Greetings and thoughts about working with the elderly

At 12:15pm today local time (6:15am EST), inside the Sala Regia at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience those who are participating in the First International Congress for the pastoral care of the elderly.  The theme of this encounter is The wealth of the years.  It was organized by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life and has been taking place from 29 to 31 January at the Augustinianum Congress Centre in Rome.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

offered to participants taking part in the

first International Congress for the

pastoral care of the elderly

Dear brothers and sisters,

I cordially welcome you, participants in the first International Congress for the pastoral care of the elderly - The wealth of the years -, organized by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life; and I thank Cardinal Farrell for his kind words.

The wealth of the years is the wealth of people, of every single person who has many years of life, the experience and history behind them. It is the precious treasure that takes shape in the journey of the life of every man and woman, whatever their origins, their history, their economic or social conditions. Since life is a gift, and when it is long it is a privilege, for oneself and for others. Always; it is always like this.

In the 21st century, old age has become one of humanity's hallmarks. Within a few decades, the demographic pyramid - which once rested on a large number of children and young people and had few elders at its top - has reversed. If the elders could once populate a small state, today they could populate an entire continent. In this sense, the huge presence of the elderly constitutes a novelty for every social and geographical environment in the world. Furthermore, old age today corresponds to different seasons of life: for many it is the age in which the productive commitment ceases, physical strength declines and signs of illness, the need for help and social isolation appear; but for many it is the beginning of a long period of psycho-physical well-being and freedom from working obligations.

In both situations, how can you live these years? What sense can you give to this phase of life, which for many can be long? The social disorientation and, in many ways, the indifference and rejection that our societies manifest towards the elderly, call not only the Church, but all of us, to a serious reflection about learning to grasp and appreciate the value of old age. In fact, while, on the one hand, states must face the new demographic situation on the economic level, on the other, civil society needs values and meanings for the third and fourth age. And here above all the contribution of the ecclesial community is placed.

This is the reason why I welcomed with interest the initiative of this conference, which focused attention on pastoral care for the elderly and started a reflection on the implications deriving from a conspicuous presence of grandparents in our parishes and in societies. I ask that this does not remain an isolated initiative, but that it marks the beginning of a path of pastoral deepening and discernment. We need to change our pastoral habits in order to be able to respond to the presence of many elderly people in families and communities.

In the Bible, longevity of life is a blessing. It confronts us with our fragility, with mutual dependence, with our family and community ties, and above all with our divine sonship. By granting old age, God the Father gives time to deepen the knowledge of Him, intimacy with Him, an opportunity to enter more and more into His heart and to abandon ourselves to Him. It is the time to prepare to hand our spirit definitively into his hands. with child-like trust. But it is also a time of renewed fruitfulness. In old age they will still bear fruit, says the psalmist (Ps 91: 15). Indeed, God's plan of salvation is also carried out in the poverty of weak, sterile and impotent bodies. From the barren womb of Sarah and from the hundred-year-old body of Abraham, the chosen people were born (cf Rom 4: 18-20). John the Baptist was born from Elizabeth and the old Zechariah. The elderly, even when they are weak, can become instruments of salvation history.

Aware of this irreplaceable role of the elderly, the Church becomes a place where generations are called to share God's plan of love, in a relationship of mutual exchange of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This intergenerational sharing forces us to change our gaze towards the elderly, to learn to look to the future together with them.

When we think of the elderly and talk about them, especially in the pastoral dimension, we must learn to change the tenses of the verbs a little. There is not only the past, as if, for the elderly, there was only one life behind them and a moldy archive. No. The Lord can also write new pages, and He wants to write new pages with them, pages of holiness, of service, of prayer ... Today I would like to tell you that the elderly are also the present and the future of the Church. Yes, I am also the future of a Church which, together with young people, prophesies and dreams! This is why it is so important that the elderly and young people talk to each other, it is very important.

The prophecy of the elders is realized when the light of the Gospel fully enters their lives; when, like Simeon and Anna, they take Jesus in their arms and proclaim the revolution of tenderness, the Good News of Him who came into the world to bring us the light of the Father. This is why I ask you not to spare yourself in proclaiming the Gospel to grandparents and to the elderly. Go out to meet them with a smile on your face and the Gospel in your hands. Go out into the streets of your parishes and go looking for the elderly who live alone. Old age is not a disease, it is a privilege! Loneliness can be a disease, but with charity, closeness and spiritual comfort we can heal it.

God has a large number of grandparents everywhere in the world. Nowadays, in the secularized societies of many countries, the current generations of parents do not have, for the most part, that Christian formation and that living faith, which grandparents can instead transmit to their grandchildren. Grandparents are the indispensable link for educating children and young people to the faith. We must get used to including them in our pastoral horizons and to considering them, in a non-episodic way, as one of the vital components of our communities. They are not only people we are called to assist and protect, to protect their lives, but they can be actors in an evangelizing pastoral ministry, privileged witnesses of God's faithful love.

For this reason, I thank all of you who dedicate your pastoral energies to grandparents and to the elderly. I know very well that your commitment and your reflection arise from concrete friendship with many elderly people. I hope that what is today the sensitivity of a few becomes the patrimony of every ecclesial community. Do not be afraid, take initiatives, help your Bishops and your Dioceses to promote pastoral service to the elderly and with the elderly. Don't get discouraged, keep going! The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life will continue to accompany you in this work.

I too am accompanying you with my prayer and my blessing.  And you, please, don't forget to pray for me.  Thank you!
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Argentina at the Vatican

This morning in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, His Holiness Pope Francis received in audience His Excellency Mister Alberto Fernández, President of the Argentine Republic, who subsequently met with His Eminence, Pietro Parolin, the Cardinal Secretary of State, accompanied by Monsignor Mirosław Wachowski, Under-Secretary for Relations with States.

During the cordial discussions, satisfaction was expressed over the good relations that exist between the Holy See and the Argentine Republic. Afterwards, the situation in the country was examined, with particular reference to problems such as, the economic-financial crisis, the fight against poverty, corruption and drug trafficking, efforts to build up society, and the protection of life from conception. In this context, it was noted the significant contribution of the Catholic Church in favour of all in Argentine society, especially the more vulnerable sectors of the population.

Discussions continued and focused on themes of common interest regarding the regional context.

A new Bishop for Rouyn-Noranda

The Holy Father has named a new Bishop for the Diocese of Rouyn-Noranda (Québec) in the person of Reverend Father Joseph Ferdinand Guy Boulanger.  Until now, Father Boulanger has been serving as Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Sherbrooke.

Reverend Jospeh Ferdinand Guy Boulanger

Reverend Father Joseph Guy Boulanger was born on 6 June 1963 in Whitton (Quebec).  After his primary studies in Lac-Mégantic, he entered the Sherbrooke Seminary where he completed his secondary studies.  Enrolled at the University of Sherbrooke, he obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Law (1984).  He then studied Philosophy in Sherbrooke and Theology at Laval University in Quebec City, completing his studies in 1991.  From 1998 until 2000, he studied Canon Law at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, earning a Licentiate.  In 2007, he completed the requirements for his Doctorate.

He was ordained a priest on 26 October 1991 for the Archdiocese of Sherbrooke.

