Greetings for Missionary Institutes in Italy

At noon today (6:00am EDT) in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience a delegation from the Missionary Institutes in Italy.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

addressed to Missionary Institutes in Italy

Dear brothers and sisters!

I am happy to meet you, and I am grateful to you for asking for this audience together, as specifically missionary religious institutes born in Italy. Thank you for the greeting and introduction. I consider the fact of meeting on the eve of the Extraordinary Missionary Month to be providential, because it allows us to reflect together on the mission and, above all, to invoke God's grace upon it.

First of all I feel the need to express gratitude to your Founders. In a troubled historical era - from the mid-nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century - the foundation of your religious families, with their generous openness to the world, was a sign of courage and trust in the Lord. When everything seemed to lead to the preservation their existence, your Founders - but also other figures could be added, such as Saint (Frances Xavier) Cabrini - on the contrary were the protagonists of a new impetus towards others and particularly those who are distant. From conservation to momentum.

The missionary lives the courage of the gospel without too many calculations, sometimes even going beyond common sense because he is driven by trust placed exclusively in Jesus. There is a mystique of mission, a thirst for communion with Christ through the testimony that your Founders and your Foundresses lived, which pushed them to give themselves totally. It is necessary to rediscover this mystique in all its fascinating beauty, because it preserves its extraordinary strength for all time. As Saint Paul says: The love of Christ indeed possesses us; and we know well that one has died for all (2 Cor 5.14).

Also in this aspect, the Virgin Mary is a teacher: she who, immediately after having conceived Jesus, left in a hurry to go and help her cousin; and so she brought Jesus into that house, into that family, and at the same time, she brought Jesus to the people of Israel and brought him to the world. Mary leaves because she is inhabited by Christ and by his Spirit. This is why you too leave because they are inhabited by Christ and his Spirit. There is no other reason to decide to leave except for the Risen Christ, no other reason to leave the dearest affections, one's country, one's friends, one's culture. It is beautiful to hear this passion for Christ and for his Kingdom in your words; as in the memorable speech of Paul VI in Manila that you mention in your Document.

On this basis, your confirmation of the dedication to the mission ad gentes is well founded. I thank you for the clear witness you give of your vocation, which is inseparably ecclesial and charismatic. Ecclesial in its very depths, rooted in Baptism, and at the same time linked to the charism towards which the Lord has attracted you and in which your life has taken shape.

I was struck by hearing you repeat without hesitation: We are missionaries and missionaries ad gentes ... ad extra ... ad vitam. And don't say it as a slogan - this would be dangerous! -, but with the necessary motivations and specifications. You say it without triumphalism or a sense of challenge, indeed, in the awareness of the current crisis, accepted as an opportunity for discernment, conversion and renewal.

With the consecration to the mission ad gentes, you make your specific contribution to the evangelization commitment of the whole Church. With the richness of the charisms of your Institutes - which means hearts, faces, stories and even the blood of missionaries - you interpret the message Saint Paul VI's Evangelii nuntiandi, that of Saint John Paul II's Redemptoris missio, and that of Evangelii gaudium. And with this hermeneutic incarnated in your life and in your communities you enrich the feeling and the Church's journey.

Help keep the people of God alive in the awareness of being constitutively outgoing, sent to bring to all people the blessing of God who is Jesus Christ. And also help them to remember that the mission is not an individual work, or the work of solitary champions, but that it is communal, fraternal and shared. In this sense, collaboration between your Institutes is an added value: continue in this way!

Another typical contribution that you offer to the Church is to show that the mission is not one way - from Europe to the rest of the world: these are the traces of the old colonialism - but it lives on an interchange that is now evident but must be grasped as a value, a sign of the times. Today most priestly and religious vocations arise in territories that previously only received missionaries. This fact, on the one hand, increases in us the sense of gratitude towards the holy evangelizers who have been sown with great sacrifices in those lands; and on the other hand, constitutes a challenge for the Church and for the Institutes: a challenge for communion and for formation. But a challenge to be accepted without fear, with confidence in the Holy Spirit who is a Master in harmonizing diversity. I remember, in our 32nd General Congregation - I am talking about 1974 - I remember that there was talk of the Society of Jesus in several places, and someone said: Perhaps we will have an Indian superior, or an African superior ... At that time it was strange. All (superiors) had to be Europeans. And today how many, how many religious congregations have superiors and generals who come from those lands! Today, we too have a Latin American, as superior general. The matter has been reversed: what was a utopia in '74, today is a reality.

Dear brothers and sisters, beginning in your beloved country is a sign that restores strength and courage to your communities of origin. With your departure you continue to say: with Christ there is no boredom, tiredness and sadness, because He is the continuous novelty of our life. The missionary needs the joy of the gospel: without it there is no mission, a gospel is announced which does not attract. And the core of the mission is this attraction of Christ: it is the only one that attracts. Men and women of today, in Italy and in the world, need to see people who have in their hearts the joy of the Risen One, who have been attracted to the Lord. This witness, visible in dialogue, in mutual charity, in mutual acceptance and sharing, says the beauty of the Gospel, attracts us to the joy of believing in Jesus and anchoring ourselves to him. It is Jesus himself who attracts us. It is He! This joy, this beauty of the gospel always finds space in your heart, in your gestures, in your words, in the way you experience relationships.

The proclamation of the beauty, joy and novelty of the Gospel is explicit and implicit, it touches all the situations of human adventure. Do not be afraid to witness to Jesus even when it is inconvenient. To witness it with all our lives, not with entrepreneurial methodologies that respond more to a spirit of proselytism but to a true evangelization. Do not forget that the protagonist of evangelization is the Holy Spirit. He, the Lord, will know how to find ways to make that little seed take root, its name pronounced in love by a missionary, is gradually transformed into a plant of solid faith in whose shade many will be able to rest. The buried seed ... I am reminded of something that Cardinal Hummes told me: he is retired but he is the one in charge of the Brazilian Episcopate for the whole Amazon region, and when he goes to a village, to a town, one of the first things he does is go to the cemetery, to see the graves of missionaries. He told me this and then he added: All those missionaries deserve to be canonized, for the seed they threw out there. A nice thought.

The Italian Church also needs you, your testimony, your enthusiasm and your courage to take new paths to proclaim the Gospel. We need to realize that the distant gentes have now come to live in our countries, they are the strangers next door. Even the Italians next door, our fellow citizens. It is necessary to rediscover the fascinating adventure of getting close, of becoming friends, of welcoming oneself and helping oneself. This attitude concerns everyone: priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful. The theme of the October 2019 extraordinary missionary month is Baptized and sent, a theme chosen precisely to remember that the intrinsic nature of the Church is missionary. The Church exists on the journey; there is no church on the sofa.

May your Institutes collaborate more and more with the particular Churches in order to arouse more awareness of the missio ad gentes and to resume the missionary transformation of life and pastoral care with new enthusiasm (Letter of announcement of the extraordinary missionary month 2019). I accompany you with my prayer and I cordially bless you. And you, please, don't forget to pray for me. Thank you.
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Word of God Sunday

Today, the Holy See Press Centre published the text of the Apostolic Letter of His Holiness, Pope Francis entitled Aperuit illis.  With this Apostolic Letter, His Holiness is establishing a new celebration known as Word of God Sunday.

Apostolic Letter of His Holiness, Pope Francis
Aperuit illis

issued Motu Proprio

Instituting Word of God Sunday

1. He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures (Lk 24:45). This was one of the final acts of the risen Lord before his Ascension. Jesus appeared to the assembled disciples, broke bread with them and opened their minds to the understanding of the sacred Scriptures. To them, amid their fear and bewilderment, he unveiled the meaning of the paschal mystery: that in accordance with the Father’s eternal plan he had to suffer and rise from the dead, in order to bring repentance and the forgiveness of sins (cf Lk 24:26.46-47). He then promised to send the Holy Spirit, who would give them strength to be witnesses of this saving mystery (cf Lk 24:49).

