Saturday, May 31, 2014

Marian prayer for the end of May

At 8:00pm tonight in the Vatican gardens, the traditional procession took place, including the recitation of the Holy Rosary, at the conclusion of the month of Mary.  Beginning at the church of Saint Stephen of the Abyssinians, the procession passed through the apse of Saint Peter's Basilica and continued to the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.

At 9:00pm, the Holy Father arrived at the Grotto of Lourdes, and before imparting his Apostolic Blessing, he shared a few words with those who were present.


Address of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
at the Grotto of Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens

We have prayed to Our Lady, we have sung so many of her titles ...

Today, at the end of the month of Mary, we celebrate the feast in which we recall the visit that she had with Saint Elizabeth.  The gospel says that, after the angel's Annunciation, she went with haste, she didn't waste her time, she went immediately to serve.  She is the Virgin of readiness, Our Lady of readiness.  She is always ready to come to our aid when we pray to her, when we ask for her help, for her protection.  In the many moments of our lives when we need her help, her protection, we remind you that you never have to wait: she is Our Lady of readiness; go now to serve.

With the children

At 12:30pm today, in the atrium of the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with 500 children who are participating in the pastoral initiative known as The Children's Train, promoted by the Pontifical Council for Culture as part of the Courtyard of the Gentiles for children.


Conversation of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
with the children

Bravo to all of you in the orchestra, and bravo to all of you who were singing!  You were very good!  Thank you! (applause)

Some of you shared with me some gifts.  One of them was some earth from the catacombs.  Was it you who gave it to me?  You?

(child) Yes, it was me!

You, it was you.  And the other gift, who gave me another gift, it's a plant.  Who brought me a plant? ... a plant.  You told me: This is the plant of light ... what did that mean?  The plant of light to make a world ... I can't hear you ...

(children) ... to make a better world!

Better!  Who among you has earth from the catacombs ...

(boy) ... from the Catacomb of Saint Gennaro!

Saint Gennaro!  That's the most important one, no?

(children) ... Yes!

Because it is in Naples, right? (laughter)  You Neapolitans are very smart!  But tell me: those catacombs are they on the beach, in the light of the sun?

(children) ... No!

No.  Where are they, the catacombs?

(children) ... Underground.

Underground.  And in the catacombs, is there light there?

(children) ... No!

What do we find there?

(children) ... Darkness.

Darkness.  But, you brought me earth from darkness ... but this earth from darkness, what does it mean?  What does this earth from darkness mean?  Who knows?  Who can tell me?  Why did you bring me earth from darkness?  Loud ... louder, I can't hear ...

(children) ... To make it become light.

To make it become light.  Darkness is for the light: when it is night, and all is dark.  We must wait for the first light of the morning, when the light first appears.  What's more important - this is a question - darkness or light?

(children) ... Light!

Light!  And when we are in darkness, what must we do?  Where should we go? ...

(children) ... to the light.

... to the light, in search of ...

(children) ... the light.

The light.  Within ourselves, always.  Because light gives us joy, it gives us hope.  And is it possible for all of us to find the light?

(girl)  ... Yes!

There, you did very well!  You don't have any doubt!  Tell them again: is it possible?

(girl)  ... Yes!

All together now: is it possible for all of us?

(children) ... Yes!

Yes!  Because in the light there are good things, and in the light we can do what you told me when you gave me the plant: its fruit helps us to make a world ...?

(children) ... A better world?

Better.  And can we make a better world?

(children) ... Yes!

Better than this world?

(children) ... Yes!

Yes.  Can it be better than the world we live in?

(children) ... Yes!

Yes.  And how can we make a better world?  With hatred, can we make it better with hatred?

(children)  ... No!

Good, say it, say it loudly!

(child)  ... With love!

With love.  With love.  All together, like brothers, fighting beside one another for love.  And for this to happen, I'll tell you one thing:  when the apostle John, who was a good friend of Jesus - a really good friend - when he wanted to explain who God is, do you know what he said?  God is love.  That's beautiful.  Who is God?

(children)  ... God is love!

Louder!

(children) ... God is love!

God is love.  And we are going toward the light in search of the love of God.  But the love of God, is it inside us, even in moments of darkness?  Is the love of God there too, hidden?  Yes, always!  The love of God never runs out, never.  It is always with us.  We can trust in this love, right?

(children) ... Yes.

Thank you for your visit.  I am happy that we had a chance to meet, that we could meet here, all together.  I am so happy.

(children) ... We are happy too!

You are happy too?

(children) ... We are happy too!

Is there anyone of you who is not happy?

(children) ... No!

Ah, good.  Good, good ...

(children) ... We are all happy ... We love you.

Thank you very much!  And now, I will pray to the Lord for you, that he will make you children, boys, girls, men, women who spread his love.  When we love one another with the love of God, everything is better.  And now, I want to give you the blessing.  Every one of you, think about the people you love, so that they too can be blessed.

(He blesses the children)

Good ... Do you know another song?

(children) ... Yes!

Won't you sing me another song? ...

To those helping in Syria

There was a coordination meeting held yesterday between all the Catholic charitable agencies currently working in the context of the Syrian crisis.  The meeting was sponsored by the Pontifical Council Cor Unum.  Knowing of this meeting, the Holy Father sent a message which was published yesterday.


Message of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
to the participants at the meeting of
Catholic charitable agencies
providing aid in Syria

Your Eminences, Your Excellencies,
Dear brothers and sisters,

Thank you for your presence at this meeting, promoted by the Pontifical Council Cor Unum.  I thank you above all for the daily contribution that you, as Catholic charitable organizations, are giving to Syria and to other neighbouring countries, in order to help those who are affected by the terrible conflict.  I greet Cardinal Robert Sarah and I wish you all a very warm welcome, especially those who have travelled from the Middle East in order to be here today - I too am keeping an eye on the situation in the Middle East.  It's people are close to my heart, especially after my pilgrimage to the Holy Land just a few days ago.

One year ago, we met to reaffirm the Church's commitment to this crisis and to jointly launch a call for peace in Syria.  Now we have gathered once again, in order to assess the work that has been done so far and to renew our commitment to continue on this path, with evermore fervent collaboration.  However, we must admit with great sorrow that the Syrian crisis has not yet been solved, but we must continue our efforts, and there is always the risk that we might get used to such a situation: that we might forget the daily victims, the indescribable sufferings, the millions of refugees, among whom are the elderly and children who suffer and sometimes even die from hunger and from diseases caused by war.  This indifference hurts!  Once again we must repeat the name of this malady that causes so much pain in our world today: the globalization of indifference.

Actions aimed at peace and the work of humanitarian assistance which the Catholic charitable organizations develop in that context are a faithful expression of the love of God for his children who find themselves faced with oppression and anxiety.  God listens to their cry,knows their sufferings and wants to help them; it is to Him that you lend your hands and your abilities.  It is important that you work in communion with the pastors and the local communities; and this meeting provides an ideal opportunity to identify appropriate forms of stable collaboration, through dialogue between the different parties, with the aim of better organizing your assets and strengths in order to sustain the local Churches and all the victims of war, without ethnic, religious or social prejudice.

We are also here today to renew our call to the consciences of the protagonists of the conflict, to world institutions and to the public.  We are all aware that the future of humanity is built through peace and not through war:  war destroys, kills, impoverishes people and countries.  I ask all parties, considering the common good, to allow the work of humanitarian assistance as soon as possible and to silence weapons while committing themselves to negotiating, keeping before them of prime importance, the good of Syria, of all her inhabitants and all those who unfortunately have had to take refuge elsewhere and who have the right to return to their homeland as soon as possible.  I think in particular of the dear Christian community, the face of a Church that suffers and hopes.  Their survival throughout the Middle East is a profound preoccupation for the universal Church: Christianity must be permitted to continue living where it originated.

Dear brothers and sisters, your charitable activity and assistance is an important sign of the closeness of the entire Church, and particularly of the Holy See to the Syrian people and to the other peoples of the Middle East.  I renew once again my gratitude for all that you do and I invoke the blessing of the Lord upon you and upon your work.  May the Madonna protect you.  I am praying for you; please pray for me!