Since his ordination, he has been entrusted with the following responsibilities: Associate Pastor of Coeur-Immaculé in Sherbrooke (1991-1992); Associate Pastor of Sainte-Lucie (Diraeli), Saint-Julien, Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur and Saint-Charles-Borromée (Beaulac) (1992-1995); Member of the Diocesan Office for Clergy (1993-1998); Pastor of Saint-Augustin (Woburn), Saint-Zénon (Piopols), Notre-Dame-des-Bois and Saint-Léon (Val Racine) (1995-1998); Vicar of the Deanery of Saint-Jean-Baptiste (Chartierville) and Saint-Pierre (La Patrie) (1995-1998); REcotr of the Mon-Saint-Joseph Shrine (1996-1998); Member of the Presbyteral Council (2000-2005); Sunday Ministry at Saint-Joseph-des-Monts in La Patrie (2000-2005); Director of the Diocesan Vocations Office (2000-2008); Notary and Defender of the Bond (2000-2012); Member of the Assembly of Chancellors of Quebec (2002-2005); Episcopal Vicar for Economic Affairs (2007-2012); Chancellor (2000 to present); Chaplain of the Night Guards (2004 to present); Episcopal delegate to the Council at the Sherbrooke Seminary (2007 to present); Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Sherbrooke (2012 to present).

Greetings for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

At 12:30pm today (6:30am EST), in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with those who are participating in the Plenary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

addressed to members of the

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

Your Eminences,
Dear brothers in the Episcopate and the Presbyterate,
Dear brothers and sisters,

I welcome you on the occasion of your Plenary Assembly. I thank the Prefect for his kind words; and I greet all of you, Superiors, Officers and Members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. I am grateful to you for all the work you do in the service of the universal Church, to aid of the Bishop of Rome and the Bishops of the world in promoting and protecting the integrity of Catholic doctrine on faith and morals.

Christian doctrine is not a rigid and closed system in itself, but neither is it an ideology that changes with the passing of the seasons; it is a dynamic reality which, remaining faithful to its foundation, is renewed from generation to generation and summarized in a face, in a body and in a name: the Risen Jesus Christ.

Thanks to the Risen Lord, faith opens us up to others and their needs, from the smallest to the largest. Therefore, the transmission of faith requires that its recipient be taken into account, that we know him and love him actively. From this perspective, your commitment to reflect in the course of this Plenary on the care of people in the critical and terminal stages of life is significant.

The current socio-cultural context is gradually eroding awareness about what makes human life precious. In fact, it is increasingly evaluated on the basis of its efficiency and usefulness, to the point of considering rejected lives or unworthy lives to be those that do not meet this criterion. In this situation of loss of authentic values, the binding duties of solidarity and of human and Christian brotherhood also fail.

In reality, a society deserves the status of civil if it develops antibodies against the culture of waste; if it recognizes the intangible value of human life; if solidarity is actively practiced and safeguarded as the foundation of coexistence.

When illness knocks on the door of our life, the need is always more present for us to have someone looking us in the eye, holding our hand, showing tenderness and taking care of us, like the Good Samaritan in the gospel parable (cf Message for the XXVIII World Day of the Sick, 11 February 2020).

The theme of caring for the sick, in the critical and terminal stages of life, calls into question the task of the Church to rewrite the grammar of taking charge and taking care of the suffering person. The example of the Good Samaritan teaches that it is necessary to convert the gaze of the heart, because many times the viewer does not see. Why? Because there is no compassion. It occurs to me that, many times, the Gospel, speaking of Jesus in the presence of a person who is suffering, says: he had compassion, he had compassion ... This is a refrain about the person of Jesus. Without compassion, the beholder does not become involved in what he observes and passes on; instead those who have a compassionate heart are touched and involved, they stop and take care of them.

Around the patient it is necessary to create a real human platform of relationships which, while promoting medical treatment which is open to hope, especially in those borderline situations in which physical evil is accompanied by emotional discomfort and spiritual anguish.

The relational - and not merely clinical - approach to the patient, considered in the uniqueness and integrity of his person, imposes the duty to never abandon anyone in the presence of incurable evils. Human life, because of its eternal destination, retains all its value and dignity in all conditions, including precariousness and fragility, and as such is always worthy of the utmost consideration.

Saint Teresa of Calcutta, who lived the style of proximity and sharing, preserving, up to the end, her recognition and respect for human dignity, and making dying more human, said this: Whoever, on the path of life, has even turned on only a torch in someone's dark hour has not lived in vain.

In this regard, I think about how well hospices do for palliative care, where terminally ill people are accompanied with qualified medical, psychological and spiritual support, so that they can live with dignity, comforted by the closeness of loved ones, the final phase of their earthly life. I hope that these centres continue to be places where therapy of dignity is practiced with commitment, thus nurturing love and respect for life.

I also appreciate the study you have undertaken regarding the revision of the rules on delicta graviora reserved for your Dicastery, contained in the Motu proprio Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela of Saint John Paul II. Your commitment is in the right direction toward updating the legislation with a view to greater effectiveness of the procedures, in order to make it more orderly and organic, in light of the new situations and problems of the current socio-cultural context. At the same time, I urge you to continue firmly in this task, to offer a valid contribution in an area in which the Church is directly involved in proceeding with rigor and transparency in protecting the sanctity of the sacraments and human dignity that has been violated, especially that of little ones.

Finally, I congratulate you on the recent publication of the document drawn up by the Pontifical Biblical Commission on the fundamental themes of biblical anthropology. It deepens a global vision of the divine plan, which began with creation and finds its fulfillment in Christ, the new Man, who constitutes the key, the centre and the end of all human history (Vatican Council II, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et spes, 10).

I thank all of you, Members and Collaborators of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, for your precious service. I invoke upon you an abundance of the blessings of the Lord; and I ask you, please, to pray for me. Thank you!
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General Audience concerning the Beatitudes

This morning's General Audience began at 9:05am local time (3:05am EST) inside the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from other parts of the world.

In his speech, the Pope began a new cycle concerning the Beatitudes (cf Mt 5:1-11).

After summarizing his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.

The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.

Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the General Audience

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today, we begin a series of catecheses on the Beatitudes from the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 5:1-11).  This text begins the Sermon on the Mount and has illuminated the life of believers and non-believers alike.  It is difficult not to be touched by these words of Jesus, and it is right that we should be filled with a desire to understand and accept them more fully.  The Beatitudes comprise the Christian's identity card - this is our identity card -, because they define the face of Jesus himself, his lifestyle.

Now let's frame these words of Jesus in general; in future catecheses we will comment on the individual Beatitudes, one by one.

First of all, it is important to understand how the proclamation of this message came about: Jesus, seeing the crowds following him, climbed the gentle slope surrounding the lake of Galilee, sat down and, addressing his disciples, announced the Beatitudes. The message was addressed to the disciples, but in the distance, there were also the crowds, that is, all humanity. This is a message for all humanity.

Furthermore, the mountain refers to Mount Sinai, where God gave Moses the Commandments. Jesus began to teach a new law: to be poor, to be meek, to be merciful ... These new commandments are much more than norms. In fact, Jesus did not impose anything, but rather, he revealed the way of happiness - his way - by repeating the word blessed eight times.

Each beatitude is made up of three parts. At first there is always the word blessed; then comes the situation in which the blessed find themselves: poverty of spirit, affliction, hunger and thirst for justice, and so on; finally there is the reason for blessedness, introduced by the conjunction for: "Blessed are these for, blessed are they for ..." This is repeated for all eight Beatitudes and it would be nice to learn them by heart, to repeat them, to have this law that Jesus gave us in your mind and heart.

