At 5:00pm local time (noon EDT), the Holy Father, Pope Francis arrived at the International Airport in Rabat-Salé where a departure ceremony was conducted to mark his departure from Morocco.
Upon his arrival, the Pope was welcomed by a representative of King Mohammed VI who met him inside the Royal Salon where they spoke together briefly.
The Secretary of State, His Eminence, Cardinal Pietro Parolin; the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, His Eminence, Cardinal Fernando Filoni; the Substitute of the Secretariat of State, His Excellency, Edgar Peña Parra; the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, His Excellency, Miguel Ángel Ayuso Giuxot, MCCJ and members of the Local coordinating committee greeted the Pope and the King's Delegate. Then, Pope Francis climbed aboard the Royal Air Maroc B737-800 for the return flight to Italy.
The aircraft carrying the Pope back from his Apostolic voyage to Morocco departed from the Airport in Rabat-Salé at 5:28pm local time (12:28pm EDT) and landed at Rome's Ciampino International Airport at 8:55pm local time (2:55pm EDT).
Telegrams sent in flight
Immediately following his departure from Rabat, the Holy Father, Pope Francis sent the following telegram to His Majesty, King Mohammed VI of Morocco.
His Majesty, Mohammed VI
King of Morocco
Rabat
As I depart from Morocco to return to Rome, I renew my deep appreciation to Your Majesty and the Royal Family, the government and the beloved people of Morocco for your warm welcome and generous hospitality. Invoking abundant divine blessings upon all of you, I offer the assurance of my prayers for peace and prosperity in the nation.
Francis
During the flight from Rabat to Rome, while passing over Algeria and re-entering into Italy, the Pope sent the following telegrams to the respective Heads of State.
While flying over Algeria
His Excellency, Abdelaziz Bouteflika
President of the Republic of Algeria
Algiers
As my return flight from Morocco takes me over Algeria, I send cordial greetings to Your Excellency and your fellow citizens. I pray tat the Almighty may grant you all peace and strength, and I invoke divine blessings upon the nation.
Francis
Arriving in Italian airspace
To His Excellency
The Honourable Sergio Mattarella
President of the Italian Republic
Palazzo del Quirinale
00187 Rome
Returning from my Pastoral Voyage in Morocco where I was able to meet various facets of the Moroccan people and to express my affectionate esteem for the Christian community, while encouraging all of them to continue their common commitment toward peace and the good will of that entire society, I extend to You, Mister President and to the dear Italian nation, my best wishes, together with a special prayer to God that He may grant to all people the courage and the tenacity to look trustingly into the future.
After lunch at the Apostolic Nunciature in Rabat, the Holy Father, Pope Francis travelled by car to the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex for the celebration of the Mass.
At 2:48pm local time (9:48am EDT), the Pope presided over the celebration of the Eucharist in Spanish. Following the proclamation of the gospel, His Holiness pronounced the homily.
At the conclusion of the Mass, His Excellency, Cristóbal López Romero, SDB, Archbishop of Rabat, offered a greeting and some words of thanks to the Holy Father. Then, before the final Blessing, the Pope offered a few words of greeting to the faithful and to pilgrims who were present.
Immediately afterwards, Pope Francis left the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex and travelled by car to te Rabat-Salé International Airport for the departure ceremony and his return flight to Rome.
Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
during the Mass celebrated in Rabat, Morocco
While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him (Lk 15:20).
The Gospel places us in the heart of the parable that manifests the attitude of the father in seeing his son return: shaken to the bones, he does not wait for him to come home but surprises him by running towards him. An expected and desired child. A father moved to see him return.
But that was not the only time the Father started running. His joy would be incomplete without the presence of the other child. For this reason he also went out to meet him, to invite him to participate in the feast (cf Lk 15:28). However, it seems that the elder son did not like welcome parties; he could not bear the joy of his father and does not recognize his brother's return: that son of yours, he says (Lk 15:30). For him his brother continued to be lost, because he had already lost him in his heart.
In his inability to attend the party, he not only could not recognize his brother, but neither could he recognize his father. He preferred being an orphan to fraternity, isolation at the meeting, bitterness at the party. Not only did he struggle to understand and forgive his brother, he could not even accept having a father who could forgive, one who was willing to wait and watch so that no one was left out, in short, a father capable of feeling compassion.
On the threshold of that house the mystery of our humanity seemed to manifest itself: on the one hand there was the feast for the rediscovered son and, on the other, a certain feeling of betrayal and indignation at the fact that the father was celebrating his return. On the one hand hospitality for the one who had experienced misery and pain, who had even come to smell and desire to eat what the pigs ate; on the other hand, irritation and anger at making space for those who were not worthy or those who deserved such an embrace.
Thus, once again, the tension that exists between our people and in our communities emerges, and even within ourselves. A tension that, beginning with Cain and Abel, lives on in us; a tension that we are called to face. Who has the right to remain among us, to have a place at our table and in our assemblies, in our concerns and occupations, in our squares and cities? It seems that the fratricidal question continues to resound: am I perhaps my brother's keeper? (cf Gen 4:9).
On the threshold of that house appear the divisions and the clashes, the aggressiveness and the conflicts that will always strike the doors of our great desires, of our struggles for fraternity in order that every person can already experience his condition and dignity as a son.
But there too, on the threshold of that house will shine with all clarity, without speculations or excuses that force him away, the desire of the Father: that all his children take part in his joy; that no one lives in non-human conditions like his youngest son, nor in his orphan-ness, isolation and bitterness like his eldest son. His heart wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4).
Certainly there are many circumstances that can fuel division and conflict; situations that can lead us to clash and divide are undeniable. We can't deny it. We are always threatened by the temptation to believe in hatred and revenge as legitimate ways to seek justice quickly and effectively. But experience tells us that hatred, division and revenge only kill the soul of our people, poison our children's hope, destroy and take away everything we love.
Therefore Jesus invites us to look toward and to contemplate the heart of the Father. Only from here can we rediscover ourselves every day as brothers. Only starting from this broad horizon, able to help us overcome our short-sighted logics of division, will we be able to reach a gaze that does not pretend to obscure or disprove our differences by seeking perhaps a forced unity or silent exclusion. Only if we are able every day to raise our eyes to heaven and say Our Father will we be able to enter into a dynamic that allows us to look and dare not live as enemies, but as brothers.
All that is mine is yours (Lk 15,31), says the father to the eldest son. And this does not refer only to material goods but the ability to participate in his own love and compassion. This is the greatest legacy and wealth of the Christian. Because, instead of measuring or classifying ourselves according to a moral, social, ethnic or religious condition, we can recognize that there is another condition that no one can cancel or annihilate since it is a pure gift: the condition of children who are loved, expected and celebrated by our Father.
All that is mine is yours, even my capacity for compassion, the Father tells us. We do not fall into the temptation to reduce our belonging as children to a question of laws and prohibitions, duties and obligations. Our belonging and our mission will not come from voluntarism, legalism, relativism or how well we are integrated, but from believing people who will implore every day with humility and constancy: may your kingdom come.
The gospel parable presents an open ending. We see the father pleading with the eldest son to enter and participate in the feast of mercy. The Evangelist says nothing about the decision he made. Will he join the party? We can think that this open ending has the purpose that every community, each of us, can write it with our lives, with our looks and our attitudes towards others. The Christian knows that there are many dwellings in the Father's house, and only those who do not want to participate in his joy remain outside.
