At the conclusion of the 500th anniversary

This morning, the Holy See Press Centre published a joint statement between the World Lutheran Federation and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity at the conclusion of the year commemorating the Reformation.

Joint Statement by the Lutheran World Federation

and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity

at the conclusion of the year of the common 

commemoration  of the Reformation, 31st October 2017

On 31st of October 2017, the final day of the year of the common ecumenical Commemoration of the Reformation, we are very thankful for the spiritual and theological gifts received through the Reformation, a commemoration that we have shared together and with our ecumenical partners globally. Likewise, we begged forgiveness for our failures and for the ways in which Christians have wounded the Body of the Lord and offended each other during the five hundred years since the beginning of the Reformation until today.

We, Lutherans and Catholics, are profoundly grateful for the ecumenical journey that we have travelled together during the last fifty years. This pilgrimage, sustained by our common prayer, worship and ecumenical dialogue, has resulted in the removal of prejudices, the increase of mutual understanding and the identification of decisive theological agreements. In the face of so many blessings along the way, we raise our hearts in praise of the Triune God for the mercy we receive.

On this day we look back on a year of remarkable ecumenical events, beginning on 31 October 2016 with the joint Lutheran - Catholic common prayer in Lund, Sweden, in the presence of our ecumenical partners. While leading that service, Pope Francis and Bishop Munib A. Younan, then President of the Lutheran World Federation, signed a joint statement with the commitment to continue the ecumenical journey together towards the unity that Christ prayed for (cf John 17:21). On the same day, our joint service to those in need of our help and solidarity has also been strengthened by a letter of intent between Caritas Internationalis and the Lutheran World Federation World Service.

Pope Francis and President Younan stated together: Many members of our communities yearn to receive the Eucharist at one table, as the concrete expression of full unity. We experience the pain of those who share their whole lives, but cannot share God’s redeeming presence at the Eucharistic table. We acknowledge our joint pastoral responsibility to respond to the spiritual thirst and hunger of our people to be one in Christ. We long for this wound in the Body of Christ to be healed. This is the goal of our ecumenical endeavours, which we wish to advance, also by renewing our commitment to theological dialogue.

Among the blessings of this year of Commemoration is the fact that for the first time Lutherans and Catholics have seen the Reformation from an ecumenical perspective. This has allowed new insight into the events of the sixteenth century which led to our separation. We recognize that while the past cannot be changed, its influence upon us today can be transformed to become a stimulus for growing communion, and a sign of hope for the world to overcome division and fragmentation. Again, it has become clear that what we have in common is far more than that which still divides us.

We rejoice that the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, solemnly signed by the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church in 1999, has also been signed by the World Methodist Council in 2006 and, during this Commemoration Year of the Reformation, by the World Communion of Reformed Churches.  On this very day it is being welcomed and received by the Anglican Communion at a solemn ceremony in Westminster Abbey.  On this basis our Christian communions can build an ever closer bond of spiritual consensus and common witness in the service of the Gospel.

We acknowledge with appreciation the many events of common prayer and worship that Lutherans and Catholics have held together with their ecumenical partners in different parts of the world, as well as the theological encounters and the significant publications that have given substance to this year of Commemoration.

Looking forward, we commit ourselves to continue our journey together, guided by God's Spirit, towards the greater unity according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ. With God’s help we intend to discern in a prayerful manner our understanding on Church, Eucharist and Ministry, seeking a substantial consensus so as to overcome remaining differences between us. With deep joy and gratitude we trust that He who has begun a good work in us will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:6).

New Chaldean Bishop of Toronto

This morning, the Holy Father, Pope Francis has appointed a new Eparchial Bishop for the Eparchy of Mar Addai of Toronto (Canada) for Chaldean Catholics in the person of His Excellency, Bawai Soro, who has now been transferred from the titular See of Foraziana.

His Excellency, Bawai Soro

Eparch of Mar Addai of Toronto

His Excellency, Bawai Soro was born on 3 March 1954 in Kirkuk (Iraq) and was baptized (with the name of Ashur Soro) in the Eastern Assyrian Church.  In 1973, his family left Iraq and, after some years spent in Lebanon, they moved to the United States of America in 1976.  He was ordained a priest on 21 February 1982 in Chicago (USA) and named Pastor of Saint Mary's parish in Toronto (Canada).

Elected as Bishop of the newly-formed Assyrian Eparchy for the Western United States, with the See in San José (California, USA), on 21 October 1984, he was consecrated a Bishop in Chicago (with the name of Bawai Soro).  From 1995-1999, he was Bishop of Seattle, before returning to the See of San José in 1999.  His Excellency was one of the most convincing promoter of dialogue between the Assyrian Church and the Catholic Church.  He studied at the Catholic University of America (Washington), obtaining the degree of Master of Theology in 1992; and at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome, where he earned a Doctorate in Sacred Theology in 2002.

In June 2013, the Synod of Chaldean Bishops welcomed His Excellency as one of their members and on 11 January 2014, the Holy Father, Pope Francis assigned him to the Titular See of Foraziana.  He served as Eparchial Protosincello (Assistant to the Eparch) of Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego for Chaldeans (USA) until the appointment of that See's current Bishop - His Excellency, Emmanuel Hanna Shaleta - on 1 August 2017.

The greatest Commandment: love

Here is the text of the reflection I prepared for this weekend's gatherings of God's people: some thoughts about the greatest Commandment and how we can live its truth.

Gossip can be overcome by love

The scriptures speak to us today of the plight of migrants.  It seems as though people have been moving from place to place in some parts of our world ever since the beginning of time, but it often happens that those who are on the move are not welcomed with open arms in every place they visit.  Even the Book of Exodus paints a picture of the difficulties that were faced by those who wandered from place to place.  There must have been some level of intolerance, otherwise the writer would never have advised: You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien (Ex 22:21).  Why is it so hard for us to see one another as brothers and sisters?

At some level within each one of us, we long to experience the ideal family: parents and siblings who love and support one another no matter what happens; relatives who find joy in one another’s company.  Yet, it seems that far too often, we fall prey to the old temptation to believe in what some would call narcissism: fascination or love for one’s self, a human tendency that is also known as vanity.

One of the most dangerous outcomes of vanity is the tendency to gossip.  Consider just for a moment the last time that you were tempted to speak about someone else, or to spread rumors without verifying the facts first.  On more than one occasion, Pope Francis has spoken about gossip.  He says that gossip is poison.  It has the ability to ruin relationships between family members, within Religious communities – remember that our Pope is a Jesuit – and within parish communities.

When asked about the antidote for gossip, the Holy Father simply replied: bite your tongue.

Jesus also gives us an antidote for the temptation to gossip.  When he was questioned by the Pharisees about which one of the commandments in the Law was the greatest - the most important – he actually pointed to two of them: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (Mt 22:37) ... and ... you shall love your neighbour as yourself (Mt 22:39).

God loves each one of us.  He wants only the best for each one of us.  If we truly love him in return, we too will only want the best for him, and the way that we show our love for him is through the way that we love one another.  Ever since the earliest times of the Church, communities of faith have learned about Jesus, about his love for us and about the power of love to overcome all kinds of obstacles.  Throughout the centuries, Christians have always sought to receive the word of God with joy, inspired by the Holy Spirit (1 Thes 1:6) and in so doing, many have become examples of holiness for the rest of us.

This week, let us all try to remember that there is a part of each of us that is a migrant: an alien in a foreign land (cf Ex 22:21).  Whether we want to admit it or not, there is a part of us that is uneasy about what the future will hold.  We have a choice: to allow this uneasiness to turn us all inward and to make us all narcissists or to trust that we are all part of God’s family, that he is leading us to a future that we do not know, but that He is our living and true God (cf 1 Thes 1:9) and that he will always care for us, always love us and always want the best for us.