The relationship between the Risen Lord, the community of believers and sacred Scripture is essential to our identity as Christians. Without the Lord who opens our minds to them, it is impossible to understand the Scriptures in depth. Yet the contrary is equally true: without the Scriptures, the events of the mission of Jesus and of his Church in this world would remain incomprehensible. Hence, Saint Jerome could rightly claim: Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ (Commentary on the Book of Isaiah, Prologue: PL 24,17B).

2. At the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, I proposed setting aside a Sunday given over entirely to the word of God, so as to appreciate the inexhaustible riches contained in that constant dialogue between the Lord and his people (Misericordia et Misera, 7). Devoting a specific Sunday of the liturgical year to the word of God can enable the Church to experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world. Here, we are reminded of the teaching of Saint Ephrem: Who is able to understand, Lord, all the richness of even one of your words? There is more that eludes us than what we can understand. We are like the thirsty drinking from a fountain. Your word has as many aspects as the perspectives of those who study it. The Lord has coloured his word with diverse beauties, so that those who study it can contemplate what stirs them. He has hidden in his word all treasures, so that each of us may find a richness in what he or she contemplates (Commentary on the Diatessaron, 1, 18).

With this Letter, I wish to respond to the many requests I have received from the people of God that the entire Church celebrate, in unity of purpose, a Sunday of the Word of God. It is now common for the Christian community to set aside moments to reflect on the great importance of the word of God for everyday living. The various local Churches have undertaken a wealth of initiatives to make the sacred Scripture more accessible to believers, to increase their gratitude for so great a gift, and to help them to strive daily to embody and bear witness to its teachings.

The Second Vatican Council gave great impulse to the rediscovery of the word of God, thanks to its Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum, a document that deserves to be read and appropriated ever anew. The Constitution clearly expounds the nature of sacred Scripture, its transmission from generation to generation (Chapter II), its divine inspiration (Chapter III) embracing the Old and New Testaments (Chapters IV and V), and the importance of Scripture for the life of the Church (Chapter VI). To advance this teaching, Pope Benedict XVI convoked an Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2008 on The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church, and then issued the Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini, whose teaching remains fundamental for our communities. That document emphasizes in particular the performative character of the Word of God, especially in the context of the liturgy, in which its distinctively sacramental character comes to the fore (cf VD, 56).

It is fitting, then that the life of our people be constantly marked by this decisive relationship with the living word that the Lord never tires of speaking to his Bride, that she may grow in love and faithful witness.

3. Consequently, I hereby declare that the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination of the word of God. This Sunday of the Word of God will thus be a fitting part of that time of the year when we are encouraged to strengthen our bonds with the Jewish people and to pray for Christian unity. This is more than a temporal coincidence: the celebration of the Sunday of the Word of God has ecumenical value, since the Scriptures point out, for those who listen, the path to authentic and firm unity.

The various communities will find their own ways to mark this Sunday with a certain solemnity. It is important, however, that in the Eucharistic celebration the sacred text be enthroned, in order to focus the attention of the assembly on the normative value of God’s word. On this Sunday, it would be particularly appropriate to highlight the proclamation of the word of the Lord and to emphasize in the homily the honour that it is due. Bishops could celebrate the Rite of Installation of Lectors or a similar commissioning of readers, in order to bring out the importance of the proclamation of God’s word in the liturgy. In this regard, renewed efforts should be made to provide members of the faithful with the training needed to be genuine proclaimers of the word, as is already the practice in the case of acolytes or extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. Pastors can also find ways of giving a Bible, or one of its books, to the entire assembly as a way of showing the importance of learning how to read, appreciate and pray daily with sacred Scripture, especially through the practice of lectio divina.

4. The return of the people of Israel to their homeland after the Babylonian exile was marked by the public reading of the book of the Law. In the book of Nehemiah, the Bible gives us a moving description of that moment. The people assembled in Jerusalem, in the square before the Water Gate, to listen to the Law. They had been scattered in exile, but now they found themselves gathered as one around the sacred Scripture (Neh 8:1). The people lent attentive ears (Neh 8:3) to the reading of the sacred book, realizing that in its words they would discover the meaning of their lived experience. The reaction to the proclamation of was one of great emotion and tears: The Levites read from the book, from the law of God, clearly; and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep’. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’ (Neh 8:8-10).

These words contain a great teaching. The Bible cannot be just the heritage of some, much less a collection of books for the benefit of a privileged few. It belongs above all to those called to hear its message and to recognize themselves in its words. At times, there can be a tendency to monopolize the sacred text by restricting it to certain circles or to select groups. It cannot be that way. The Bible is the book of the Lord’s people, who, in listening to it, move from dispersion and division towards unity. The word of God unites believers and makes them one people.

5. In this unity born of listening, pastors are primarily responsible for explaining sacred Scripture and helping everyone to understand it. Since it is the people’s book, those called to be ministers of the word must feel an urgent need to make it accessible to their community.

The homily, in particular, has a distinctive function, for it possesses a quasi-sacramental character (Evangelii Gaudium, 142). Helping people to enter more deeply into the word of God through simple and suitable language will allow priests themselves to discover the beauty of the images used by the Lord to encourage the practice of the good (EG, 142). This is a pastoral opportunity that should not be wasted!

For many of our faithful, in fact, this is the only opportunity they have to grasp the beauty of God’s word and to see it applied to their daily lives. Consequently, sufficient time must be devoted to the preparation of the homily. A commentary on the sacred readings cannot be improvised. Those of us who are preachers should not give long, pedantic homilies or wander off into unrelated topics. When we take time to pray and meditate on the sacred text, we can speak from the heart and thus reach the hearts of those who hear us, conveying what is essential and capable of bearing fruit. May we never tire of devoting time and prayer to Scripture, so that it may be received not as a human word but as what it really is, the word of God (1 Thes 2:13).

Catechists, too, in their ministry of helping people to grow in their faith, ought to feel an urgent need for personal renewal through familiarity with, and study of, the sacred Scriptures. This will help them foster in their hearers a true dialogue with the word of God.

6. Before encountering his disciples, gathered behind closed doors, and opening their minds to the understanding of the Scriptures (cf Lk 24:44-45), the risen Lord appeared to two of them on the road to Emmaus from Jerusalem (cf Lk 24:13-35). Saint Luke’s account notes that this happened on the very day of his resurrection, a Sunday. The two disciples were discussing the recent events concerning Jesus’ passion and death. Their journey was marked by sorrow and disappointment at his tragic death. They had hoped that he would be the Messiah who would set them free, but they found themselves instead confronted with the scandal of the cross. The risen Lord himself gently draws near and walks with them, yet they do not recognize him (cf Lk 24:16). Along the way, he questions them, and, seeing that they have not grasped the meaning of his passion and death, he exclaims: O foolish men, and slow of heart (Lk 24:25). Then, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the Scriptures (Lk 24:27). Christ is the first exegete! Not only did the Old Testament foretell what he would accomplish, but he himself wished to be faithful to its words, in order to make manifest the one history of salvation whose fulfilment is found in Christ.

7. The Bible, as sacred Scripture, thus speaks of Christ and proclaims him as the one who had to endure suffering and then enter into his glory (cf Lk 24:26). Not simply a part, but the whole of Scripture speaks of Christ. Apart from the Scriptures, his death and resurrection cannot be rightly understood. That is why one of the most ancient confessions of faith stressed that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas (1 Cor 15:3-5). Since the Scriptures everywhere speak of Christ, they enable us to believe that his death and resurrection are not myth but history, and are central to the faith of his disciples.