Dear brothers, dear sisters, I want to thank you for the way you bear witness to the gospel of mercy in these lands. Thank you for your efforts to make your communities an oasis of mercy. I encourage you to continue to strengthen the culture of mercy, a culture in which no one looks at the other with indifference or gazes when he sees his suffering (cf Apostolic Letter Misericordia et misera, 20). Continue to be close to the little ones and the poor, to those who are rejected, abandoned and ignored, continue to be a sign of the Father's embrace and His heart.
At the conclusion of this Eucharist, I wish once again to bless the Lord who permitted me to make this trip in order to stand before you and with you as a servant of Hope.
I thank His Majesty, King Mohammed VI for his invitation; I thank him for wanting to be close to us by sending his representatives; I thank all the Authorities and all those who have worked together for the success of this trip.
Thank you to my brothers in the Episcopate, the Archbishops of Rabat and Tangier, and also the other Bishops, the priests, the Religious men and women and all the lay faithful who are here in Morocco at the service of life and the mission of the Church. Thank you to all of you, dear brothers and sisters, for all that you have done to prepare for this voyage and for all that we have been able to share thanks to our faith, to hope and to charity, and for all that we have shared thanks to the fraternity that exists between Christians and Muslims. Thank you so much!
With these sentiments of gratitude, I wish to encourage you once again to persevere on the path of dialogue between Christians and Muslims and to work together so that your fraternity may be visible and universal, for it finds its source in God. May you be the servants of hope that the world so dearly needs.
And, please, don't forget to pray for me. Thank you.
Here is the reflection I shared with those who came to pray with us this weekend: some thoughts motivated by the parable of the Prodigal Son.
The heart of the matter
Today, we have met Jesus at a moment when many people – including tax collectors and sinners – were gathering around him. Jesus always welcomes those who come close to him, but that day, there were also others in the crowd - the Pharisees and scribes – who were not impressed that Jesus made room in his life for those who were considered outcasts.
The parable that Jesus told was meant to show them that there is room for everyone in the merciful heart of Jesus. The parable begins with a scene that would have been very well understood by all those who were listening: A man had two sons (Lk 15:11). With just these few words, every person who heard the story would have understood that this man was very proud, but then the unthinkable happened. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me’ (Lk 15:12). In modern-day parlance, the son was effectively saying to his father: I wish you were dead. One can only wonder at the discussion that must have preceded such a comment. How much the father must have been hurt by such a comment!
Like every parable, this story is our story. I am sure that there are some who are here who could tell a similar story, or some who know someone else who has had to live this nightmare: a son, a daughter, a brother or a sister who has chosen to walk a different road. Who among us does not know of someone who has distanced him or herself from those who once were considered loved ones? Perhaps we have not been distanced from family and loved ones, but we have chosen to walk a path that has distanced us from regular prayer because we have chosen to believe that we can live life better if we don’t have anyone else – including God – placing expectations on us.
At some point in our lives, we all choose to walk such a path, and as long as life continues to be enjoyable, we feel like we’re doing well, but at some point or other, we all find ourselves in some situation where we are no longer in control. For awhile, even when we encounter difficulties in life, we can keep up appearances, but eventually, we come to our senses (Lk 15:17). It takes great courage to admit that we have made a mistake. Admitting vulnerability is never easy on the human ego, but the parable of the Prodigal Son shows us that our God has a heart that is infinitely merciful. No matter how far we may have wandered, no matter how long we have been away, our God is always waiting for us to come home.
The image of the Father in the parable gives us a glimpse into the merciful and forgiving heart of our God. If our God is willing to come running toward his prodigal children in order to welcome them home, should we not strive to be merciful to those who may have turned their backs on us? Lent is the perfect time to change our hearts, to come home to our Father who will always welcome us with open arms. If we ourselves have known the experience of being the prodigal child, I wonder whether that would change the way we relate to others. Even small actions and words of welcome will speak volumes to wounded hearts.
Au coeur du problème
Aujourd'hui, nous avons rencontré Jésus à un moment où de nombreuses personnes, notamment des publicains et des pécheurs, se rassemblaient autour de lui. Jésus accueille toujours ceux qui l'approchent, mais ce jour-là il y avait aussi d'autres personnes dans la foule - les pharisiens et les scribes - qui n'étaient pas impressionnés par le fait que Jésus avait fait de la place autour de lui pour ceux qui étaient considérés comme des exclus.
La parabole racontée par Jésus visait à leur montrer qu'il y a de la place pour tous dans le cœur miséricordieux de Jésus. La parabole commence par une scène qui aurait été très bien comprise par tous ceux qui écoutaient: Un homme avait deux fils (Lc 15, 11). Avec seulement ces quelques paroles, chaque personne ayant entendu l'histoire aurait compris que cet homme était très fier, mais ensuite quelque chose d’impensable s'est passé. Le plus jeune d’entre eux a dit à son père: 'Père, donne-moi la part de fortune qui me revient' (Lc 15, 12). Selon le langage moderne, le fils disait effectivement à son père: J'aimerais que tu sois mort. On ne peut que s’étonner de la discussion qui a dû précéder un tel commentaire. Jusqu’à quel point le père a-t-il dû être blessé par un tel commentaire!
Comme toutes les paraboles, cette histoire est la nôtre. Je suis certain qu'il y en a même ici, parmi nous, qui pourraient raconter une telle histoire, ou qui connaissent quelqu'un d'autre qui a dû vivre ce cauchemar: un fils, une fille, un frère ou une sœur qui a choisi de suivre un chemin différent. Qui parmi nous ne connaît pas quelqu'un qui s'est éloigné de ceux qui étaient autrefois considérés comme des êtres chers? Peut-être que nous n’avons pas été éloignés de notre famille et de nos proches, mais il y en a parmi nous qui ont choisi de suivre un chemin qui nous a éloignés de la prière ordinaire, car nous avons choisi de croire que nous pouvons mieux vivre si nous n’avons personne d’autre - y compris Dieu – qui place des attentes sur nous.
À un moment donné, nous choisissons tous de suivre un tel chemin et, tant que la vie continue d'être agréable, nous nous sentons bien, mais à un certain point, nous nous trouvons tous dans une situation où nous ne sommes plus en contrôle. Pendant un certain temps, même lorsque nous rencontrons des difficultés dans la vie, nous pouvons garder les apparences, mais nous finissons par rentrer en nous-mêmes (Lc 15, 17). Il faut beaucoup de courage pour admettre que nous avons commis une erreur. Admettre la vulnérabilité n'est jamais facile pour notre estime de soi, mais la parabole du Fils prodigue nous démontre que notre Dieu a un cœur infiniment miséricordieux. Peu importe à quel point nous avons erré, peu importe combien de temps nous sommes partis, notre Dieu attend toujours que nous retournions à lui.
L'image du Père dans la parabole nous donne un aperçu du cœur miséricordieux et indulgent de notre Dieu. Si notre Dieu est disposé à courir vers ses enfants prodigues afin de les accueillir chez eux, ne devrions-nous pas nous efforcer d'être cléments envers ceux qui ont peut-être tourné le dos à nous? Le carême est le moment idéal pour changer nos cœurs, pour rentrer chez notre Père qui nous accueillera toujours à bras ouverts. Si nous avons nous-mêmes connu l'expérience d'être l'enfant prodigue – celui ou celle qui a connu l’accueil joyeux du Père - je me demande si cela changerait notre relation avec les autres. Même les petites actions et les mots de bienvenue en diront long sur les cœurs blessés.
