the Holy Mother of God.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Celebrating Saint Paul's Conversion

This evening, at the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided over the celebration of Vespers for the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul.  Today's ceremony marked the 50th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  The theme for this year's Week of Prayer is Reconciliation: the Love of Christ Compels Us (cf 2 Cor 5:14-20).


Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the celebration of Vespers
for the Conversion of Saint Paul

Encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus radically transformed the life of Saint Paul. Henceforth, for him, the meaning of life would no longer consist in trusting in his own ability to observe the Law strictly, but rather in cleaving with his whole being to the gracious and unmerited love of God: to Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. Paul experienced the in-breaking of a new life, life in the Spirit. By the power of the risen Lord, he came to know forgiveness, confidence and consolation. Nor could Paul keep this newness to himself. He was compelled by grace to proclaim the good news of the love and reconciliation that God offers fully in Christ to all humanity.

For the Apostle of the Gentiles, reconciliation with God, whose ambassador he became (cf 2 Cor 5:20), is a gift from Christ. This is evident in the text of the Second Letter to the Corinthians which inspired the theme of this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: Reconciliation – The Love of Christ Compels Us (cf 2 Cor 5:14-20). The love of Christ: this is not our love for Christ, but rather Christ’s love for us. Nor is the reconciliation to which we are compelled simply our own initiative. Before all else it is the reconciliation that God offers us in Christ. Prior to any human effort on the part of believers who strive to overcome their divisions, it is God’s free gift. As a result of this gift, each person, forgiven and loved, is called in turn to proclaim the Gospel of reconciliation in word and deed, to live and bear witness to a reconciled life.

Today, in the light of this, we can ask: How do we proclaim this Gospel of reconciliation after centuries of division? Paul himself helps us to find the way. He makes clear the fact that reconciliation in Christ requires sacrifice. Jesus gave his life by dying for all. Similarly, ambassadors of reconciliation are called, in his name, to lay down their lives, to live no more for themselves but for Christ who died and was raised for them (cf 2 Cor 5:14-15). As Jesus teaches, it is only when we lose our lives for love of him that we truly save them (cf Lk 9:24). This was the revolution experienced by Paul, but it is, and always has been, the Christian revolution. We live no longer for ourselves, for our own interests and image, but in the image of Christ, for him and following him, with his love and in his love.

For the Church, for every Christian confession, this is an invitation not to be caught up with programmes, plans and advantages, not to look to the prospects and fashions of the moment, but rather to find the way by constantly looking to the Lord’s cross. For there we discover our programme of life. It is an invitation to leave behind every form of isolation, to overcome all those temptations to self-absorption that prevent us from perceiving how the Holy Spirit is at work outside our familiar surroundings. Authentic reconciliation between Christians will only be achieved when we can acknowledge each other’s gifts and learn from one another, with humility and docility, without waiting for the others to learn first.

If we experience this dying to ourselves for Jesus’ sake, our old way of life will be a thing of the past and, like Saint Paul, we will pass over to a new form of life and fellowship. With Paul, we will be able to say: the old has passed away (2 Cor 5:17). To look back is helpful, and indeed necessary, to purify our memory, but to be fixated on the past, lingering over the memory of wrongs done and endured, and judging in merely human terms, can paralyze us and prevent us from living in the present. The word of God encourages us to draw strength from memory and to recall the good things the Lord has given us. But it also asks us to leave the past behind in order to follow Jesus today and to live a new life in him. Let us allow him, who makes all things new (cf Rev 21:5), to unveil before our eyes a new future, open to the hope that does not disappoint, a future in which divisions can be overcome and believers, renewed in love, will be fully and visibly one.

This year, in our journey on the road to unity, we recall in a special way the fifth centenary of the Protestant Reformation. The fact that Catholics and Lutherans can nowadays join in commemorating an event that divided Christians, and can do so with hope, placing the emphasis on Jesus and his work of atonement, is a remarkable achievement, thanks to God and prayer, and the result of fifty years of growing mutual knowledge and ecumenical dialogue.