A profound bond links sacred Scripture and the faith of believers. Since faith comes from hearing, and what is heard is based on the word of Christ (cf Rom 10:17), believers are bound to listen attentively to the word of the Lord, both in the celebration of the liturgy and in their personal prayer and reflection.

8. The journey that the Risen Lord makes with the disciples of Emmaus ended with a meal. The mysterious wayfarer accepts their insistent request: Stay with us, for it is almost evening and the day is now far spent (Lk 24:29). They sit down at table, and Jesus takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it and offers it to them. At that moment, their eyes are opened, and they recognize him (cf Lk 24:31).

This scene clearly demonstrates the unbreakable bond between sacred Scripture and the Eucharist. As the Second Vatican Council teaches, the Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she has venerated the Lord’s body, in that she never ceases, above all in the sacred liturgy, to partake of the bread of life and to offer it to the faithful from the one table of the word of God and the body of Christ (Dei Verbum, 21).

Regular reading of sacred Scripture and the celebration of the Eucharist make it possible for us to see ourselves as part of one another. As Christians, we are a single people, making our pilgrim way through history, sustained by the Lord, present in our midst, who speaks to us and nourishes us. A day devoted to the Bible should not be seen as a yearly event but rather a year-long event, for we urgently need to grow in our knowledge and love of the Scriptures and of the risen Lord, who continues to speak his word and to break bread in the community of believers. For this reason, we need to develop a closer relationship with sacred Scripture; otherwise, our hearts will remain cold and our eyes shut, struck as we are by so many forms of blindness.

Sacred Scripture and the sacraments are thus inseparable. When the sacraments are introduced and illumined by God’s word, they become ever more clearly the goal of a process whereby Christ opens our minds and hearts to acknowledge his saving work. We should always keep in mind the teaching found in the Book of Revelation: the Lord is standing at the door and knocking. If anyone should hear his voice and open for him, he will come in and eat with them (cf Rev 3:20). Christ Jesus is knocking at our door in the words of sacred Scripture. If we hear his voice and open the doors of our minds and hearts, then he will enter our lives and remain ever with us.

9. In the Second Letter to Timothy, which is in some ways his spiritual testament, Saint Paul urges his faithful co-worker to have constant recourse to sacred Scripture. The Apostle is convinced that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (Rev 3:16). Paul’s exhortation to Timothy is fundamental to the teaching of the conciliar Constitution Dei Verbum on the great theme of biblical inspiration, which emphasizes the Scriptures’ saving purpose, spiritual dimension and inherent incarnational principle.

First, recalling Paul’s encouragement to Timothy, Dei Verbum stresses that we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully and without error, teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the sacred Scriptures (DV, 11). Since the Scriptures teach with a view to salvation through faith in Christ (cf 2 Tim 3:15), the truths contained therein are profitable for our salvation. The Bible is not a collection of history books or a chronicle, but is aimed entirely at the integral salvation of the person. The evident historical setting of the books of the Bible should not make us overlook their primary goal, which is our salvation. Everything is directed to this purpose and essential to the very nature of the Bible, which takes shape as a history of salvation in which God speaks and acts in order to encounter all men and women and to save them from evil and death.

To achieve this saving purpose, sacred Scripture, by the working of the Holy Spirit, makes human words written in human fashion become the word of God (cf DV, 12). The role of the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures is primordial. Without the work of the Spirit, there would always be a risk of remaining limited to the written text alone. This would open the way to a fundamentalist reading, which needs to be avoided, lest we betray the inspired, dynamic and spiritual character of the sacred text. As the Apostle reminds us: The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor 3:6). The Holy Spirit, then, makes sacred Scripture the living word of God, experienced and handed down in the faith of his holy people.

10. The work of the Holy Spirit has to do not only with the formation of sacred Scripture; it is also operative in those who hear the word of God. The words of the Council Fathers are instructive: sacred Scripture is to be read and interpreted in the light of the same Spirit through whom it was written (DV, 12). God’s revelation attains its completion and fullness in Jesus Christ; nonetheless, the Holy Spirit does not cease to act. It would be reductive indeed to restrict the working of the Spirit to the divine inspiration of sacred Scripture and its various human authors. We need to have confidence in the working of the Holy Spirit as he continues in his own way to provide inspiration whenever the Church teaches the sacred Scriptures, whenever the Magisterium authentically interprets them (cf DV, 10), and whenever each believer makes them the norm of his or her spiritual life. In this sense, we can understand the words spoken by Jesus to his disciples when they told him that they now understood the meaning of his parables: Every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old (Mt 13:52).

11. Finally, Dei Verbum makes clear that the words of God, expressed in human language, are in every way like human speech, just as the Word of the eternal Father, in taking upon himself the weak flesh of human beings, also took on their likeness (DV, 13). We can say that the incarnation of the eternal Word gives shape and meaning to the relationship between God’s word and our human language, in all its historical and cultural contingency. This event gives rise to Tradition, which is also God’s word (cf DV, 9). We frequently risk separating sacred Scripture and sacred Tradition, without understanding that together they are the one source of Revelation. The written character of the former takes nothing away from its being fully a living word; in the same way, the Church’s living Tradition, which continually hands that word down over the centuries from one generation to the next, possesses that sacred book as the supreme rule of her faith (DV, 21). Moreover, before becoming a written text, sacred Scripture was handed down orally and kept alive by the faith of a people who, in the midst of many others, acknowledged it as their own history and the source of their identity. Biblical faith, then, is based on the living word, not on a book.

12. When sacred Scripture is read in the light of the same Spirit by whom it was written, it remains ever new. The Old Testament is never old once it is part of the New, since all has been transformed thanks to the one Spirit who inspired it. The sacred text as a whole serves a prophetic function regarding not the future but the present of whoever is nourished by this word. Jesus himself clearly stated this at the beginning of his ministry: Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing (Lk 4:21). Those who draw daily nourishment from God’s word become, like Jesus, a contemporary of all those whom they encounter: they are not tempted to fall into sterile nostalgia for the past, or to dream of ethereal utopias yet to come.

Sacred Scripture accomplishes its prophetic work above all in those who listen to it. It proves both sweet and bitter. We are reminded of the words of the prophet Ezekiel when, commanded by the Lord to eat the scroll of the book, he tells us: It was in my mouth as sweet as honey (Ez 3:3). John the Evangelist too, on the island of Patmos, echoes Ezekiel’s experience of eating the scroll, but goes on to add: It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter (Rev 10:10).

The sweetness of God’s word leads us to share it with all those whom we encounter in this life and to proclaim the sure hope that it contains (cf 1 Pet 3:15-16). Its bitterness, in turn, often comes from our realization of how difficult it is to live that word consistently, or our personal experience of seeing it rejected as meaningless for life. We should never take God’s word for granted, but instead let ourselves be nourished by it, in order to acknowledge and live fully our relationship with him and with our brothers and sisters.

13. Yet another challenge raised by sacred Scripture has to do with love. God’s word constantly reminds us of the merciful love of the Father who calls his children to live in love. The life of Jesus is the full and perfect expression of this divine love, which holds nothing back but offers itself to all without reserve. In the parable of Lazarus, we find a valuable teaching. When both Lazarus and the rich man die, the latter, seeing the poor man Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom, asks that Lazarus be sent to his brothers to warn them to love their neighbour, lest they also experience his torment. Abraham’s answer is biting: They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them (Lk 16:29). To listen to sacred Scripture and then to practise mercy: this is the great challenge before us in life. God’s word has the power to open our eyes and to enable us to renounce a stifling and barren individualism and instead to embark on a new path of sharing and solidarity.

14. One of the most significant moments in Jesus’ relationship with his disciples is found in the account of the Transfiguration. He goes up the mountain with Peter, James and John to pray. The evangelists tell us that as Jesus’ face and clothing became dazzlingly white, two men conversed with him: Moses and Elijah, representing respectively the Law and the Prophets; in other words, sacred Scripture. Peter’s reaction to this sight is one of amazement and joy: Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah (Lk 9:33). At that moment a cloud overshadows them, and the disciples are struck with fear.