Les commérages peuvent être surmontés par l’amour

Les Saints Écritures que nous venons d’entendre nous parlent du sort des migrants.  Il semble que les gens se soit déplacés d’un endroit à l’autre dans certains parties de notre monde depuis le début des temps, mais il arrive souvent que ceux qui se sont déplacés ne sont pas toujours accueilli à bras ouverts là où ils arrivent.  Même le livre de l’Exode dresse un tableau de difficultés rencontrées par ceux qui erraient d’un endroit à l’autre.  Il devait y avoir un certain degré d’intolérance; autrement, l’écrivain n’aurait jamais conseillé: Tu n’exploiteras pas l’immigré, tu ne l’opprimeras pas (Ex 22,21).  Pourquoi est-il si difficile pour nous de vivre ensemble comme frères et soeurs?

À un certain niveau, nous aspirons tous à vivre l’expérience de la famille idéale: les parents et les frères et soeurs qui s’aiment et qui se soutienent mutuellement quoi qu’il arrive; des parents qui expérimentent la joie profonde tout simplement en compagnie des autres.  Pourtant, il semble que trop souvent, nous sommes victimes de l’ancienne tentation de croire en ce que certains appellent le narcissisme: la facination ou l’amour de soi-même, une tendance humaine également connu sous le nom de vanité.

L’un des resultats les plus dangereux de la vanité et la tendance au commérage.  Consiérez pour un instant la dernière fois où vous avez été tenté de parler de quelqu’un d’autre ou de répandre des rumeurs sans vérifier les faits en premier.  À plusieurs reprises, le Pape François a parlé des commérages.  Il dit que les commérages sont du poison.  Ils ont la capacité de ruiner les relations entre des membres d’une famille, entre les membres d’une communauté religieuse – il faut se souvenir que le Pape François est jesuite – et entre des paroissiens et paroissiennes.

Intérrogé sur l’antidote pour les commérages, le Saint-Père a simplement répondu: mordez votre langue.

Jésus nous propose aussi un antidote à la tentation de commérer.  Lorsqu’il a été intérogé par les pharisiens concernant lequel des commandements de la Loi était le plus important, il en a nommé deux: Tu aimeras le Seigneur ton Dieu de tout ton coeur, de toute ton âme et de tout ton esprit (Mt 22,37) ... et ... tu aimeras ton prochain comme toi-même (Mt 22,39).

Le Seigneur nous aime tous.  Il ne veut que le meilleur pour chacun d’entre nous.  Si nous l’aimons vraiement, nous ne voulons que ce qu’il y a de mieux pour lui, et nous démontrons notre amour pour lui par la façon dont nous nous aimons les uns les autres.  Depuis les premières siècles, les chrétiens ont toujours entendu parler de Jésus, de son amour pour nous et du pouvoir de l’amour de surmonter toutes sortes d’obstacles.  Au cours des siècles, les chrétiens ont toujours cherché à accueillir la Parole ... de Dieu ... avec la joie de l’Esprit Saint (1 Thes 1,6) et, ce faisant, beaucoup d’entre eux sont devenus des modèles de la sainteté pour nous.

Essayons de nous rappeler pendant cette semaine qu’il y a une partie de chacun de nous qui est migrant: étranger dans un pays étranger (cf Ex 22,21).  Que nous voulions l’admettre ou non, il y a une partie de nous qui s’inquiète face au futur.  Nous avons tous un choix: permettre à cette inquiétude de nous fixer tous en soi-même pour nous rendre tous narcissiques ou croire que nous faisons tous parti de la famille de Dieu, qu’Il nous mène vers un avenir que nous ne connaissons pas, mais qu’Il est notre Dieu vivant et véritable (cf 1 Thes 1,9) et qu’il prendra toujours soins de nous, qu’il nous aime toujours et qu’il veut toujours notre bonheur.

One year after the earthquake in Nursia

This morning, in the Basilica of Saint Benedict in Nursia, His Eminence, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of His Holiness celebrated a Mass to commemorate the first anniversary of the earthquake that struck that region one year ago.

Homily of His Eminence, Pietro Cardinal Parolin

on the first anniversary of the earthquake in Nursia

Your Excellency,
Distinguished Authorities,
Dear priests,
Dear citizens of Nursia,
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We are gathered today for this Eucharistic celebration in front of the facade of the Basilica of Saint Benedict, one year after the earthquake in Valnerina which, after the first tremors that struck on 24 August, between 26 and 30 October 2016 disrupted the normal rhythm of life in these lands, rich in art, beautiful landscapes and cultural traditions, which have found their greatest inspiration in the Christian faith, lived and witnessed to throughout the centuries.  A faith that has been lived and witnessed to throughout the centuries, which has shaped the face of these hills and these spaces, ideal for reflection and contemplation, which have shaped your consciences and the architecture of your town squares and your churches.

The beauty of creation and the labours of mankind who cares for it, the harmonious succession of the valleys, rivers, lakes and mountains and the work of mankind to wisely construct towns and cities is nevertheless always part of the great mystery of the universe, dealing with the irrationality of the forces of nature, which often appear as opportunities and riches to be wisely managed and sometimes expressed as destructive forces, which we cannot prevent with precision, nor entirely control.

An earthquake demonstrates one of these forces, and it reminds us that, even if we can do a lot to control its effects, our existence remains subject to the immensity of cosmic forces.  Above all, it reminds us that creation - splendid and worthy of our admiration - remains in the hands of the Creator and all human beings are also in His hands, led by Him to our final destiny of salvation, peace and happiness, in that place where there will be no earthquakes in the soil nor any anxieties in our souls, a place where we will realize all our dreams.

The facade of this Basilica, covered with the scaffolding needed for its reconstruction, is an emblem of the earthquake, but more than that, it is evidence of human beings' ability to rise again, to return to hope, to look up toward the heavens and, with the strength of this gaze, to turn back toward the earth and to put all our intelligence, our mastery, our imagination and our commitment to the service of a combined choir, to rise together, along with the walls of the houses, the places of work and the churches, also the morale of people and of communities who are happy to be alive.

The readings for this 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time are helpful.  There is a common thread that unites them and it is precisely the close relation between the love of God and the love we have for others, between contemplation and action, between adoration of Our Lord and entire availability to serve others, for each of us to be visible witnesses of charity for others.

As we have heard in today's passage fro Matthew's gospel, the greatest commandment has a two-fold inseparable form, one of which confirms the truth and the necessity of the other.

In fact, we cannot truly love our neighbour if we do not love the Lord, if we do not give him the place of first importance, if - explicitly or implicitly - we do not recognize the fact that we are dependent on Someone who is much greater than we are, someone who is at the root of our being and who we will meet in all his fullness at the end of our earthly pilgrimage.

Without this interior peace that comes from knowing the love of God and from being reconciled to Him, love for our neighbour is subject to the serious risk of grave distortion and paralysis.  Without loving God, love for our enemies is something inconceivable, and it also becomes very difficult for us to love those who are far away from us, those who are different from us.  In the end, it is even difficult for us to intelligently love those who are close to us, ourselves and the creation in which we are immersed and in which we move.  In fact, when a solid relationship with God is missing, we end up no longer even able to endure our own limits, much less the wounds and the aspirations that existence itself involves.

However, on the other hand, love for God which wants to isolate itself from being human would instead be its most evident denial.  If God sent his Son into the world to save us, if the cross demonstrates the vertex of God's love for the human being, how can someone who believes in God not love another human being?  How can we not realize that the most secure confirmation of our love for God, who we cannot see, is to love, to show compassion and tenderness for human beings who we meet every day?