As we implore from God the gift of reconciliation with him and with one another, I extend cordial and fraternal greetings to His Eminence, Metropolitan Gennadios, the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; to His Grace, David Moxon, the personal representative in Rome of the Archbishop of Canterbury; and to all the representatives of the various Churches and Ecclesial Communities gathered here. I am especially pleased to greet the members of the joint Commission for theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches, and to offer my good wishes for the fruitfulness of the plenary session taking place in these days. I also greet the students of the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey, who are visiting Rome to deepen their knowledge of the Catholic Church, and the Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox young people studying in Rome thanks to the scholarships provided by the Committee for Cultural Collaboration with Orthodox Churches, based in the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. To the superiors and staff of this Dicastery I express my esteem and gratitude.

Dear brothers and sisters, our prayer for Christian unity is a sharing in Jesus’ own prayer to the Father, on the eve of his passion, that they may all be one (Jn 17:21). May we never tire of asking God for this gift. With patient and trusting hope that the Father will grant all Christians the gift of full visible communion, let us press forward in our journey of reconciliation and dialogue, encouraged by the heroic witness of our many brothers and sisters, past and present, who were one in suffering for the name of Jesus. May we take advantage of every occasion that Providence offers us to pray together, to proclaim together, and together to love and serve, especially those who are the most poor and neglected in our midst.

General Audience about a Christian heroine

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

During his speech, the Pope continued the new cycle of catecheses on the theme of Christian hope, adding a meditation on the theme: Judith: the courage of a woman gives hope to the people.

After having summarized His catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed 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!

Among the figures of women presented in the Old Testament, one stands out at as a great heroine of the people: Judith.  The biblical book that bears her name narrates the massive military campaign mounted by King Nebuchadnezzar who, while reigning in Nineveh, enlarged his empire by defeating and enslaving all the people in surrounding lands.  The reader understands that he finds himself before a great, invincible enemy who is sowing death and destruction and this practice continues even to the Promised Land, endangering also the lives of the children of Israel.

In fact, Nebuchadnezzar's army, under the leadership of General Holofemes, lays siege to a city in Judea called Betulia, cutting off the water supply and therefore sapping the people's resistance.

The situation is dramatic, to the point that the inhabitants of the city turn to the elderly, begging them to surrender to the enemy.  Their words are desperate: There is no one else who can help us, because God has sold us into their hands to be cut down before them with thirst and terrible evil.  They came and said to us: God has sold us, there was great desperation among these people.  Now call them and deliver the entire city to Holofemes' people and his army for they are his prize (Judith 7:25-26).  The end now seems inevitable, the ability to trust in God is exhausted.  The ability to trust in God is exhausted.  And how many times do we find ourselves in such situations, where we no longer feel even the ability to trust the Lord?  This is a terrible temptation!  And, paradoxically, its seems that, in order to escape death, there is nothing left for them than to resign themselves into the hands of their killer.  They know that these soldiers have come to loot the city, take the women as slaves and then kill everyone else.  This is truly the limit.

And faced with such despair, the leader of the people tries to propose a reason for hope: resist for five more days, let us wait for the saving intervention of God.  But this is a source of weak hope; he eventually concludes: And if these days should pass, and no help should arrive, I will do as you have said to me (Judith 7:31).  Poor man: he had no out.  He grants God five days - and this is a sin - five days are granted for God to intervene; five days of waiting, but already with the prospect of the end in sight.  They grant five days for God to save them, but they know that they do not trust, already they are expecting the worst.  In reality, no one among the people was still able to hope.  They were all desperate.

In this situation, Judith appears on the scene.  She is a widow; a woman of great beauty and wisdom, she speaks to the people with the language of faith.  She is courageous: she scolds the people face to face, saying to them: You wanted to put the all-powerful Lord to the test ... No, brothers, do not provoke the wrath of the Lord, our God.  If he does not help us during these five days, he has full power to defend us in the days he chooses or even to make us destroy our enemies ... Therefore, let us wait in trust for the salvation that is coming from him, let us implore him, that he might come to our help and hear our cry, if it should please him (Judith 8:13, 14-15, 17).  This is the language of hope.  Let us knock at the door of God's heart, He is our Father, he can save us.  This woman, a widow, was willing to risk making a bad impression in front of the others!  But she was courageous!  Keep going!  This is my opinion: women are more courageous than men. (Applause in the hall)