At 9:30am this morning (4:30am EDT), the Holy Father, Pope Francis left the Apostolic Nunciature in Rabat, Morocco and travelled by car to the Centre Rural des Services Sociaux in Teémara, a Centre which is administered by the Sisters of Charity, operating in the social sector thanks to the Sisters and many volunteers.
Upon his arrival, the Pope was welcomed at the entrance by four Sisters who work at the Centre and by two children who offered him some flowers. While the Holy Father spent some time greeting sick children, a choir of 150 children sang a song.
Before leaving the Centre, the Pope bid farewell to the Sisters and the volunteers and finally, he greeted the parents of the children who are being helped by the Sisters, while the children themselves sang songs. His Holiness then travelled y car to the Cathedral in Rabat for a meeting with Clergy, Religious men and women and members of the Ecumenical Council of Churches.
At 10:20am this morning (5:20am EDT), the Holy Father arrived at the Cathedral in Rabat. Upon his arrival, he was welcomed at the entrance to the Cathedral by the Pastor and by three priests who have been entrusted with the pastoral care of parishioners. They presented the Holy Father with a crucifix and with holy water for sprinkling.
The Holy Father made his way up the central nave while the choir sang a song. After a moment of silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, there were some brief testimonials and greetings offered by two priests and two Religious Women. Then, Pope Francis shared his speech before leading the recitation of the Angelus.
At the conclusion of the encounter, while a Marian hymn was being sung, the Poe greeted the three leaders of the Ecumenical Council of Churches which represents the five Christian Churches that are present in Morocco: Catholic, Anglican, Evangelist, Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox. His Holiness then returned to the Apostolic Nunciature by car.
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
offered to priests, Religious men and women
Consecrated persons and the
Ecumenical Council of Churches
Dear Brothers and Sisters, bonjour à tous!
I am very happy to have this opportunity to be with you. I especially thank Father Germain and Sister Mary for their testimonies. I would also like to greet the members of the Ecumenical Council of Churches, a clear sign of the communion experienced here in Morocco between Christians of different confessions along the path to unity. Christians are a small minority in this country. Yet, to my mind, this is not a problem, even though I realize that at times it can be difficult for some of you. Your situation reminds me of the question asked by Jesus: What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? … It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened (Lk 13:18.21). Paraphrasing the Lord’s words, we can ask ourselves: What are Christians like, in these lands? To what can we compare them? They are like a little yeast that Mother Church wants to mix in with a great quantity of flour until all of it is leavened. For Jesus did not choose us and send us forth to become more numerous! He called us to a mission. He put us in the midst of society like a handful of yeast: the yeast of the Beatitudes and the fraternal love by which, as Christians, we can all join in making present his kingdom. In this context I recall the counsel of Saint Francis to his brothers as he sent them out: Go out and preach the Gospel: and if necessary, also with words.
This means, dear friends, that our mission as baptized persons, priests and consecrated men and women, is not really determined by the number or size of spaces that we occupy, but rather by our capacity to generate change and to awaken wonder and compassion. We do this by the way we live as disciples of Jesus, in the midst of those with whom we share our daily lives, joys and sorrows, suffering and hopes (cf Gaudium et Spes, 1). In other words, the paths of mission are not those of proselytism. Please, these paths are not those of proselytism! Let us recall Benedict XVI: the Church grows not through proselytism, but through attraction, through witness. The paths of mission are not those of proselytism, which leads always to a cul-de-sac, but of our way of being with Jesus and with others. The problem is not when we are few in number, but when we are insignificant, salt that has lost the flavour of the Gospel – this is the problem – or lamps that no longer shed light (cf Mt 5:13-15).
I believe we should worry whenever we Christians are troubled by the thought we are only significant if we are the flour, if we occupy all the spaces. You know very well that our lives are meant to be yeast, wherever and with whomever we find ourselves, even if this appears to bring no tangible or immediate benefits (cf Evangelii Gaudium, 210). For being a Christian is not about adhering to a doctrine, or a temple or an ethnic group. Being Christian is about an encounter, an encounter with Jesus Christ. We are Christians because we have been loved and encountered, and not as the result of proselytism. Being Christian is about knowing that we have been forgiven and knowing that we are asked to treat others in the same way that God treated us. For by this everyone shall know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (Jn 13:35).
Dear brothers and sisters, in thinking of this setting in which you are called to live your baptismal vocation, your ministry and your consecration, I recall the words of Pope Saint Paul VI in his encyclical Ecclesiam Suam: The Church must enter into dialogue with the world in which she lives. She has something to say, a message to give, a communication to make (ES, 65). To say that the Church has to enter into dialogue is not to follow a fashion – dialogue is in vogue today but that is not the reason for dialogue – or much less a strategy for increasing her membership, no, it is not a strategy. The Church has to enter into dialogue out of fidelity to her Lord and Master, who from the beginning, moved by love, wished to enter into dialogue as a friend and asks us to enter into friendship with him (cf Dei Verbum, 2). As disciples of Jesus Christ, from the very day of our baptism we have been called to be a part of this dialogue of salvation and friendship, from which we are the first to benefit.
Christians, here in these lands, learn to be a living sacrament of the dialogue that God wants to initiate with each man and woman, wherever they are. A dialogue that we are nonetheless called to take up following the example of Jesus himself, who is meek and humble of heart (cf Mt 11:29), with fervent and disinterested love, without calculations and limitations, and with respect for the freedom of others. In this spirit, we can find elder brothers and sisters who show us the way, for by their lives they testify that this dialogue is possible; they point to a “high standard” that challenges us and spurs us on. How can we fail to think of Saint Francis of Assisi, who at the height of the Crusades went to encounter Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil? Or Blessed Charles de Foucault, so deeply impressed by the humble and hidden life of Jesus in Nazareth, whom he silently adored, that he wished to be a “brother to all”? Or again, those of our fellow Christians who chose to live in solidarity with another people, even to the point of giving their lives? When the Church, in fidelity to the mission she has received from the Lord, enters into dialogue with the world and gives her message, she takes part in the advent of that fraternity whose deepest source is not in ourselves but in the fatherhood of God.
As consecrated persons, we are invited to experience this dialogue of salvation above all as intercession for the people entrusted to us. I remember once speaking with a priest who, like yourselves, lived in a land where Christians were a minority. He told me that Our Father had taken on a particular meaning for him because, praying in the midst of people of other religions, he felt the power of the words, Give us this day our daily bread. His intercessory prayer, as a missionary, expanded to that people which was in some way entrusted to him, not to govern but to love, and this led him to pray this prayer with special feeling. Consecrated persons and priests bring to the altar and to their prayer the lives of all those around them; they keep alive, as if through a small window, the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit. How beautiful it is to know that, in different parts of this land, through your voices, all creation can constantly pray: Our Father.
Dialogue, then, becomes prayer. We can carry it out daily in the name of the human fraternity that embraces all human beings, unites them and renders them equal. In the name of this fraternity, torn apart by the policies of extremism and division, by systems of unrestrained profit or by hateful ideological tendencies, that manipulate the actions and the future of men and women (Document on Human Fraternity, Abu Dhabi, 4 February 2019). A prayer that does not distinguish, separate or marginalize, but embraces the life of our neighbour. A prayer of intercession that says to the Father, Thy kingdom come. Not by violence, not by hatred, not by ethnic, religious or economic supremacy, and so forth, but by the power of the compassion poured out on the cross for all mankind. This is the experience of the majority of you.