As the apostle James said: What good is it, my brothers, if someone says that he has faith but does not have works?  Can his faith save him?  If a brother or a sister has no clothing and no food for the day, and one of you says to him or to her: 'Go in peace, keep warm and well fed', but does not provide the necessities for his or her body, what use is that?  So it is with faith: if it is not followed with good works, faith itself is dead (Jas 2:14-17).

In his turn, Saint John Chrysostom warned: Do you honour the body of Christ?  Do not allow it to be scorned in its members, in the poor, deprived of clothing to wear.  Do not pay honour to Christ's body here in the church with silk fabrics, while outside you overlook the fact that Christ is suffering from the cold and from nakedness ... The body of Christ that is here on the altar does not need clothing, neither do our souls, but souls which are outside of this place need much care (Homily number 5 on the gospel of Matthew).

The Pharisees were scholars, but they were closed up and incapable of opening themselves to the fullness of truth, believing that they were putting Jesus in danger with their question about which was the greatest commandment.  However, the Lord's response puts before the mirror every conscience that claims to believe in God and invites it to confirm His faith, his mercy, his kindness and his generosity toward others in need and toward everyone.

The Pharisees, like all those who are hiding behind the literal observance of laws and traditions in order to betray the undisturbed and authentic spirit, are those who will find themselves in trouble, those who have been sent to live in the fullness of God's love and love for their neighbours, if they truly intend to be religious.

As a result of natural disasters, after the elements have begun, there is also evidence of generosity, altruism, the rush to give one's own time, one's own energies and one's own money in order to help those who are most affected and people who are in need.  In such situations, together with public powers, synergy with associations of civil society and individuals, have committed themselves to common actions in order to bring about effective relief.

I think in concrete terms of the various public institutions and particularly of those who protect civilians and other various local and state institutions, and the solidarity demonstrated to the Church of Spoleto-Norcia by the Holy Father, by various Dioceses and by the Episcopal Conference; I think of the generosity of parishes, institutions and religious associations, and in a special way, I think of the support ad the closeness that has been demonstrated by diocesan and national offices of Caritas.  I think of the many private citizens who have given their active contributions.

Significant also was the commitment of European institutions who have funded the work of reconstructing this Basilica, implicitly recognizing the irreplaceable role of Christianity and culture in inspiring all of Europe.

The generosity that is unavoidably demonstrated in the aftermath of calamity also represents an implicit manifestation of faith, which begins with recognizing the fact that we are all brothers and sisters and that we can help one another to resolve our difficulties.  Every gesture of charity contains within itself a seed of faith and of the light of hope.

I say this not to provide any religious interpretation for every gesture of goodness, but because, where ever we encounter generosity and charity, we also perceive the perfume of God, the gentle aroma of his presence.  Anyone who is moved by charity, even if he is not fully aware of it, is moved by God, because God is charity, God is the fullness of love that is freely given.

From this highly symbolic place, I call out to all civil, ecclesial and private institutions that they work together with abundance and consistency, in harmony with all those who are concerned, in order that, the synergy demonstrated in the early days following the earthquake may continue, and indeed, intensify, in order to complete the planned work and the efforts that have begun, streamlining the procedures as much as possible.  Make every effort to avoid the scattering of people into various neighbourhoods, repeatedly injured by events involving the movements of the earth which have come about in past decades, including collapses and various other injuries.

Therefore, I hope for a united and definitive action that motivates both resources and intelligence to be employed in rebuilding, together with houses and Churches, also the souls of persons, so that they might overcome fear and resignation, two invisible calamities, yet almost as serious as an earthquake.

Dear brothers and sisters, I am happy to bring you the greetings and blessing of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, united with his prayer and his affection.

The Pope, remembering the visit that he paid to San Pellegrino in Norcia on 4 October 2016 and the audience during which he met with people from this earthquake zone on 5 January of this year, encourages you to continue the journey, to not allow yourselves to be overcome by difficulties, but to look to the future with hope.

Cari fratelli e sorelle, sono lieto di portarvi il saluto e la benedizione del Santo Padre Francesco, unita alla Sua preghiera e al Suo affetto.  He encourages you to draw from the example of your own history the strength which has always allowed you to rise again after every difficult trial.

The Holy Father hopes that you will all soon overcome the aftermath of this earthquake through the commitment and in solidarity with many other brothers and sisters.  He encourages you to place your affectionate trust in the Lord Jesus and in his Mother Mary, to open yourselves, the doors of your hearts and your minds to them without hesitation, so that you might receive the Lord's consolation and the energy that you need in order to continue the work of reconstruction with determination and courage.

Amen.

Angelus on the greatest commandments

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 His Holiness, Pope Francis

prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

This Sunday, the liturgy presents us with a brief but very important passage of scripture (cf Mt 22:34-40).  The evangelist Matthew says that the Pharisees had gathered to put Jesus to the test.  One of them, a doctor of the Law, asked Jesus this question: Master, in the Law, which is the greatest commandment? (Mt 22:36).  This is an insidious question because there are more than six hundred precepts in the Law of Moses.  The question is how to distinguish - among all of them - which is the greatest commandment?  But Jesus doesn't have any hesitation in responding: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.  And he adds: You shall love your neighbour as yourself (Mt 22:37,39).

Jesus' response is significant because, among the many precepts in the Jewish law, the most important ones were the Ten Commandments, communicated directly by God to Moses as conditions of the covenant between Him and his people.  But Jesus wanted to help others to understand that without love for God and for others, there can be no faithfulness to the covenant with the Lord.  You can do many other good things, follow many good precepts, do many good things, but if you have no love, all your works are useless.

This truth is confirmed by another text in the Book of Exodus, referred to as the covenantal code, where it is said that we cannot be in a covenant with the Lord and mistreat others who enjoy his protection.  Who are the people who enjoy his protection?  The bible says: widows, orphans and strangers, migrants - that is, people who are the most alone and defenceless (cf Ex 22:20-21).  Responding to the Pharisees who had questioned him, Jesus also sought to help them put some order in their own religiosity, to distinguish between what really matters and what is less important.  Jesus said: All of the Law and the Prophets are based on these two commandments (Mt 22:40).  These are the most important ones, and the others are rooted in these two.  And Jesus lived his life in this way: preaching and acting based on what really matters, what is truly essential, that is to say: love.  Love lends momentum and meaning to life and to the journey of faith: without love, both life and faith remain sterile.

What Jesus proposes in these pages of the gospel is a wonderful idea that corresponds to the deepest desire of our hearts.  In fact, we were created for love and to be loved.  God, who is Love, has created us in order for us to participate in his life, to be loved by Him and in order to love Him, and with Him, to love everyone else.  This is God's dream for humanity.  In order to make it reality, we need his grace, we need to receive the capacity to love, a gift that comes from God himself.  Jesus offers us this gift in the Eucharist.  In the Eucharist, we receive Jesus in the fullest expression of his love, when he offered himself to the Father for our salvation.

The Virgin Mary helps us to welcome this greatest commandment of love for God and for our neighbour and to find a home for it in our lives and hearts.  In fact, even if we have known this from the time of our childhood, without her, we will never be converted or be able to put these truths into practice in the various circumstances of our lives.



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

Dear brothers and sisters,

Yesterday in Caxias do Sul (Brazil), John Schiavo, a priest of the Order of Giuseppini del Murialdo was proclaimed Blessed.  Born in the Vicenza hills in the early 1900s, he was sent as a young priest to Brazil where he worked with zeal in service to the people of God and in providing formation to religious men and women.  May his example help us to fully live our faith in Christ and in the gospel.