And with the strength of a prophet, Judith reminds the men among her people, helping them to re-establish trust in God; with the eye of a prophet, she sees beyond the strict horizon proposed by the leaders, one that is all the more limited by the people's fear.  God will surely act - she affirms - while the prospect of five days of waiting is a way to tempt him and to attempt to escape his will.  The Lord is the God of salvation - and she believes in this truth - whatever form his will should take.  Salvation frees us from our enemies and brings us life but, according to God's impenetrable plans, can salvation also condemn us to death?  A woman of faith, she knows.  And we know the end of the story, how it ends: God saves.

Dear brothers and sisters, let us never put conditions on God; instead, let us allow hope to be victorious against our fears.  Trusting in God means entering into his plans without any pretense, even accepting that his salvation and his help will always be granted us, even if they are different from our expectations.  We ask the Lord for life, health, help and happiness; and it is good to do so, but with the awareness that God is able to bring life even out of death, and that we can be calm even in solitude and bliss while there are tears.  It is not we who can teach God what he should do, or what we need.  He knows these things better than we do, and we should trust him, because his ways and his thoughts are different from ours.

The journey that Judith points out to us is that of faith, of waiting in peace, of prayer and obedience.  It is the journey of hope.  This is not an easy resignation - to do everything we can while remaining docile to the will of the Lord, because - as we know - Judith prayed a lot, she spoke often to the people and then, courageously, she went, seeking the best way to get close to the leader of the army and succeeded in cutting off his head, cutting his throat.  She was courageous both in faith and in works.  She constantly sought the Lord!  In fact, Judith had her own plan, she acted on it successfully and brought her people to victory, but always with an attitude of faith, of one who accepts everything from the hand of God, confident in his goodness.

So it is that a woman full of faith and courage gave strength to her people who were in mortal peril and led them along the path of hope; she points out this path of hope also to us.  And if we look back in our memories, how often have we heard wise words, courageous words spoken by humble people, by humble women who we think - without despising them - that they were ignorant ... But these are words of God's wisdom!  Words spoken by grandmothers ... How often does it happen that grandmothers know how to speak the right words, words of hope, because they have life experience, they have suffered so much, they have relied on God and the Lord has given them the gift of wisdom and hope.  And, following along this path, the path of Easter joy and light, they rely on the Lord with the words of Jesus: Father, if it is your will, take this cup from me ... but nonetheless, not my will but yours be done (Lk 22:42).  And this is the prayer of wisdom, of trust and of hope.



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

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from the United States of America. During this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity I offer a special greeting to the group from the Bossey Ecumenical Institute and to the choir of Westminster Abbey, whom I thank for their praise of God in song. Upon all of you, and your families, I cordially invoke an abundance of joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Message for the Day of Social Communications

Fear not, for I am with you (Is 43:5) is the theme of the Message of hope and trust published today by the Holy Father, Pope Francis in anticipation of the 51st World Day of Social Communications.  This special day will be observed in many countries throughout the world on 28 May 2017, the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.


Message of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the 51st World Day of Social Communications

Fear not, for I am with you (Is 43:5)
Communicating Hope and Trust in our Time

Access to the media – thanks to technological progress – makes it possible for countless people to share news instantly and spread it widely. That news may be good or bad, true or false. The early Christians compared the human mind to a constantly grinding millstone; it is up to the miller to determine what it will grind: good wheat or worthless weeds. Our minds are always grinding, but it is up to us to choose what to feed them (cf Saint John Cassian, Epistle to Leontius).

I wish to address this message to all those who, whether in their professional work or personal relationships, are like that mill, daily grinding out information with the aim of providing rich fare for those with whom they communicate. I would like to encourage everyone to engage in constructive forms of communication that reject prejudice towards others and foster a culture of encounter, helping all of us to view the world around us with realism and trust.