I thank God for all that you are doing as followers of Jesus Christ here in Morocco, daily discovering through dialogue, cooperation and friendship the way to sow a future of hope. In this way, you will unmask and lay bare every attempt to exploit differences and ignorance in order to sow fear, hatred and conflict. For we know that fear and hatred, nurtured and manipulated, destabilize our communities and leave them spiritually defenceless.
I encourage you, then, with no other desire than to make visible the presence and love of Christ, who for our sake became poor in order to enrich us by his poverty (cf 2 Cor 8:9): continue to be neighbours to those who are often left behind, the little ones and the poor, prisoners and migrants. May your charity be ever active and thus a path of communion between Christians of every confession present in Morocco: the ecumenism of charity. May it be also a path of dialogue and cooperation with our Muslim brothers and sisters, and with all men and women of good will. Charity, especially towards the vulnerable, is the best opportunity we have to keep working to build of a culture of encounter. May it also be a way for those who experience pain, struggles and exclusion to realize that they are members of the one human family, under the banner of fraternity. As disciples of Jesus Christ, may you, in that same spirit of dialogue and cooperation, be ever concerned to serve the advancement of justice and peace, the education of children and young people, and the protection and accompaniment of the elderly, the vulnerable, the disabled and the oppressed.
Once again, I thank all of you, brothers and sisters, for your presence and your mission here in Morocco. Thank you for your humble and discreet service, following the example of our forebears in consecrated life, among whom I want to greet your dean, Sister Ersilia. Through you, dear Sister, I offer a cordial greeting to the elderly sisters and brothers who, for reasons of health, are not physically present here, but are united to us in prayer.
All of you are witnesses of a glorious history. A history of sacrifices, hopes, daily struggles, lives spent in service, perseverance and hard work, for all work is hard, done by the sweat of our brow. But let me also tell you that you have a glorious history to remember and recount, but also a great history to be accomplished! Look to the future – envisage the future – where the Holy Spirit is sending you (Vita Consecrata, 110). In this way, you will continue to be living signs of that fraternity to which the Father has called us, without intransigence or passivity, but as believers who know that the Lord always goes before us and opens spaces of hope wherever something or someone appeared hopeless.
May the Lord bless each of you and, through you, the members of all your communities. May his Spirit help you to bear abundant fruit: the fruit of dialogue, justice, peace, truth, and love, so that here in this land which God loves, human fraternity may grow ever stronger. And please, do not forget to pray for me. Thank you!
(Four children go up beside the Pope. He says: Voici le futur! Le maintenant et le futur!)
At 11:50am local time (6:50am EDT), the Holy Father, Pope Francis arrived at the Apostolic Nunciature in Rabat where he had lunch with the Bishops of Morocco and with some members of the Papal Party.
Before lunch, the Pope blessed the Offices of the Apostolic Nunciature, which have recently been restructured and enlarged. Present at lunch were the Secretary of State, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, the two Bishops of Morocco and the Apostolic Prefect.
At 6:20pm local time today (1:20pm EDT), Pope Francis went to the Diocesan offices of Caritas in Rabat for a meeting with Migrants.
Upon his arrival, he was welcomed at the main entrance to Caritas by the Archbishop of Tangers, His Excellency, Santiago Agrelo Martiínez, OFM and by the Director of the Diocesan Caritas office to whom Pope Francis presented the gift of a Madonna on marble.
There followed a few words of introduction presented by the Archbishop of Tangers, a brief testimonial offered by one of the migrants and an artistic presentation before the Holy Father shared his speech.
At the conclusion of their encounter, the Pope travelled to the Apostolic Nunciature in Rabat.
Upon his arrival at the Nunciature, the Holy Father greeted many faithful who were waiting there, including many children, a few Scouts and a large group of students from the Catholic schools throughout the city.
Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
shared during his meeting with Migrants
Dear Friends,
I am happy to have this opportunity to meet with you during my visit to the Kingdom of Morocco. It gives me a chance once more to express my closeness to all of you and, together with you, to discuss a great and deep wound that continues to afflict our world at the beginning of this twenty-first century. A wound that cries out to heaven. We do not want our response to be one of indifference and silence (cf Ex 3:7). This is all the more the case today, when we witness many millions of refugees and other forced migrants seeking international protection, to say nothing of the victims of human trafficking and the new forms of enslavement being perpetrated by criminal organizations. No one can be indifferent to this painful situation.
I thank Archbishop Santiago (Agrelo Martínez) for his words of welcome and for the Church’s work in assisting migrants. I also thank Jackson for his testimony, and all of you, both migrants and members of associations dedicated to their care. We have met this afternoon to strengthen our ties and to continue our efforts to ensure worthy living conditions for all. And thank you to the children! They are our hope. We need to fight for them. They have the right to life, the right to dignity. Let us fight for them. All of us are called to respond to the many challenges posed by contemporary movements of migration with generosity, enthusiasm, wisdom and farsightedness, each to the best of his or her ability (cf Message for the 2018 World Day of Migrants and Refugees).
A few months ago, here in Marrakech, the Intergovernmental Conference approved the adoption of the Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration. The migration Compact represents an important step forward for the international community, which now, in the context of the United Nations, has for the first time dealt on a multilateral level with this theme in a document of such importance (Address to Members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, 7 January 2019).
This Compact helps us to see that it is not just about migrants (cf Theme of the 2019 World Day of Migrants and Refugees), as if their lives and experiences were completely unrelated to the rest of society, or their status as persons with rights was somehow “on hold” because of their current situation. The side of the border on which a migrant stands does not make him or her more or less human (Message of His Majesty King Mohammed VI at the Intergovernmental Conference on the Global Compact for Migration, Marrakech, 10 December 2018).
It is also about the face we want to give to our society and about the value of each human life. Many positive steps have been taken in different areas, especially in the developed countries, yet we cannot forget that the progress of our peoples cannot be measured by technological or economic advances alone. It depends above all on our openness to being touched and moved by those who knock at our door. Their faces shatter and debunk all those false idols that can take over and enslave our lives; idols that promise an illusory and momentary happiness blind to the lives and sufferings of others. How arid and inhospitable a city becomes, once it loses the capacity for compassion! A heartless society... a barren mother. You are not the marginalized; you are at the centre of the Church’s heart.
I wanted to suggest four verbs – accept, protect, promote and integrate – that can help those who want to help make this covenant more concrete and real, to act prudently rather than remain silent, to assist rather than isolate, to build up rather than abandon.
Dear friends, I would like to reiterate the importance of these four verbs. They form a frame of reference for us all. For we are all involved in this effort – involved in different ways, but all involved – and all of us are needed in the work of building a more dignified, safe and fraternal life. I like to think that the very first volunteer, assistant, rescuer or friend of a migrant is another migrant who knows at first hand the sufferings of the journey. We cannot develop large-scale strategies capable of restoring dignity by adopting a welfare approach alone. That kind of assistance is essential, but insufficient. You who yourselves are migrants should feel called to take the lead and assist in organizing this whole process.
The four verbs that I mentioned can help us find shared strategies to create space for welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating. Spaces, ultimately, for conferring dignity.