I affectionately greet all of you, Italian pilgrims and others from various other countries, in particular, those who have come from Ballygawley (Ireland), Salzburg (Austria) and from the regions of Traunstein and Berchtesgaden (Germany).  I greet the participants taking part in the Conference of Secular Italian Institutes, who encourage others through their own witness of the gospel in the world; and the FIDAS Blood Donor Association from Orta Nova (Foggia).  I see that there are some Colombians here too!

I greet the Togolese community resident here in Italy as well as the Venezuelans who are here with the image of Our Lady of Chiquinquirà, the Chinita.  Let us entrust all the hopes and desires of these two nations to the Virgin Mary!

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

A Message for Italian members of Secular Institutes

From 28 to 29 October this year, at the Augustinian Patristic Institute, there is an Italian Conference of Secular Institutes taking place under the patronage of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.  The theme of this gathering is: Beyond and in the middle.  Secular Institutes: histories of passion and prophecy for God and for the world, and it is taking place on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the publication of the Apostolic Constitution Provida Mater Ecclesiae.

Message of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

addressed to participants at the Conference

Dear brothers and sisters!

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Apostolic Constitution Provida Mater Ecclesiae, the Italian Conference of Secular Institutes, with the patronage of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, has brought you together around the theme: Beyond and in the middle.  Secular Institutes: histories of passion and prophecy for God and for the world.  I cordially greet all of you and wish you all a fruitful encounter.

That document written by Pope Pius XII was in a certain sense revolutionary: in fact, he outlined a new form of consecration: of the lay faithful and of diocesan priests called to live the evangelical counsels in the secularity in which they are immersed by reason of their conditions of existence or their pastoral ministry.  The novelty and the richness of Secular Institutes is therefore to combine consecration and secularity, practicing an apostleship of witness, evangelization - especially for priests - and Christian commitment in the midst of social life - especially for lay people, who experience fraternity even though they have not been constituted within a community, therefore they discover the gift of true communion.

In the path outlined by Provida Mater, you are called today to be humble and passionate bearers - in Christ and in his Spirit - of the sense of people and their history.  Your passion is born from the ever-new wonder in the presence of the Lord Jesus, for his unique way of living and of loving, of encountering people, of looking at life, of comforting others.  For this reason, your being within the world is not only a sociological condition but a theological reality which allows you to be attentive, to see, to listen, to suffer-with others, to rejoice-with others, to understand other people's needs.

This means being prophetic presences in a very concrete way.  It means bringing to the world, to situations where you find yourselves, the word that we have heard from God.  And this is precisely what lay people do best: knowing how to speak tis word that God wants to share with the world.  Where to say doesn't always mean speaking, but rather acting.  We speak what God wants to say to the world, acting in the world.  This is very important.  Especially in a time like ours in which, when we are faced with difficulties, we may be tempted to isolate ourselves in our own comfortable and safe intentions and retreat from the world.  You too could fall into this temptation.  But your place is to be within, like a transformed presence in the evangelical sense.  Certainly, this is difficult, it is a path that leads to the cross, but the Lord wants to walk this path with you.

Your vocation and your mission is to be attentive, on one hand, to the reality that surrounds you, always asking: what is it?, not stopping at what appears on the surface but going deeper; and, at the same time, to the mystery of God, in order to recognize where He is being made known.  Attentive to the world with your hearts immersed in God.

Finally, I want to suggest a few spiritual attitudes that can help you on your journey; they can be outlined in five words: pray, discern, share, encourage and sympathize.

Pray for the gift of God's unity, close to his heart.  Listen to his voice in the midst of every one of life's happenings, living in the luminous existence that takes the gospel in hand and takes it seriously.

Discerning is knowing how to distinguish between essential things and ancillary ones; it's a matter of refining wisdom, something that is cultivated one day after another, allowing you to distinguish the responsibilities that must be fulfilled and the order in which they should be accomplished.  It is a personal but also a communal journey, so it is not enough to expend personal energy over it.

Sharing the fates of every man and woman: even though the world's events may be tragic or obscure, means that we do not abandon them to the world, but that we love them, like Jesus did, to the very end.

Encourage: with the grace of Christ, never lose trust, which truly sees the good in everything.  This is also an invitation that we receive in every Eucharistic celebration: Lift up your hearts.

Be sympathetic to the world and toward other people.  Even when they do everything to undermine other people's efforts, be driven by sympathy which comes from the Spirit of Christ, who makes us free and passionate, who makes us motivated from within, like salt and yeast.

Dear brothers and sisters, may you be in the world like the soul of the body (cf Letter to Diogneto, VI, 1), witnesses to the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus.  This is my wish for you, accompanied by my prayers and my blessing for you.

From the Vatican
23 October 2017

Francis

Encouragement for International Human Rights

At 12:10pm today, in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience a group of participants taking part in an International Conference on Human Rights, taking place in Rome at the Caribinieri Officer School under the patronage of the Commander General of the Caribinieri and the Ministry of the Defence.  This year's gathering - the third of its kind - is focusing on the theme: The Protection of civil populations in conflict - The Role of Humanitarian Organizations and of Civil Society and focuses on te role that civil society in general and humanitarian organizations in particular are part of international law and international humanitarian law.

Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

addressed to the Conference on International Human Rights

Dear brothers and sisters,

I am pleased to welcome you and I thank the Honourable Minister of the Italian Government for the words with which he introduced this meeting.  I cordially greet the Authorities present and all the participants taking part in the 3rd Conference on International Human Rights, which has as its theme: The protection of civil populations in conflict - The role of humanitarian organizations and civil society.

This theme is particularly significant on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the two Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions relating to the protection of victims of armed conflict.  Convinced of the essential negative character of war and that mankind's most hoped for resolution is the abolition of war, the Holy See has ratified these two accords in order to encourage a humanization of the effects of armed conflict (Declaration of the Holy See on the occasion of the ratification of the Protocols added to the Geneva Conventions on 12 August 1949 in relation to the protection of victims of non-international armed conflicts, 8 June 1977).  It has not failed to appreciate, in particular, provisions relating to the protection of civil populations and goods which are indispensable for the survival of these peoples, in respect to health and religious personnel, the protection of cultural and religious goods, as well as the natural environment, our common home.  However, the Holy See, aware of the omissions and hesitations that characterize above all the Second Additional Protocol, the one which relates to the protection of victims of non-international armed conflicts, is continuing its consideration of these instruments as an open door toward further developments in international human rights (Declaration of the Holy See, 8 June 1977), which can adequately take into account the characteristics of contemporary armed conflicts as well as physical, moral and spiritual suffering that is associated with them.

In fact, despite the laudable attempts to reduce the negative consequences of hostility toward civil populations - through the codification of human rights - which too often result from various theatres of war, evidence of atrocious crimes, true offences against persons and their dignity are committed in contempt of every elementary consideration of humanity.  Images of lifeless people, of mutilated and decapitated bodies, of our tortured brothers and sisters, crucified, burned alive, degraded even to the point of their remains, question even the consciences of humanity.  On the other hand, we hear news of ancient cities - with their thousands of cultural treasures - reduced to piles of rubble, hospitals and schools made the objects of deliberate attacks and destruction - thus depriving entire generations of their right to life, health and education.  How many churches and other places of worship have been the objects of targeted aggression, often especially during liturgical celebrations, with many victims among the faithful and the ministers gathered in prayer, in violation of their fundamental right to freedom of religion!  Unfortunately, at times, the spread of this news can result in some saturation which anesthetizes - and to some extent - relativizes the gravity of the problems, making it more difficult to move people to compassion and to open their consciences in solidarity (Pope Francis, Message for the World Day of Peace 2016, 3).  For this to happen, a conversion of heart is necessary, an openness to God and to our neighbours, which motivates others to go beyond the confines of indifference and to live in solidarity, as a moral virtue and a social attitude, from which a commitment in favour of suffering humanity can develop (Pope Francis, Message for the World Day of Peace 2016, 6).

