Pope Francis: ‘I don’t know whether I will be in Panama’

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has told young people that he doesn’t know whether he will still be around for the next World Youth Day, “but Peter certainly will”.

In the last address of his 5-day visit to Poland as he thanked World Youth Day volunteers for their hard work, the Pope handed over his prepared remarks and spoke off-the-cuff, touching on a number of questions.

He reminded the young people that if they want to represent hope for the future they must remember their origins.

“I must ask myself where I come from… the memory of my people, the memory of my family, and the memory of my history. […] The memory of a path that has already been trodden and all that we have received from adults. A young person with no memory cannot be a beacon of hope for the future” he said.

And the Pope invited all young people to speak and to listen to their parents,  to their grandparents and to elderly people in general whom – he said – represent the wisdom of a people.

Another necessary condition if you want to be a beacon of hope for the future, the Pope said, is to live the present with courage, ‘not to be afraid’.

He said these two requisites: ‘memory and courage’ are necessary for your presence at the next World Youth Day in Panama.

“I don’t know whether I will be in Panama, but I can assure you that Peter will be!” he said.

And, the Pope concluded: “Peter will ask you if you have conversed with your grandparents and with elder people to acquire memory; he will ask you if you have had the courage and the audacity to live the present; he will want to know whether you have sown seeds for the future”.

           

(from Vatican Radio)

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Reviewing the highlights of the Pope’s visit to Krakow

Pope Francis says a surprise 'Do Widzenia' before leaving

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said a ‘surprise’ goodbye to the people of Poland on Sunday evening before departing from Krakow at the end of his 5-day apostolic journey.

Appearing unexpectedly at the balcony of the Archbishop’s House for the fourth time in the past five days, the Pope had words of thanks and farewell to the many, especially young people, gathered in the Square below.

Speaking Spanish, Pope Francis thanked everyone for the ‘warm welcome’ received and for the ‘good company’!

He asked those present not to forget to pray for him and recited Our Lady’s prayer before blessing the crowd which he left with a final "Do Widzenia!".

Pope Francis then travelled to Krakow International Airport where he met privately for a short while with the President of Poland before boarding Poland's LOT Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplane bringing him home at the end of an official farewell ceremony.

The Pope arrives back in the Vatican on Sunday evening at the conclusion of his 15th Apostolic Journey abroad.

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope Francis thanks WYD volunteers: full text of prepared remarks

(Vatican Radio) As World Youth Day 2016 drew to a close, Pope Francis greeted volunteers whose hard work made the event such a resounding success.

“Before returning to Rome,” he said, “I wanted to meet you and to thank each of you for your commitment, generosity and dedication in guiding, helping and serving the thousands of young pilgrims. Thank you too for your witness of faith that, together with that of so many young people from every part of the world, is a great sign of hope for the Church and the world.”

Pope Francis read only the first few lines of his speech, before speaking to the volunteers "off-the-cuff". The full text of the Pope's prepared remarks, which was made available to the volunteers in translation, can be found below: 

 

Greeting of His Holiness Pope Francis
to the World Youth Day Volunteers

Krakow, 31 July 2016

 

Before returning to Rome, I wanted to meet you and to thank each of you for your commitment, generosity and dedication in guiding, helping and serving the thousands of young pilgrims. Thank you too for your witness of faith that, together with that of so many young people from every part of the world, is a great sign of hope for the Church and the world.  By giving of yourselves for love of Christ, you have experienced the beauty of commitment to a noble cause.  You have also seen how enriching it is to join with so many friends of both sexes in a project that, while tiring, repays your efforts with joy and a wealth of new knowledge and openness to Jesus, to our neighbours, and to important life decisions.

As an expression of my gratitude, I would like to share with you a gift offered us by the Virgin Mary, who has today come to visit us in the miraculous image of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, so dear to the heart of Saint John Paul II.  In the Gospel mystery of the Visitation (cf. Lk 1:39-45), we can see an icon of all Christian volunteer work.  I would take three attitudes shown by Mary and leave them to you as an aid to interpreting the experience of these days and an inspiration for your future commitment to service.  These three attitudes are listening, deciding and acting.

First, listening.  Mary sets out after hearing the word of the angel: “Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son…” (Lk 1:36).  Mary knows how to listen to God.  It is not simply about hearing, but about listening attentively and receptively, and being ready to help.  Think of how many times we come before the Lord or other people, but fail to really listen.  Mary also listens to events, to things that happen in life.  She is attentive to practical realities; she does not stop at the surface, but seeks to grasp their meaning.  Mary knew that Elizabeth, now elderly, was expecting a child.  She saw in this the hand of God, a sign of his mercy. The same thing also happens in our own lives.  The Lord stands at the door and knocks in any number of ways; he posts signs along our path and he calls us to read them in the light of the Gospel.

The second attitude we see in Mary is deciding.  Mary listens and reflects, but she also knows how to take a step forward: she is decisive.  This was the case with the fundamental decision of her life: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Lk 1:38).  So too, at the wedding feast of Cana, when Mary sees the problem, she decides to speak to Jesus and ask him to do something: “They have no wine” (Jn 2:3).  In life, it is often hard to make decisions.  We tend to postpone them, even allowing others decide in our place, or else we let ourselves be dragged along by the course of events and to follow the “trend” of the moment.  At times, we know well what we have to do, but we lack the courage to do it, since we think it is too difficult to go against the grain…  Mary is not afraid to go against the grain.  With a steadfast heart she listens and decides, accepting the risks, never on her own, but with God!