“In view of the current situation, welcoming means, above all, offering broader options for migrants and refugees to enter destination countries safely and legally” (Message for the 2018 World Day of Migrants and Refugees). Indeed, expanding regular migration channels is one of the main objectives of the Global Compact. This shared commitment is needed in order to avoid presenting new opportunities to those “merchants of human flesh” who exploit the dreams and needs of migrants. Until this commitment is fully implemented, the emergency of irregular migration has to be met with justice, solidarity and mercy. Forms of collective expulsion, which do not allow for the suitable treatment of individual cases, are unacceptable. On the other hand, special legalization strategies, especially in the case of families and minors, should be encouraged and simplified.
Protecting means defending the rights and dignity of migrants and refugees, independent of their legal status (ibid). In the context of this entire region, protection must first and foremost be ensured along migration routes, which, sadly, are often theatres of violence, exploitation and abuse of all kinds. Here too, it seems necessary to pay particular attention to migrants in situations of great vulnerability: to the many unaccompanied minors and to women. It is essential that everyone be guaranteed the right to the medical, psychological and social assistance needed to restore dignity to those who have lost it along the way, as you who work in this agency are doing with great dedication. Among those present, some can testify personally to the importance of these protection services for providing hope during the time of a stay in host countries.
Promoting means ensuring that everyone, migrants and local residents alike, can enjoy a safe environment in which they can develop all their gifts. This promotion begins with the recognition that no human being is worthy of being discarded, but rather should be seen as a potential source of personal, cultural and professional enrichment in whatever place they find themselves. Host communities will be enriched if they learn how best to appreciate and utilize the contribution made by migrants, while working to forestall all forms of discrimination and xenophobia. Migrants should be encouraged to learn the local language as an essential vehicle of intercultural communication, and helped in positive ways to develop a sense of responsibility towards the society that accepts them, learning to respect individuals and social bonds, laws and culture. This will contribute to the integral human development of all.
But let us not forget that the human promotion of migrants and their families begins also with their communities of origin, where the right to migrate must be guaranteed, but also the right not to be forced to emigrate, that is, the right to enjoy in their native land suitable conditions for a dignified life. I appreciate and encourage programmes of international cooperation and transnational development free of partisan interests, which involve migrants as active protagonists (cf Address to the Participants in the International Forum on Migration and Peace, 21 February 2017).
Integrating means engaging in a process that enhances both the cultural heritage of the welcoming community and that of migrants, thus building an open and intercultural society. We know that it is not easy – for those who arrive and for those who receive them – to encounter a foreign culture, to put ourselves in the shoes of people quite different from ourselves, to understand their thoughts and their experiences. As a result, we often refuse to encounter the other and raise barriers to defend ourselves (cf Homily at the Mass for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, 14 January 2018). Integrating requires us not to be conditioned by fear and ignorance.
Ahead of us, then, is a journey we must make together, as true travelling companions. It is a journey that engages everyone, migrants and locals, in building cities that are welcoming, respectful of differences and attentive to intercultural processes. Cities that are capable of valuing the richness of the diversity born of our encounter with others. Here too, many of you can personally testify to how essential that commitment is.
Dear migrant friends, the Church is aware of the sufferings that accompany your journey and she suffers with you. In reaching out to you in your very different situations, she is concerned to remind you that God wants us all to live our lives to the full. The Church wants to be at your side to help you achieve the very best for your life. For every human being has the right to life, every person has the right to dream and to find his or her rightful place in our common home! Every person has a right to the future.
Once again, I renew my gratitude to all engaged in assisting migrants and refugees throughout the world, and particularly to you, the personnel of Caritas, and to your partner agencies, who have the honour of showing God’s merciful love to so many of our brothers and sisters in the name of the whole Church. You know well from experience that for Christians, it is not just about migrants, for it is Christ himself who knocks on our doors.
May the Lord, who during his earthly life experienced in his own flesh the suffering of exile, bless each one of you. May he give you the strength needed never to lose heart and always be for one another a safe haven of welcome and acceptance.
This afternoon, during a private meeting that took place at the Royal Palace in Rabat, Morocco, His Majesty, Mohammed VI and Pope Francis signed a Call concerning Jerusalem / Al Quds Holy City and a place of encounter.
Appeal by
His Majesty, King Mohammed VI
and His Holiness, Pope Francis
regarding Jerusalem / Al-Quds
The Holy City and a place of encounter
On the occasion of the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Kingdom of Morocco, His Holiness and His Majesty King Mohammed VI, recognizing the unique and sacred character of Jerusalem / Al-Quds Acharif, and deeply concerned for its spiritual significance and its special vocation as a city of peace, join in making the following appeal:
We consider it important to preserve the Holy City of Jerusalem / Al-Quds Acharif as the common patrimony of humanity and especially the followers of the three monotheistic religions, as a place of encounter and as a symbol of peaceful coexistence, where mutual respect and dialogue can be cultivated. To this end, the specific multi-religious character, the spiritual dimension and the particular cultural identity of Jerusalem / Al-Quds Acharif must be protected and promoted. It is our hope, therefore, that in the Holy City, full freedom of access to the followers of the three monotheistic religions and their right to worship will be guaranteed, so that in Jerusalem / Al-Quds Acharif they may raise their prayers to God, the Creator of all, for a future of peace and fraternity on the earth.
This afternoon, the Holy Father, Pope Francis and King Mohammed VI paid a private visit to the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and visited the tombs of King Mohammed V and Hassan II, where His Holiness laid bouquets of flowers.
Before leaving the Mausoleum, the Pope signed the Golden Book. Then, the Mausoleum Conservatory presented the Pope with a trophy and a book on the history of that Monument.
At the conclusion of his visit, the Pope travelled by car to the Royal Palace where he paid a courtesy visit to King Mohammed VI.
Upon his arrival at the Royal Palace - at 4:25pm local time (11:25am EDT), before climbing to the Royal Cabinet, His Majesty, Mohammed VI and Pope Francis received the honours that were presented by the Royal Guard.
Following the introduction of the members of the Royal Family, and the exchange of gifts, a private meeting took place between the Pope and the King.
At the conclusion of the private meeting, inside the Throne Room, His Majesty and Pope Francis signed a common Call concerning Jerusalem / Al Qods : Holy City and a Place of Encounter.
Then, King Mohammed VI accompanied the Pope to the entrance of the Palace where they once again received military honours presented by the Royal Guards. After bidding farewell to the King, the Holy Father travelled by car to the Mohammed VI Institute for Imams and Preachers.
Upon his arrival at the Mohammed VI Institute for Imams and Preachers - at 5:10pm local time (12:10pm EDT), Pope Francis was welcomed by His Majesty, Mohammed VI, as well as the Minister for Religious Affairs, the Director of the Institute and the President of the Council of Ulema. Then, inside, having received the honours presented by the Military Guard, they went to the auditorium.
Following the viewing of a video and the presentation of greetings by the Minister of Religious Affiars, an African student presented a testimonial and some European students also presented their witnesses. A few musical performances from Hebrew Christian and Muslim traditions then followed before King Mohammed VI escorted Pope Francis to his automobile.
The Holy Father then travelled by car to the Rabat Diocesan offices of Caritas where he met with migrants.
Upon his arrival at the Rabat-Salé International Airport, the Holy Father, Pope Francis was welcomed by the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI. Two children dressed in traditional costumes presented the Pope with a floral bouquet.