The Transfiguration reminds us of the Feast of Tabernacles, when Ezra and Nehemiah read the sacred text to the people after their return from exile. At the same time, it foreshadows Jesus’ glory, as a way of preparing the disciples for the scandal of the Passion: that divine glory is also evoked by the cloud enveloping the disciples as a symbol of God’s presence. A similar transfiguration takes place with sacred Scripture, which transcends itself whenever it nourishes the lives of believers. As the Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini reminds us: In rediscovering the interplay between the different senses of Scripture it becomes essential to grasp the passage from letter to spirit. This is not an automatic, spontaneous passage; rather, the letter needs to be transcended (VD, 38).

15. Along our path of welcoming God’s word into our hearts, the Mother of the Lord accompanies us. She is the one who was called blessed because she believed in the fulfilment of what the Lord had spoken to her (cf Lk 1:45). Mary’s own beatitude is prior to all the beatitudes proclaimed by Jesus about the poor and those who mourn, the meek, the peacemakers and those who are persecuted, for it is the necessary condition for every other kind of beatitude. The poor are not blessed because they are poor; they become blessed if, like Mary, they believe in the fulfilment of God’s word. A great disciple and master of sacred Scripture, Saint Augustine, once wrote: Someone in the midst of the crowd, seized with enthusiasm, cried out: ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you’ and Jesus replied, ‘Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it’. As if to say: My mother, whom you call blessed, is indeed blessed, because she keeps the word of God. Not because in her the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, but because she keeps that same word of God by which she was made and which, in her womb, became flesh (Tractates on the Gospel of John, 10, 3).

May the Sunday of the Word of God help his people to grow in religious and intimate familiarity with the sacred Scriptures. For as the sacred author taught of old: This word is very near to you: it is in your mouth and in your heart for your observance (Dt 30:14).

Given in Rome, at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, on 30 September 2019, the liturgical Memorial of Saint Jerome, on the inauguration of the 1600th anniversary of his death.

Francis
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Respond with compassion

Here is the homily I prepared and shared with those who came to pray with us today: some thoughts to help us keep our focus on the right perspective.

Advice for those who love money

In today's gospel passage, Jesus speaks to the Pharisees, and especially to those among them who loved money and physical possessions.  He was particularly concerned with this group of people because he loved them as much as he loved all others and wanted them to understand the true meaning of wealth.  You see, the danger exists in those who set their sights only on physical possessions, because earthly riches can weaken our ability to understand the sufferings of others.

The story includes a rich man who is very proud of his achievements, but his pride blinds him to the needs of the poor man Lazarus.  This rich man has become comfortable, surrounded with a life of ease.  He may still have been a really good man, but his love of money disoriented his good intentions and made him unresponsive to the needs of those around him.

Jesus makes it clear that we already have the help we need in order to resist the temptation of pride.  The prophet Amos warns that wealth tempts people to think only of themselves (cf Amos 6:1) and the Ten Commandments instruct us to respond to the needs of others, especially those who are poor (cf Ex 20:12-17).  It is not surprising then that Abraham rebukes the rich man with powerful words: remember that during your lifetime, you received good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here and you are in agony (Lk 16:25).

Jesus wanted everyone to fight the good fight of the faith; to take hold of the eternal life to which we are called (1 Tim 6:12).  This is the reason why he chose to offer a parable that shows all of us that being merciful and loving can help us overcome temptation.  Mercy and love are at the heart of God's divine love for each one of us.  If we have recognized these gifts in our own lives, we ourselves can respond by striving to reduce the suffering of others through our acts of compassion and love.

Des conseils pour ceux qui aiment l'argent

Dans le passage de l'Évangile que nous venons d'entendre, Jésus s'est adressé aux pharisiens, et particulièrement à ceux d'entre eux qui aimaient l'argent et les biens matériels. Il était particulièrement préoccupé par ce groupe de personnes car il les aimait autant qu'il aimait tous les autres et voulait leur faire comprendre le vrai sens de la richesse. En fait, le danger existe chez ceux qui ne visent que des biens physiques, car les richesses terrestres peuvent affaiblir notre capacité à comprendre les souffrances des autres.

La parabole nous présente un homme riche qui est très fier de ses accomplissements, mais sa fierté le rend aveugle aux besoins du pauvre Lazare. Cet homme riche était comfortable, entouré d'une vie de facilité. Il était peut-être toujours un homme vraiment bon, mais son amour de l'argent désorientait ses bonnes intentions et le rendait indifférent aux besoins de ceux qui l'entouraient.

Jésus dit clairement que nous avons déjà l'aide dont nous avons besoin pour résister à la tentation de l'orgueil. Le prophète Amos avertit que la richesse pousse les gens à ne penser qu'à eux-mêmes (cf Amos 6: 1) et les Dix commandements nous ordonnent de répondre aux besoins des autres, en particulier des pauvres (cf Ex 20, 12-17). Il n'est donc pas surprenant qu'Abraham réprimande l'homme riche avec des paroles puissantes: rappelle-toi: tu as reçu le bonheur pendant ta vie, et Lazare, le malheur ... maintenant lui, il trouve ici la consolation, et toi, la souffrance (Lc 16, 25).

Saint Paul a encouragé son protégé Timothé en disant: Mène le bon combat, celui de la foi, empare-toi de la vie éternelle (1 Tim 6:12). Voici la raison pour laquelle Jésus a choisi de proposer une parabole qui montre à tous qu’être miséricordieux et aimant peut nous aider à surmonter la tentation. La miséricorde et l'amour sont au cœur de l'amour divin de Dieu pour chacun de nous. Si nous avons reconnu ces dons dans nos propres vies, nous pouvons nous-mêmes réagir en nous efforçant de réduire la souffrance des autres par nos actes de compassion et d'amour.

Mass for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees

At 10:30am this morning in Rome (4:30am EDT), the Holy Father, Pope Francis celebrated Mass in Saint Peter's Square, on the occasion of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees.  Following the proclamation of the gospel of Saint Luke on the theme: In life, you received your goods, and Lazarus received evil; but now he is being consoled, while you are in the midst of torment (Lk 16:19-31), the Pope shared his homily.

Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the Mass celebrated to mark the

World Day of Prayer for Migrants and Refugees

Today’s Responsorial Psalm reminds us that the Lord upholds the stranger as well as the widow and the orphan among his people. The Psalmist makes explicit mention of those persons who are especially vulnerable, often forgotten and subject to oppression. The Lord has a particular concern for foreigners, widows and orphans, for they are without rights, excluded and marginalized. This is why God tells the Israelites to give them special care.

In the Book of Exodus, the Lord warns his people not to mistreat in any way widows and orphans, for he hears their cry (cf Ex 22:23). Deuteronomy sounds the same warning twice (cf Deut 24:17; 27:19), and includes strangers among this group requiring protection. The reason for that warning is explained clearly in the same book: the God of Israel is the one who executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing (Deut 10:18). This loving care for the less privileged is presented as a characteristic trait of the God of Israel and is likewise required, as a moral duty, of all those who would belong to his people.

That is why we must pay special attention to the strangers in our midst as well as to widows, orphans and all the outcasts of our time. In the Message for this 105th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, the theme It is not Just about Migrants is repeated as a refrain. And rightly so: it is not only about foreigners; it is about all those in existential peripheries who, together with migrants and refugees, are victims of the throwaway culture. The Lord calls us to practise charity towards them. He calls us to restore their humanity, as well as our own, and to leave no one behind.