I am convinced that we have to break the vicious circle of anxiety and stem the spiral of fear resulting from a constant focus on bad news (wars, terrorism, scandals and all sorts of human failure). This has nothing to do with spreading misinformation that would ignore the tragedy of human suffering, nor is it about a naive optimism blind to the scandal of evil. Rather, I propose that all of us work at overcoming that feeling of growing discontent and resignation that can at times generate apathy, fear or the idea that evil has no limits. Moreover, in a communications industry which thinks that good news does not sell, and where the tragedy of human suffering and the mystery of evil easily turn into entertainment, there is always the temptation that our consciences can be dulled or slip into pessimism.

I would like, then, to contribute to the search for an open and creative style of communication that never seeks to glamourize evil but instead to concentrate on solutions and to inspire a positive and responsible approach on the part of its recipients. I ask everyone to offer the people of our time storylines that are at heart good news.

Good news
Life is not simply a bare succession of events, but a history, a story waiting to be told through the choice of an interpretative lens that can select and gather the most relevant data. In and of itself, reality has no one clear meaning. Everything depends on the way we look at things, on the lens we use to view them. If we change that lens, reality itself appears different. So how can we begin to read reality through the right lens?

For us Christians, that lens can only be the good news, beginning with the Good News par excellence: the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God (Mk 1:1). With these words, Saint Mark opens his Gospel not by relating good news about Jesus, but rather the good news that is Jesus himself. Indeed, reading the pages of his Gospel, we learn that its title corresponds to its content and, above all else, this content is the very person of Jesus.

This good news – Jesus himself – is not good because it has nothing to do with suffering, but rather because suffering itself becomes part of a bigger picture. It is seen as an integral part of Jesus’ love for the Father and for all mankind. In Christ, God has shown his solidarity with every human situation. He has told us that we are not alone, for we have a Father who is constantly mindful of his children. Fear not, for I am with you (Is 43:5): these are the comforting words of a God who is immersed in the history of his people. In his beloved Son, this divine promise – I am with you – embraces all our weakness, even to dying our death. In Christ, even darkness and death become a point of encounter with Light and Life. Hope is born, a hope accessible to everyone, at the very crossroads where life meets the bitterness of failure. That hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts (cf Rom 5:5) and makes new life blossom, like a shoot that springs up from the fallen seed. Seen in this light, every new tragedy that occurs in the world’s history can also become a setting for good news, inasmuch as love can find a way to draw near and to raise up sympathetic hearts, resolute faces and hands ready to build anew.

Confidence in the seed of the Kingdom
To introduce his disciples and the crowds to this Gospel mindset and to give them the right lens needed to see and embrace the love that dies and rises, Jesus uses parables. He frequently compares the Kingdom of God to a seed that releases its potential for life precisely when it falls to the earth and dies (cf Mk 4:1-34). This use of images and metaphors to convey the quiet power of the Kingdom does not detract from its importance and urgency; rather, it is a merciful way of making space for the listener to freely accept and appropriate that power. It is also a most effective way to express the immense dignity of the Paschal mystery, leaving it to images, rather than concepts, to communicate the paradoxical beauty of new life in Christ. In that life, hardship and the cross do not obstruct, but bring about God’s salvation; weakness proves stronger than any human power; and failure can be the prelude to the fulfilment of all things in love. This is how hope in the Kingdom of God matures and deepens: it is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow (Mk 4:26-27).

The Kingdom of God is already present in our midst, like a seed that is easily overlooked, yet silently takes root. Those to whom the Holy Spirit grants keen vision can see it blossoming. They do not let themselves be robbed of the joy of the Kingdom by the weeds that spring up all about.

The horizons of the Spirit
Our hope based on the good news which is Jesus himself makes us lift up our eyes to contemplate the Lord in the liturgical celebration of the Ascension. Even though the Lord may now appear more distant, the horizons of hope expand all the more. In Christ, who brings our human nature to heaven, every man and woman can now freely enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh (Heb 10:19-20). By the power of the Holy Spirit we can be witnesses and communicators of a new and redeemed humanity even to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:7‑8).

Confidence in the seed of God’s Kingdom and in the mystery of Easter should also shape the way we communicate. This confidence enables us to carry out our work – in all the different ways that communication takes place nowadays – with the conviction that it is possible to recognize and highlight the good news present in every story and in the face of each person.