After the presentation of musical tributes, the Holy Father, accompanied by the King, greeted the Archbishop of Rabat, His Excellency, Cristóbal López Romero, SDB before making their way to the Royal Salon where His Holiness was offered dates and milk as a sign of hospitality and welcome. Then, the Holy Father travelled by car to the Hassan Tour Esplanade for the Official welcoming ceremony.
Upon his arrival at the Hassan Tour Esplanade, at 2:40pm, the Holy Father, accompanied by His Majesty, Mohammed VI, went to the main entrance of the esplanade for the welcoming ceremony.
Following the playing of national anthems, the presentation of military honours and the introductions of the respective delegations, the Holy Father and the King arrived together at the podium for a meeting with the people of Morocco, as well as Authorities, leaders in Civil society and members of the Diplomatic Corps.
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
addressed to the people of Morocco
Your Majesty,
Your Royal Highnesses,
Distinguished Authorities of the Kingdom of Morocco,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Dear Friends,
As-Salam Alaikum!
I am pleased to set foot in this country so filled with natural beauty, while at the same time preserving the traces of ancient civilizations and bearing witness to a long and fascinating history. Before all else, I would like to express my deep gratitude to His Majesty, King Mohammed VI for his kind invitation, for the warm welcome which he has given me in the name of the entire Moroccan people, and, in particular, for his gracious introduction.
This visit is for me an occasion of joy and gratitude, for it allows me to see at first hand the richness of your land, your people and your traditions. I am also grateful that my visit offers a significant opportunity for advancing inter-religious dialogue and mutual understanding among the followers of our two religions, as we commemorate – at a distance of eight centuries – the historic meeting between Saint Francis of Assisi and Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil. That prophetic event shows that the courage to encounter one another and extend a hand of friendship is a pathway of peace and harmony for humanity, whereas extremism and hatred cause division and destruction. It is my hope that our mutual esteem, respect and cooperation will help strengthen the bonds of sincere friendship, and enable our communities to prepare a better future for coming generations.
In this land, a natural bridge between Africa and Europe, I would like to affirm once more our need for cooperation in giving new impetus to the building of a world of greater solidarity, marked by honest, courageous and indispensable efforts to promote a dialogue respectful of the richness and distinctiveness of each people and every individual. All of us are called to rise to this challenge, especially at the present time, when our differences and our lack of reciprocal knowledge risk being exploited as a cause for conflict and division.
If we wish, then, to share in building a society that is open, fraternal and respectful of differences, it is vital to foster the culture of dialogue and adhere to it unfailingly, to adopt mutual cooperation as our code of conduct and reciprocal understanding as our method and standard (cf Document on Human Fraternity, Abu Dhabi, 4 February 2019). We are called to pursue this path tirelessly, in the effort to help each other overcome tensions and misunderstandings, clichés and stereotypes that generate fear and opposition. In this way, we will encourage the growth of a fruitful and respectful spirit of cooperation. It is likewise essential that fanaticism and extremism be countered by solidarity on the part of all believers, grounded in the lofty shared values that inspire our actions. For this reason, I am happy that I will shortly visit the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams, Morchidines and Morchidates. Established by Your Majesty, the Institute seeks to provide effective and sound training to combat all forms of extremism, which so often lead to violence and terrorism, and which, in any event, constitute an offense against religion and against God himself. We know how important it is to provide a suitable preparation for future religious leaders, if we wish to awaken a genuinely religious spirit in the heart of future generations.
Authentic dialogue, then, makes us appreciate more fully the importance of religion for building bridges between people and successfully meeting the challenges that I mentioned above. While respecting our differences, faith in God leads us to acknowledge the eminent dignity of each human being, as well as his or her inalienable rights. We believe that God created human beings equal in rights, duties and dignity, and he calls them to live as brothers and sisters and to spread the values of goodness, love and peace. That is why freedom of conscience and religious freedom – which is not limited to freedom of worship alone, but allows all to live in accordance with their religious convictions – are inseparably linked to human dignity. In this regard, there is a constant need to progress beyond mere tolerance to respect and esteem for others. This entails encountering and accepting others in their distinctive religious beliefs and enriching one another through our diversity, in a relationship marked by good will and by the pursuit of ways we can work together. Understood in this way, creating bridges between people – from the point of view of inter-religious dialogue – calls for a spirit of mutual regard, friendship and indeed fraternity.
The International Conference on the rights of religious minorities in Muslim countries, held in Marrakech in January 2016, addressed this issue, and I am pleased to note that it condemned, in effect, any exploitation of religion as a means of discriminating against or attacking others. It also stressed the need to move beyond the concept of religious minority in favour of that of citizenship and the recognition of the value of the person, which must have a central place in every legal system.
I also see as a prophetic sign the creation in 2012 of the Al Mowafaqa Ecumenical Institute in Rabat. The Institute, an initiative of Catholics and other Christian denominations in Morocco, seeks to help promote ecumenism, as well as dialogue with culture and with Islam. This praiseworthy undertaking manifests the concern and the desire of the Christians living in this country to build bridges as a means of expressing and serving human fraternity.
All these are ways to halt the misuse of religion to incite hatred, violence, extremism and blind fanaticism, and the invocation of the name of God to justify acts of murder, exile, terrorism and oppression (Document on Human Fraternity, Abu Dhabi, 4 February 2019).
The genuine dialogue we want to encourage also leads to a consideration of the world in which we live, our common home. The International Conference on Climate Change, COP 22, also held here in Morocco, once more demonstrated that many nations are conscious of the need to protect this planet where God has placed us to live and to contribute to a true ecological conversion for the sake of integral human development. I express my appreciation for the progress being made in this area and I am gratified by the growth of authentic solidarity between nations and peoples in the effort to find just and lasting solutions to the scourges that threaten our common home and the very survival of the human family. Only together, in patient, judicious, candid and sincere dialogue, can we hope to devise adequate solutions for reversing the trend of global warming and to achieve the goal of eliminating poverty (cf Laudato Si’, 175).
Similarly, today’s grave migration crisis represents an urgent summons for concrete actions aimed at eliminating the causes that force many people to leave country and family behind, often only to find themselves marginalized and rejected. Last December, once more here in Morocco, the Inter-governmental Conference on the Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration adopted a document intended to serve as a point of reference for the entire international community. At the same time, much still remains to be done, especially in passing from the commitments undertaken there, at least in principle, to concrete actions, and, more particularly, to a change of attitude towards migrants, one that sees them as persons, not numbers, and acknowledges their rights and dignity in daily life and in political decisions. You are aware of my great concern for the frequently grim fate of such people, who for the most part would not have left their countries were they not forced to do so. I trust that Morocco, which hosted that Conference with great openness and exceptional hospitality, will continue to be an example of humanity for migrants and refugees within the international community, so that here, as elsewhere, they can find generous welcome and protection, a better life and a dignified integration into society. When conditions permit, they can then decide to return home in conditions of safety and respect for their dignity and rights. The issue of migration will never be resolved by raising barriers, fomenting fear of others or denying assistance to those who legitimately aspire to a better life for themselves and their families. We know too that the consolidation of true peace comes through the pursuit of social justice, which is indispensable for correcting the economic imbalances and political unrest that have always had a major role in generating conflicts and threatening the whole of humanity.