Let us pay attention to this fact: the reason for blessedness is not the current situation but the new condition that the blessed receive as a gift from God: for they will receive the kingdom of heaven, for they will be comforted, for they will inherit the earth, and so on.

In the third element, which is precisely the reason for happiness, Jesus often uses a passive future: they will be comforted, they will inherit the earth, they will be satisfied, they will be forgiven, they will be called children of God.

But what does the word blessed mean? Why does each of the eight Beatitudes begin with the word blessed? The original term does not indicate someone who has a full belly or one who is doing well, but rather a person who is in a condition of grace, one who is progressing in the grace of God and who is progressing on the path of God: patience, poverty, service to others, consolation ... Those who progress in these things are happy and will be blessed.

To give himself to us, God often chooses unthinkable paths, perhaps those of our limits, of our tears, of our defeats. This is the Easter joy of which our Eastern brothers speak, the person who has the stigmata but who is alive; the one who has gone through death and has experienced the power of God. The Beatitudes always bring us joy; they are the way to joy.

It would do us good to take the Gospel of Matthew today, chapter five, verse one to eleven and read the Beatitudes - perhaps a few more times, during the week - to understand this road that is so beautiful, this sure path to the happiness that the Lord offers us.
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The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages and His Holiness offered greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.  To English-speaking participants, he said:

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially the groups from the United States of America. Upon all of you and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. May God bless you!

Rewarded for her faith

Here is the text of the homily I prepared for the celebration of the funeral that took place today in the presence of family and friends.

Funeral homily for Yvonne Jeanne Sadler

The passage from the Book of Ecclesiastes began with the words: There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens (Ecc 3:1).  Today, we have gathered in this place, for at this time, we want to give thanks and praise to God for having shared with us the gift of his beloved daughter Yvonne, and we want to entrust her eternal soul into the loving care of our heavenly Father.

There is an appointed time for everything.  On 23 April 1948, Clement and Hermina Gonsalves were rejoicing.  Their daughter Yvonne Jeanne was born.  At the time, they lived in Aruba, so Yvonne learned English and Dutch, which is the language of that country.  She lived in Aruba with her parents until the age of 11 years, and then they returned to Guyana.  Eventually, at the age of 20 years, Yvonne came to Canada and shortly afterwards, she met Derek.  Within a year, they were married and began their own family life.

Ryan has shared with us, other details about her life, but what we may not be aware of is the life of faith that has unfolded at the same time.  In his letter addressed to the Christian community at Rome, Saint Paul explained that at the time of our baptism, we are buried with Christ ... so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead ... we too might live in newness of life (Rom 6:4).  This image may seem strange to us, for we usually think of Baptism as a Sacrament that marks the beginning of life.  The Church has always taught that we do indeed begin our life in Christ at the time of our Baptism, and that the ultimate aim of our life in Christ is eternal life with him in heaven.  In the case of our sister Yvonne, her life in faith was begun at her Baptism, and it was fed and strengthened each time she came to this church to listen to the Word of God and to be nourished with the Eucharist.

Her greatest joy was found in spending time with her beloved boys and with her grandchildren.  Each year, she would take time to visit with them, especially for the celebration of birthdays.  In fact, it was during her visit to Connecticut just a few months ago that she first fell ill.  With unbelievable speed, a cold became pneumonia, and when this too persisted, further testing revealed the presence of Non Hodgkins Lymphoma.  She was supposed to begin chemotherapy last week, but God called her home before that was possible.

Today, we have gathered in this place to surround Yvonne's family with our presence, our prayer and our love.  The Lord is present with us too.  In the gospel passage we heard today, he says to us: Do not let your hearts be troubled (Jn 14:1), and he goes on, reminding us of his presence, that he is always close to us and that in our Father's house, there are many dwelling places (Jn 14:2).  There is a place for Yvonne there, there is a place for all of us.  Jesus has prepared Yvonne's place, and now we entrust her into his care.

Like the apostles, we too live in this physical and tangible world.  Therefore, there might be a part of us that wants to cry out like Thomas did: Master, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way? (Jn 14:5)  In this place, we witness holiness, in this place we bend our knees and dare to offer our prayers for the repose of Yvonne's soul, in this place we hear words of encouragement and consolation.  In this place, Jesus says to us today: I am the way and the truth and the life (Jn 14:6).  As she takes her place in our Father's house, Yvonne now receives the reward of her faith, and as we leave this place today, we too must take courage in the promise that this reward will also be ours when our time comes.  In the meanwhile, let us ask the Lord to bless our way and to guide us in His truth until the appointed time comes for us to enter our Father's house.

A great light

Here is the text of the homily I prepared for this Sunday's gatherings with God's people.  Today, we mark the first occurrence of Word of God Sunday.

A great light

All around the world, the Church is celebrating today the very first observance of the Word of God Sunday.  This is an initiative that Pope Francis has entrusted to the whole Church so that together, the Christian community will focus on the great value that the Word of God has in our daily lives (Aperuit illis, 2).  For many years, in various parts of the world, efforts have been put forward to help people to grow in their appreciation for the Word of God as an inspiration for our prayer and as a means of motivating us to carry out good works.  Therefore, this new emphasis, which will be highlighted each year on the third Sunday of Ordinary Time, is meant to help revive the responsibility of all believers to be knowledgeable in Sacred Scripture and to keep it alive through committed efforts to pass on the Word to future generations and to foster their understanding this Word which is capable of giving meaning to the life of the Church in the different conditions in which she finds herself.

Because the Word of God Sunday will always be observed on the third Sunday of Ordinary Time, it will also have great value for ecumenism: the ongoing dialogue between the Catholic Church and other Christian faith traditions.  As you know, we are concluding the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity today.  Obviously, it is not a mere coincidence that the Word of God Sunday is observed in such proximity to this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  Rather, it is the fruit of a choice that is intended to mark a further step in ecumenical dialogue, placing the Word of God at the very heart of the commitment that Christians are call to make every day.

Last weekend, we mandated new Lectors for this parish.  I thought about postponing that moment until this weekend in order to further emphasize the importance of the Word of God in the midst of our weekly assembly, but perhaps it is enough that we should recall that beautiful moment when our brothers and sisters said yes to the invitation to proclaim the Word of God in the midst of this assembly.

The significance of today's celebration is also echoed in the words that we have heard proclaimed today.  The prophet Isaiah says: the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light (Is 9:2), the psalmist reminds us that the Lord is my light and my salvation (Ps 27:1), and the gospel account demonstrates that even for those who sat in the region and shadow of death, a light has dawned (Mt 12:16).  This light that helps and guides us as we make our way through life is the Word of God, a word that is living and active, a word that is just as alive today as it was when it was first proclaimed.

Day after day, at every gathering of God's people, we listen to this Word and we pray that this Word will take root in our hearts so that our lives may be perfumed with its odour and so that we may live by its guidance.  Not everyone is able to be present for every moment at which the Word of God is proclaimed in this place, but we are all capable of reading the Word of God on our own.  It only takes a few moments; we only need to read a few words, or a few lines each day.  If we do, we will discover more and more the truth that Saint Paul speaks today: the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God (1 Cor 1:18).