Those who, in faith, entrust themselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit come to realize how God is present and at work in every moment of our lives and history, patiently bringing to pass a history of salvation. Hope is the thread with which this sacred history is woven, and its weaver is none other than the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. Hope is the humblest of virtues, for it remains hidden in the recesses of life; yet it is like the yeast that leavens all the dough. We nurture it by reading ever anew the Gospel, reprinted in so many editions in the lives of the saints who became icons of God’s love in this world. Today too, the Spirit continues to sow in us a desire for the Kingdom, thanks to all those who, drawing inspiration from the Good News amid the dramatic events of our time, shine like beacons in the darkness of this world, shedding light along the way and opening ever new paths of confidence and hope.

From the Vatican
24 January 2017

Francis

Vatican at work in Aleppo

On behalf of the Holy Father, from 18 to 23 January, the Chief Secretary of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development, Monsignor Giampietro Dal Toso, visited Aleppo, together with Cardinal Mario Zenari, the Apostolic Nuncio to Syria and the Counsellor of the Nunciature, Monsignor Thomas Habib.  This was the first official visit by a Representative of the Holy See following the end of the hostilities in Aleppo.

The delegation was able to meet the Christian community and their pastors, who expressed gratitude to the Pope for his constant concern for beloved Syria.  They also visited Catholic care institutions and some of the refugee camps.  In particular, a humanitarian assistance centre which is run by Caritas Aleppo in the Hannano neighbourhood.  During their mission, they participated in an ecumenical moment of prayer organized as part of the week of prayer for the unity of Christians and witnessed the conditions in some Catholic hospital settings, in the light of future plans to rebuild and re-open them.  They also met with representatives of Islam; during their meetings, religious and educative responsibility for peace and reconciliation were discussed.  In the course of the visit, civil and religious authorities paid homage to the delegation, expressing particular gratitude for the Holy Father's offer to elevate to the dignity of Cardinal,  the Pontifical Representative in that country and recognizing in this gesture the special closeness of the Pope to the martyred people of Syria.

Finally, in their meetings with Catholic charity organizations, the importance of the assistance provided was pointed out, to the benefit of all Syrian people.  With the support of the universal Church, and thanks to the generous contribution of the international community, it is hoped that this assistance will intensify in the future in order to meet the growing needs of the Syrian people.  Among the most immediate concerns, those relating to the need for food, clothing, eduction, health and housing should be highlighted.

Monday, January 23, 2017

Working to combat

At 11:45am today, in the Consistory Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the members of the National Anti-mafia and Anti-terrorism Directorate.

Following the greetings offered by Doctor Franco Roberti, National Anti-mafia and Anti-terrorism Procurator, the Pope offered the following words to those who were present:


Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the audience with National Directors
of Anti-mafia and Anti-terrorism efforts

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to welcome you who represent the National Directors of Anti-mafia and Anti-terrorism efforts.  I cordially greet and thank Doctor Franco Roberti for his words.

The duties entrusted to you by the State concern the prosecution of offences committed by three large criminal organizations: mafia, camorra and ndrangheta.  Exploiting economic, social and political deficiencies, they find fertile ground for the execution of their deplorable efforts. Among your competences, there is also a fight against terrorism, which is becoming increasingly cosmopolitan and devastating.  I wish to express my appreciation and my encouragement of your activities, which are difficult and risky, but more essential than ever for overcoming and freeing those who are caught in the power of such criminal organizations, which are responsible for so much violence and oppression, stained with human blood.

Society must be healed of corruption, extortion, illegal trafficking of drugs and arms, human trafficking, including that of many children, who are thus enslaved.  These are authentic social wounds and, at the same time, global challenges which the international community is called to face with determination.  In this perspective, I have learned that your law enforcement activities are appropriately carried out in collaboration with colleagues from other States.  Such work, achieved in collaboration and with effective means, provides an effective cushion of security for the community.