Your Majesty, distinguished Authorities, dear friends! Christians are deeply appreciative of the place accorded them in Moroccan society. They wish to do their part in building a fraternal and prosperous nation, out of concern for the common good of its people. In this regard, I think of the significant work of the Catholic Church in Morocco in providing social services and in the field of education, thanks to its schools, which are open to students of every confession, religion and background. In thanking God for all that has been accomplished, allow me to encourage Catholics and all Christians to be servants, promoters and defenders of human fraternity here in Morocco.
Your Majesty, distinguished Authorities, dear friends! I thank you and all the Moroccan people once more for your warm welcome and your kind attention. Shukran bi-saf! May the Almighty, Gracious and Merciful, protect you and bless Morocco! Thank you. Original text in Italian Texte en français Texto en español Texto em português
This morning, aboard the flight to Morocco, the Holy Father conducted his usual meeting to greet the media officials who are accompanying him on this trip.
Beginning with a word of introduction offered by the Director ad interim of the Holy See Press Centre, Alessandro Gisotti, the Pope offered a few words.
Press Conference granted by His Holiness, Pope Francis
during the flight from Rome to Rabat
Alessandro Gisotti
Welcome, Holy Father; welcome all of you. Welcome to our colleagues from Morocco who have joined us for this visit, the first visit of Pope Francis to your country.
Holy Father, the motto for this voyage is Servant of hope: It is good that it is taking place in a country where there is coexistence and brotherhood between Christians and Muslims, especially following the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity which took place in Abu Dhabi.
Pope Francis
Good morning to all of you. Thank you for your company. I hope that your work will be fruitful. It will be tiring, I am sure, but I hope that it will also be fruitful. They have told me that today we have two people who are celebrating their birthdays. I don't know if we have cake but there are two of you; is it true? Happy Birthday! Thank you.
This morning, the Holy Father, Pope Francis began his 28th international Apostolic voyage to Marocco.
Before leaving the Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis met with a group of Moroccan migrants who are being housed in Italy by the Community of Sant'Egidio. There were two families present, each of which has two children, as well as two women and one young man. They were accompanied by the Apostolic Almoner, His Excellency, Konrad Krajewski.
Then, departing from the Vatican, the Holy Father travelled by car to Fiumicino International airport where, at 10:57am local time (5:57am EDT), he boarded an Alitalia A320 for the flight to Rabat.
The aircraft landed at the Rabat-Salé International Airport at 1:52pm local time (6:52am EDT).
Telegrams sent to Heads of States
At the moment when he departed from the Italian territory, the Holy Father, Pope Francis sent the following telegram to the President of the Italian Republic.
To His Excellency
The Honourable Sergio Mattarella
President of the Italian Republic
Palazzo del Quirinale 00187 Rome
At the moment when I am beginning my Apostolic Voyage to Marocco, to met with that noble people; to share moments of prayer, communion with the Catholic community; and to encourage inter-religious dialogue, I want to send my cordial greetings to you, Mister President, and all the Italian people, accompanied with my fervent wishes that Italy may always remain focused on the ethical and spiritual values of every person and of social living, all the while devoted to discovering inspired solutions to promote solidarity and concord.
Francis
Original text in Italian
While flying over France
His Excellency, Emmanuel Macron
President of the French Republic
Paris
As I fly over France on my way to Morocco for an Apostolic Visit, I extend Cordial Greetings to Your Excellency and your fellow citizens. I pray for the gifts of peace and harmony in the national and I gladly invoke God's blessings upon you all.
Francis
While flying over Spain
His Majesty, Felipe VI
King of Spain
Madrid
As I enter Spanish air space on my journey to Morocco, I extend cordial greetings to Your Majesty, the members of the Royal Family, and the people of Spain. I invoke divine blessings upon you all, asking Almighty God to grant the nation the gift of well-being and peace.
At 5:00pm this afternoon, local time in Rome (noon EDT), inside the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided over the Rite of Reconciliation for many penitents with Confession and individual Absolution.
Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the Penitential Service
The two of them alone remained: mercy with misery (In Joh 33, 5). In this way Saint Augustine sums up the end of the Gospel we have just heard. Those who came to cast stones at the woman or to accuse Jesus with regard to the Law have gone away, having lost interest. Jesus, however, remains. He remains because what is of value in his eyes has remained: that woman, that person. For him, the sinner comes before the sin. I, you, each one of us come first in the heart of God: before mistakes, rules, judgements and our failures. Let us ask for the grace of a gaze like that of Jesus, let us ask to have the Christian perspective on life. Let us look with love upon the sinner before his or her sin; upon the one going astray before his or her error; upon the person before his or her history.
The two of them alone remained: mercy with misery. The woman caught in adultery does not represent for Jesus a paragraph of the Law, but instead a concrete situation in which he gets involved. Thus he remains there with the woman, for the most part standing in silence. Meanwhile, he twice performs a mysterious gesture: he writes with his finger on the ground (Jn 8:6, 8). We do not know what he wrote and perhaps that is not the most important element: the attention of the Gospel focuses on the fact that the Lord writes. We think of the episode at Sinai when God wrote the tablets of the Law with his finger (cf Ex 31:18), just as Jesus does now. Later, God, through the prophets, promised that he would no longer write on tablets of stone, but directly on the heart (cf Jer 31:33), on the tablets of the flesh of our hearts (cf 2 Cor 3:3). With Jesus, the mercy of God incarnate, the time has come when God writes on the hearts of men and women, when he gives a sure hope to human misery: giving not so much external laws which often keep God and humanity at a distance, but rather the law of the Spirit which enters into the heart and sets it free. It happens this way for the woman, who encounters Jesus and resumes her life: she goes off to sin no more (cf Jn 8:11). It is Jesus who, with the power of the Holy Spirit, frees us from the evil we have within us, from the sin which the Law could impede but not remove.
All the same, evil is strong, it has a seductive power: it attracts and fascinates. Our own efforts are not enough to detach ourselves from it: we need a greater love. Without God, we cannot overcome evil. Only his love raises us up from within, only his tender love poured out into our hearts makes us free. If we want to be free from evil, we have to make room for the Lord who forgives and heals. He accomplishes this above all through the sacrament we are about to celebrate. Confession is the passage from misery to mercy; it is God’s writing upon the heart. There – in our hearts – we constantly read that we are precious in the eyes of God, that he is our Father and that he loves us even more than we love ourselves.
The two of them alone remained: mercy with misery. Those two, alone. How many times do we feel alone, that we have lost our way in life. How many times do we no longer know how to begin again, overwhelmed by the effort to accept ourselves. We need to start over, but we don’t know where to begin. Christians are born from the forgiveness they receive in Baptism. They are always reborn from the same place: from the surprising forgiveness of God, from his mercy which restores us. Only by being forgiven can we set out again with fresh confidence, after having experienced the joy of being loved by the Father to the full. Only through God’s forgiveness do truly new things happen within us. Let us hear again words the Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah: Behold, I am doing a new thing (Is 43:19). Forgiveness gives us a new beginning, makes us new creatures, helps us take hold of a new life. God’s forgiveness is not a photocopy which is identically reproduced in every passage through the confessional. Receiving pardon for our sins through a priest is always a new, distinctive and unique experience. We pass from being alone with our miseries and accusers, like the woman in the Gospel, to being raised up and encouraged by the Lord who grants us a new start.