Along with the exercise of charity, the Lord also invites us to think about the injustices that cause exclusion – and in particular the privileges of the few, who, in order to preserve their status, act to the detriment of the many. Today’s world is increasingly becoming more elitist and cruel towards the excluded: this is a painful truth; our word is daily more and more elitist, more cruel towards the excluded. Developing countries continue to be drained of their best natural and human resources for the benefit of a few privileged markets. Wars only affect some regions of the world, yet weapons of war are produced and sold in other regions which are then unwilling to take in the refugees generated by these conflicts. Those who pay the price are always the little ones, the poor, the most vulnerable, who are prevented from sitting at the table and are left with the ‘crumbs’ of the banquet (Message for the 105th World Day of Migrants and Refugees).

It is in this context that the harsh words of the Prophet Amos proclaimed in the first reading (Am 6:1.4-7) should be understood. Woe to those who are at ease and seek pleasure in Zion, who do not worry about the ruin of God’s people, even though it is in plain sight. They do not notice the destruction of Israel because they are too busy ensuring that they can still enjoy the good life, delicious food and fine drinks. It is striking how, twenty-eight centuries later, these warnings remain as timely as ever. For today too, the culture of comfort… makes us think only of ourselves, makes us insensitive to the cries of other people… which results in indifference to others; indeed, it even leads to the globalization of indifference (Homily in Lampedusa, 8 July 2013).

In the end, we too risk becoming like that rich man in the Gospel who is unconcerned for the poor man Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table (Lk16:20-21). Too intent on buying elegant clothes and organizing lavish banquets, the rich man in the parable is blind to Lazarus’s suffering. Overly concerned with preserving our own well-being, we too risk being blind to our brothers and sisters in difficulty.

Yet, as Christians, we cannot be indifferent to the tragedy of old and new forms of poverty, to the bleak isolation, contempt and discrimination experienced by those who do not belong to our group. We cannot remain insensitive, our hearts deadened, before the misery of so many innocent people. We must not fail to weep. We must not fail to respond. Let us ask the Lord for the grace of tears, the tears that can convert our hearts before such sins.

If we want to be men and women of God, as Saint Paul urges Timothy, we must keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (1Tm 6:14). The commandment is to love God and love our neighbour; the two cannot be separated! Loving our neighbour as ourselves means being firmly committed to building a more just world, in which everyone has access to the goods of the earth, in which all can develop as individuals and as families, and in which fundamental rights and dignity are guaranteed to all.

Loving our neighbour means feeling compassion for the sufferings of our brothers and sisters, drawing close to them, touching their sores and sharing their stories, and thus manifesting concretely God’s tender love for them. This means being a neighbour to all those who are mistreated and abandoned on the streets of our world, soothing their wounds and bringing them to the nearest shelter, where their needs can be met.

God gave this holy commandment to his people and sealed it with the blood of his Son Jesus, to be a source of blessing for all mankind. So that all together we can work to build the human family according to his original plan, revealed in Jesus Christ: all are brothers and sisters, all are sons and daughters of the same Father.

Today we also need a mother. So we entrust to the maternal love of Mary, Our Lady of the Way, of so many painful journeys, all migrants and refugees, together with those who live on the peripheries of our world and those who have chosen to share their journey.
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At the conclusion of the Mass celebrated in Saint Peter's Square for the World Day of Prayer for Migrants and Refugees, the Holy Father, Pope Francis led the recitation of the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims who were present.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters,

I want to greet all of you who have participated in this moment of prayer, with which we have renewed the attention that the Church focuses on various categories of vulnerable people and movements.  In union with the faithful of all the Dioceses throughout the world, we have celebrated the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, in order to reaffirm the need that no one should remain excluded from society, whether they be a resident citizen who has been present for a long time or someone who is newly arrived.

To emphasize this commitment, I will soon be inaugurating a sculpture that has as its theme these words from the Letter to the Hebrews: Do not forget hospitality; some, by practicing it, without knowing it, have entertained angels (Heb 13.2). This sculpture, in bronze and clay, depicts a group of migrants from various cultures and different historical periods. I wanted this artistic work here in Saint Peter's Square, so that it can remind everyone of the evangelical challenge of welcoming.

Tomorrow, Monday 30 September, a national dialogue will begin in Cameroon, in order to find a solution to the difficult crisis that has been afflicting that country for years. Feeling close to the sufferings and hopes of the beloved Cameroonian people, I invite everyone to pray so that this dialogue may be fruitful and lead to solutions of just and lasting peace, to the benefit of all. May Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede for us.
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Greetings for Santa Cecilia Choirs

At 11:50am this morning (5:50am EDT) in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the Scholae Cantorum who are part of the Santa Cecilia Italian Association.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

offered to members of the

Santa Cecilia Association of Choirs

Dear brothers and sisters,

I welcome all of you: your President, Monsignor Tarcisio Cola, who I thank for his words, the Board of Directors and all of you singers, choir directors and organists who have come from various parts of Italy.

You are part of the worthy Italian Association of Santa Cecilia, an ancient foundation - 140 years old - and still alive and active and eager to serve the Church. The affection and esteem of the Popes for this Association are known, in particular that of Saint Pius X, who gave the people of God organic provisions for sacred music (cf Motu Proprio Among the solicitudes, 22 November 1903). Saint Paul VI wanted you to be renewed and active, in order that you might provide music that is integrated with the liturgy and that derives its fundamental characteristics from it. Not just any music, but holy music, because the rites are holy; endowed with the nobility of art, because to God one must give the best of ourselves; so that everyone can understand and celebrate. Above all, this application of music is very distinct and different from that used for other purposes. And he recommended that you cultivate the sensus ecclesiae, the discernment of music in the liturgy. He said: Not everything is valid, not everything is lawful, not everything is good. Here the sacred must unite with the beautiful in a harmonious and devoted synthesis (Address to the religious involved in liturgical chant, 15 April 1971). Benedict XVI also urged you not to forget the musical heritage of the past, to renew it and increase it with new compositions.

Dear friends, I also encourage you to continue on this path. Being an Association is a resource: it helps you to generate movement, interest and commitment to better serve the liturgy. Yours is an Association that is not the protagonist or owner of any music, but whose program is love and fidelity to the Church. Together you can better engage in singing as an integral part of the Liturgy, inspired by the first model, Gregorian chant. Together you take care of artistic and liturgical preparation, and promote the presence of the schola cantorum in every parish community. The choir in fact guides the assembly and - with its specific repertoires - is a qualified voice of spirituality, communion, tradition and liturgical culture. I recommend that you help the whole people of God to sing, with conscious and active participation in the Liturgy. This is important: closeness to the people of God.

The fields of your apostolate are various: the composition of new melodies; promoting singing in seminaries and houses of religious formation; support for parish choirs, organists, schools of sacred music and young people. Singing, playing, composing, directing, making music in the Church are among the most beautiful things for the glory of God. It is a privilege, a gift from God to express musical art and to help people participate in the divine mysteries. Beautiful and good music is a privileged instrument for approaching the transcendent, and often it helps even those who are distracted to understand a message.

I know that your preparation involves sacrifices linked to the availability of time to devote to rehearsals, to the involvement of people, to engagements on feast days, when perhaps friends invite you to go for a walk. This happens many times! But your dedication to the liturgy and to its music represents a way of evangelization at all levels, from children to adults. The liturgy is in fact the first teacher of catechism. Do not forget this: the Liturgy is the first teacher of catechism.

Sacred music also fulfills another task, that of uniting Christian history together: in the Liturgy, Gregorian chant, polyphony, popular and contemporary music resound. It is as if at that moment all past and present generations were praising God, each with their own sensitivity. Not only that, but sacred music - and music in general - creates bridges, brings people together, even the most distant; God knows no barriers of nationality, ethnicity or skin color, but involves everyone in a superior language, and always manages to tune people and groups of very different backgrounds. Sacred music reduces distances even with those brothers and sisters who sometimes feel that they are not close. This is why, in every parish, the choir is a group where there is a sense of availability and mutual help.