Society relies heavily upon your professionalism and your experience of prosecutors engages in combatting and eradicating organized crime.  I urge you to devote every effort especially to fighting against the trafficking of persons and the smuggling of migrants: these are serious crimes that involve the weakest of the weak!  In this regard, we need to increase our efforts in caring for these victims, providing legal and social assistance to these brothers and sisters of ours who seek peace and a future.  Those who must flee their own countries because of war, violence and persecution have a right to find adequate welcome and suitable protection in the countries that call themselves civil.

To complement and to reinforce your precious work of repression, we need widespread educational interventions, offered especially to younger generations.  For this reason, various educational agencies, including families, schools, Christian communities, sports and cultural groups, are called to promote a knowledge of morality and legality aimed at modelling a lifestyle that is honest, peaceful and united; little by little, these efforts can overcome evil and pave the way toward good.  It's a matter of beginning with conscience, restoring intentions, choices, and individual attitudes so that the social fabric can be opened to hope for a better world.

The mafia phenomenon, an expression of a culture of death, is based on opposition and fighting.  It is radically opposed to faith and to the gospel, which are always aimed at life.  When we follow Christ, we are filled with thoughts of peace and fraternity, justice, welcome and forgiveness.  When the sap of the gospel flows in the disciple of Christ, good fruit ripens, fruit that is recognizable even on the outside, with corresponding comportment, which the apostle Paul identifies with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self control (Gal 5:22).

I think of the many Catholic parishes and associations which are witnesses of these fruits.  They play a commendable role in their surroundings, focused on promoting people, culture and society, and gradually working at pulling the weeds from the roots of organized crime and corruption.  In these initiatives, we can also see the closeness of the Church to those who live in dramatic situations and who need help in order to escape the spiral of violence and to realize the rebirth of hope.

Dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord always provide for you the strength to carry on, to not become discouraged, but to continue fighting against corruption, violence, the mafia and terrorism.  I know that the work you are doing also poses risks to your lives, this I know; and the risk of other hazards to you and your families.  The mafia's way of acting causes such concern.  For this reason, you require additional passion, a sense of duty and strength of soul, and also, on our part, on the part of all citizens who benefit from your work, additional support, prayer and closeness.  I assure you that we are very close to you as you work, and we are praying for you.

At the same time, may the just and merciful Lord touch the hearts of men and women of various mafias, that they might stop, cease doing evil, be converted and change their lives.  Money derived from dirty business and mafia activity is blood money and it produces power unfairly.  We all know that the devil enters through the pockets; that's where the first corruption can be found.

Upon you, your families and your work, I invoke the support of the Lord.  I repeat: I am very close to you.  And I also ask you to pray for me; with all my heart, I impart my blessing.

May the Lord bless all of you and your families.

(Blessing)

New website for the Vatican Museums

At 11:15am today, at the offices of the Holy See Press Centre, there was a Press Conference held to introduce the Vatican Museum's new website.

Present to provide input at this Press Conference were His Excellency, Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, LC, General Secretary of the Vatican City's Governatorato and Director of the Telecommunications Directorate; Monsignor Dario Edoardo Viganò, Prefect of the Secretariat for Communications; and Doctor Barbara Jatta, Director of the Vatican Museums.

The Vatican Museums' new website is available at the same web address (www.museivaticani.va) and is offered in five languages: Italian, English, Spanish, German and French.

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Angelus with wisdom from Capharnaum

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


Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today's gospel passage (cf Mt 4:12-23) narrates the beginning of Jesus' preaching in Galilee.  He leaves Nazareth, a village in the mountains, and moves to Capharnaum, an important centre located on the banks of the lake, inhabited for the most part by pagans, at the crossroads between the Mediteranian and the Mesopotamian hinterland.  This choice indicates that those who received his preaching were not only his own fellow citizens but many others arrived from the surrounding areas - Galilee of the Gentiles (Mt 4:15; cf Is 8:23) as it was known.  Seen from Jerusalem - the capital - this land was geographically on the peripheries and religiously impure because it was filled with pagans, a mixing of those who did not belong to Israel.  Throughout the history of salvation, nothing had ever been expected to come from Galilee.  However - from that very place - the light which has been the subject of our reflection over the past few Sundays rose: the light of Christ.  It began and spread from the periphery.