At the same time however, it is encouraging to see the many demonstrations of solidarity and care that are evident in time of war.  There are many people, many charity groups and non-governmental organizations, both within and outside the Church, whose members face fatigue and many dangers in order to care for the wounded and the sick, even to bury the dead (Pope Francis, Message for the World Day of Peace 2016, 7) in order to deliver food to the hungry and drink to those who are thirsty, to visit those who are imprisoned.  In truth, relief efforts aimed at those who are victims of conflict include different works of mercy, based on which we will be judged at the end of time.  Would that humanitarian organizations might always work in conformity with the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.  I hope therefore that these principles, which are at the heart of human rights, will be welcomed into the consciences of fighters and humanitarian workers so that they may be translated into practice (Declaration of the Holy See, 8 June 1977).  In circumstances where humanitarian law experiences hesitations and omissions, we know that individual consciences recognize the moral right of respecting and protecting the dignity of the human person in all circumstances, especially in situations where it is most strongly threatened.  For this to be possible, I would like to recall the importance of prayer and of assuring, along with technical and juridical formation, spiritual accompaniment for combatants and humanitarian workers.

Dear brothers and sisters, to all of you - and among you there are not only a few - who have endangered your own lives in order to save another person or to relieve the sufferings of populations who have become victims of armed conflict, I offer the words of Jesus in Matthew's gospel: Every time you did this to the least of my brothers and sisters, you did it to me (Mt 25:40).  I entrust you to the intercession of Blessed Mary, the Queen of Peace and while I ask you please to pray also for me, I willingly impart my Apostolic blessing upon all of you and upon your families.

Thank you!

Greetings for the Archbishop of Canterbury

Today, His Holiness, Pope Francis met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, together with the new director of Rome’s Anglican Centre, Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi of Burundi. Following their half hour encounter in the Apostolic Palace, the two Anglican archbishops and their wives joined the pope for lunch in his Santa Marta residence to continue the conversation.

Yesterday, the Anglican leader presided at Vespers at Rome’s Caravita church for the installation of Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi as his official representative to the Holy See. The Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States (Foreign Minister), Archbishop Paul Gallagher, who previously served as Nuncio in Burundi, preached the homily, stressing that ecumenical engagement is a moral imperative for all Christians.

Philippa Hitchen (a reporter for Vatican Radio) spoke with Archbishop Welby at the end of his brief visit to Rome to find out more about his meeting with the Pope and their plans for a joint visit to war-torn South Sudan.

The Anglican archbishop says his meetings with the Pope were full of meaning, but also full of joy, a good deal of laughter, very relaxed but very thoughtful. In particular, he says, they talked about mutual concerns about conflict, human trafficking, and the need for Church unity in a fractured world.

Progress in Anglican-Catholic dialogue
His Grace notes that, like his predecessors during their visits to Rome, he wears the episcopal ring that Pope Paul VI gave to Archbishop Michael Ramsey in 1966. He says there has been enormous progress towards unity since then and both ARCIC and IARCCUM continue the theological and missional dialogues very, very effectively. Alongside that, there is ecumenism of action, and of prayer, something which has grown out of the theological work, but is also pushing it forward.

Separation in the Eucharist
Speaking about the lack of unity in the Eucharist, Archbishop Welby says he is reminded of that each day in Lambeth Palace, celebrating with Catholic and non-Catholic members of the youth community of Saint Anselm.  It is painful, he says, but in another sense, it is a healthy pain that compels us to work harder for unity.

Appeal to South Sudan's leaders
Asked about a joint visit to South Sudan, the Anglican leader says a visit like that has to be done at a moment when it can make an enormous difference and tip the balance towards peace. He says that he and the Holy Father call on the political leaders to turn away from violence and think of the people in South Sudan. He recalls a recent visit to refugee settlements in northern Uganda housing 260,000 people, a small fraction of those who’ve fled the violence. We are waiting and praying for a change of heart from the political leaders, he says.

Don't be paralized by disagreements
Asked about divisions within the Anglican world, in particular over homosexuality, Archbishop Welby says you can’t be paralyzed by disagreements, which all Churches are currently facing. In a communion as diverse as the Anglican world, he adds, there are bound to be disagreements but we have to see the call of Christ to be united in the service of the poor ….. and not let anything distract us from the proclamation of the Good News.

Video Message to Italian Catholics

The Holy Father has sent a video message to participants taking part in the 48th Social Week of Italian Catholics.  The meeting is taking place in Cagliari from 26 to 29 October 2017.  The Pope's message was broadcast at the beginning of the meeting today.

Video Message of His Holiness, Pope Francis

for the 48th Social Week of Italian Catholics

Dear brothers and sisters,

I greet you all warmly who are taking part in the 48th Social Week of Italian Catholics, being held at Cagliari. My fraternal greeting goes to Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, to the Bishops present, to Archbishop Filippo Santoro, to the members of the Scientific and Organizing Committee, to the delegates of the Italian dioceses, to the representatives of Movements and Associations connected with your work and to all the guests.

You gather under the protection and with the example of Blessed Giuseppe Toniolo who, in 1907, promoted the Social Weeks in Italy. His layman’s witness was lived in all the dimensions of life: spiritual, family, professional, social and political. To inspire your works, I suggest one of his teachings. We, believers, feel in the depth of our soul, . . . that he who will bring salvation definitively to the present society will not be a diplomat, a scholar, a hero but rather a saint, rather a society of saints, he wrote (From the wise Social Directions and Concepts). Make this foundational memory your own: one is sanctified by working for others, thus prolonging in history the creative act of God.

In the Scriptures, we find many personages defined by their work: the sower, the reaper, and winemakers, the administrators, the fishermen, the shepherds, the carpenters, like Saint Joseph. Emerging from the Word of God is a world in which one works. Jesus, the Word of God Himself, was not incarnate in an emperor or in a king but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7) to share our human condition, including the sacrifices that work requires, to the point of being known as a carpenter or the son of a carpenter (cf Mark 6:3; Matthew 13:55). However, there is more. The Lord calls while one is working, as happened with the fishermen that He invited, to make them become fishers of men (cf Mark 1:16-18; Matthew 4:18-20). We can also read the talents received as gifts and competencies to spend in the world of work to build communities, communities in solidarity and willing to help those that cannot manage on their own.

The theme of this Social Week is The Work We Want: Free, Creative, Participatory and in Solidarity. I sought to describe human work in this way in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (EG, 192). Thank you for having chosen the subject of work. Without work there is no dignity: I repeat this often, I remember in fact that I did so at Cagliari in 2013, and last May at Genoa. However, not all jobs are fitting jobs. There are jobs that humiliate the dignity of people, those that fuel war with the production of weapons, which undersell the value of the body with the traffic of prostitution and which exploit minors. Moonlighting also offends the dignity of the worker, that illegal recruitment of workers, jobs that discriminate against women and do not include the disabled. Precarious work is also an open wound for many workers, who live in fear of losing their job. I have heard this anguish many times: the anguish of losing one’s job; the anguish of a person who has work from September to June and doesn’t know if he will have work the following September – total precariousness. This is immoral. This kills, it kills dignity, it kills health, it kills the family, it kills society. Moonlighting and precarious work kill. Then there is the worry of dangerous and unhealthy jobs, which every year cause hundreds of deaths and invalids in Italy.