For all this, dear brothers and sisters, I thank you and encourage you. May the Lord help you to be constant in your commitment. The Church values the service you provide in your communities: you help them feel the attraction of beauty, which detoxifies us from mediocrity, elevates us upwards, towards God, and unites our hearts in praise and tenderness. I bless you and all the members of the Santa Cecilia Association. May Our Lady protect you. And since the singer prays twice, I trust that you will also pray for me. Thank you!
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Mass with the Vatican Guards

At 5:00pm this afternoon local time (11:00am EDT), at the Grotto of Lourdes located inside the Vatican Gardens, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided over the Eucharistic Celebration with members of the Vatican Guards, marking the occasion of the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, patron and protector of the Italian State Police and the Vatican Guards.

Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the Mass celebrated with the Vatican Guards

Upon a first reading of the gospel, of this passage from the gospel, we can perhaps miss the message and be led to think that this is a teaching of Jesus in favour of almsgiving, in favour of justice, that is, a teaching by Jesus of a moral character. But this is something altogether different. Jesus wants to enter precisely into the human journey of a whole life, and it is for this reason that this gospel speaks of two lives, of a rich man and a poor man, of how life is for both of them. This Gospel makes us see destiny - not a magical destiny, no - the destiny that a man or a woman can make of him- or herself, because we create our destiny, we walk our path and our journey; many times we do it ourselves. Sometimes the Lord intervenes, the Lord gives grace, but we are responsible for our journey. The Lord gives us the free gift of grace; he helps us to always make our way in his presence but along our own journey, the responsibility of our journey is ours. I would like to go into this message a little.

There was a rich man, who wore clothes of purple and very fine linen, and every day he feasted on lavish banquets. This is one life. There is another one: A poor man, named Lazarus, stood at his door, covered with sores, eager to feed himself with what fell from the rich man's table; but it was the dogs that came to lick his wounds. Two lives. Not a moment of life: two paths of life, because the rich man continued to keep this lifestyle and the poor man continued to suffer in poverty. It is not just a story, this happens every day in every city, in every part of the world. The Lord tells this passage of the gospel with great peace and serenity.

Instead, in the first reading we listened to the prophet Amos who does not speak of this with such serenity. Woe - it begins like this - woe to the carefree of Zion and those who consider themselves safe on the mountains of Samaria! Lying on ivory beds and lying on their sofas they eat the lambs of the flock and the calves raised in the stable. They sing to the sound of the harp, like David, they improvise on musical instruments; they drink wine in large cups and are anointed with the most refined oils, but they do not worry about the ruin of Joseph - that is, the poor, the ruin of the people of Israel. So now they will be the first to go into exile and cease the orgy of the dissolute. There is the orgy of the dissolute, there is the rich man and there is injustice towards the chosen people of the Lord, and here is the threat of the Lord who punishes by sending us into exile.

So far it seems to be only a moral teaching: please do justice among you. But the most essential, the strongest thing, the key to understanding this is given by the opening prayer of the Mass, the Collect, which says: O God, you call your poor by name, while the rich man has no name. That is the question. Both made their way, each with the choices he made in life. One managed to have a name, to make a name for himself, to be called by name, with a noun; the other, the rich man, we do not know what his name is, only the adjective, a rich man: he failed to grow the name, to find dignity before God. Life is played: the consistency of having a name or the inconsistency that leads us to not have a name. The rich man knew that at the door of his house there was this poor man and he pretended not to see him, because he looked only to himself; he was centred on himself, on vanity, he believed himself to be the master of the universe, he worried about riches and parties and the things he did. Didn't he know the poor man's name? Yes, he knew, because when he was in hell he asked Abraham: Send Lazarus. The hypocrisy of vanity, the hypocrisy of those who believe they can be redeemers of themselves, of saving themselves only with things. But their name does not grow, they have no names, they are anonymous. Instead, in the Gospel text, the name of the poor man is spoken five times. Five times, an exaggeration, but why does Jesus do this? Because as the prayer says: Lord, you call your poor by name, while the rich man has no name. This is the story of this gospel, the story of two paths of life: one that has managed to carry on his name; the other who, worried about himself, because of selfishness, is incapable of making his person grow, his dignity. He has no name.

Our whole life is a bit of a journey to consolidate, to make our name strong with the honesty of life, with the path that the Lord indicates to us, and this is the reason why we must help each other.

Someone may say to me: Father, the Gospel is fine, but what does this have to do with the Vatican Guards today? You too must guard all the people who are here, who have the opportunity to grow, to have a name. You are men who work for the dignity of each one of us so that each of us may have a name and carry forward our name, the name that the Lord wants us to bear. And when you perform some disciplinary action - This cannot be done - it is carried out in order to stop this orgy of anonymity which is the ugliest of human orgies: not accepting a name and wanting to return to the darkness of anonymity. That is why it occurred to me that it can be said that the Gendarmerie has the custody of the names, of all our names. Not to clean everyone's folder: if there is something bad, we burn it away ... No, this name is not valid. But to help the discipline of the Vatican City State, that each of its inhabitants has a name. And for this I thank you so much. Continue like this, to work for the dignity of the people, of each one, and in this way, you will carry out your vocation.

Finally, I would just like to say a word about a sin I committed today, and you who are policemen: today I smuggled! At this Mass I smuggled because I have a family of friends who are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their marriage and I had this Mass and they wanted me to celebrate with them and I smuggled them to bring them here with you. They are 46 people, they are there. Spouses, children and grandchildren. In total 46. A beautiful family! Pray for them too, because they have a name. Thank you.
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Greetings for Children from Portugal

This morning, at 11:40am local time (5:40am EDT), in the Atrium of the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the children who are guests of the Father David de Oliveria Martins Social Centre in Braga (Portugal).

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

offered to a group of children from Portugal

Dear brothers and sisters!

I greet you all and thank you to Father Jorge for the kind words of greeting and presentation of this beautiful gift of God, this wonder that is the Social Centre of Ruílhe. This is especially the result of the gift offered by the humble and generous people in response to the call of Father David de Oliveira Martins. He didn't ask this for himself; he would ask his brothers, who would reach out for help. God has given him the grace to touch the hearts of the poor and the humble, unleashing the revolution of tenderness everywhere under the banner of The Children of Father David! From Rome, take a hug from me to the assistants of the institution who are working in various roles in the service of children, youth, the poor and the elderly. As ambassadors of your love for the Church and the good you want for me, you have sent the little ones. Thank you, Father Manuel Joaquim!

Your path leads you to look together into the future: not to look alone, not even to yourself. As Saint Paul teaches, the present or the future, everything is yours. But you are in Christ, and Christ is from God (1 Cor 3:21, 23). You are in Christ! This is the deep meaning of your story to this day, but it is above all the key to facing the future. Always be in Christ, in prayer, in the care of your little brothers. Do not be afraid to participate in the revolution to which he calls you: the revolution of tenderness (cf Evangelii gaudium, 88). Christ walks with you and will guide you.

Before greeting you more personally, I want to assure each and every one of you of my affectionate solidarity. Never let the past determine your life. Always look forward. Work and strive to achieve the things you want. And let none of you ever feel alone; indeed, it is for every man, created in the image of Christ, to be close to his neighbour. May God grant you to be bearers for each other of His mercy, tenderness, and love. And may He bless the Father David Social Centre with his energy and support, together with all who are housed there and all who run it. I am praying for you; and I ask you please to pray for me! Thank you.
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Greetings for the Italian Gymnasts Association

At 11:00am this morning (5:00am EDT) inside the Consistory Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience those who are representing the Italian Gymnastics Federation, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of their establishment.

Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

addressed to the members of the

Italian Gymnastics Federation

Dear friends!