Ordaining a Bishop

Yesterday afternoon, at 5:00pm local time, in the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided at the Episcopal Ordination of Monsignor Fabio Fabene, Under-secretary of the Synod of Bishops.  The newly-ordained bishop was born in Rome on March 12, 1959, ordained a priest for the Diocese of Viterbo (Italy) on May 26, 1984, and elected as Titular Bishop of Acquapendente on April 8, 2014.


Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the Episcopal Ordination of
His Excellency, Fabio Fabene
Under-secretary of the Synod of Bishops

Beloved brothers and sons, let us reflect attentively on the great ecclesial responsibility that is about to be confided to our brother.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, sent by the Father to redeem mankind, in his turn sent the twelve apostles into the world so that, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, they might announce the gospel to all peoples, and unite them under the one shepherd, sanctifying them and guiding them to salvation.

In order to perpetuate this apostolic ministry from one generation to another, the twelve have added other collaborators to their number, transmitting to them through the imposition of their hands, the gift of the Spirit received from Christ, which confers the fullness of the sacrament of Orders.  In this way, through the unbroken succession of bishops in the living tradition of the Church, the primary work and ministry of the Savior has been preserved and continues to grow even to our time.

In the person of the bishop, surrounded by his priests, the same Lord, Jesus Christ, the eternal High Priest is present among you.  It is Christ who in the ministry of the bishop continues to preach the gospel of salvation and to sanctify the believers through the Sacraments of faith; it is Christ who through the paternity of the bishop, adds now members to his body which is the Church; it is Christ who in the wisdom and prudence of the bishop guides the people of God on their earthy pilgrimage to eternal happiness.

Welcome therefore with joy and gratitude this our brother who we bishops, through the imposition of hands, today will add to the Episcopal college.  Render unto him the honor that is due to the minister of Christ and the steward of the mysteries of God, to whom is accorded the witness of the gospel and the ministry of the Spirit for sanctification.  Remember the words spoken by Jesus to the apostles: He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; and he who rejects me rejects the one who sent me (Lk 10:16).

As for you, Fabio, beloved brother, chosen by God, consider that you have been chosen from among men and appointed to act on behalf of men in matters pertaining to God.  You were chosen from the flock: may vanity and pride never overcome you.  And since you have been chosen for man, may your attitude be always one of service.  Be like Jesus.  Episcopate is in fact associated with service; it is not a title of honor, because bishops are called to serve, not to dominate, according to the command of the Master: The greatest among you must become like the smallest, and the one who leads must be as a servant.  I advise you to have always present and close to you, the words of Paul which we have heard today: keep vigil over yourself and watch over the people of God.  This means that we must always be awake, alert, in order to defend ourselves against many sins and many worldly attitudes, and in order to defend the people of God against the wolves that Paul said would come.

Preach the Word in season and out of season: admonish, reprimand and encourage with great patience in matters of doctrine.  And, through prayer and the offering of the Sacrifice for your people, attain for them the fullness of holiness in Christ and the richness and variety of divine grace.  Watching over people also means praying, pray for them like Moses did: with his hands held high, offering prayers of intercession, offering courageous prayers for the people, face to face with the Lord

In the Church entrusted to you, be a faithful guardian and dispenser of the mysteries of Christ.  Placed by the Father at the head of his family, always follow the example of the Good Shepherd, who knows his flock.  He knows them and did not hesitate to give his life for them.

Love all those who God entrusts to you with the love of a father and of a brother:  above all, the priests, deacons, your collaborators in ministry; but also the poor, the vulnerable and those in need of hospitality and help.  Exhort the faithful to apostolic commitment and willingly listen to them.

Pay attention to those who do not belong to the one fold of Christ, for they too are confided to you in the Lord.  Pray for them.

Remember that in the Catholic Church, gathered together in the bond of charity, you are united to the college of bishops and together you must always be solicitous for all the Churches, generously caring especially for those which are most in need of help.  I believe that this will be easy for you in the task entrusted to the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.

Watch, watch over the entire flock with love, where the Holy Spirit calls you to rule the Church of God.  Watch, do not fall asleep, stay awake, keep vigil, and may the Lord accompany you, be always close to you in this vigilance that I confide to you today in the name of the Father, in whose image you are made; in the name of Jesus Christ his Son, in whom you are instituted as a teacher, priest and pastor; and in the name of the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the Church and sustains her in her weakness.

Friday, May 30, 2014

A date for prayer

Yesterday, the Holy See Press Office clarified that the meeting of prayer for peace which the Holy Father suggested during his meetings with the President of the State of Israel, Shimon Peres and the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas will take place on the afternoon of Sunday, June 8 of this year.  Both parties have agreed to this date.

The journey home

On Monday evening (May 26) while en route between Tel Aviv and Rome, having completed his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with journalists who were on board the flight and granted them a press conference.


Press Conference granted by His Holiness, Pope Francis
to journalists en route from Tel Aviv to Rome

Father Lombardi:
Meanwhile, we thank the Pope very much for being here: after such an exhausting trip, he has made himself available to meet with us, so we are very grateful.

Now, we are all organized - you have organized yourselves, information agents - for each of the main linguistic groups, there are a few people who will ask questions.  I have not placed any limits because I know that you want to work in many fields of interest, unless you want to say a few words of introduction first ... we will respond to your questions.

So, the first question comes from the Italian group:

Questioner:
Holy Father, over these past few days, you have made some gestures that have resounded around the world: your hand on the wall in Bethlehem, the sign of the cross, kisses for the survivors today at Yad Vashem, but also the kiss at the Holy Sepulchre yesterday, together, simultaneously with Bartholomew, and so many others.

We want to ask you if you had previously thought about all these gestures, if you intended them: what were they intended to say, and secondly, in your opinion, what will be the impact of these gestures, that is other than the great invitation for Peres and Abu Mazen to visit the Vatican.

Holy Father:
Gestures, those that are the most authentic, are those that are not thought out ahead of time, those that happen spontaneously, no?  I thought: if I can do something ...; but as for concrete gestures, none of them was thought of in this way.  A few things, for example the invitation to the two Presidents to join me for a moment of prayer, I thought about this for a little while before extending it, but there were so many logistical problems, so many, because it was necessary to also consider the territory, where such an invitation was offered, and it isn't easy.  For this reason, I thought of a meeting ... but in the end this invitation was issued, an invitation I hope that will do some good.  But it wasn't thought about, and ... I don't know, I think about doing something but it's spontaneous, that's the way it is.  At least, to tell the truth, anyone could say ... but you, you can do something, but the concrete solutions don't always occur to me.  For example, at Yad Vashem, there was nothing, and then it all came to me.  That's the way it is.

Father Lombardi:
Good.  So, a second question from the English-language group.

Questioner:
You spoke with very difficult words against the sexual abuse of minors by clergy, by priests.  You have created a special Commission to better respond to these problems at the level of the universal Church.  In practical terms: we know that from now on, in all the local Churches there are norms that necessitate strong moral obligations and legal expenses involved in collaborating with local civil authorities, in one way or another.  What will you do if there is a bishop who does not clearly honour or does not comply with these obligations?

Holy Father:
In Argentina, referring to the privileged, we might say: This is daddy's boy.  In this problem, we will not have daddy's boys.  At this moment, there are three bishops under investigation: under investigation, three, and one of them has already been found guilty and they are still considering the penalty to be imposed.  There are no privileges.  Abuse of minors is such a terrible thing, so terrible ... We know that it is a serious problem for everyone, but I'm interested in the Church.  A priest who does this, betrays the Body of Christ, because priests are supposed to care for children, this child, this young man, this young woman: and this young boy, this child confides him- or herself and instead of helping him or her to overcome his or her struggle, the priest abuses.  This is a grave problem!  It's like ... I'll make a comparison: it's like celebrating a Black Mass, for example.  You should help to restore health, but instead you lead people into problems that last for the rest of their lives ... In the near future, there will be a Mass celebrated with some people who have suffered abuse, at Santa Marta, and then there will be a meeting with them: with me and with them, with Cardinal O'Malley who is part of the Commission.  We must continue working on this question: zero tolerance.

