At 5:50pm yesterday (11:50am EDT), the Holy Father, Pope Francis entered Saint Peter's Square, where he met with participants taking part in the 12th International Pilgrimage of Altar Servers and members of the Coetus international ministrantium Association (CIM). The gathering is taking place in Rome from 30 July to 3 August and is focused around a motto taken from verse 14 of Psalm 34: Seek peace and pursue it.
Upon his arrival, after making his way through the young people aboard the popemobile, and having greeted the Bishop of Zrenjanin (Serbia), His Excellency, Ladislav Nemet, the President of CIM, the Holy Father replied to a series of questions that were asked by five altar servers: from Luxemburg, Portugal, Antigua and Barbuda, Germany and Serbia.
Immediately after the question and answer period, there was a moment of communal prayer presided over by the Holy Father, during which Pope Francis shared a brief homily.
More than 60,000 young boys and girls were present from 18 countries (Italy, Belgium, France, Croatia, Luxemburg, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, Serbia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Hungary, the United States and the caribbean country of Antigua and Barbuda), accompanied by Bishop Nemet.
The largest group of altar servers came from Germany - approximately 50,000 of them - accompanied by the President of the German Episcopal Conference's Commission for young people, His Excellency, Stefan Oster, SDB, Bishop of Passau, and many other members of the Episcopal Conference.
Dear altar servers, good evening!
It gives me joy to see you, so many of you here in Saint Peter's Square, adorned with the colours of your flags. I was also very happy to see you earlier today, around mid-day, with all this heat: you are very brave! Congratulations! You have given me the distinctive signs of your pilgrimage: thank you with all my heart! I am a pilgrim with you who have come from many other countries throughout the world. We are united in the faith of Jesus Christ, we are on a journey with Him who is our peace. I wish to thank your President, Bishop Nemet for the greetings he presented to me in your name. He asked me to encourage you; he asked: Ermutigen Sie sie, Heiliger Vater! I have to encourage you. For this reason, I give you the microphone now, and you can ask your questions.
1. From Luxembourg
Holy Father, as servants at the altar and also as believers, we share peace by sharing the sign of peace during the Holy Mass. How can we contribute to helping this peace to be shared also beyond the walls of our churches and how can we be builders of peace in our communities, in our countries, in our families and in our world?
Holy Father
Thank you! You put it very well: peace and Holy Mass go together. Just before the sign of peace, we ask the Lord to grant peace and unity to the Church community. Peace is his gift; it transforms us, so that, as members of Jesus’ body, we can share in his sentiments, think as he thinks – the same sentiments as Jesus, and think as Jesus thinks! – love as he loves. And this brings peace. At the end of Mass, we are sent forth with the words: Go in peace, that is: take peace with you in order to give it to others, give it through your life, your smile, your works of charity. Concrete commitment to peace is proof of the fact that we are truly Christ’s disciples. Peace begins with little things. For example, at home after a quarrel, do I go off by myself – let me ask you – and act hurt, or do I make an effort to go back and reach out? Do I know how to make peace with small gestures? Am I willing to ask myself in every situation: What would Jesus do in my place? If we can do this, if we really put it into practice, we will bring Christ’s peace to our everyday lives. Then we will be peacemakers and channels of God’s peace. Thank you.
2 From Portugal
Holy Father, we are acolytes. We serve the Lord at the altar and we contemplate him in the Eucharist. How can we live spiritual contemplation like Mary and how can we provide practical service like Martha, trying to tangibly recognize in our lives, that which Jesus asks of us?
Holy Father
In a real way, as altar servers, you share in the experience of Martha and Mary. It would be wonderful if, in addition to your service to the liturgy, you could become more involved in the life of your parish and also spend some time in silence in the Lord’s presence: both of these. In this interplay of action and contemplation, we come to realize God’s plan for us. We see the talents and interests God has given us and how best to develop them. Even more importantly, we place ourselves humbly before God, just as we are: as we are, without masks, just as we are, before God, with our good qualities and our limitations, and ask him how we can best serve him and our neighbour. Don’t be afraid to ask for a word of helpful advice when you are wondering how to serve God and all those people throughout the world who need our help. Remember: the more you give yourself to others, the more you will get back in personal fulfilment and true happiness! Thank you.