Une grande lumière

Partout dans le monde, l'Église célèbre aujourd'hui pour la première fois le dimanche de la Parole de Dieu. Il s'agit d'une initiative que le Pape François a confiée à toute l'Église pour qu'ensemble, la communauté chrétienne se concentre sur la grande valeur de la Parole de Dieu dans notre vie quotidienne (Aperuit illis, 2). Depuis de nombreuses années, dans des différentes parties du monde, des efforts ont été déployés pour aider les gens à grandir dans leur appréciation de la Parole de Dieu comme source d'inspiration pour notre prière et comme moyen de nous motiver à accomplir de bonnes œuvres. Par conséquent, ce nouvel accent, qui sera mis en évidence chaque année lors du troisième dimanche du temps ordinaire, est destiné à aider à raviver la responsabilité de tous les croyants d'être bien informés des Saintes Écritures et de les maintenir en vie grâce à des efforts engagés pour transmettre la Parole à d'autres générations futures et pour favoriser leur compréhension de cette Parole qui est capable de donner un sens à la vie de l'Église dans les différentes conditions dans lesquelles elle se trouve.

Puisque le dimanche de la Parole de Dieu sera toujours observé le troisième dimanche du temps ordinaire, il aura également une grande valeur pour l'œcuménisme: c'est à dire le dialogue permanent entre l'Église catholique et d'autres traditions de foi chrétienne. Comme vous le savez, nous concluons aujourd'hui la Semaine de la prière pour l'unité des chrétiens. De toute évidence, ce n'est pas une simple coïncidence si le dimanche de la Parole de Dieu est observé à une telle proximité de cette semaine de prière pour l'unité des chrétiens. C'est plutôt le fruit d'un choix qui vise à marquer une nouvelle étape dans le dialogue œcuménique, en plaçant la Parole de Dieu au cœur même de l'engagement que les chrétiens sont appelés à entreprendre chaque jour.

La fin-de-semaine dernière, nous avons mandaté de nouveaux Lecteurs pour cette paroisse. J'ai pensé à reporter ce moment à cette fin-de-semaine afin de souligner davantage l'importance de la Parole de Dieu au milieu de notre assemblée, mais il suffit peut-être de rappeler ce beau moment où nos frères et sœurs ont dit oui à l'invitation à proclamer la Parole de Dieu au milieu de cette assemblée.

L'importance de la célébration d'aujourd'hui se reflète également dans les paroles que nous avons entendues. Le prophète Isaïe dit: le peuple qui marchait dans les ténèbres a vu se lever une grande lumière (Is 9, 2), le psalmiste nous rappelle que le Seigneur est ma lumière et mon salut (Ps 27, 1), et le récit évangélique démontre que même sur ceux qui habitaient dans le pays et l'ombre de la mort, une lumière s'est levée (Mt 12:16). Cette lumière qui nous aide et nous guide dans notre cheminement c'est la Parole de Dieu, une parole vivante et active, une parole qui est tout aussi vivante aujourd'hui qu'elle ne l'était lorsqu'elle a été proclamée pour la première fois.

Jour après jour, à chaque rassemblement du peuple de Dieu, nous écoutons cette Parole et nous prions pour que cette Parole s'enracine dans nos cœurs afin que nos vies soient parfumées de son odeur et que nous vivions sous sa conduite. Nous ne sommes pas tous en mesure d'être présent à chaque instant où la Parole de Dieu est proclamée en ce lieu, mais nous sommes tous capables de lire la Parole de Dieu par nous-mêmes. Cela ne prend que quelques instants; il suffit de lire quelques paroles des Saints Écritures ou même quelques lignes chaque jour. Si nous le faisons, nous découvrirons de plus en plus la vérité que Saint Paul nous dit aujourd'hui: la prédication de la mort de Christ sur la croix est une folie aux yeux de ceux qui se perdent.  Mais pour nous qui sommes sauvés, elle est la puissance même de Dieu (1 Co 1,18).

Angelus for the Word of God Sunday

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

Present today, among others, were young people from Catholic Action within the Diocese of Rome who have concluded the month of January, which they traditionally dedicate to the virtue of peace, with the Caravan of Peace.  At the conclusion of the Angelus, two youth from two different Roman parishes, who were invited to join him in the papal apartment, read a message in the name of Catholic Action Rome.

Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

prior to the recitation of the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today's gospel (cf Mt 4:12-23) presents the beginning of Jesus' public mission.  This took place in Galilee, a land on the outskirts of Jerusalem; people were looking at him with suspicion because he was mixing with the pagans.  Nothing good or new was expected from that region; however, it was precisely in that place that Jesus, who had grown up in Nazareth, in Galilee, began his preaching.

He proclaimed the central message of his preaching which can be summarized in the call: Change your hearts, because the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mt 4:17).  This proclamation is like a powerful beam of light that pierces the darkness and penetrates the clouds, evoking the prophecy of Isaiah that is proclaimed on Christmas eve night: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those who walked in the darkened earth, a light has dawned (Is 9:1).  With the coming of Jesus, who is the light of the world, God our Father demonstrated his closeness to and his care for all humanity.  These gifts are freely given to us, even beyond the limits of our merits.  God's closeness and God's friendship are not things that we have earned: they are free gifts given by God.  We must care for these gifts.

The call to conversion, which Jesus offers to all men of good will, is fully understood precisely in the light of the manifestation of the Son of God, on which we have meditated on past Sundays. Many times, it is impossible to change your life, to abandon the path of selfishness, of evil, to abandon the path of sin because the commitment to conversion focuses only on ourselves and on our own strength, and not on Christ and his Spirit. But our adherence to the Lord cannot be reduced to a personal effort, no. It would also be a sin of pride for us to believe this. Our belonging to the Lord cannot be reduced to a personal effort, instead it must be expressed in a confident opening of the heart and mind to welcome the Good News of Jesus. It is this - the Word of Jesus, the Good News of Jesus, the Gospel - that changes the world and changes our hearts! We are therefore called to trust the word of Christ, to open ourselves to the Father's mercy and to allow ourselves to be transformed by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

It is here that the true path of conversion begins, just as it happened in the case of the first disciples: the encounter with the divine Master, who with his gaze, with his word ... gave them the impetus to follow him, to change their lives by putting themselves concretely at the service of the Kingdom of God. The surprising and decisive encounter with Jesus was the beginning of the disciples' journey, transforming them into heralds and witnesses of God's love for his people. In imitation of these first heralds and messengers of the Word of God, each of us can take steps in the footsteps of the Saviour, in order to offer hope to those who are thirsty for it.

May the Virgin Mary, to whom we turn in this prayer of the Angelus, sustain these plans and encourage their fulfillment with her maternal intercession.



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

Dear brothers and sisters!

Today, for the first time, we celebrate the Word of God Sunday which was established in order to celebrate and to welcome more and more the gift that God gave us, the gift of His Word that He gives to His people every day.  I thank the Dioceses, I thank the communities who have proposed various initiatives to recall the central role of Holy Scripture in the life of the Church.

Tomorrow will mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp.  In the face of this huge tragedy, this atrocity, indifference is not admissible and memory is a must. Tomorrow we are all invited to spend a moment in prayer and recollection, saying each one in his own heart: never again, never again!

Today, we celebrate the World Day of Hansen's Disease.  We are close to all people who have been affected and to all those who in many ways are caring for them.