Father Lombardi:
Thank you very much, Holiness.  And so, now the group from Spain.

Questioner:
Ever since the first days of Your pontificate, You have been putting forward a strong message concerning a poor Church and a Church for the poor , poverty in simplicity, austerity.  What do you plan to do so that there are no contradictions to this message of austerity? (The question was in reference to situations which have been spoken of in the recent past, including the operational costs of the IOR which are around 15 million euros).

Holy Father:
The Lord Jesus once said to his disciples - it's in the Gospel - It is inevitable that there will be scandals.  We are human beings, we are all sinners.  And we will be, we always will be.  The problem is to avoid future problems!  In matters of economic administration, there should always be honesty and transparency.  The two commissions, the one that is studying the IOR and the commission that has studied all the Vatican offices, have drawn their conclusions, have provided a plan and now, with the minister, we can say it this way, the Secretariat for the Economy directed by Cardinal Pell, we will go ahead with reforms that have been recommended by these two commissions.  There are still inconsistencies, there always will be, because we are human, and reform must be a continual process.  The Fathers of the Church used to say: Ecclesia semper reformanda.  We have to be on the lookout every day for necessary reforms in the Church because we are sinners, we are weak and there will always be problems.  The administration that the Secretariat for the Economy is continuing will help us to avoid any further scandals or problems ... For example, in the IOR, I believe that up to this point there have been 1,600 accounts that have been closed, belonging to people who didn't have a right to have an account at the IOR.  The IOR is meant to help the Church.  Diocesan Bishops and Vatican employees can have accounts, and widows or widowers of Vatican employees can draw a pension ... something like that.  But private companies shouldn't have accounts .... such as embassies, while there is an embassy, and nothing more.  It is not an open affair.  And this has been something good: closing the accounts that have no right to exist.  I want to say one thing: the question that you have asked, you mentioned the affair of 15 million.  This is something that is being studied, it's not clear.  Perhaps it is true, but at this moment it is not definitive, this problem is being studied, we have to be fair.  Thank you.

Father Lombardi:
So, now we give the floor to the French-language group.

Questioner:
Holy Father, after the Middle East, now we are returning to Europe.  Are you concerned about the growth of the European population, a matter that was raised again yesterday in the European election?

Holy Father:
In recent days, I have had just enough time to pray the Our Father ... but I haven't heard anything about the election, truly.  I haven't heard the latest, who won, who didn't win.  I haven't received any news.  In what sense are you referring to the population?  Can you tell me?

Questioner:
In the sense that today, many Europeans are afraid, they think that there is no future for Europe.  There is a lot of unemployment and the anti-European party has grown stronger during this election ...

Holy Father:
This is an argument that I have heard.  About Europe, about trust or mistrust in Europe.  Also about the Euro, a few want to turn back ... About these things, I don't understand too much.  But you have used a key word: unemployment.  This is a serious matter.  It's serious because ... I interpret it this way, simplifying.  We are in a world economic system which is focused on money, not on the human person. In a true economic system, the centre should be man and woman, the human person.  And today, the focus is on money.  In order to maintain itself, to equalize it, this system should be developed with some measure of waste.  If we cast our children aside - the birthrate in Europe isn't very high!  I believe that Italy has a birthrate of about 1 or 2 percent; France, ou have about 2, a bit higher; Spain, less than Italy - I'm not even sure it's at 1 percent ... If we cast our children aside, if we cast our elderly aside because they are no longer useful, the elderly, it's cyclical: at this particular moment, you might find them because they are pensioned, they are in need, but it's a cyclical thing.  The elderly are also cast aside in situations of euthanasia in so many countries.  That is, drugs are administered up to a certain point, that's the way it is ... And now, we are neglecting our young people and this is really serious!  In Italy, I believe that youth unemployment is almost 40 percent, I'm not sure; in Spain, I'm sure, it's 50 percent.  And in Andalusia, in the South of Spain, it's 60!  This means that there is an entire generation of ni-ni: neither studying nor working, and this is very serious!  It discards a generation of youth.  For me, this throw-away culture is serious.  But this is not only the case in Europe, it exists everywhere, but in Europe it is more pronounced.  If you do the comparison, ten years ago, there was a culture of well-being. And this is tragic.  This is a difficult moment.  We have an inhuman economic system.  I was not afraid to write in the Exhortation Evangelii gaudium about how our economic system kills.  And I repeat.  I don't know if I managed to settle your anxiety just a bit or not.  Thank you.

Father Lombardi:
So, now we hear from the Portuguese group.

Questioner:
I would like to ask you, Holiness, how you would solve the Jerusalem question in order to establish stable peace, as you have said, and lasting peace?  Thank you.

Holy Father:
There are so many proposals for the issue of Jerusalem.  The Catholic Church, the Vatican, let's say, has its position from the religious point of view: it will be the City of peace between three religions.   That's from the religious point of view.  The concrete steps toward peace should come from negotiation.  You have to negotiate.  I will agree that negotiation might result in various sections: one would be the capital of one State or another ... but these are hypotheses.  I am not saying: it should be like this.  No, these are hypotheses that must be negotiated.  Really, I don't think I'm competent to say: you should do this or this or this, because it would be a mess, on my part.  But I believe that we need to enter with honesty and fraternity, mutual trust on the path of negotiation.  And you negotiate everything: the entire territory, even relationships.  It takes courage to do this, and I pray fervently to the Lord that these two leaders, these two governors have the courage to continue.  This is the only path toward peace.  I am only saying what the Church should say and has always said: Jerusalem, which is kept as the focus of three religions, as a reference, as a city of peace - I'm also thinking of the word sacred, but it's not the right word - it is a matter of peace and religion.

Father Lombardi:
Thank you, Holiness.  Now let's call the representative of the German group.

Questioner:
Thank you, Holiness.  During your pilgrimage, you spoke at length with and met a few times with Patriarch Bartholomew.  We were wondering whether you spoke about concrete steps toward improving relations, and if you had a chance to speak about this.  I also wonder whether the Catholic Church can learn something from the Orthodox Church - I'm thinking about married priests, a question that is of interest to many Catholics in Germany.  Thank you.

Holy Father:
But the Catholic Church does have married priests, no?  The Greek Catholics, the Coptic Catholics ... no?  They exist, in the Oriental rites there are married priests because celibacy is not a dogma of faith, it is a rule of life that I appreciate a lot.  I believe that it is a gift for the Church.  Since it is not a dogma of faith, the door is always open: at this time, we have not spoken about this, as a programme, at least not for the moment.  There are other more important matters that need to be attended to.  I did not touch on this theme with Bartholomew because it really is secondary to our relations with the Orthodox.  We spoke about unity: unity is created and strengthened along the path, unity is a journey.  We can never establish unity in a meeting of theologians.  And he told me that what I said is true, that Atenagora said to Paul VI: We walk this path together, with calm, and all the theologians should gather on an island to discuss among themselves, while we continue the path toward life!  It's true, I thought it was ... No, no it's true.  Bartholomew told me so during our meetings.  Walking the journey together, praying together, working together on so many things that we can do together, helping one another.  For example, with the Church.  In Rome, and in many cities, many Orthodox use Catholic churches at one time or another, as a step toward walking together.  Another thing we spoke about, that might be an area that the Pan-Orthodox Council can address is the date of Easter, because it's a bit ridiculous: Tell me when your Christ rose? Next week - mine rose last week ... Yes, the date of Easter is a sign of unity.  And with Bartholomew, I spoke as a brother.  We love one another, we share some of the difficulties of our leadership.  And, another thing that we spoke about quite a bit was the problem of ecology: he is very worried, and I am too; we spoke for quite awhile about undertaking a joint project in this regard.  Thank you.