Welcome to this meeting, which commemorates the 150th anniversary of your institution, founded to promote the culture of sports through physical education. I greet you all and thank your President for his words.

The presence of sports associations in society is not only functional in organizing sports activities. They are also called to foster a mentality that, through sport, promotes the integral development of the human person and social friendship. It is about understanding and living sports not only as a source of physical well-being, but as a courageous, positive and optimistic life ideal. In this sense, sport becomes a formative experience that helps the new generations above all to cultivate the values of life: love for loyalty and justice, a taste for beauty and goodness, and the search for freedom and solidarity.

Nowadays the system of sports appears at times to be conditioned by a logic based on profit, by an exaggerated competitive spirit and, unfortunately, also by violent attitudes. These are three bad things: profit, exaggerated competition and sometimes violent attitudes. And all three of these ugly attitudes lack one thing: the amateur dimension of sport. When sport loses the amateur dimension these attitudes come out, which lower the level of sport. Faced with these negative aspects, leaders and athletes who are animated by the Christian faith can testify to the humanizing power of the Gospel even in sports circles, and thus contribute to building a more fraternal society.

This is what I wish you on this anniversary. May you always experience sports with loyalty and a healthy competitive spirit, without losing the amateur inspiration. This will help you to face the races of life with courage and honesty, with joy and serene trust in the future. I entrust your Federation to the Lord and I bless you. Please, I ask you to pray for me. Thank you!
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Condolences to Paris

The Holy Father has sent a telegram of condolences for the death of the former President of the French Republic, Mister Jacques Chirac, which took place yesterday, 26 September.

Condolences of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the death of former President Jacques Chirac

His Excellency, Mister Emmanuel Macron
President of the French Republic
Paris

Having learned of the death of Mister Jacques Chirac, former President of the French Republic, I wish to express to you, to your government and to all the French people, my most sincere condolences.  I pray fervently to the Lord, asking that he may welcome this man in peace, and that He may show to all those who are saddened by his death, especially his wife and family, the comfort of hope.  May God bless France and all her people.

Francis

Condolences to San Francisco, USA

The Holy Father, Pope Francis has sent a telegram expressing his condolences at the death of Cardinal William Joseph Levada, Prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which took place during the night between the 25th and 26th of September.

Telegram of Condolence of His Holiness, Pope Francis

for the death of Cardinal William Levada

To The Most Reverend Salvatore J. Cordileone
Archbishop of San Francisco

Having learned with sadness of the death of Cardinal William J. Levada, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Archbishop Emeritus of San Francisco, I hasten to offer my heartfelt condolences to you and to the clergy, religious and faithful of the Archdiocese. Recalling with immense gratitude the late Cardinal’s years of priestly and episcopal ministry among Christ’s flock in Los Angeles, Portland and San Francisco, his singular contributions to catechesis, education and administration, and his distinguished service to the Apostolic See, I willingly join you in commending his noble soul to the infinite mercies of God our heavenly Father. To all those who mourn Cardinal Levada’s passing in the sure hope of the Resurrection, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of consolation and peace in the Lord.

Francis

My Redeemer lives

Here is the text of the homily I prepared for the funeral we celebrated this afternoon: remembering and celebrating the life of one of this community's founding members and entrusting him into the eternal life that is our hope.

Funeral Homily for Lawrence O'Malley

Two weeks ago, on Sunday morning, I made my way outside the church, to the steps where I could welcome the parishioners who were arriving for the celebration of the Mass.  As I arrived under the canopy, I saw Lawrence sitting on the bench where he so often had sat before.  We greeted each other and exchanged the customary pleasantries.  As I stood nearby, greeting other newcomers, Lawrence sat and chatted easily with friends and acquaintances as he had done week after week.

The procession that entered the church doors that day was part of the continual flow that comes and goes from this place, day after day, like a never-ending river.  From time to time, the flow of this river brings us together with those we come to know and love.  Some of us sit on the banks of this waterway - pleasantly greeting those who pass by - and others of us jump right in.

Lawrence O'Malley may never have thought of his life as flowing like a river, but I think he would like the image.  He was well known around town, comfortable in his own skin.  If we were to speak of him in the words of the gospel, perhaps we might say that he was poor in spirit (Mt 5:3), a humble man who took great joy in spending time with other people.  This gentle soul knew his own share of sorrow (cf Mt 5:4), but he never forgot that each one of us is a precious child of God.

To be honest, I think that Lawrence might be somewhat uncomfortable if we were to praise him for his goodness: to praise him for being the kind of person who always wanted to do what was right, or to remember the moments in our lives when we witnessed him as an example of mercy and forgiveness ... and what if we were to reminisce about moments in our lives when he played the part of a peacemaker?  Would he be able to listen to such words easily or would he be squirming?  Yet these are the attitudes that Jesus encourages each of us to develop and to practice.  These are the attitudes for which people will remember us.  These are some of the precious gifts that Lawrence has shared with us.

When this funeral Mass is complete, we will take his mortal remains to the cemetery.  There, a few simple words will be engraved: reminders for us of the life he has lived, but perhaps the greatest message that he could impart to us is the testament of faith that he leaves.  We are celebrating today because a promise that was made to Lawrence on the day of his baptism is now being fulfilled.  We cannot witness this fulfillment with human eyes, because it is taking place in heaven.  Instead, we must cling to the words that we have heard proclaimed here today.

As we leave the church, as we make our way to the cemetery, and as the river of our own lives' stories continues to flow, let us ask for the great gift to believe that our Redeemer lives ... that when our time comes, he will set us close to him, and from our flesh, we will look on God (Job 19:25-27).

Greetings to the IIHF

At noon today (6:00am EDT), in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the members of the International Ice Hockey Federation.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

addressed to members of the IIHF

Dear Friends,

I am happy to greet and welcome the participants of the International Ice Hockey Federation Semi-Annual Congress. I would like to thank the President of the Federation, Mr. René Fasel, for his kind words of greeting.

Sport is a very special channel for the promotion of peace and unity. Sporting activities are meeting places where people of many different backgrounds come together. Hockey is a good example of how sport can express a sense of community. It is a team game in which each team member has an important role to play. Whenever you take part in the World Championships, you can see how people from many different countries enjoy coming together to experience the beauty of sport.

It is also important to keep in mind that sport has a role to play in our growth and integral development. That is why the Church values sport in itself, as an arena of human activity where the virtues of temperance, humility, courage and patience can be fostered, and encounters with beauty, goodness, truth and joy can be witnessed (cf Giving the best of yourself, 1 June 2018, 1.3).

As you are the leaders of international ice hockey, it is consoling to know that your goal is not only to control the guidelines and rules of the sport, but also to make it inclusive and available to individuals on a global level. Ice hockey requires unique skills and strength. Players have to master the techniques involved in skating and maintaining their balance on ice, and they also have to keep up with the movement of the puck and be able to get up after a fall. Sports like these require hours of training. As you support the development of this sport worldwide, you are encouraging young and old, men and women, to bring out the best of themselves and to promote friendly relationships on and off the ice rink.

Additionally, I would also like to acknowledge the fact that your organization received approval for its updated statutes and bylaws in May this year, and that a new Ethics Board has been included. Today’s culture may sometimes steer sporting activities down the wrong path, but we must keep in mind that rules are there to serve a specific purpose and to avoid a descent into chaos. Athletes honor fair play when they not only obey the formal rules but also observe justice with respect to their opponents so that all competitors can freely engage in the game (cf Giving the best of yourself, 3.2).

With all of this in mind, I encourage you and your Federation to go forth and continue your special mission to make this sport inclusive and to ensure a safe community for all who take part.