3 From Antigua and Barbuda
Holy Father, as altar servers it makes us sad to see how few of our own age group come to Mass or take part in the life of our parishes. In some countries, for a variety of reasons, the Church is rapidly losing many young people. How can we, and our communities, reach out to these people and bring them back to Christ and to the family of the Church?
Holy Father
Even now, as young people, you can be apostles, capable of drawing others to Jesus. This will happen if you are full of enthusiasm for him, for Jesus, if you have encountered him, if you have come to know him personally, and been yourselves won over by him. So here is what I would I say. Try to know and love the Lord Jesus more and more – I want to repeat this: try to know and love the Lord more and more, encountering him in prayer, at Mass, in the reading of the Gospel, in the faces of the lowly and the poor. Try also to be friends, with no strings attached, to all those around you, so that a ray of Jesus’ light can shine on them through your own heart in love with him. Dear young people, there is no need for lots of words; more important are your actions, your closeness, your desire to serve, your silent gaze before the Blessed Sacrament. Young people – and everyone else for that matter – need friends who can give a good example, who are ready to act without expecting anything in return. In this way, you will also help others to see how beautiful is the community of believers, because the Lord dwells in its midst. And to see how beautiful it is to be part of the family of the Church. Thank you.
4 From Germany
Holy Father, many people say they do not need God, religion and church in their lives. Why choose the Catholic faith, what is the most important thing? And why is belief so important to you?
Holy Father
Faith is essential; faith gives me life. I would say that faith is like the air we breathe. We don’t think, with every breath we take, how necessary air is, but when it isn’t there, or it isn’t clean, we realize right away how important it is! Faith helps us to grasp the meaning of life: that there is Someone who loves us infinitely and that that Someone is God. He infinitely loves me. We can recognize God as our Creator and our Saviour; we can love God and accept that our life is his gift. God wants to enter into a living relationship with us. He wants to build relationships, and we are called to do the same. A person cannot believe in God and then think that he or she is an only child! The only Child God has is Jesus. An only child, because he is God. But among men, there is no such thing as an only child of God. Reflect on this! All of us are children of God. We are called to make up God’s family, the Church, the community of brothers and sisters in Christ. As Saint Paul says (Eph 2:19), we are members of the household of God. And in this family of the Church, the Lord nourishes his sons and daughters with his word and with his sacraments. Thank you.
5 From Serbia
Holy Father, our ministry of service is beautiful, we really love it. We want to serve the Lord and our neighbour but doing good is not always easy; we are not yet saints. How can we turn our service into everyday life, into the concrete actions of love towards the path of holiness?
Holy Father
Yes, it does take effort to keep doing good and to become saints … You know, the path to holiness is not for the lazy: it requires effort. I see that you servers are committed to taking this path. The Lord Jesus gave us a simple plan for advancing in the way of holiness: the commandment of love of God and of neighbour. Let us make an effort to deepen our friendship with God, to be grateful for his love and to want to serve him in all things. In this way, we cannot help but share the gift of his love with others. To make the commandment of love all the more concrete, Jesus gave us the works of mercy. I would like to ask who among you knows the works of mercy. I am sure that your bishops have taught them to you. But you, do you know them well, the works of mercy? If you don’t know them, how can you practice them? This is important: the works of mercy. They are demanding, yet within the reach of all. To practice a work of mercy, it is not necessary to go to university and get a degree. All of us can practice the works of mercy. They are within everyone’s reach. We have only to start asking ourselves: What can I do today to meet the needs of my neighbour, of this neighbour: my brothers and sisters, my dad, my mum, my grandparents, my friends, the poor, the sick …; just one of them each day. What can I do to meet the needs of my neighbour? It makes no difference whether it is a friend or a stranger, a countryman or a foreigner: he or she is my neighbour. Believe me, by doing this, you can become real saints, men and woman who transform the world by living the love of Christ. It is true, it is not easy, it requires effort. Yet remember, I repeat it: the path to holiness is not for the lazy.