Father Lombardi:
So, now, since we are not only Europeans or Americans and so on, but there are also some Asians among us, let's allow a question from the Asian group, since you are also preparing to travel to Asia.

Questioner:
Your next voyage will be to South Korea, and therefore I want to ask you about the Asian regions.  In the countries bordering on South Korea there is neither religious freedom nor freedom of expression.  What are you considering to help the people who are suffering in such situations?

Holy Father:
With respect to Asia, we are planning two trips: this one to South Korea, for the gathering of the Asian youth, and then, next January, a two-day trip to Sri Lanka and the Philippines, to the area that suffered most from the typhoon.  The problem of lack of freedom to practice religion doesn't only exist in a few Asian countries: in a few of them, yes, but also in other countries throughout the world.  Religious freedom is something that not every country enjoys.  Some have a level of control that is more or less light, tranquil, others adopt measures that end up with true persecution of believers.  These are martyrs!  They are today's martyrs, Christian martyrs.  Catholics and non-Catholics, but all of them martyrs.  In some places you can't wear a crucifix or you can't have a bible.  No one is allowed to teach catechism to children ... today! And I believe - and I think I'm not mistaken - that in our times, there are more martyrs than there were in the first years of the Church.  We must be close to others, in some places prudently, in order to be able to help them; we must pray fervently for these Churches who are suffering: there is so much suffering.  Even the Bishops, even the Holy See works with discretion at helping these countries, the Christians in these countries.  But it isn't easy.  For example, I will tell you something.  In some countries, praying together is prohibited: prohibited.  But Christians are there who want to celebrate the Eucharist!  And there are some who are labourers, who are also priests.  He goes there, to the table, he takes the tea, and celebrates the Eucharist.  If the police arrive, they quickly hide the books and pretend to be drinking tea.  This happens even today.  It's not easy.

Father Lombardi:
... So, let's take another question from the Italians.

Questioner:
Holiness, during your pontificate, you face a great deal of commitment and you live it in a very serene way, as we have seen during these past days.  If, one day, say one day in the distant future, should you feel that you no longer have the strength to exercise your ministry, do you think that you will make the same choice as your predecessor, to renounce the papacy?

Holy Father:
I will do what the Lord asks me to do.  Pray, seek the will of God.  But I think that Benedict XVI is not a unique case.  It happened that he didn't have the strength and honestly - he is a man of faith, so humble - made that decision.  I believe that he is an institution.  Seventy years ago, there were almost no bishops-emeritus.  And now, there are so many.  What will happen with Popes-emeritus?  I think that we should look at him as we look at an institution.  He has opened a door, the door of the Popes-emeritus.  Will there be others, or no?  God knows.  But the door is open: I believe that a Bishop of Rome, a Pope who feels that his strength is diminishing - because we live so long these days - should ask the same questions that Pope Benedict did.

Father Lombardi:
Now, let us return to the English-speaking group.

Questioner:
Holy Father, just today you met with a group of Holocaust survivors.  Obviously, you are aware that one figure who is still suspected for his role during the Holocaust is your predecessor, Pope Pius XII.  Before your pontificate, you wrote or said that you held Pope Pius XII in high esteem, but you wanted to examine the archives before drawing definitive conclusions.  Now, we would like to know if you intend to go ahead with the cause (for sainthood) of Pius XII, or will you wait for some other turning point in the procedure before making a decision?  Thank you.

Holy Father:
Thank you.  The cause of Pius XII is open.  I did some research: there is still no miracle, and if there are no miracles the process cannot be advanced.  It stops there.  We have to wait and see how the cause progresses, and then consider the best decision to be made.  But the truth is: there are no miracles and at least one miracle is necessary for Beatification.  This is where the cause of Pius XII is today, and I can't help thinking: Will I name him Blessed or not?, because the process is slow.  Thank you.

Father Lombardi:
So, now let us go to Argentina, another question from the Spanish group.

Questioner:
You have become a spiritual leader, and a political leader, and there are many expectations being placed upon you both from within the Church and from the international community.  Within the Church, for example, what will happen with communion for those who are divorced and remarried, and in the international community, this mediation with which you surprised the world, for which there will be this meeting in the Vatican ... My question is do you not fear failure?  Raising so many expectations, do you not fear that there may be some failure?  Thank you.

Holy Father:
First, let me clarify something about this meeting in the Vatican: it will be a meeting of prayer, it will not be an occasion for mediation or for finding solutions, no.  We will meet to pray, only to pray.  Then, they will return home.  But I think that prayer is important and praying together without any discussions of other kinds, this will help.  Maybe I didn't explain myself well, at first, about how it will happen.  It will be a meeting for prayer: there will be a rabbi present, and a Muslim, and I will be there.  I have asked the Custos of the Holy Land to organize the practical details.

Second, and thank you for the question about the divorced.  The Synod will focus on the family, on the problems facing families, on the wealth of families, on current situations facing the family.  The preliminary exposition which was done by Cardinal Kasper had five major points of focus: four concerning the family, beautiful things about the family, a theological foundation, a few problems facing the family; and the fifth point: pastoral problems concerning separation, matrimonial nullity, the divorced ... Included in this problem is also the challenge of communion.  And I am not happy that so many people - even priests of the Church - have said: Ah, the Synod for giving communion to the divorced, that it has gone as far as that.  I felt as though everything had been reduced to a soap opera.  No, it is much bigger than that.  Today, everyone knows, the family is in crisis: it is in trouble all over the world.  Young people don't want to get married or they don't get married, or they live together.  Matrimony is in crisis, and so is the family.  I don't want us to fall into a soap opera: will it happen or not?  This is why I thank you so much for this question, because it gives me an opportunity to clarify.  the pastoral problems facing the family are many, very complicated, very complicated.  We need to study them case by case.  One thing that Pope Benedict said three times about divorce helps me a lot.  Once, in Val d'Acosta, another time in Milan and a third time during the Consistory.  The last public Consistory that he held for the creation of Cardinals, to study the procedure for nullity of matrimony; to study the faith with which a person approaches matrimony and to clarify the fact that those who are divorced are not excommunicated, even though they are often treated as though they were excommunicated.  This is something serious.  This case study of the problem, the Synod will focus on the family, the wealth of families and the problems of families.  Solutions, nullity, all of that.  And we will also have this problem, but all together.  Now I want to tell you why there will be a Synod on the family: this was a very significant spiritual experience for me.  During the second month of my pontificate, Monsignor Eterović - the Secretary of the Syond - came to me with the three themes that the Post-synodal Council proposed for the next Synod.  The first was very strong: good: the contribution of Jesus Christ to people today.  This was the title.  It is a continuation of the Synod on Evangelization.  I says yes, I spoke a bit about modifying the methodology and in the end, I said: Let us add something: the contribution of Jesus Christ to man today and to the family. It was good.  Then, during the first meeting of the Post-synodal Council, I attended and saw that they were saying the title all together, in its completeness but slowly: Yes, yes, the contribution of the family, What does Jesus Christ offer to the family, and without realizing it, the post-synodal Commission ended up speaking about the family.  I am sure that it was the Spirit of the Lord who guided us to the choice of this title: I am sure, because today, families truly need so much pastoral help.  Thank you.

Father Lombardi:
So, now we have another question from the French.

Questioner:
Can you tell us, Holiness, what are the obstacles to your reform of the Roman Curia, and whee are we on that matter today?

Holy Father:
Well ... the first obstacle is me (laughter).  No, we are at a good point, because I believe that ... I don't remember the date, but three months ago ... shortly after the election, the Council of eight Cardinals was named ...

Father Lombardi:
... one month after the election ...