I also wish to be close in prayer to those who are sick and suffering from the virus which is being spread in China.  May the Lord welcome all those who have died into his peace; may He comfort the families and support the great commitment of the Chinese community which has already been put into action in order to combat this epidemic.

I greet all of you, who have come from Italy and from various other countries, in particular the pilgrims from Valencia, Salamanca, Burgos, Santander and Valladolid; the students and the teachers from Murcia, Cuenca, Badajoz, and those who have come from Panama.

I greet the faithful from Tursi and the UNITALSI group from the Lazio region (of Italy) who are facilitating the participation of disabled people here at the General Audiences and at the Angelus gatherings, and also those who are distributing the Messaline with the Word of God for every day.

Now, my companions have arrived (two young people from Catholic Action Rome stand beside the Pope).  I affectionately greet the young boys and girls from Catholic Action, from the parishes and from the Catholic schools throughout the Diocese of Rome!  You are also accompanied this year by Auxiliary Bishop Selvadagi, your parents and teachers and the priests who work with you.  You have come in great numbers at the completion of the Caravan of Peace. I thank you all for this initiative.  And now, let us listen together to the message that your friends, here beside me, will read for us.

Reading of the message, concluding with the release of balloons.

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

At 10:00am this morning in Rome (4:00am EST), the III Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Holy Father, Pope Francis celebrated Holy Mass inside the Vatican Basilica, marking the occasion of the first observance of the Word of God Sunday.

Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

during the Mass celebrated for the

Word of God Sunday

Jesus began to preach (Mt 4:17). With these words, the evangelist Matthew introduces the ministry of Jesus. The One who is the Word of God has come to speak with us, in his own words and by his own life. On this first Sunday of the Word of God, let us go to the roots of his preaching, to the very source of the word of life. Today’s Gospel (Mt 4:12-23) helps us to know how, where and to whom Jesus began to preach.

1. How did he begin? With a very simple phrase: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mt 4:17). This is the main message of all Jesus’ sermons: to tell us that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. What does this mean? The kingdom of heaven means the reign of God, that is, the way in which God reigns through his relationship with us. Jesus tells us that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, that God is near. Here is the novelty, the first message: God is not far from us. The One who dwells in heaven has come down to earth; he became man. He has torn down walls and shortened distances. We ourselves did not deserve this: he came down to meet us. Now this nearness of God to his people is one of the ways he has done things since the beginning, even of the Old Testament. He said to his people: Imagine: what nation has its gods so near to it as I am near to you? (cf Dt 4:7). And this nearness became flesh in Jesus.

This is a joyful message: God came to visit us in person, by becoming man. He did not embrace our human condition out of duty, no, but out of love. For love, he took on our human nature, for one embraces what one loves. God took our human nature because he loves us and desires freely to give us the salvation that, alone and unaided, we cannot hope to attain. He wants to stay with us and give us the beauty of life, peace of heart, the joy of being forgiven and feeling loved.

We can now understand the direct demand that Jesus makes: Repent, in other words, Change your life. Change your life, for a new way of living has begun. The time when you lived for yourself is over; now is the time for living with and for God, with and for others, with and for love. Today Jesus speaks those same words to you: Take heart, I am here with you, allow me to enter and your life will change. Jesus knocks at the door. That is why the Lord gives you his word, so that you can receive it like a love letter he has written to you, to help you realize that he is at your side. His word consoles and encourages us. At the same time it challenges us, frees us from the bondage of our selfishness and summons us to conversion. Because his word has the power to change our lives and to lead us out of darkness into the light. This is the power of his word.

2. If we consider where Jesus started his preaching, we see that he began from the very places that were then thought to be in darkness. Both the first reading and the Gospel speak to us of people who sat in the region and shadow of death. They are the inhabitants of the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, on the road by the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations (Mt 4:15-16; cf Is 8:23-9:1). Galilee of the nations, this region where Jesus began his preaching ministry, had been given this name because it was made up of people of different races and was home to a variety of peoples, languages and cultures. It was truly on the road by the sea, a crossroads. Fishermen, businessmen and foreigners all dwelt there. It was definitely not the place to find the religious purity of the chosen people. Yet Jesus started from there: not from the forecourt of the temple of Jerusalem, but from the opposite side of the country, from Galilee of the nations, from the border region. He started from a periphery.

Here there is a message for us: the word of salvation does not go looking for untouched, clean and safe places. Instead, it enters the complex and obscure places in our lives. Now, as then, God wants to visit the very places we think he will never go. Yet how often we are the ones who close the door, preferring to keep our confusion, our dark side and our duplicity hidden. We keep it locked up within, approaching the Lord with some rote prayers, wary lest his truth stir our hearts. And this is concealed hypocrisy. But as today’s Gospel tells us: Jesus went about all Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity (Mt 4:23). He passed through all of that varied and complex region. In the same way, he is not afraid to explore the terrain of our hearts and to enter the roughest and most difficult corners of our lives. He knows that his mercy alone can heal us, his presence alone can transform us and his word alone can renew us. So let us open the winding paths of our hearts – those paths we have inside us that we do not wish to see or that we hide – to him, who walked the road by the sea; let us welcome into our hearts his word, which is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword … and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb 4:12).

3. Finally, to whom did Jesus begin to speak? The Gospel says that, as he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men’ (Mt 4:18-19). The first people to be called were fishermen: not people carefully chosen for their abilities or devout people at prayer in the temple, but ordinary working people.

Let us think about what Jesus said to them: I will make you fishers of men. He was speaking to fishermen, using the language they understood. Their lives changed on the spot. He called them where they were and as they were, in order to make them sharers in his mission. Immediately they left their nets and followed him (Mt 4:20). Why immediately? Simply because they felt drawn. They did not hurry off because they had received an order, but because they were drawn by love. To follow Jesus, mere good works are not enough; we have to listen daily to his call. He, who alone knows us and who loves us fully, leads us to put out into the deep of life. Just as he did with the disciples who heard him.

That is why we need his word: so that we can hear, amid the thousands of other words in our daily lives, that one word that speaks to us not about things, but about life.

Dear brothers and sisters, let us make room inside ourselves for the word of God! Each day, let us read a verse or two of the Bible. Let us begin with the Gospel: let us keep it open on our table, carry it in our pocket or bag, read it on our cell phones, and allow it to inspire us daily. We will discover that God is close to us, that he dispels our darkness and, with great love, leads our lives into deep waters.
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Celebrating the Conversion of Saint Paul

This afternoon, inside the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls in Rome, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided over the celebration of the Second Vespers (Evening Prayer) for the Solemnity of the Conversion of Saint Paul, at the conclusion of the 53rd Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which has as its theme: They treated us kindly (Acts 28:2).

Representatives from the various Churches and ecclesial communities that are present in Rome took part in this celebration.

At the conclusion of Vespers, before imparting the Apostolic blessing, His Eminence, Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity offered the Holy Father a few words of greeting.

Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

during the celebration of the Second Vespers

for the Solemnity of the Conversion of Saint Paul

Three different groups were on board the ship that brought Saint Paul to Rome as a prisoner. The most powerful group was made up of soldiers under a centurion. Then there were the sailors, upon whom naturally everyone on board depended during the long voyage. Finally, there were the weakest and most vulnerable group: the prisoners.