Thank you for this conversation!
Do everything for the glory of God: this is what Saint Paul says in the letter that we have just heard. Serving the glory of God in everything that you do is the most important criterion for our actions, the ultimate synthesis of what it means to live in friendship with Jesus. It is the indication that guides us when we are not sure what is the right thing to do; it helps us to recognize the voice of God within us, which speaks to us in our conscience so that we can discern its will. The glory of God is the needle of the compass of our conscience.
Saint Paul also speaks to us about another criterion: to strive to please everyone in everything so that we might reach salvation. We are all children of God, we have the same desires, dreams and ideals. Sometimes someone is disappointed, and it is we who can rekindle the light, transmit a little good mood. Thus it is easier to get along and to witness in everyday life to the love of God and the joy of faith. It depends on our consistency of behaviour so that our brothers and sisters can recognize Jesus Christ, the only saviour and the hope of the world.
Perhaps you should ask yourself: How can I do it? Is not it too high a task?. It is true, it is a great mission, but it is possible. Again, Saint Paul encourages us: Be my imitators, as I am of Christ. Yes, we can live this mission by imitating Jesus as did the apostle Paul and all the saints. Let us look to the saints, who are the living Gospel, because they have been able to translate the message of Christ into their lives. The saint of today, Ignatius of Loyola, who as a young soldier thought of his glory, at the right moment was attracted by the glory of God, and he discovered that that is the centre and the meaning of life. Let us be imitators of the saints; we do everything for the glory of God and for the salvation of our brothers. But be careful and remember: in this way of following the saints, in this path of holiness, there is no place for lazy young people. Thank you!
Upon his arrival, after making his way through the young people aboard the popemobile, and having greeted the Bishop of Zrenjanin (Serbia), His Excellency, Ladislav Nemet, the President of CIM, the Holy Father replied to a series of questions that were asked by five altar servers: from Luxemburg, Portugal, Antigua and Barbuda, Germany and Serbia.
Immediately after the question and answer period, there was a moment of communal prayer presided over by the Holy Father, during which Pope Francis shared a brief homily.
More than 60,000 young boys and girls were present from 18 countries (Italy, Belgium, France, Croatia, Luxemburg, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, Serbia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Hungary, the United States and the caribbean country of Antigua and Barbuda), accompanied by Bishop Nemet.
The largest group of altar servers came from Germany - approximately 50,000 of them - accompanied by the President of the German Episcopal Conference's Commission for young people, His Excellency, Stefan Oster, SDB, Bishop of Passau, and many other members of the Episcopal Conference.
Homily and Dialogue of His Holiness, Pope Francis
with young people present in Saint Peter's Square
Dear altar servers, good evening!
It gives me joy to see you, so many of you here in Saint Peter's Square, adorned with the colours of your flags. I was also very happy to see you earlier today, around mid-day, with all this heat: you are very brave! Congratulations! You have given me the distinctive signs of your pilgrimage: thank you with all my heart! I am a pilgrim with you who have come from many other countries throughout the world. We are united in the faith of Jesus Christ, we are on a journey with Him who is our peace. I wish to thank your President, Bishop Nemet for the greetings he presented to me in your name. He asked me to encourage you; he asked: Ermutigen Sie sie, Heiliger Vater! I have to encourage you. For this reason, I give you the microphone now, and you can ask your questions.