Holy Father:
... one month after the election.  Then, during the first days of July we met for the first time and from that moment on we were at work.  What does the Council do?  The Council studied the entire Constitution Pastor Bonus and the Roman Curia.  They conducted consultations with everyone, with the entire Curia and began to study each thing.  This can be done in this way, this in another way ...  Some dicasteries could be merged, for example, to lighten up the organization a bit ... One of the key points was an economic one, and the dicastery for the economy will be very helpful.  We need to work together with the Secretariat of State, because things are connected, things need to be adjusted together ... Now, we will have, in July, four days of work with this Commission, and then in September, I believe, another four days.  There is work to do, so much work.  And the results of all the investigations, we haven't seen them all yet, but the question about the economy was the first one to be brought to light because there had been so many problems and the press was speaking so much about it, we will see what the future will bring.  The obstacles are normal obstacles to any such procedure.  We need to study the terrain ... Persuasion is so important, work at persuading will help ... There are a few people who still do not see clearly, but every reform has these challenges.  I am happy: really, I am happy.  We have worked very hard and this Commission is a great help.  Thank you.

Father Lombardi:
Holiness, thank you for your availability, please excuse me if I've interrupted your conversation: you have been very generous, especially following this extraordinary trip which has been so emotional for all of us.  Perhaps not so much for us as for you, but almost.  We have also followed very closely the moments of spiritual emotion that you experienced in the Holly Places.  We have heard them and they have touched us.  We hope to continue the rest of this journey safely, and to follow the many other things that are continually put in motion, including the upcoming encounter of prayer which will be the natural continuation and completion of this trip: that potentially will bear the fruit that you desire and that all of us want, I believe, for world peace.  Thank you, Holiness, with all our hearts!

Holy Father:
Thank you so much for your company, for your kindness .. and please, please pray for me.  I need your prayers, so very much.  Thank you.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Celebrating with the Canadian Religious Conference

Today, the Most Reverend Paul-André Durocher, Archbishop of Gatineau and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) delivered a special address commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Canadian Religious Conference (CRC), during the 2014 General Assembly of the CRC.


Message from His Excellency, Paul-Andre Durocher
President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
for the 60th Anniversary of the Canadian Religious Conference

Reverend Father Michel Proulx, O.Praem., President of the Canadian Religious Conference,
Beloved Sisters, Brothers and Fathers, members of the Canadian Religious Conference:

The 60th anniversary of your Conference arrives at an important juncture in the life of the Church. Inspired and prodded by Evangelii Gaudium, we are together exploring how to be better evangelizers. We are repeatedly reminded by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, of the need for what he calls pastoral conversion. We are at the same time preparing for two consecutive Synods on the theme of the family in the context of evangelization.

At the beginning of this year, the Commission for Doctrine of our Conference released a text entitled The Essential Elements of Evangelization Today. In its pastoral reflection, the Commission proposes a threefold witness, which we all recognize from the Acts of the Apostles: a personal, living encounter with Christ; the love lived in Christian community; and service to others. Religious institutes and apostolic societies, in their respective commitment and charisms, exemplify this triple witness. Your communities and societies are called to live in response to a personal encounter with Our Lord. You are members of what are generally referred to as communities. Your witness and work are at the service of community – not only your own institute or society, but the larger human community in which you each live, and the specific ecclesial community to which you witness and which you serve. The individual charisms that consecrate your institutes and societies are in order to do the work of the Lord, leading all humanity, with the Church, toward the Reign of God, and assisting all humans, again with the Church, on the pilgrim path of reconciliation and hope, healing and renewal.

Surely it was the prompting of the Holy Spirit that led Pope Francis to situate the upcoming Year for Religious with evangelization as the backdrop, but under the spotlight of the family. So many of you have traditionally been involved with families – praying, teaching, healing, doing social work, counselling, giving retreats, offering spiritual and physical shelter. Yet the relationship of the consecrated life with family life is even more profound. There is an underlying ecclesial reality: apostolic societies and religious institutes traditionally recognize themselves as families, even traditionally using family vocabulary – mother, father, sister, brother – to describe their internal dynamic. So profound is this relationship of family life and consecrated life that some have suggested the health and wellbeing of families are evident in the wellbeing and health of those in consecrated life, just as vocations to consecrated life are at their strongest when families are healthy, joyful, and imbued with the spirit of loving service.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops congratulates the Canadian Religious Conference on its 60th anniversary. We thank you for the coordination and cooperation which have enriched both our Conferences, just as the Second Vatican Council had envisaged (Perfectae Caritatis, 23). On the national, regional and diocesan levels, the Bishops of our country, and of the whole world, are grateful for how religious institutes and apostolic societies, each in its own diverse way, shares in the life of the Church, adapting and implementing in accordance with its own charisms the Church's undertakings and aims in matters biblical, liturgical, dogmatic, pastoral, ecumenical, missionary and social (Perfectae Caritatis, 2c). As the vision and renewal of Vatican II continue to unfold, we ask you, particularly at this moment in history, to help each of our diocesan Churches, and the Universal Church, in appreciating, deepening, and even rediscovering, the sense of what it means to be the household of God. We need you as witnesses and facilitators in how to be the family of believers, blessed with unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind (1 Peter 2.17b, 3.8).

United with you,

His Excellency, Paul-André Durocher
Archbishop of Gatineau and
President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops

Monsignor Patrick Powers, P.H.
General Secretary

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

General Audience back from the Holy Land

Today's General Audience began at 10:00am in Saint Peter's Square.  The Holy Father, Pope Francis met there with groups of pilgrims and the faithful who had come from various parts of Italy and every corner of the world.

In his address, the Pope spoke of his recent Pilgrimage to the Holy Land on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Meeting in Jerusalem between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Atenagora.

After summarizing His Holiness' catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father offered specific greetings to each group of the faithful present at today's Audience.

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


Catechesis of His Holiness, Pope Francis
for the General Audience

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

In the past few days, as you know, I lived a pilgrimage in the Holy Land.  It was a great gift for the Church, for which I give thanks to God.  He guided me in that blessed Land, which witnessed the historical presence of Jesus and where fundamental events have taken place for Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  I wish to renew my cordial gratitude to His Beatitude, Patriarch Fouad Twal, to the Bishops of various Rites, the Priests and the Franciscans from the Custody of the Holy Land.  Those Franciscans are great!  Their work is beautiful, the work that they do!  My grateful thoughts are also directed toward the Jordanian, Israeli and Palestinian Authorities, who welcomed me with such courtesy, I would say also with friendship, as well as toward all those who contributed toward the making this visit a reality.

The main reason for this pilgrimage was to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic encounter between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Atenagora.  It was the first time that a Successor of Peter had visited the Holy Land: in this way, during the Second Vatican Council, Paul VI, Paul VI began the international Papal travels in the modern era.  That prophetic gesture on the part of the Bishop of Rome and the Patriarch of Constantinople was a milestone along the journey, at times suffering and at times promising, of unity between all Christians who, since that moment, have made significant advances.  So it was that my meeting with His Holiness, Bartholomew, beloved brother in Christ, represented the culminating moment of this visit.  Together, we prayed at the Tomb of Jesus, and present with us was the Greek-Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilios III and the Armenian Patriarch, Apostolico Nouhan, as well as the Archbishops and Bishops of various Churches and Communities, civil authorities and many of the faithful.  In that place where the news of the Resurrection was first announced, we felt the bitterness and suffering of divisions which still exist between the disciples of Christ; and truly all this fighting causes so much pain, so much heartache.  We are still divided: in that place where the good news of the Resurrection was first heard, where Jesus gave us life, we are still somewhat divided.  But above all, during that celebration of reciprocal fraternity, esteem and affection, we heard loudly and clearly the voice of the Risen Good Shepherd who wants to make of all his people his flock; we heard the desire to heal the wounds which are still open and to remain firmly committed to the path toward full communion.  One more time, as previous Popes have done, I ask pardon for anything that we have done to promote division, and I ask the Holy Spirit to help us to heal the wounds that we have inflicted upon other brothers and sisters.  We are all brothers and sisters in Christ and with Patriarch Bartholomew, we are friends, brothers and we have shared a desire to walk the path ahead together, doing everything we can from this day forward: praying together, working together for the flock of the Lord, seeking peace, caring for creation, so many things that we share in common.  Together, we must proceed from this point as brothers.