When the ship ran aground off the coast of Malta, after having been at the mercy of a storm for several days, the soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to ensure that no one would escape, but they were stopped by the centurion who wanted to save Paul. Although he was among the most vulnerable, Paul offered something important to his traveling companions. While everyone was losing all hope of survival, the Apostle brought an unexpected message of hope. An angel had reassured him, saying to him: Do not be afraid, Paul; God has granted safety to all those who sail with you (Acts 27:24). Paul’s trust proved to be well founded, and in the end all the travellers were saved. Once they landed at Malta, they experienced the hospitality, kindness and humanity of the island’s inhabitants. This important detail provided the theme of the Week of Prayer that concludes today.

Dear brothers and sisters: this account from the Acts of the Apostles also speaks to our ecumenical journey towards that unity which God ardently desires. In the first place, it tells us that those who are weak and vulnerable, those who have little to offer materially but find their wealth in God, can present valuable messages for the good of all. Let us think of Christian communities: even the smallest and least significant in the eyes of the world, if they experience the Holy Spirit, if they are animated by love for God and neighbour, they have a message to offer to the whole Christian family. Let us think of marginalized and persecuted Christian communities. As in the account of Paul’s shipwreck, it is often the weak who bring the most important message of salvation. This was what pleased God: to save us not with the power of this world, but with the weakness of the cross (cf 1 Cor 1:20-25). As disciples of Jesus, we must be careful not to be attracted by worldly logic, but rather to listen to the small and the weak, because God loves to send his messages through those who most resemble his Son made man.

The account in the Acts of the Apostles reminds us of a second aspect: God’s priority is the salvation of all. As the angel said to Paul: God has granted safety to all those who sail with you. Paul insists on this point. We too need to repeat it: it is our duty to put into effect the paramount desire of God who, as Paul himself writes, desires everyone to be saved (1 Tim 2:4).

This is an invitation not to devote ourselves exclusively to our own communities, but to open ourselves to the good of all, to the universal gaze of God who took flesh in order to embrace the whole human race and who died and rose for the salvation of all. If we, with his grace, can assimilate his way of seeing things, we can overcome our divisions. In Paul’s shipwreck, each person contributed to the salvation of all: the centurion made important decisions, the sailors put their knowledge and abilities to use, the Apostle encouraged those without hope. Among Christians as well, each community has a gift to offer to the others. The more we look beyond partisan interests and overcome the legacies of the past in the desire to move forward towards a common landing place, the more readily we will recognize, welcome and share these gifts.

Thus we arrive at a third aspect that was at the centre of this Week of Prayer: hospitality. In the last chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, Saint Luke says, with regard to the inhabitants of Malta, The natives showed us unusual kindness (Acts 28:2). The fire kindled on the shore to warm the shipwrecked travellers is a fine symbol of the human warmth that unexpectedly surrounded them. Even the governor of the island showed himself welcoming and hospitable to Paul, who repaid him by healing his father and later many other sick people (cf Acts 28:7-9). Finally, when the Apostle and those with him departed for Italy, the Maltese generously resupplied them with provisions (Acts 28:10).

From this Week of Prayer we want to learn to be more hospitable, in the first place among ourselves as Christians and among our brothers and sisters of different confessions. Hospitality belongs to the tradition of Christian communities and families. Our elders taught us this by their example: there was always something extra on the table of a Christian home for a passing friend or a person in need who knocked on the door. In monasteries a guest is treated with great respect, as if he or she were Christ himself. Let us not lose, indeed let us revive, these customs that have the flavour of the Gospel!

Dear brothers and sisters, with these thoughts I offer my cordial and fraternal greetings to His Eminence, Metropolitan Gennadios, the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; to His Grace Ian Ernest, the personal representative in Rome of the Archbishop of Canterbury; and to all the representatives of the different Churches and Ecclesial Communities gathered here to conclude together the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. I greet the students of the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey, who are visiting Rome to deepen their knowledge of the Catholic Church. I welcome too the young people of the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches who are studying on a scholarship from the Committee for Cultural Cooperation with the Orthodox Churches, under the auspices of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, to whose members I extend my greetings and gratitude. Together, without ever tiring, let us continue to pray and to beg from God the gift of full unity among ourselves.
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Iraq at the Vatican

Today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience His Excellency, Mister Barham Salih, President of the Republic of Iraq, who subsequently met with His Eminence, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State, accompanied by His Excellency, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.

During the cordial discussions, the good bilateral relations were evoked, and the parties focused on the challenges the country currently faces as well as the importance of promoting stability and the reconstruction process, encouraging the path of dialogue and the search for suitable solutions in favour of citizens and with respect to national sovereignty.

Attention then turned to the importance of preserving the historical presence of Christians in the country, of which they are an integral part, and the significant contribution they bring to the reconstruction of the social fabric, highlighting the need to guarantee their security and a place in the future of Iraq.

Finally, the parties discussed the various conflicts and grave humanitarian crises that afflict the region, underlining the importance of the efforts made with the support of the international community to re-establish trust and peaceful co-existence.

One year after the tragedy in Bazil

The Holy Father, Pope Francis has sent a video message on the first anniversary of the tragedy of a dam that failed in the city of Brumadinho (Brazil).

Video Message of His Holiness, Pope Francis

On this first anniversary of the tragedy in Brumandinho, let us pray for the 272 men and women who were buried.  And we regret the contamination that has affected the entire river basin.  Let us offer our solidarity to the families of the victims, and our support to the Archdiocese and to all the people who are suffering and who need our help.  Through the intercession of Saint Paul, may God help us to repair and protect our common home.

Celebrating Social Communications

Today, the Holy See Press Centre published the text of the Holy Father's Message for the 54th World Day of Social Communications which will be observed, in many countries, on 24 May of this year, the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.

Message of His Holiness, Pope Francis

for the 54th World Day of Social Communications

That you may tell your children and grandchildren (Ex 10:2)

Life becomes history

I would like to devote this year’s Message to the theme of storytelling, because I believe that, so as not to lose our bearings, we need to make our own the truth contained in good stories. Stories that build up, not tear down; stories that help us rediscover our roots and the strength needed to move forward together. Amid the cacophony of voices and messages that surround us, we need a human story that can speak of ourselves and of the beauty all around us. A narrative that can look upon our world and its happenings with a tender gaze. A narrative that can tell us that we are part of a living and interconnected tapestry. A narrative that can reveal the interweaving of the threads which connect us to one another.

1. Weaving stories

Human beings are storytellers. From childhood we hunger for stories just as we hunger for food. Stories influence our lives, whether in the form of fairy tales, novels, films, songs, news, even if we do not always realize it. Often we decide what is right or wrong based on characters and stories we have made our own. Stories leave their mark on us; they shape our convictions and our behaviour. They can help us understand and communicate who we are.

We are not just the only beings who need clothing to cover our vulnerability (cf Gen 3: 21); we are also the only ones who need to be clothed with stories to protect our lives. We weave not only clothing, but also stories: indeed, the human capacity to weave (from the Latin word texere) gives us not only the word textile but also text. The stories of different ages all have a common loom: the thread of their narrative involves heroes, including everyday heroes, who in following a dream confront difficult situations and combat evil, driven by a force that makes them courageous, the force of love. By immersing ourselves in stories, we can find reasons to heroically face the challenges of life.

Human beings are storytellers because we are engaged in a process of constant growth, discovering ourselves and becoming enriched in the tapestry of the days of our life. Yet since the very beginning, our story has been threatened: evil snakes its way through history.