Questions and Answers presented to the Holy Father
by Altar Servers
1. From Luxembourg
Holy Father, as servants at the altar and also as believers, we share peace by sharing the sign of peace during the Holy Mass. How can we contribute to helping this peace to be shared also beyond the walls of our churches and how can we be builders of peace in our communities, in our countries, in our families and in our world?
Holy Father
Thank you! You put it very well: peace and Holy Mass go together. Just before the sign of peace, we ask the Lord to grant peace and unity to the Church community. Peace is his gift; it transforms us, so that, as members of Jesus’ body, we can share in his sentiments, think as he thinks – the same sentiments as Jesus, and think as Jesus thinks! – love as he loves. And this brings peace. At the end of Mass, we are sent forth with the words: Go in peace, that is: take peace with you in order to give it to others, give it through your life, your smile, your works of charity. Concrete commitment to peace is proof of the fact that we are truly Christ’s disciples. Peace begins with little things. For example, at home after a quarrel, do I go off by myself – let me ask you – and act hurt, or do I make an effort to go back and reach out? Do I know how to make peace with small gestures? Am I willing to ask myself in every situation: What would Jesus do in my place? If we can do this, if we really put it into practice, we will bring Christ’s peace to our everyday lives. Then we will be peacemakers and channels of God’s peace. Thank you.
2 From Portugal
Holy Father, we are acolytes. We serve the Lord at the altar and we contemplate him in the Eucharist. How can we live spiritual contemplation like Mary and how can we provide practical service like Martha, trying to tangibly recognize in our lives, that which Jesus asks of us?
Holy Father
In a real way, as altar servers, you share in the experience of Martha and Mary. It would be wonderful if, in addition to your service to the liturgy, you could become more involved in the life of your parish and also spend some time in silence in the Lord’s presence: both of these. In this interplay of action and contemplation, we come to realize God’s plan for us. We see the talents and interests God has given us and how best to develop them. Even more importantly, we place ourselves humbly before God, just as we are: as we are, without masks, just as we are, before God, with our good qualities and our limitations, and ask him how we can best serve him and our neighbour. Don’t be afraid to ask for a word of helpful advice when you are wondering how to serve God and all those people throughout the world who need our help. Remember: the more you give yourself to others, the more you will get back in personal fulfilment and true happiness! Thank you.
3 From Antigua and Barbuda
Holy Father, as altar servers it makes us sad to see how few of our own age group come to Mass or take part in the life of our parishes. In some countries, for a variety of reasons, the Church is rapidly losing many young people. How can we, and our communities, reach out to these people and bring them back to Christ and to the family of the Church?
Holy Father
Even now, as young people, you can be apostles, capable of drawing others to Jesus. This will happen if you are full of enthusiasm for him, for Jesus, if you have encountered him, if you have come to know him personally, and been yourselves won over by him. So here is what I would I say. Try to know and love the Lord Jesus more and more – I want to repeat this: try to know and love the Lord more and more, encountering him in prayer, at Mass, in the reading of the Gospel, in the faces of the lowly and the poor. Try also to be friends, with no strings attached, to all those around you, so that a ray of Jesus’ light can shine on them through your own heart in love with him. Dear young people, there is no need for lots of words; more important are your actions, your closeness, your desire to serve, your silent gaze before the Blessed Sacrament. Young people – and everyone else for that matter – need friends who can give a good example, who are ready to act without expecting anything in return. In this way, you will also help others to see how beautiful is the community of believers, because the Lord dwells in its midst. And to see how beautiful it is to be part of the family of the Church. Thank you.
4 From Germany
Holy Father, many people say they do not need God, religion and church in their lives. Why choose the Catholic faith, what is the most important thing? And why is belief so important to you?