Another reason for this pilgrimage was to encourage the path toward peace in that region, which is at the same time a gift from God and calls for human commitment.  I did this in Jordan, in Palestine and in Israel.  And I did it as a pilgrim, in the name of God and of man, carrying in my heart great compassion for the sons of that land who for too long have suffered from the wounds of war, and who have the right to finally experience peace!

For this reason, I called upon the Christian faithful to allow themselves to be anointed with open hearts, docile to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in order to always be capable of gestures of humility, fraternity and reconciliation.  The Spirit helps us to adopt these attitudes in our daily lives, with people of various cultures and religions, and therefore to become artisans of peace.  Peace is an art!  There is no industry that creates peace, no.  It is created every day, artistically, with open hearts capable of welcoming the gift of God.  This is why I called upon the Christian faithful to allow themselves to be anointed.

In Jordan, I thanked the Authorities and the people for their commitment to welcoming so many refugees from war zones, a humanitarian commitment which merits and requires the constant support of the international community.  I was struck by the generosity of the Jordanian people who have welcomed refugees, so many refugees who have fled war are now in that place.  May the Lord bless those welcoming people, bless them so!  And we should pray that the Lord may bless this welcome and ask all international institutions to help those people in their work of welcoming.  In other places too, during the pilgrimage, I encouraged the authorities concerned to continue their efforts to stem the tensions in the Middle East, especially in martyred Syria, and also to continue their search for equitable solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  For this reason, I invited the President of Israel and the President of Palestine, both of them men of peace and artisans of peace, to come to the Vatican in order to pray together with me for peace.  Please, I ask you not to leave us alone: pray, pray fervently that the Lord may bestow the gift of peace, that He may give the gift of peace to that blessed land!  I am counting on your prayers.  Be strong, pray, now, pray for the gift of peace.

This pilgrimage in the Holy Land was also an occasion to confirm the Christian community in their faith, that community that suffers so much, and to express the gratitude of the whole church for the presence of Christians in that place and throughout the Middle East.  These brothers and sisters of ours are courageous witnesses of hope and of charity, salt and light in that land.  With their lives of faith and prayer and with their precious efforts toward education and assistance, they are working toward reconciliation and forgiveness, contributing to the common good of society.

With this pilgrimage, which was truly a gift from the Lord, I wanted to deliver a word of hope, but I also in turn received hope! I received it from brothers and sisters who hope against all hope (Rm 4:18), despite so much suffering, such as those who have fled from their own countries because of conflict; such as those, in various parts of hte world, who are discriminated against and despised because of their faith in Christ.  Let us continue to be close to them!  Let us pray for them and for peace in the Holy Land and in all of the Middle East.  The prayer of the entire Church will also sustain the path toward full union between Christians because we believe in God who in Jesus Christ, came to live among us.

I invite you all to pray together now, pray together to Mary, the Queen of Peace, the Queen of unity among Christians, the Mother of all Christians: may she show us the way to peace, throughout the world, and may she accompany us in our efforts toward unity.

The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized and presented in various languages.  After each summary, the Pope expressed particular greetings to the pilgrims.  To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:

I am pleased to greet the members of the International Catholic Migration Commission meeting in plenary session, with prayerful good wishes for their united action in providing relief to so many of our brothers and sisters in need. I also greet the Catholic Police Guild of England and Wales on the centenary of its foundation, and the members of the Global Legislators Organization. Upon all the English-speaking pilgrims taking part in today’s Audience, including those from England, Sweden, Israel, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, South Africa, Canada and the United States, I invoke the joy and peace of the Risen Lord. God bless you!

Encouragement for the ILO

Yesterday, the Holy Father sent a message to the Director General of the International Labour Organization.  This Organization is meeting in Geneva for their 103rd Convention from May 28 to June 12, 2014.


Message of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
To Mr Guy Ryder
Director General of the International Labour Organization

At the dawn of creation, God made man the steward of his handiwork and charged him to cultivate and protect it. Human labour is part of that creation and continues God’s creative work. This truth leads us to consider work as both a gift and a duty. Indeed, labour is not a mere commodity but has its own inherent dignity and worth. The Holy See expresses its appreciation of the ILO’s contribution to upholding the dignity of human work in the context of social and economic development through discussion and cooperation between governments, labourers and employers. Such efforts serve the common good of the human family and promote the dignity of workers everywhere.

This Conference has been convened at a crucial moment of social and economic history, one which presents challenges for the entire world. Unemployment is tragically expanding the frontiers of poverty (cf. Address to the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, 25 May 2013). This is particularly disheartening for unemployed young people who can all too easily become demoralized, losing their sense of worth, feeling alienated from society. In working for greater opportunities for employment, we affirm the conviction that it is only "through free, creative, participatory and mutually supportive work that human beings express and enhance the dignity of their life" (Evangelii Gaudium, 192).

Another grave and related issue confronting our world is that of mass migration: the sheer numbers of men and women forced to seek work away from their homelands is a cause for concern. Despite their hopes for a better future, they frequently encounter mistrust and exclusion, to say nothing of experiencing tragedies and disasters. Having made such sacrifices, these men and women often fail to find dignified work and fall victim to a certain globalization of indifference. Their situation exposes them to further dangers such as the horror of human trafficking, forced labour and enslavement. It is unacceptable that, in our world, slave labour has become common coin (cf. Message for World Day of Migrants and Refugees, 24 September 2013). This cannot continue! Human trafficking is a scourge, a crime against the whole of humanity. It is time to join forces and work together to free its victims and to eradicate this crime that affects all of us, from individual families to the worldwide community (cf. Address to the New Ambassadors Accredited to the Holy See, 12 December 2013).

It is also time to reinforce existing forms of cooperation and to establish new avenues for expanding solidarity. This calls for: a renewed insistence on the dignity of every person; a more determined implementation of international labour standards; planning for a focused development on the human person as its central actor and primary beneficiary; a re-evaluation of the responsibilities of international corporations in the countries where they operate, including the areas of profit and investment management; and a concerted effort to encourage governments to facilitate the movement of migrants for the benefit of all, thus eliminating human trafficking and perilous travel conditions. Effective cooperation in these areas will be greatly assisted by defining future sustainable development goals. As I recently expressed to the Secretary General and Chief Executives of the United Nations: Future sustainable development goals must therefore be formulated and carried out with generosity and courage, so that they can have a real impact on the structural causes of poverty and hunger, attain more substantial results in protecting the environment, ensure decent work for all, and provide appropriate protection for the family, which is an essential element in sustainable human and social development.

Dear Friends, the social teaching of the Catholic Church supports the initiatives of the ILO which aim to promote the dignity of the human person and the nobility of human labour. I encourage you in your efforts to face the challenges of today’s world in fidelity to these lofty goals. At the same time, I invoke God’s blessing on all that you do to defend and advance the dignity of work for the common good of our human family.

From the Vatican, 22 May 2014
Franciscus

Monday, May 26, 2014

Breaking bread in the Upper Room

In the Upper Room of the Cenacle, at 5:20pm this afternoon, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided at the celebration of a Mass which was concelebrated with the Ordinaries of the Holy Land and the clergy of the Papal entourage..  There were no faithful present due to the lack of space available in the Upper Room.

During the Eucharistic celebration, after the proclamation of the Gospel, the Holy Father spoke the homily which follows.


Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the celebration of Mass
with the Ordinaries of the Holy Land

It is a great gift that the Lord has given us by bringing us together here in the Upper Room for the celebration of the Eucharist. I greet you with fraternal joy and I wish to express my affection to the Oriental Catholic Patriarchs who have taken part in my pilgrimage during these days. I want to thank them for their significant presence, particularly dear to me and I assure them of a special place in my heart and in my prayers. Here, where Jesus shared the Last Supper with the apostles; where, after his resurrection, he appeared in their midst; where the Holy Spirit descended with power upon Mary and the disciples, here the Church was born, and she was born to go forth. From here she set out, with the broken bread in her hands, the wounds of Christ before her eyes, and the Spirit of love in her heart.