The dignity of work is the condition to create good work: therefore, it must be defended and promoted. With Pope Leo XIII’s the Encyclical Rerum Novarum (1891), the Social Doctrine of the Church was born to defend workers dependent on exploitation, to combat child labor, the 12-hour work-day, the insufficient hygienic conditions of factories.

My thought goes also to the unemployed who seek work and can’t find it, to the discouraged that no longer have the strength to look for it, and to the under-employed, who work only some hours a month without being able to exceed the poverty threshold.  To them, I say: don’t lose confidence.  I say it also to those that live in more difficult areas of the South of Italy. The Church works for an economy at the service of the person, which reduces inequality and whose objective is work for all.

The global economic crisis began as a financial crisis; then it was transformed into an economic and employment crisis. The crisis of work is both an environmental and a social crisis (cf Encyclical Laudato Si’, 13). The economic system aims at consumption, without being concerned about the dignity of work and the protection of the environment. However, this is somewhat like riding a bicycle with a flat tire: it’s dangerous! Dignity and protection are diminished when the worker is considered a line in a spending budget, when the cry of the discarded is ignored. Public administrations don’t escape this logic when they indicate contracts with the criterion of maximum decrease without taking into account the dignity of work as well as the environmental and fiscal responsibility of companies. Thinking of obtaining savings and efficiency, they end up by betraying their own social mission at the service of the community.

However, among so many difficulties, signs of hope aren’t lacking. The many good practices you have collected are like a forest that grows without making noise, and they teach us two virtues: to serve persons in need and to form communities in which communion prevails over competition. Competition: here is the sickness of meritocracy . . . It’s beautiful to see that social innovation is also born from encounter and relations and that not all goods are merchandise: for example, trust, esteem, friendship, love.

Nothing must come before the good of the person and the care of our common home, often disfigured by a model of development that has produced a grave ecological debt. Technological innovation must be guided by conscience and by principles of subsidiarity and solidarity. The robot must remain a means and not become the idol of an economy in the hands of the powerful; it must serve the person and his human needs.

The Gospel teaches us that the Lord is just also with the laborers of the last hour, without harming what is just for the labourers of the first hour (cf Matthew 20:1-16).  The difference between the first and the last labourers does not affect the compensation necessary for all to live. This is the principle of goodness able today also not to have anyone lacking anything and to make work processes fruitful: the life of companies, the community of workers. A task of the entrepreneur is to entrust the talents to his collaborators, who in turn are called not to bury what they have received, but to make it fruitful at the service of others. In the world of work, communion must win over competition!

My wish is that you be social leaven for the Italian society and that you live an intense synodal experience. I see with interest that you will touch upon very relevant problems, such as the overcoming of the distance between the scholastic system and the world of work, the question of feminine work, the so-called work of care, the work of bearers of disability and the work of migrants, who will truly be received when they are able to be integrated in work activities. May your reflections and discussion be translated into deeds and a renewed commitment at the service of the Italian society.

To the great assembly of the Social Week of Cagliari, I assure my remembrance in prayer and, while asking you to pray for me also and for my service to the Church, I send you all my heartfelt Apostolic Blessing.
(Translation by ZENIT)

Pope speaks to astronauts

At 3:00pm local time this afternoon (in Rome), from the Atrium of the Paul VI Hall, His Holiness, Pope Francis spoke directly by means of an audio/video link to the team members of Mission 53 aboard the International Space Station (ISS) which is orbiting 400km above the earth's surface.

The personnel aboard the ISS include: Randolph Bresnik (USA), NASA Commander; Paolo Nespoli (India), ESA Engineer; Mark T. Vande Hei (USA), NASA Engineer; Joseph Acaba (USA, born in Puerto Rico), NASA Engineer; Sergey Ryanzanskiy (Russia), Engineer; and Alexander Misurkin (Russia), Engineer.

In the Atrium at the Paul VI Hall, to assist with the dialogue, were the President of the Italian Space Agency (ASA), Robert Battiston and the Director of the Earth Observation Programme on behalf of the European Space Agency (ASE), Joseph Aschbacher.

The interaction continued for 20 minutes during which time, the Holy Father was able to speak with the astronauts.

Greetings to the Catholic University of Portugal

At noon today, in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the members of the Community from the Catholic University of Portugal who are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their establishment.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

to the members of the community from the

Portuguese Catholic University

Grand Chancellor,
Grand Rector,
Dear teachers and students,
Brothers and sisters:

Since it was not possible for me to visit your University during my pilgrimage to the Shrine of Fatima last May, you decided that a distinguished representative group from the Athenaeum would come to visit me at the See of Peter. I welcome you with joy and greet you with affection. I thank my brother Cardinal Manuel Clemente for his greetings, presenting me the hopes and struggles of all those who today – like others in the past – love, make and form this university community. I congratulate the Church in Portugal which cares for, promotes and supports it, and which is thus able to count on it for a detailed interpretation of current times, and above all for the higher formation of the guides of the People of God and the leaders that society needs. It now celebrates fifty years of service to the growth of the person and the human community: the first is a task of construction over a relatively short time, whereas the second is a work without end. Long life, then, to the Catholic University of Portugal!

1. By nature and mission you are a university, that is, you embrace the universe of knowledge in its human and divine meaning, to guarantee that outlook of universality without which reason, resigned to partial models, renounces its highest aspiration: the search for the truth. In view of the greatness of its knowledge and its power, reason yields to the pressure of interests and the attraction of utility, eventually acknowledging it as the ultimate criterion.

But when human beings surrender to the blind forces of the subconscious, of immediate needs, of selfishness, then their freedom sickens. In this sense, we stand naked and exposed in the face of our ever-increasing power, lacking the wherewithal to control it. We have certain superficial mechanisms, but we cannot claim to have a sound ethic, a culture and a spirituality genuinely capable of setting limits and teaching clear-minded self-restraint (Encyclical Laudato si’ , 105). In fact, truth means more than knowledge: knowledge of truth has as its purpose the knowledge of good. Truth makes us good, and goodness is true.

It is right for us to ask ourselves: How do we help our students not to regard a university degree as synonymous with greater position, as synonymous with more money or greater social prestige? They are not synonymous. Do we help this preparation to be seen as a sign of a greater responsibility in relation to today’s problems, the needs of the poor, and care for the environment? It is not enough to analyze and describe reality; it is necessary to generate space for real research, debates that generate alternatives for today’s problems. How important it is to be practical!

2. By design and grace of God, you are a Catholic university, a characteristic that in no way harms the university; on the contrary, it enhances its value to the maximum; since, if the fundamental mission of every university is a continuous quest for truth through its research, and the preservation and communication of knowledge for the good of society (Saint John Paul II, Apostolic Constitution Ex corde Ecclesiae, 30), a Catholic academic institution is distinguished by the Christian inspiration of its members and of its own communities, helping them to include the moral, spiritual and religious dimension in their research and to value the achievements of science and technology from the perspective of the human person as a whole. As John Paul II affirms, the behavioural sciences, despite the great value of the information which they provide, cannot be considered decisive indications of moral norms (Encyclical Veritatis splendor, 112). This was what I meant by mistaken reason, when it establishes as its ultimate criterion the pressure of interests and the attraction of the useful. It is the Gospel which reveals the full truth about man and his moral journey, and thus enlightens and admonishes sinners; it proclaims to them God’s mercy. … God also reminds sinners of the joy of forgiveness, which alone grants the strength to see in the moral law a liberating truth, a grace-filled source of hope, a path of life (VS, 112).