The two of them alone remained: mercy with misery. What do we need to do to come to love mercy, to overcome the fear of Confession? Let us accept once more the invitation of Isaiah: Do you not perceive it? (Is 43:19). It is important to perceive God’s forgiveness. It would be beautiful, after Confession, to remain like that woman, our eyes fixed on Jesus who has just set us free: no longer looking at our miseries, but rather at his mercy. To look at the Crucified One and say with amazement: That’s where my sins ended up. You took them upon yourself. You didn’t point your finger at me; instead, you opened your arms and forgave me once again. It is important to be mindful of God’s forgiveness, to remember his tender love, and taste again and again the peace and freedom we have experienced. For this is the heart of Confession: not the sins we declare, but the divine love we receive, of which we are ever in need. We may still have a doubt: Confessing is useless, I am always committing the same sins. The Lord knows us, however; he knows that the interior struggle is difficult, that we are weak and inclined to fall, that we often relapse into doing what is wrong. So he proposes that we begin to relapse into goodness, into asking for mercy. He will raise us up and make us new creatures. Let us start over, then, from Confession, let us restore to this sacrament the place it deserves in life and pastoral ministry!
The two of them alone remained: mercy with misery. Today, in Confession, we too draw life from this saving encounter: we with our miseries and sins, and the Lord who knows us, loves us and frees us from evil. Let us enter into this encounter, asking for the grace to rediscover its saving power. Original text in Italian Texte en français Texto en español
A month after the conclusion of the Meeting on the Protection of Minors held in the Vatican, a meeting greatly desired by Pope Francis, three very significant documents are being published that respond to the concrete demands expressed by the People of God to address the scourge of the sexual abuse of minors. Announced this past February 24, this is the first important step following the summit of the Episcopal Conferences.
Significantly, all three documents – the laws on the protection of minors in the Vatican City State, the Motu proprio which applies the norms to the Roman Curia, and the Guidelines for the Vicariate of Vatican City – are signed by the Holy Father. Together, these acts reinforce the protection of minors by strengthening the normative framework.
The Holy Father hopes that – thanks also to these norms which pertain to Vatican City State and to the Roman Curia – everyone might develop in their awareness that the Church must always be ever increasingly a safe home for children and vulnerable persons.
At 11:00am local time (6:00am EDT) in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience those who are participating in the XXX Course on the Internal Forum organized by the Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary. The Course has taken place in Rome - at the Palazzo della Cancelleria - from 25 to 29 March 2019.
Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
addressed to participants taking part in the
Course on the Internal Forum
Dear brothers, good morning!
I welcome you during this season of Lent, on the occasion of the Course on the Internal Forum, which is being offered this year for the thirtieth time.
And I would like to add - off text - a word about the term internal forum. This is not a nonsensical expression: it is serious! Internal forum is internal forum and it cannot go outside. And I say this because I realized that in some groups in the Church, the appointees, the superiors - let us say so - mix the two and take from the internal forum in order to make decisions in the external forum, and vice versa. Please, this is a sin! It is a sin against the dignity of the person who trusts the priest, he manifests his reality to ask for forgiveness, and then he uses it to fix the things of a group or a movement, perhaps - I don't know, maybe to invent - perhaps even of a new congregation, I don't know. But internal forum is internal forum. It is a sacred thing. I wanted to say this because I am worried about this.
I offer a cordial greeting to Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, Major Penitentiary, and I thank him for the kind words that he has offered to me. With him, I greet all the members of the family from the Apostolic Penitentiary.
The importance of the ministry of mercy justifies, requires and almost demands an adequate formation, so that the encounter with the faithful who ask for God's forgiveness is always a real meeting of salvation, in which the embrace of the Lord is perceived in all its strength, able to change, convert, heal and forgive.
Thirty years of experience of your course on the internal sacramental forum, are not many years compared to the long history of the Church and to the antiquity of the Apostolic Penitentiary, which is the oldest Tribunal in the service of the Pope: a court of mercy! And I really like it that way.
However, thirty years, in this age of ours, which runs so quickly, is a sufficiently long time to be able to make reflections and budgets. In addition, the very high number of participants - over seven hundred this year! The Cardinal said that he had to stop registration for logistical reasons. It seems a joke that there is no space in the Vatican! It seems like a joke! - indicates how acute the need for training and security is, with respect to matters so important for the life of the Church itself and the fulfillment of the mission that the Lord Jesus entrusted to us.
If it is held by many that Confession, and with it the sense of sin, is in crisis - and we cannot fail to recognize a certain difficulty of contemporary man in this regard -, this large participation of priests, newly ordained and ordinands, testifies to the permanent interest in working together to face and overcome the crisis, first of all with the weapons of faith, and offering an ever more qualified service capable of really manifesting the beauty of divine Mercy.
Jesus came to save us by revealing to us the merciful face of God and drawing us to him with his Sacrifice of love. Then we must always remember that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a real way of sanctification; it is the effective sign that Jesus left to the Church so that the door of the Father's house would always remain open and that the return of men and women to Him was always possible.
Sacramental confession is the way of sanctification both for the penitent and for the confessor. And you, dear young confessors, you will soon experience it.
For the penitent, it is clearly a way of sanctification, because, as repeatedly stressed during the recent Jubilee of Mercy, sacramental absolution, validly celebrated, gives us baptismal innocence, full communion with God which is never interrupted toward any man, but which man sometimes escapes by misusing the stupendous gift of freedom.
For the meeting with the priests of my diocese, this year they chose as their motto Reconciliation, sister of Baptism. The sacrament of Penance is a brother of Baptism. For us priests, the fourth sacrament is the way of sanctification first of all when, humbly, like all sinners, we kneel before the confessor and implore for ourselves the divine Mercy. We always remember - and this will help us a lot -, before going to the confessional, to be first forgiven sinners and, only later, ministers of forgiveness.
Furthermore - and this is one of the many gifts that Christ's love of predilection holds for us - as confessors we have the privilege of constantly contemplating the miracles of conversions. We must always recognize the powerful action of grace, which is capable of transforming the heart of stone into a heart of flesh (cf Ez 11,19), of changing a sinner who fled far away into a repentant son who returns to his father's house (cf Lk 15, 11-32).
For this reason the Penitentiary, with this Course on the internal Forum, offers an ecclesial service, favouring the necessary formation for a correct and effective celebration of the sacrament of Reconciliation, an indispensable presupposition for its fruitfulness. This is because every single Confession is always a new and definitive step towards a more perfect sanctification; a tender embrace, full of mercy, which helps to expand the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of love, truth and peace.
Reconciliation itself is a good that the wisdom of the Church has always safeguarded with all its moral and juridical strength with the sacramental seal. Although not always understood by the modern mentality, it is indispensable for the sanctity of the sacrament and for the penitent's freedom of conscience; which must be certain, at any time, that the sacramental conversation will remain in the secrecy of the confessional, between one's conscience that opens to grace and God, with the necessary mediation of the priest. The sacramental seal is indispensable and no human power has jurisdiction, nor can it claim it.
Dear young priests, future priests, dear Penitentiaries, I urge you to always listen with great generosity to the Confessions of the faithful - it takes patience, but always with an open heart, with the spirit of a father -, I urge you to go along with them the way of sanctification that is the sacrament, contemplate the miracles of conversion that grace operates in the secret of the confessional, miracles of which only you and the angels will be witnesses. And may you sanctify yourself above all, in the humble and faithful exercise of the ministry of Reconciliation.