In the Upper Room, the risen Jesus, sent by the Father, bestowed upon the apostles his own Spirit and with his power he sent them forth to renew the face of the earth (cf. Ps 104:30).

To go forth, to set out, does not mean to forget. The Church, in her going forth, preserves the memory of what took place here; the Spirit, the Paraclete, reminds her of every word and every action, and reveals their true meaning.

The Upper Room speaks to us of service, of Jesus giving the disciples an example by washing their feet. Washing one another’s feet signifies welcoming, accepting, loving and serving one another. It means serving the poor, the sick and the outcast, those whom I find difficult, those who annoy me.

The Upper Room reminds us, through the Eucharist, of sacrifice. In every Eucharistic celebration Jesus offers himself for us to the Father, so that we too can be united with him, offering to God our lives, our work, our joys and our sorrows… offering everything as a spiritual sacrifice.

The Upper Room also reminds us of friendship. No longer do I call you servants – Jesus said to the Twelve – but I have called you friends (Jn 15:15). The Lord makes us his friends, he reveals God’s will to us and he gives us his very self. This is the most beautiful part of being a Christian and, especially, of being a priest: becoming a friend of the Lord Jesus, and discovering in our hearts that he is our friend.

The Upper Room reminds us of the Teacher’s farewell and his promise to return to his friends: When I go… I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also (Jn 14:3). Jesus does not leave us, nor does he ever abandon us; he precedes us to the house of the Father, where he desires to bring us as well.

The Upper Room, however, also reminds us of pettiness, of curiosity – Who is the traitor? – and of betrayal. We ourselves, and not just others, can reawaken those attitudes whenever we look at our brother or sister with contempt, whenever we judge them, whenever by our sins we betray Jesus.

The Upper Room reminds us of sharing, fraternity, harmony and peace among ourselves. How much love and goodness has flowed from the Upper Room! How much charity has gone forth from here, like a river from its source, beginning as a stream and then expanding and becoming a great torrent. All the saints drew from this source; and hence the great river of the Church’s holiness continues to flow: from the Heart of Christ, from the Eucharist and from the Holy Spirit.

Lastly, the Upper Room reminds us of the birth of the new family, the Church, our holy Mother the hierarchical Church established by the risen Jesus; a family that has a Mother, the Virgin Mary. Christian families belong to this great family, and in it they find the light and strength to press on and be renewed, amid the challenges and difficulties of life. All God’s children, of every people and language, are invited and called to be part of this great family, as brothers and sisters and sons and daughters of the one Father in heaven.

These horizons are opened up by the Upper Room, the horizons of the Risen Lord and his Church.

From here the Church goes forth, impelled by the life-giving breath of the Spirit. Gathered in prayer with the Mother of Jesus, the Church lives in constant expectation of a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Send forth your Spirit, Lord, and renew the face of the earth (cf. Ps 104:30)!


At the end of the Eucharistic Celebration which concluded with greetings extended by the Custos for the Holy Land, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Holy Father, Pope Francis travelled by car to the heliport atop Mount Scopus in Jerusalem.  From there, he departed for Tel Aviv.

In the Garden of Olives

This afternoon, before leaving the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center, the Holy Father, Pope Francis blessed the tabernacle that is destined for the church which the Legionaries of Christ are building in Galilee, in the archeological area of Magdala.  The blessing took place in the chapel of the Pontifical Institute.


The Pope left the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center and travelled by car to Viri Galileai, a small Greek-Orthodox church located on the Mount of Olives, in order to visit privately with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, thus returning the visit the Patriarch paid to His Holiness yesterday at the Apostolic Delegation in Jerusalem.

This meeting took place at 3:30pm in the small building located beside the church.  When it was completed, te Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch together blessed a group of Orthodox faithful who were waiting in the courtyard.  Pope Francis then travelled by car to Gethsemane.

At 4:15pm today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with priests, religious men and women and seminarians in the church at Gethsemane which is located beside the Garden of Olives and which is confided to the care of the Custody of the Holy Land.  Upon his arrival, the Pope went to the altar ad venerated the holy Rock where, according to tradition, Jesus knelt in prayer before his arrest.


Meditation offered by His Holiness, Pope Francis
for the meeting with priests, religious and seminarians

He came out and went… to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him (Lk 22:39).

At the hour which God had appointed to save humanity from its enslavement to sin, Jesus came here, to Gethsemane, to the foot of the Mount of Olives. We now find ourselves in this holy place, a place sanctified by the prayer of Jesus, by his agony, by his sweating of blood, and above all by his yes to the loving will of the Father. We dread in some sense to approach what Jesus went through at that hour; we tread softly as we enter that inner space where the destiny of the world was decided.

In that hour, Jesus felt the need to pray and to have with him his disciples, his friends, those who had followed him and shared most closely in his mission. But here, at Gethsemane, following him became difficult and uncertain; they were overcome by doubt, weariness and fright. As the events of Jesus’ passion rapidly unfolded, the disciples would adopt different attitudes before the Master: attitudes of closeness, distance, hesitation.

Here, in this place, each of us – bishops, priests, consecrated persons, and seminarians – might do well to ask: Who am I, before the sufferings of my Lord?

Am I among those who, when Jesus asks them to keep watch with him, fall asleep instead, and rather than praying, seek to escape, refusing to face reality?

Or do I see myself in those who fled out of fear, who abandoned the Master at the most tragic hour in his earthly life?

Is there perhaps duplicity in me, like that of the one who sold our Lord for thirty pieces of silver, who was once called Jesus’ friend, and yet ended up by betraying him?

Do I see myself in those who drew back and denied him, like Peter? Shortly before, he had promised Jesus that he would follow him even unto death (cf. Lk 22:33); but then, put to the test and assailed by fear, he swore he did not know him.

Am I like those who began planning to go about their lives without him, like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, foolish and slow of heart to believe the words of the prophets (cf. Lk 24:25)?

Or, thanks be to God, do I find myself among those who remained faithful to the end, like the Virgin Mary and the Apostle John? On Golgotha, when everything seemed bleak and all hope seemed pointless, only love proved stronger than death. The love of the Mother and the beloved disciple made them stay at the foot of the Cross, sharing in the pain of Jesus, to the very end.

Do I recognize myself in those who imitated their Master to the point of martyrdom, testifying that he was everything to them, the incomparable strength sustaining their mission and the ultimate horizon of their lives?

Jesus’ friendship with us, his faithfulness and his mercy, are a priceless gift which encourages us to follow him trustingly, notwithstanding our failures, our mistakes, also our betrayals.

But the Lord’s goodness does not dispense us from the need for vigilance before the Tempter, before sin, before the evil and the betrayal which can enter even into the religious and priestly life. We are all exposed to sin, to evil, to betrayal. We are fully conscious of the disproportion between the grandeur of God’s call and our own littleness, between the sublimity of the mission and the reality of our human weakness. Yet the Lord in his great goodness and his infinite mercy always takes us by the hand lest we drown in the sea of our fears and anxieties. He is ever at our side, he never abandons us. And so, let us not be overwhelmed by fear or disheartened, but with courage and confidence let us press forward on our journey and in our mission.

You, dear brothers and sisters, are called to follow the Lord with joy in this holy land! It is a gift and also a responsibility. Your presence here is extremely important; the whole Church is grateful to you and she sustains you by her prayers. From this holy place, I wish to extend my heartfelt greetings to all Christians in Jerusalem: I would like to assure them that I remember them affectionately and that I pray for them, being well aware of the difficulties they experience in this city. I urge them to be courageous witnesses of the passion of the Lord but also of his resurrection, with joy and hope.

Let us imitate the Virgin Mary and Saint John, and stand by all those crosses where Jesus continues to be crucified. This is how the Lord calls us to follow him: this is the path, there is no other!

Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also (Jn 12:26).


The meeting continued with the presentation of greetings by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude, Fouad Twal.  When it was completed, the Holy Father passed through the sacristy and exited into the Garden of Olives where he planted an olive tree near to the one that had been planted by Pope Paul VI on January 4, 1964.  His Holiness then travelled by car to the Cenacle for the celebration of the Mass with the Ordinaries of the Holy Land.