It could be objected that a university teaching of this type draws its conclusions from faith and, therefore, can not demand that those who do not share this faith accept their validity. But, although it is true that one may not share the faith, one can recognize the ethical reason that is offered. Behind the Catholic teacher there is a believing community, in which, throughout the centuries of its existence, a certain wisdom of life has matured; a community that conserves within it a treasure trove of knowledge and ethical experience that is important for all humanity. In this sense, the teacher speaks not so much as a representative of a belief, but above all, as a witness to the validity of an ethical reason.

3. And, by virtue of your features and presence, you are a Portuguese university. This is another sign of hope that the Church offers to the country, since it places at the disposal of the nation a cultural institution which, aiming at the Christian perfection of man, is called precisely to serve the very cause of man, sure that, as Vatican Council II teaches, Whoever follows after Christ, the perfect man, becomes himself more of a man (Gaudium et spes , 41). I have previously alluded to the need to come down to reality; I wished to remember here the principle being incarnated in the skin of our people. Their issues challenge us; their struggles, dreams and concerns have a hermeneutical value that we can not ignore if we truly wish to follow the principle of incarnation. Our God chose this path: He was incarnated in this world, marked by conflicts, injustices and violence, full of hopes and dreams. We have no other place to find it if it is not in our real world, in your real Portugal, in your towns and villages, in your village. God is saving there. In Portugal, the dogma of faith will always be preserved (Memoirs of Sister Lucia, IV, 5). This is a promise of Heaven left at Fatima a hundred years ago, consolatory and committed, for we know that God alone created man, but did not want to save him alone; He expects our collaboration. And also the collaboration of the Catholic University of Portugal, established fifty years ago, experienced in the light of the consecration of the academic community to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was very good for my soul, at the Shrine, to be able to join the prayer of the good Portuguese people and people from other parts of the world. As I told you then, I went there to venerate the Virgin Mary and to entrust to her all her sons and daughters. Under her mantle they are not lost; from her embrace will come the hope and the peace that they require (Homily, 13 May 2017).

With this certainty, which is transformed into a desire for good for all the family that makes up your academic institution: directors, teachers, students, administrative staff and benefactors, I reiterate my congratulations for your jubilee and bless you all in your work and initiatives. I accompany you with my prayers and, please, do not forget to pray for me. Thank you.
(Translation provided by the Libreria Editrice Vaticana)

Greetings for the Church of Scotland

At 10:00am today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience Reverend Doctor Derek Browning, Moderator of the Church of Scotland and the other members of the delegation who accompanied him.

The Holy Father met privately with the Moderator and then greeted the rest of the delegation.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

addressed to the delegation from the

Church of Scotland

Dear Moderator,
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I offer you a warm welcome and I thank the Moderator for his thoughtful remarks, and also for our meeting. Your presence affords me the opportunity to offer a warm greeting to all the members of the Church of Scotland.

Our meeting takes place during the fifth centenary of the Reformation, which I joined in commemorating last year in Lund. Let us thank the Lord for the great gift of being able to live this year in true fraternity, no longer as adversaries, after long centuries of estrangement and conflict. This has been possible, with God’s grace, by the ecumenical journey that has enabled us to grow in mutual understanding, trust and cooperation. The mutual purification of memory is one of the most significant fruits of this common journey. The past cannot be changed, yet today we at last see one another as God sees us. For we are first and foremost his children, reborn in Christ through the one Baptism, and therefore brothers and sisters. For so long we regarded one another from afar, all too humanly, harbouring suspicion, dwelling on differences and errors, and with hearts intent on recrimination for past wrongs.

In the spirit of the Gospel, we are now pursuing the path of humble charity that leads to overcoming division and healing wounds. We have begun a dialogue of communion, employing language befitting those who belong to God. Such language is essential to evangelization, for how can we proclaim the God of love if we do not love one another (cf 1 Jn 4:8)? It was in Scotland itself, in Edinburgh, more than a hundred years ago, Christian missionaries had the courage to set forth once again with renewed vigour rooted in the firm will of Jesus that we be one, so that the world may believe (Jn 17:21). They understood that proclamation and mission are not fully credible unless they are accompanied by unity. This remains as true now as it was then.

I have learned that the emblem of the Church of Scotland depicts the burning bush before which Moses encountered the living God. I am struck by the fact that in this great biblical text the Lord calls himself by a name that will echo down the centuries: the God of your fathers (Ex 3:15). In this way, he calls us too, as sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, to enter into a history of prior relationships and to live the life of faith not as isolated individuals and in theory, but within a concrete community, a we. For no one becomes a Christian by himself and no one can live as a Christian without others. We belong to the family of believers, of so many of our brothers and sisters who have begun to walk in newness of life through Baptism (cf Rm 6:4) and who accompany us along that same path.

My thoughts turn in a particular way to those Christians who in our day face grave trials and sufferings, enduring persecution for the name of Jesus. So many of them bear a heavy cross as they profess their faith, many to the point of martyrdom. Their witness impels us to persevere, with love and courage, to the end. Our dialogue directed to full unity, our witness and our shared service, our commitment to pray for one another and to overcome the wounds of the past: these are also a response that is owed to them, within this great we of faith.

It is my prayerful hope that the journey to visible unity will continue daily and bear rich fruits for the future, as it has in the recent past. The Catholic Church, especially through the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, has engaged for decades in a fruitful cooperation with the Church of Scotland and the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and desires to continue on this path. With gratitude for your presence here and on the ecumenical journey, I ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen our fellowship in Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. And to Him we turn together in prayer for each other: Our Father…

General Audience on paradise

This morning's General Audience began at 9:20am in Saint Peter's Square, 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 focused on the theme: Paradise, the goal of our hope.

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

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!

This is the final catechesis on the theme of Christian hope, which has been unfolding since the beginning of this liturgical year.  I will conclude by speaking about paradise, the goal of our hope.

Paradise is one of the final words pronounced by Jesus on the cross, spoken to the good thief.  Let us focus for a moment on that scene.  On the cross, Jesus is not alone.  Beside him, to the right and to the left, there are two wrongdoers.  Perhaps, passing in front of those three crosses planted on the hill at Golgotha, someone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that finally justice was being served with the death of such people.

Beside Jesus, there was also someone who confessed his guilt: one who recognized the fact that he deserved that terrible punishment.  We call him the good thief, the one who, challenging the other one's words, declared: we are receiving the punishment that we deserve for our actions (cf Lk 23:41).

On the mount of Calvary, on that tragic but holy Friday, Jesus reached the extreme of his incarnation, of his solidarity with sinners.  There, he fulfilled the prophecy that had been spoken by Isaiah about the suffering servant: He was counted among the un-godly (Is 53:12; Lk 22:37).

It was there, on Calvary, that Jesus had his final encounter with a sinner, to throw open wide - even for him - the doors of the Kingdom.  This is interesting: the only time that the word paradise appears in the gospels.  Jesus promised paradise to a poor devil and on the wood of the cross that poor man had the courage to ask him the most humble of questions: Remember me when you enter into your kingdom (Lk 23:42).  He had done no good deeds worth pointing to, he had nothing, but he relied on Jesus who recognized his innocence, the fact that he was good, so different from his own image of himself (Lk 23:41).  Those words, spoken by a humble penitent, were enough to touch the heart of Jesus.

The good thief reminds us of our own true condition before God: we are his children, that he is compassionate toward us, that he is disarmed every time that we show him that we remember his love.  In hospital rooms or in prison cells, this miracle is repeated time and time again: there is no person, no matter how bad he is, for whom there is no alternative but despair, to whom grace has been denied.  Before God, we all present ourselves with empty hands, a little bit like the publican in the parable who had stopped to pray before the temple (cf Lk 18:13).  Every time that someone, making the final examination of his or her life, discovers that there are many more unworthy activities than there are good ones, he or she should never despair, but rather entrust him or herself to the mercy of God.  This gives us all hope, this opens our hearts!