Jesus' message continues that of the Baptist, proclaiming the kingdom of heaven (Mt 4:17).  This kingdom does not involve the establishment of a new political power, but the accomplishment of the covenant between God and his people which begins a period of peace and justice.  In order to sharpen this covenant with God, every person is called to change, to be transformed in his way of thinking and living.  This is important: conversion is not only a matter of changing the way we live, but also the way we think.  It is a transformation in our thoughts.  It is not a matter of changing clothes, but of changing our habits!  The thing that differentiated Jesus from John the Baptist was his style and his method.  Jesus chose to be an itinerant prophet.  He did not wait for people to come to him; instead he went out to them. Jesus is always on the road!  His first missionary encounters took place on the banks of the sea of Galilee, where he was in contact with the crowds, especially with the fishermen.  There, Jesus didn't only proclaim the coming of the kingdom of God, he also sought out companions to share in the mission of salvation.  In this same place, he encountered two sets of brothers: Simon and Andrew as well as James and John; he called them, saying to them: Come follow me, I will make you fishers of men (Mt 4:19).  His call reaches them in the midst of their everyday activities: the Lord reveals himself to us not in extraordinary or surprising ways, but in the everyday activities of our lives.  It is there that we find the Lord, and there that He is revealed, he allows us to encounter the love that is in his heart; and there - through dialogue with Him in the midst of our daily lives - he changes our hearts.  The response of the four fishermen was immediate: At once, they left their nets and followed him (Mt 4:20).  In fact, we know that these had also been disciples of the Baptist and that, as a result of his witness, they had already begun to believe in Jesus as the Messiah (cf Jn 1:35-42).

Today, we Christians have the joy of proclaiming and bearing witness to our faith because of that first proclamation, because of those humble and courageous men who responded so generously to Jesus' call.  On the banks of the lake, in an unthinkable place, the first community of Christ's disciples was born.  Awareness of these beginnings can inspire within us a desire to proclaim the words, the love and the tenderness of Jesus in every context, even those that are the most impervious and resistant.  Proclaiming the Word to every periphery!  Every place where mankind lives is a place where we can sow the seeds of the gospel, so that it can bear the fruit of salvation.

May the Virgin Mary help us with her maternal intercession to joyfully respond to Jesus' call, to place ourselves at the service of the Kingdom of God.



At the conclusion of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:

Dear brothers and sisters,

We are beginning the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  This year, the theme for the week is an expression taken from Saint Paul, who points out the road that we must follow.  He says: The love of Christ compels us toward reconciliation (cf 2 Cor 5:14).  On Wednesday of this week, we will conclude the Week of Prayer with a celebration of Vespers in the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls, including the participation of brothers and sisters from other Churches and Christian communities present in Rome.  I invite you to persevere in prayer, that Jesus desire will be accomplished: That they all may be one (Jn 17:21).

In recent days, an earthquake and heavy snow have once again placed a strain on many of our brothers and sisters in central Italy, especially in the regions of Abruzzo, Marche and Lazio.  I am close to all the families who count victims among their loved ones with my prayer and my affection.  I encourage all those who are committed with great generosity to relief efforts and to providing assistance; as well as the local Churches, who are working diligently to alleviate the sufferings of so many who are in difficulty.  Thank you very much for your closeness, for your work and for the concrete assistance that you are providing.  Thank you!  I invite you all to pray with me, asking Our Lady to watch over the victims and all those who, with great generosity are committed to helping those who are in need.

Recitation of the Hail Mary

In the Far East and in various other parts of the world, millions of men and women are preparing to celebrate the lunar New Year on January 28.  My cordial greetings go out to all of them and their families, with a wish that families will become more and more schools in which people can learn to respect one another, to communicate and to take care of one another in an unselfish way.  May the joy of such love spread throughout families and radiate throughout all of society.

I greet all of you, faithful of Rome and pilgrims from various other countries, especially the group of young adults from Panama and the students from the Diego Sánchez Institute in Talavera la Real (Spain).

I greet the Catholic Teachers' Union members, executives, teachers and trainers who have now completed their 25th National Congress, and I wish for them much fruitfulness in their work of education, in collaboration with families.  Always in collaboration with families!

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