2. Not all stories are good stories

When you eat of it … you will be like God (cf Gen 3:4): the temptation of the serpent introduces into the fabric of history a knot that is difficult to undo.  If you possess, you will become, you will achieve … This is the message whispered by those who even today use storytelling for purposes of exploitation. How many stories serve to lull us, convincing us that to be happy we continually need to gain, possess and consume. We may not even realize how greedy we have become for chatter and gossip, or how much violence and falsehood we are consuming. Often on communication platforms, instead of constructive stories which serve to strengthen social ties and the cultural fabric, we find destructive and provocative stories that wear down and break the fragile threads binding us together as a society. By patching together bits of unverified information, repeating banal and deceptively persuasive arguments, sending strident and hateful messages, we do not help to weave human history, but instead strip others of their dignity.

But whereas the stories employed for exploitation and power have a short lifespan, a good story can transcend the confines of space and time. Centuries later, it remains timely, for it nourishes life.

In an age when falsification is increasingly sophisticated, reaching exponential levels (as in deepfake), we need wisdom to be able to welcome and create beautiful, true and good stories. We need courage to reject false and evil stories. We need patience and discernment to rediscover stories that help us not to lose the thread amid today’s many troubles. We need stories that reveal who we truly are, also in the untold heroism of everyday life.

3. The Story of stories

Sacred Scripture is a Story of stories. How many events, peoples and individuals it sets before us! It shows us from the very beginning a God who is both creator and narrator. Indeed, God speaks his word and things come into existence (cf Gen 1). As narrator, God calls things into life, culminating in the creation of man and woman as his free dialogue partners, who make history alongside him. In one of the Psalms, the creature tells the creator: For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made … My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth (Ps 139:13-15). We are not born complete, but need to be constantly woven, knitted together. Life is given to us as an invitation to continue to weave the wonderful mystery that we are.

The Bible is thus the great love story between God and humanity. At its centre stands Jesus, whose own story brings to fulfilment both God’s love for us and our love for God. Henceforth, in every generation, men and women are called to recount and commit to memory the most significant episodes of this Story of stories, those that best communicate its meaning.

The title of this year’s Message is drawn from the Book of Exodus, a primordial biblical story in which God intervenes in the history of his people. When the enslaved children of Israel cry out to Him, God listens and remembers: God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel – and God knew (Ex 2: 24-25). God’s memory brings liberation from oppression through a series of signs and wonders. The Lord then reveals to Moses the meaning of all these signs: that you may tell in the hearing of your children and grandchildren … what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord” (Ex 10:2). The Exodus experience teaches us that knowledge of the Lord is handed down from generation to generation mainly by telling the story of how he continues to make himself present. The God of life communicates with us through the story of life.

Jesus spoke of God not with abstract concepts, but with parables, brief stories taken from everyday life. At this point life becomes story and then, for the listener, story becomes life: the story becomes part of the life of those who listen to it, and it changes them.

The Gospels are also stories, and not by chance. While they tell us about Jesus, they are performative (cf Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Spe Salvi, 2: The Christian message was not only ‘informative’ but ‘performative’. That means: the Gospel is not merely a communication of things that can be known–it is one that makes things happen and is life-changing); they conform us to Jesus. The Gospel asks the reader to share in the same faith in order to share in the same life. The Gospel of John tells us that the quintessential storyteller – the Word – himself becomes the story: God’s only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known (Jn 1:18). The original verb, exegésato, can be translated both as revealed and recounted. God has become personally woven into our humanity, and so has given us a new way of weaving our stories.

4. An ever renewed story

The history of Christ is not a legacy from the past; it is our story, and always timely. It shows us that God was so deeply concerned for mankind, for our flesh and our history, to the point that he became man, flesh and history. It also tells us that no human stories are insignificant or paltry. Since God became story, every human story is, in a certain sense, a divine story. In the history of every person, the Father sees again the story of his Son who came down to earth. Every human story has an irrepressible dignity. Consequently, humanity deserves stories that are worthy of it, worthy of that dizzying and fascinating height to which Jesus elevated it.

You – Saint Paul wrote – are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts (2 Cor 3:3). The Holy Spirit, the love of God, writes within us. And as he writes within us, he establishes goodness in us and constantly reminds us of it. Indeed, to re-mind means to bring to mind, to write on the heart. By the power of the Holy Spirit, every story, even the most forgotten one, even the one that seems to be written with the most crooked lines, can become inspired, can be reborn as a masterpiece, and become an appendix to the Gospel. Like the Confessions of Augustine. Like A Pilgrim’s Journey of Ignatius. Like The Story of a Soul of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus. Like The Betrothed, like The Brothers Karamazov. Like countless other stories, which have admirably scripted the encounter between God’s freedom and that of man. Each of us knows different stories that have the fragrance of the Gospel, that have borne witness to the Love that transforms life. These stories cry out to be shared, recounted and brought to life in every age, in every language, in every medium.

5. A story that renews us

Our own story becomes part of every great story. As we read the Scriptures, the stories of the saints, and also those texts that have shed light on the human heart and its beauty, the Holy Spirit is free to write in our hearts, reviving our memory of what we are in God’s eyes. When we remember the love that created and saved us, when we make love a part of our daily stories, when we weave the tapestry of our days with mercy, we are turning another page. We no longer remain tied to regrets and sadness, bound to an unhealthy memory that burdens our hearts; rather, by opening ourselves to others, we open ourselves to the same vision of the great storyteller. Telling God our story is never useless: even if the record of events remains the same, the meaning and perspective are always changing. To tell our story to the Lord is to enter into his gaze of compassionate love for us and for others. We can recount to him the stories we live, bringing to him the people and the situations that fill our lives. With him we can re-weave the fabric of life, darning its rips and tears. How much we, all of us, need to do exactly this!

With the gaze of the great storyteller – the only one who has the ultimate point of view – we can then approach the other characters, our brothers and sisters, who are with us as actors in today’s story. For no one is an extra on the world stage, and everyone’s story is open to possible change. Even when we tell of evil, we can learn to leave room for redemption; in the midst of evil, we can also recognize the working of goodness and give it space.

So it is not a matter of simply telling stories as such, or of advertising ourselves, but rather of remembering who and what we are in God’s eyes, bearing witness to what the Spirit writes in our hearts and revealing to everyone that his or her story contains marvellous things. In order to do this, let us entrust ourselves to a woman who knit together in her womb the humanity of God and, the Gospel tells us, wove together the events of her life. For the Virgin Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart (Lk 2:19). Let us ask for help from her, who knew how to untie the knots of life with the gentle strength of love:

O Mary, woman and mother, you wove the divine Word in your womb, you recounted by your life the magnificent works of God. Listen to our stories, hold them in your heart and make your own the stories that no one wants to hear. Teach us to recognize the good thread that runs through history. Look upon the tangled knots in our life that paralyze our memory. By your gentle hands, every knot can be untied. Woman of the Spirit, mother of trust, inspire us too. Help us build stories of peace, stories that point to the future. And show us the way to live them together.

Rome, at Saint John Lateran
24 January 2020
the Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales
Franciscus
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Not perfect, but darn close

Here is the text of the homily I prepared for the funeral we celebrated earlier today, giving thanks for the life of a man who was deeply loved and greatly respected.