May the Lord bless you and always give you the joy of sport being played together. Thank you.
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Speaking about the Common Good in the Digital Era

At 10:30am today in Rome (4:30am EDT), inside the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience those who are participating in a Seminar entitled The Common Good in the Digital Era, which has been organized by the Pontifical Council for Culture and by the Dicastery for Integral Human Development, and is taking place at the Vatican from 26 to 28 September 2019.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

addressed to participants

Your Eminences,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I welcome all of you who are participating in the meeting on the theme of The Common Good in the Digital Age, sponsored by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the Pontifical Council for Culture. I thank Cardinal Turkson and Cardinal Ravasi for this initiative. The remarkable developments in the field of technology, in particular those dealing with artificial intelligence, raise increasingly significant implications in all areas of human activity. For this reason, open and concrete discussions on this theme are needed now more than ever.

In my Encyclical Letter on care for our common home, I pointed to a fundamental parallelism. The indisputable benefit that humanity will be able to draw from technological progress (cf Laudato Si’, 102) depends on the degree to which the new possibilities at our disposal are employed in an ethical manner (cf LS, 105). This correlation requires an adequate development of responsibility and of values alongside the vast technological progress underway.

Otherwise, a dominant paradigm – the technocratic paradigm (cf LS, 111) – that promises uncontrolled and unlimited progress will be imposed and perhaps will even eliminate other factors of development, with great danger for the whole of humanity. By your work, you have sought to prevent this and to make concrete the culture of encounter and interdisciplinary dialogue.

Many of you are important experts in various fields of applied science: technology, economics, robotics, sociology, communications and cyber-security, as well as philosophy, ethics and moral theology. In these areas, you give voice not only to a wide range of competencies but also to different sensibilities and diverse approaches in the face of the problems that arise in the fields of your expertise, from phenomena such as artificial intelligence. I am grateful that you wished to meet each other in an inclusive and fruitful dialogue that helps everyone to learn from one another and does not allow anyone to close themselves off in prearranged methodologies.

The principal objective you have set yourselves is considerably ambitious: to arrive at criteria and fundamental ethical parameters capable of providing guidance in ethical problems that occur with the widespread use of technology. I realize how difficult it must be for you, who represent at the same time the globalization and specialization of knowledge, to define certain essential principles in a language that is acceptable and can be shared among all. Yet do not lose heart in seeking to attain such a goal, focusing also on the ethical value of ongoing transformations connected to the principles established by the Sustainable Development Goals defined by the United Nations. Indeed, the key areas you are exploring will have an immediate and real impact on the lives of millions of people.

The conviction we share is that humanity faces unprecedented and completely new challenges. New problems require new solutions. Respect for principles and tradition must always be experienced in a form of creative fidelity, not rigid imitation or obsolete reductionism. I consider it commendable, therefore, that you have not been afraid to state both theoretical and practical moral principles, at times even with real precision, so that the ethical challenges examined may be addressed precisely in the context of the common good. The common good is a good to which all people aspire, and there is no ethical system worthy of the name that does not see such a good as one of its essential points of reference.

The problems you have been called upon to analyze concern all humanity and require solutions that can be extended to all of humanity.

A good example would be robots in the workplace. On the one hand, they could put an end to certain arduous, risky and repetitive types of work – that emerged, for instance, at the start of the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century – which often cause suffering, boredom and exhaustion. On the other hand, robots could become a purely hyper-efficient tool, used only to increase profits and returns, and could deprive thousands of people of work, putting their dignity at risk.

Another example would be the advantages and risks associated with the use of artificial intelligence seen in debates on major social issues. On the one hand, it is possible to allow greater access to reliable information and thus guarantee the affirmation of correct analyses. On the other hand, it is possible, as never before, to circulate tendentious opinions and false data that could poison public debates and even manipulate the opinions of millions of people, to the point of endangering the very institutions that guarantee peaceful civil coexistence. For this reason, technological development, which we have all witnessed, requires that we reclaim and reinterpret the ethical terms that others have handed down to us.

If technological advancement became the cause of increasingly evident inequalities, it would not be true and real progress. If mankind’s so-called technological progress were to become an enemy of the common good, this would lead to an unfortunate regression to a form of barbarism dictated by the law of the strongest. Dear friends, I thank you, therefore, because by your work you are engaged in efforts to promote civilization, whose goal includes the attenuation of economic, educational, technological, social and cultural inequalities.

You have laid a strong ethical foundation for the task of defending the dignity of every human person, convinced that the common good cannot be separated from the specific good of each individual. Your work will continue until no one remains the victim of a system, however advanced and efficient, that fails to value the intrinsic dignity and contribution of each person.

A better world is possible thanks to technological progress, if this is accompanied by an ethic inspired by a vision of the common good, an ethic of freedom, responsibility and fraternity, capable of fostering the full development of people in relation to others and to the whole of creation.

Dear friends, I thank you for this meeting. I accompany you with my blessing. God bless you all. And I ask you please to pray for me. Thank you.
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Greetings for the Emmanuel Community

At noon today (6:00am EDT), in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the members of the Emmanuel Community from Lecce.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for members of the Emmanuel Community

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

I greet all of you, and I thank Father Mario Marafioti.  Is it true that they call you the mute one, because you cannot speak?  (He answers: It is true!)

I would like to extend my greeting to all the people connected to your community, to those who have attended it in these decades, and including a prayer for those who have left for Heaven.

I thank you for all that you have done over the past almost 40 years, for the welcome, the accompaniment, the work ... And I thank you for how you did it, that is always feeding your doing with your being that comes from the sap of the Word of God, moments of retreat and fraternity. This is important, otherwise you become a welfare agency or a company.

Your community was born on Christmas day, and expresses a faith embodied in service. You started with a welcoming gesture. This is always the case in all the Church's works of charity: the Lord knocks on the door with the face of frail people, brothers and sisters who live in poverty, abandonment, slavery ... And you have opened the door, you have answered their call and you have continued to answer  - yes, because the most difficult thing is to persevere, to move forward ... From this openness, the various sectors of the community have developed, all of which are places and moments of welcome.

I thank God with you for this journey. It is He, with his Spirit, who inspires the choices and gives the strength to carry them out; it is He who gives us love which helps us to serve our brothers and sisters with compassion, closeness, gratitude ... You can testify - through your lived experience - that everything comes from Him, is his gift. And this makes you remain in gratitude, praise and joyful awareness that the work is not yours but God's.

Dear brothers and sisters, to prepare yourselves for the fortieth year of your community's life, you wanted this meeting with the Pope. Father Mario was the interpreter of the questions that are in your hearts, especially those who are older in the community, and who see better the road that has been travelled, the fruits that have ripened and also the dangers and temptations that lie ahead.

I would like to confirm you in the main road, which is that of a twofold purpose: being with Christ and being with your brothers and sisters who are in difficulty. This is the key: the double being.

It is a road that is indicated by the very name of your community: Emmanuel. God shows us this way: He, who is Love, is God-with-us. And not as an idea, or worse an ideology, but as a life, the life of Jesus. He is Emmanuel, God-with-us, who witnessed the love of the Father by sharing our human condition to the end.

From this font flows the living water that allows you to keep going:

• to not allow your joy, your hope and your courage be stolen;
• to stay together without getting hurt;
• to throw the nets again, after having encountered disappointments and failures;
• to continue working with joy even if you struggle and feel tired;
• to remain faithful to the original spirit of your vocation and mission.

I have heard that during the next year you want to read the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium in depth. Thank you, it's a good choice, it will surely do you good. I offer you some advice: in this reading, do not be self-referential, that is, do not read the Exhortation thinking only of your community, but always read it feeling yourselves to be part of the Church, which in turn is a pilgrim and sent to the world.

Thank you for your visit.  For me, it is always a gift and a consolation to meet communities who are seeking to live the joy of the gospel.  Thank you and I wish you good journeys!  May the Lord, God-with-us, bless you, and may Our Lady protect you.  And don't forget to pray for me.  Thank you.
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