God is a Father, and he is always waiting for our return.  To the prodigal son who returned, who began to confess his wrongdoings, the father stopped him from speaking by lovingly embracing him cf Lk 15:20).  This is what God does: this is how much he loves us!

Paradise is not a place of make believe, nor is it an enchanted garden.  Paradise is an embrace with God, infinite Love, and we can enter that place thanks to Jesus who died on the cross for us.  Where Jesus is, there is mercy and happiness; without him, there is cold and darkness.  At the hour of death, the Christian repeats to Jesus: Remember me.  And even if there is no one left to remember us, Jesus is there, beside us.  He wants to take us to the most beautiful place that exists.  He wants to take us there no matter whether we have known little or much good during our lives, so that nothing that he has already redeemed can be lost.  And in the Father's house, he will gather all those who still need to be redeemed: the defects and the mistakes of our entire lives.  This is the goal of our existence: that everything is accomplished and transformed into love.

If we believe this, death no longer scares us, and we can even hope to leave this world serenely, filled wit trust.  Anyone who has known Jesus will never fear.  And we can also repeat the words spoken by the elderly Simeon, even he was blessed by his encounter with Christ, after having spent an entire lifetime of waiting: Now Lord, you can let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation (Lk 2:29-30).

At that moment, finally, we will need nothing more, we will no longer see in a confused way.  We will no longer weep for no reason, because everything will be gone, even prophecies, even knowledge.  But love no, love will remain.  Because charity will never end (cf 1 Cor 13:8).



The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages, and he 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 England, Norway, India, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Canada and the United States of America. I extend a particular welcome to the priests from the Metropolia of Nea Ionia of the Orthodox Church of Greece, accompanied by His Grace Metropolitan Gabriel. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Greetings for the delegation from Tel Aviv University

At 12:25pm today, in the Hall of the Popes inside the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience a delegation from the Tel Aviv University.

Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis

to the delegation from the Tel Aviv University

Dear friends,

I offer you a warm welcome, and I thank Professor Joseph Klafter, Rector of the Tel Aviv University, for his kind words.

To all of you I express my appreciation for your commitment to the education of the young, who represent the present and the future of society. The work of education, demanding yet essential, calls for great insight and tact, for it seeks to form the whole person. Carrying out this vital service certainly requires professional and technical knowledge and expertise, but also empathy and sensitivity, in order to foster dialogue with students and to promote their formation both as individuals and as future professionals in their areas of study.

In a word, knowledge and wisdom must advance together. Wisdom, in its biblical sense, urges us to go beyond empirical realities in order to discover their ultimate meaning. Universities are challenged to foster a culture of wisdom, one capable of harmonizing technical and scientific research with a humanistic approach, in the conviction that the pursuit of the true and the good is ultimately one. So Solomon, son of David, upon ascending the throne, withdrew in prayer to the temple of Gibeon, and begged the Lord for wisdom in these words: Give your servant an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil (1 Kg 3:9).

Our world urgently needs to develop a culture of wisdom. We need to find ways of forming leaders capable of striking out on new paths in the effort to meet today’s needs without prejudice to future generations (cf Laudato Si’, 53). Meeting this challenge in an effective way is all the more important in the light of our rapidly evolving global society, marked by social and economic crises and intergenerational conflicts. I am confident that your University will strive to produce future leaders sensitive to the profound ethical issues facing our societies and the need to protect and care for the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters. For only by serving an integral human development can science and the arts display their full dignity.

I thank you for your visit, and I pray that you will always thirst for that wisdom which is a divine gift enabling us to lead good and productive lives. May the Lord bless you, your families and your important work.

Greetings to the Greek-Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem

At 10:00am this morning, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience His Beatitude, Theophilos III, Greek-Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem along with the party that is accompanying him as he visits Rome (from 22 to 25 October 2017).

His Beatitude, Theophilos III was accompanied by Archbishop Aristarchos, Head of the Patriarchal Secretariat; Archdeacon Markos; Mister Rami Moghrabi and Mister Nader Elias Moghrabi.

His Beatitude also met today with the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin; and His Excellency, Paul Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.  The Patriarch and his party also held talks with His Eminence, Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; and with His Eminence, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue.

Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the meeting with His Beatitude, Theophilos III

Your Beatitude,
Dear brothers,

With great joy I welcome all of you to Rome. I reciprocate with gratitude and fraternal affection the warm welcome Your Beatitude offered me during my visit to Jerusalem. Still fresh in my mind is the attentiveness with which you accompanied Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and me in the Basilica that preserves the places of the Lord’s crucifixion, burial and Resurrection. I am still moved when I think of our moment of prayer in the aedicule of the empty Tomb, and I again express my pleasure at the restoration of that most holy place. It has not simply secured the integrity of a historical monument, but also enabled the empty tomb to continue to testify that: He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him (Mk 16:6). I rejoice that the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land have worked together in such harmony on this project, as they also did for the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. I thank Your Beatitude very much for your own efforts in this regard.

Our meeting allows me to renew my closeness to all those suffering from the conflicts that for decades have beset the Holy Land. The uncertainty of the situation and the lack of understanding between the parties continue to create insecurity, the restriction of fundamental rights, and the flight of many people from their land. I invoke God’s help in this, and I ask all those involved to intensify their efforts to achieve a stable peace based on justice and recognition of the rights of all. To this end, any kind of violence, discrimination or displays of intolerance against Jewish, Christian and Muslim worshipers, or places of worship, must be firmly rejected. The Holy City, whose Status Quo must be defended and preserved, ought to be a place where all can live together peaceably; otherwise, the endless spiral of suffering will continue for all.

I would offer a particular greeting to the members of the various Christian communities in the Holy Land. It is my hope that they will continue to be recognized as an integral part of society and that, as citizens and believers in their own right, they can continue tirelessly to contribute to the common good and the growth of peace, striving to further reconciliation and concord. This contribution will be the more effective to the extent that there is harmony between the region’s different Churches. Particularly important in this regard would be increased cooperation in supporting Christian families and young people, so that they will not be forced to leave their land. By working together in this delicate area, the faithful of different confessions will also be able to grow in mutual knowledge and fraternal relations.

Here I would reaffirm my heartfelt desire and commitment to progress on our way to full unity, in obedience to Jesus’ fervent prayer in the Cenacle that they may all be one … so that the world may believe (Jn 17:21). I know that past wounds continue to affect the memory of many people. It is not possible to change the past, but, without forgetting grave failures of charity over the centuries, let us look to a future of full reconciliation and fraternal communion, and take up the work before us, as the Lord desires. Not to do so today would be an even graver fault; it would be to disregard both the urgent call of Christ and the signs of the times sown by the Spirit along the Church’s path. Inspired by the same Spirit, may we not let the memory of times marked by lack of communication or mutual accusations, or present difficulties and uncertainty about the future, prevent us from walking together towards visible unity, nor hinder us from praying and working together to proclaim the Gospel and to serve those in need. In this regard, the ongoing theological dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox, in which the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem participates actively and constructively, is a comforting sign of hope on our journey. How good it would be to say of Catholics and Orthodox living in Jerusalem what the Evangelist Luke said of the first Christian community: All who believed were together ... one heart and soul (Acts 2:44; 4:32).

Your Beatitude, I thank you and the distinguished members of your entourage most cordially for your visit. I reaffirm my closeness to our Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land, and my affection for our friends of the other great religions who live there. I hope and pray that the day of a stable and lasting peace for all will soon come. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you! ... For my brethren and companions’ sake I will say, ‘peace be within you!’ (Ps 122: 6-8).

I would like us now to pray together for this, in the words of the Our Father.