Funeral homily for Thomas Carter

The first reading that we heard today describes a wonderful encounter that is foretold for every one of us.  The figure of a mountain has long been synonymous with the place where we mortals will encounter God.  The prophet Isaiah says: On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines (Is 25:6).  This is not the language that we would use to describe a simple meal.  But this is the language with which the prophet wants to help us understand that there will be a moment for each of us when the Lord will welcome us home, into heaven.  When we arrive at that banquet, the Lord will be waiting for us, ready to sit with us and to listen to every word we have to share.

This is the image that I look forward to, and this is the moment that we have gathered to celebrate today.  Our brother Tom has completed his earthly journey.  Throughout the years that all of us have known him, we have seen glimpses of the way that this table discussion will take place.  Tom always cherished his family, friends and neighbours: each of you was precious to him.  I am sure that he will tell everyone gathered around that table about each of you, and what joy will radiate from him as he does!

With great glee, I am sure that he will speak of the many opportunities that he had to be of service to so many people.  Sometimes, he did that in tangible and concrete ways; at other times, he offered a word of encouragement, a complement or told a joke so that he could help someone else to find their way.  As he tells these stories around that banquet table, there will be many smiles and knowing nods.  And we all know that Tom will be specially proud to tell others about the special place he always held in his heart for all the children.  In some ways, perhaps he always remained a child, but certainly he was always convinced that children are the most precious gifts.

At another time in history, our God sent his son Jesus to live among us.  He did this so that Jesus could tell us about God, and so that he could show us the tender love that God has for each of us.  On many occasions throughout his earthly life, Jesus took time to pray.  We have had one of those occasions described in today's gospel passage: Jesus said, 'I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants (Mt 11:25).  The true depth of God's love for us remains hidden from the minds of those who only contemplate earthly matters, but happily, our God never gives up on us.  He continues to love us always, and to believe in us because He knows what we are capable of.

We are all capable of loving others, we are all capable of cherishing those who are dear to us, we are all capable of offering simple prayers for those who are in need, and we are all capable of taking time to tell others how important they are to us.  The Lord has granted us a great gift in the person of Tom.  Now, we entrust his eternal soul back into the loving presence of our God with the words that were written in the Book of Revelation: Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labours, for their good deeds go with them (Rev 14:13).

General Audience during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

This morning's General Audience began at 9:15am in the Paul VI Hall where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every corner of the world.

In his speech, the Pope added his meditation on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity focused around the theme: They treated us kindly (cf Acts 28:2).

After summarizing his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered particular greetings to each group of pilgrims in attendance.  Then, he issued a call for prayer for peace and for dialogue on the occasion of the lunar New Year that begins on 25 January 2020.

The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.

Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis

for the General Audience

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today's catechesis is in tune with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This year's theme, which is that of hospitality, has been developed by the communities of Malta and Gozo, inspired by the passage from the Acts of the Apostles which narrates the hospitality offered by the inhabitants of Malta to Saint Paul and his companions during their travel, when they were shipwrecked together with him. It was precisely this episode that I referred to in the catechesis two weeks ago.

So let's start with the dramatic experience of that shipwreck. The ship on which Paul was travelling was at the mercy of the elements. For fourteen days they had been at sea, drifting, and since neither the sun nor the stars were visible, travellers felt disoriented, lost. Below them the sea was breaking violently against the ship and they feared that it would break up under the force of the waves. From above, they were also lashed by the wind and rain. The force of the sea and the storm was terribly powerful and indifferent to the fate of the sailors: there were more than 260 people involved!

But Paul who knew it is not like that, was the one who spoke. Faith told him that his life was in the hands of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, and that he called him, Paul, to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth. His faith also told him that God, according to what Jesus has revealed, is a loving Father. Therefore Paul addressed his traveling companions and, inspired by faith, announced to them that God would not allow even one hair on their heads to be lost.

This prophecy came true when the ship ran aground on the coast of Malta and all passengers safely reached dry land. There, they experience something new. In contrast to the brutal violence of the stormy sea, they received the testimony of the rare humanity of the inhabitants of the island. These people, who were foreign to them, were attentive to their needs. They lit a fire to warm up, offered them shelter from rain and food. Even if they had not yet received the Good News of Christ, they manifested the love of God in concrete acts of kindness. In fact, spontaneous hospitality and caring gestures always communicate something of God's love. And the hospitality of the Maltese islanders was rewarded by the healing miracles that God worked through Paul on the island. Therefore, if the people of Malta were a sign of God's Providence for the Apostle, he too was a witness of God's merciful love for them.

Dear friends, hospitality is important; and it is also an important ecumenical virtue. First of all, it means recognizing that other Christians are truly our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are brothers. Someone will say to you: But that is Protestant, the Orthodox one ... Yes, but we are brothers in Christ. It is not an act of one-way generosity, because when we host other Christians we welcome them as a gift that is given to us. Like the Maltese - these Maltese are good people - we are repaid, because we receive what the Holy Spirit has sown in our brothers and sisters, and this becomes a gift for us too, because the Holy Spirit also sows his graces everywhere. Welcoming Christians from another tradition means first of all showing God's love for them, because they are children of God - our brothers -, and it also means welcoming what God has accomplished in their lives. Ecumenical hospitality requires willingness to listen to others, paying attention to their personal stories of faith and the history of their communities, communities of faith with other traditions that are different from ours. Ecumenical hospitality involves the desire to know the experience that other Christians have of God and the expectation of receiving the spiritual gifts that derive from it. And this is a grace, discovering this is a grace. I think of past times, of my land for example. When some evangelical missionaries came, a small group of Catholics went to burn the tents. This is not: he was not a Christian. We are brothers, we are all brothers and we must show each other hospitality.

Today, the sea on which Paul and his companions were shipwrecked is once again a dangerous place for the lives of other sailors. All over the world, migrant men and women face risky journeys to escape violence, to escape war, to escape poverty. How Paul and his companions experienced indifference, the hostility of the desert, rivers, seas ... Many times they do not let them land in ports. But, unfortunately, they also sometimes encounter far worse hostility than men. They are exploited by criminal traffickers: today! They are treated as numbers and as a threat by some rulers: today! Sometimes hospitality rejects them as a wave towards poverty or the dangers from which they fled.

We, Christians, must work together to show migrants the love of God revealed by Jesus Christ. We can and must testify that there is not only hostility and indifference, but that every person is precious to God and loved by him. The divisions that still exist between us prevent us from being full signs of God's love. Working together to experience ecumenical hospitality, especially toward those whose lives are most vulnerable, will make us all Christians - Protestants, Orthodox, Catholics, all Christians - better human beings, better disciples and a more united Christian people. It will bring us closer to unity, which is God's will for us.
Testo originale nella lingua italiana



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

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially the groups from Belgium, Korea, Australia and the United States of America. In this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, I offer a special greeting to the students from the Bossey Ecumenical Institute. I also greet the priests of the Institute for Continuing Theological Education of the Pontifical North American College. Upon all of you and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. May God bless you!

At the conclusion of the Audience, the Holy Father made the following appeal:

On 25 January, in the Far East and in various other parts of the world, many millions of men and women will celebrate the lunar New Year.

To them, I send my cordial greetings.  In particular, I hope that families will always be places of education in virtues of hospitality, wisdom, respect for each person and harmony with creation.

I invite all people to also pray for peace, for dialogue and for solidarity among nations: these are gifts that are more needed than ever in our world today.