Holy Father
Faith is essential; faith gives me life. I would say that faith is like the air we breathe. We don’t think, with every breath we take, how necessary air is, but when it isn’t there, or it isn’t clean, we realize right away how important it is! Faith helps us to grasp the meaning of life: that there is Someone who loves us infinitely and that that Someone is God. He infinitely loves me. We can recognize God as our Creator and our Saviour; we can love God and accept that our life is his gift. God wants to enter into a living relationship with us. He wants to build relationships, and we are called to do the same. A person cannot believe in God and then think that he or she is an only child! The only Child God has is Jesus. An only child, because he is God. But among men, there is no such thing as an only child of God. Reflect on this! All of us are children of God. We are called to make up God’s family, the Church, the community of brothers and sisters in Christ. As Saint Paul says (Eph 2:19), we are members of the household of God. And in this family of the Church, the Lord nourishes his sons and daughters with his word and with his sacraments. Thank you.
5 From Serbia
Holy Father, our ministry of service is beautiful, we really love it. We want to serve the Lord and our neighbour but doing good is not always easy; we are not yet saints. How can we turn our service into everyday life, into the concrete actions of love towards the path of holiness?
Holy Father
Yes, it does take effort to keep doing good and to become saints … You know, the path to holiness is not for the lazy: it requires effort. I see that you servers are committed to taking this path. The Lord Jesus gave us a simple plan for advancing in the way of holiness: the commandment of love of God and of neighbour. Let us make an effort to deepen our friendship with God, to be grateful for his love and to want to serve him in all things. In this way, we cannot help but share the gift of his love with others. To make the commandment of love all the more concrete, Jesus gave us the works of mercy. I would like to ask who among you knows the works of mercy. I am sure that your bishops have taught them to you. But you, do you know them well, the works of mercy? If you don’t know them, how can you practice them? This is important: the works of mercy. They are demanding, yet within the reach of all. To practice a work of mercy, it is not necessary to go to university and get a degree. All of us can practice the works of mercy. They are within everyone’s reach. We have only to start asking ourselves: What can I do today to meet the needs of my neighbour, of this neighbour: my brothers and sisters, my dad, my mum, my grandparents, my friends, the poor, the sick …; just one of them each day. What can I do to meet the needs of my neighbour? It makes no difference whether it is a friend or a stranger, a countryman or a foreigner: he or she is my neighbour. Believe me, by doing this, you can become real saints, men and woman who transform the world by living the love of Christ. It is true, it is not easy, it requires effort. Yet remember, I repeat it: the path to holiness is not for the lazy.
Thank you for this conversation!
Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
during a moment of communal prayer
Do everything for the glory of God: this is what Saint Paul says in the letter that we have just heard. Serving the glory of God in everything that you do is the most important criterion for our actions, the ultimate synthesis of what it means to live in friendship with Jesus. It is the indication that guides us when we are not sure what is the right thing to do; it helps us to recognize the voice of God within us, which speaks to us in our conscience so that we can discern its will. The glory of God is the needle of the compass of our conscience.
Saint Paul also speaks to us about another criterion: to strive to please everyone in everything so that we might reach salvation. We are all children of God, we have the same desires, dreams and ideals. Sometimes someone is disappointed, and it is we who can rekindle the light, transmit a little good mood. Thus it is easier to get along and to witness in everyday life to the love of God and the joy of faith. It depends on our consistency of behaviour so that our brothers and sisters can recognize Jesus Christ, the only saviour and the hope of the world.
Perhaps you should ask yourself: How can I do it? Is not it too high a task?. It is true, it is a great mission, but it is possible. Again, Saint Paul encourages us: Be my imitators, as I am of Christ. Yes, we can live this mission by imitating Jesus as did the apostle Paul and all the saints. Let us look to the saints, who are the living Gospel, because they have been able to translate the message of Christ into their lives. The saint of today, Ignatius of Loyola, who as a young soldier thought of his glory, at the right moment was attracted by the glory of God, and he discovered that that is the centre and the meaning of life. Let us be imitators of the saints; we do everything for the glory of God and for the salvation of our brothers. But be careful and remember: in this way of following the saints, in this path of holiness, there is no place for lazy young people. Thank you!
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