Paying a few visits

Shortly after noon local time today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis arrived at the Presidential Palace for a courtesy visit with the President of the State of Israel, His Excellency, Shimon Peres, who welcomed him in the gardens at the entrance to the Palace.

In the Presidential Palace, the visit began with the presentation of the respective delegations, including, as part of the Holy See's delegation - Cardinal Parolin, Cardinal Sandri, Cardinal Tauran, Cardinal Koch, Patriarch Twal, Archbishop Becciu, Archbishop Lazzarotto and Father Pizzaballa.

During the exchange which preceded the private meeting, the Pope addressed the following words to the President:
I thank you, Mister President, for your words and for your welcome.  In my imagination and fantasy, I would like to invent a new beatitude, which I apply to myself in this moment: Blessed are those who enter into the house of a wise and good man.  And I feel that I am truly blessed.  Thank you, with all my heart.
Following the exchange of gifts and the private meeting, the Pope and the President went into the garden where they planted an olive tree.  There, in the presence of a few hundred children of various conditions and from differing religious backgrounds, the official speeches were delivered, first by the President and then by the Pope.


Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the courtesy visit with the President of the State of Israel

Mr President,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am grateful to you, Mister President, for your kind and wise words of greeting and your warm welcome. I am happy to be able to meet you once again, this time in Jerusalem, the city which preserves the Holy Places dear to the three great religions which worship the God who called Abraham. The Holy Places are not monuments or museums for tourists, but places where communities of believers daily express their faith and culture, and carry out their works of charity. Precisely for this reason, their sacred character must be perpetually maintained and protection given not only to the legacy of the past but also to all those who visit these sites today and to those who will visit them in the future. May Jerusalem be truly the City of Peace! May her identity and her sacred character, her universal religious and cultural significance shine forth as a treasure for all mankind! How good it is when pilgrims and residents enjoy free access to the Holy Places and can freely take part in religious celebrations.

Mister President, you are known as a man of peace and a peacemaker. I appreciate and admire the approach you have taken. Peacemaking demands first and foremost respect for the dignity and freedom of every human person, which Jews, Christians and Muslims alike believe to be created by God and destined to eternal life. This shared conviction enables us resolutely to pursue peaceful solutions to every controversy and conflict. Here I renew my plea that all parties avoid initiatives and actions which contradict their stated determination to reach a true agreement and that they tirelessly work for peace, with decisiveness and tenacity.

There is likewise need for a firm rejection of all that is opposed to the cultivation of peace and respectful relations between Jews, Christians and Muslims. We think, for example, of recourse to violence and terrorism, all forms of discrimination on the basis of race or religion, attempts to impose one’s own point of view at the expense of the rights of others, anti-Semitism in all its possible expressions, and signs of intolerance directed against individuals or places of worship, be they Jewish, Christian or Muslim.

A variety of Christian communities live and work in the State of Israel. They are an integral part of society and participate fully in its civic, political and cultural affairs. Christians wish, as such, to contribute to the common good and the growth of peace; they wish to do so as full-fledged citizens who reject extremism in all its forms and are committed to fostering reconciliation and harmony.

The presence of these communities and respect for their rights – as for the rights of all other religious groups and all minorities – are the guarantee of a healthy pluralism and proof of the vitality of democratic values as they are authentically embodied in the daily life and workings of the State.

Mister President, you know that I pray for you and I know that you are praying for me, and I assure you of my continued prayers for the institutions and the citizens of the State of Israel. I likewise assure you of my constant prayer for the attainment of peace and all the inestimable goods which accompany it: security, tranquility, prosperity and - the most beautiful of all - fraternity. Finally, my thoughts turn to all those afflicted by the continuing crises in the Middle East. I pray that their sufferings may soon be alleviated by an honorable resolution of hostilities. Peace be upon Israel and the entire Middle East! Shalom!


At the conclusion of his visit with the President of the State of Israel, at 1:30pm today local time, the Pope traveled by car to the Pontifical Institute Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center where he received in private audience, the Prime Minister of Israel, His Excellency, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Upon his arrival, the Prime Minister was welcomed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, His Eminence, Pietro Parolin and the Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency, Giuseppe Lazzarotto.  The Pope and the Prime Minister subsequently sat in private conversation.

When their encounter was completed, and after the Prime Minister had left, the Holy Father had lunch at the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center with the members of the Papal entourage.

Visiting with the Grand Rabbinate of Israel

At 11:15am today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis arrived at the Heichal Shlomo Centre, the Seat of the Grand Rabbinate of Israel, where he paid a courtesy visit to the two Grand Rabbis of Israel, Grand Rabbi Askenazi Yona Metzger and Grand Rabbi Sefardita Shlomo Amar.

Welcomed by the Director General of the Centre, the Pope was accompanied to the room where the meeting with the two Grand Rabbis took place, and where the exchange of gifts also happened in the presence of the respective delegations.

Following a presentation by the Director General of the Heichal Shlomo Centre and words of welcome expressed by the two Grand Rabbis, the Holy Father addressed the gathered assembly.

At the conclusion of the visit, the Pope left the Heichal Shlomo Centre and traveled by car to the Presidential Palace for a courtesy visit with the President of the State of Israel.


Address of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the visit with the Grand Rabbis of Israel
Heichal Shlomo Centre, Jerusalem

Distinguished Chief Rabbis of Israel,
Dears Brothers and Sisters,

I am particularly pleased to be here with you today. I am grateful for your warm reception and your kind words of welcome.

As you know, from the time I was Archbishop of Buenos Aires, I have counted many Jews among my friends. Today two friends who are rabbis are here with us. Together we organized rewarding occasions of encounter and dialogue; with them I also experienced significant moments of sharing on a spiritual level. In the first months of my pontificate, I was able to receive various organizations and representatives from the Jewish community worldwide. As was the case with my predecessors, there have been many requests for such meetings. Together with the numerous initiatives taking place on national and local levels, these testify to our mutual desire to know one another better, to listen to each other and to build bonds of true fraternity.

This journey of friendship represents one of the fruits of the Second Vatican Council, and particularly of the Declaration Nostra Aetate, which proved so influential and whose fiftieth anniversary we will celebrate next year. I am convinced that the progress which has been made in recent decades in the relationship between Jews and Catholics has been a genuine gift of God, one of those great works for which we are called to bless his holy name: Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his love endures forever; who alone has wrought marvelous works, for his love endures forever (Ps 135/136:3-4).

A gift of God, yes, but one which would not have come about without the efforts of so many courageous and generous people, Jews and Christians alike. Here I would like to mention in particular the growing importance of the dialogue between the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and the Holy See’s Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews. Inspired by the visit of Pope John Paul II to the Holy Land, this dialogue was inaugurated in 2002 and is already in its twelfth year. I would like to think that, in terms of the Jewish tradition of the Bar Mitzvah, it is just coming of age. I am confident that it will continue and have a bright future in years to come.

We need to do more than simply establish reciprocal and respectful relations on a human level: we are also called, as Christians and Jews, to reflect deeply on the spiritual significance of the bond existing between us. It is a bond whose origins are from on high, one which transcends our own plans and projects, and one which remains intact despite all the difficulties which, sadly, have marked our relationship in the past.

On the part of Catholics, there is a clear intention to reflect deeply on the significance of the Jewish roots of our own faith. I trust that, with your help, on the part of Jews too, there will be a continued and even growing interest in knowledge of Christianity, also in this holy land to which Christians trace their origins. This is especially to be hoped for among young people.

Mutual understanding of our spiritual heritage, appreciation for what we have in common and respect in matters on which we disagree: all these can help to guide us to a closer relationship, an intention which we put in God’s hands. Together, we can make a great contribution to the cause of peace; together, we can bear witness, in this rapidly changing world, to the perennial importance of the divine plan of creation; together, we can firmly oppose every form of anti-Semitism and all other forms of discrimination. May the Lord help us to walk with confidence and strength in his ways. Shalom!