Finally, acting.  Mary set out on her journey and “went with haste…” (Lk 1:39).  Despite the hardships and the criticisms she may have heard, she didn’t hesitate or delay, but “went with haste”, because she had the strength of God’s Word within her.  Her way of acting was full of charity, full of love: this is the mark of God.  Mary went to Elizabeth not to have other people praise her, but to be helpful, useful, in her service.  And in setting out from her home, from herself, with love, she brought along the most precious thing she possessed: Jesus, the Son of God, the Lord.  Elizabeth realizes this immediately: “Why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?” (Lk 1:43).  The Holy Spirit awakens faith and joy within her: “For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy” (Lk 1:44).

In volunteer work too, every act of service we provide, even the most simple, is important.  Ultimately, it is an expression of openness to the presence of Jesus.  It makes us experience the love from on high that set us on our way and fills us with joy.  World Youth Day volunteers are not only a “workers”, but evangelizers, because the Church exists and serves to evangelize.

Once Mary had finished assisting Elizabeth, she went back home to Nazareth.  Quietly and with no fuss, she left in the same way that she came.  You too, dear volunteers, will not see all the fruits of your work here in Krakow or during the “twinnings”.  Your brothers and sisters whom you served will see them in their lives and rejoice in them.  That is the “gratuitousness” of love!  Yet God knows your dedication, your commitment and your generosity.  You can be sure that he will not fail to repay you for everything you have done for this Church of the young assembled in these days in Krakow with the Successor of Peter.  I commend you to God and to the word of his grace (cf. Acts 20:32).  I entrust you to Mary, our Mother, model of all Christian volunteer service.  And I ask you, please, to remember to pray for me.

 

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope Francis at Angelus: Panama to host WYD 2019

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Sunday announced that Panama is to host the 2019 edition of World Youth Day. He made the announcement at the conclusion of the closing Mass for WYD Krakow 2016, just ahead of the Angelus prayer.

The full text of the Holy Father's prepared remarks, including the announcement, can be found below

******************************************************

At the conclusion of this celebration, I join all of you in thanking God, the Father of infinite mercy, for allowing us to experience this World Youth Day.  I thank Cardinal Dziwisz and Cardinal Ryłko for their kind words and especially for the work and prayer with which they have prepared for this event.  I also thank all those who have contributed to its successful outcome.  Also, a big word of thanks goes to you, dear young people!  You filled Krakow with the contagious enthusiasm of your faith.  Saint John Paul II has rejoiced from heaven, and he will help you spread the joy of the Gospel everywhere.

In these days, we have experienced the beauty of our universal fraternity in Christ, the centre and hope of our lives.  We have heard his voice, the voice of the Good Shepherd who dwells in our midst.  He has spoken to each of you in your heart.  He has renewed you by his love and he has shown you the light of his forgiveness, the power of his grace.  He has made you experience the reality of prayer.  These days have given you a spiritual “breath of fresh air” that will help you live lives of mercy once you return to your own countries and communities.

Here, beside the altar, is the image of the Virgin Mary venerated by Saint John Paul II in the shrine of Kalwaria.  Mary, our Mother, teaches us how we can make our experience here in Poland be productive.  She tells us to do what she did: not to squander the gift you have received, but to treasure it in your heart so it can grow and bear fruit, with the help of the Holy Spirit.  In this way, each of you, for all your limitations and failings, can be a witness to Christ wherever you live: at home, in your parishes, in your associations and groups, and your places of study, work, service, entertainment… wherever God’s providence will lead you.

 God’s providence is always one step ahead of us.  Think: it has already determined the next stop in this great pilgrimage begun in 1985 by Saint John Paul II!  So now I am happy to announce that the next World Youth Day – after the two that will be held on the diocesan level – will take place in 2019 in Panama.

Trusting in the intercession of Mary, let us ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten and sustain the journey of young people in the Church and in the world, and make you disciples and witnesses to God’s mercy.

           

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope Francis: WYD Krakow 2016 final Mass homily (full text)

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis delivered the homily at Mass in Krakow, Poland, on Sunday - World Youth Day - for a crowd of pilgrim faithful estimated at upward of one million people. The theme of the Holy Father's remarks to the gathered youth was how to overcome obstacles to building a real relationship with Jesus - whether they be obstacles that arise in one's own soul or obstacles one will inevitably encounter in the world and in society. 

Below, please find the full text of Pope Francis' prepared remarks
**********************************************************
Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis
Mass for World Youth Day
Krakow, Campus Misericordiae, 31 July 2016

Dear young people, you have come to Krakow to meet Jesus. Today’s Gospel speaks to us of just such a meeting between Jesus and a man named Zacchaeus, in Jericho (cf. Lk 19:1-10). There Jesus does not simply preach or greet people; as the Evangelist tells us, he passed through the city (v. 1).  In other words, Jesus wants to draw near to us personally, to accompany our journey to its end, so that his life and our life can truly meet.

An amazing encounter then takes place, with Zacchaeus, the chief “publican” or tax collector. Zacchaeus was thus a wealthy collaborator of the hated Roman occupiers, someone who exploited his own people, someone who, because of his ill repute, could not even approach the Master. His encounter with Jesus changed his life, just as it has changed, and can daily still change, each of our lives.  But Zacchaeus had to face a number of obstacles in order to meet Jesus. At least three of these can also say something to us.

The first obstacle is smallness of stature. Zacchaeus couldn’t see the Master because he was little. Even today we can risk not getting close to Jesus because we don’t feel big enough, because we don’t think ourselves worthy. This is a great temptation; it has to do not only with self-esteem, but with faith itself.  For faith tells us that we are “children of God… that is what we are” (1 Jn 3:1). We have been created in God’s own image; Jesus has taken upon himself our humanity and his heart will never be separated from us; the Holy Spirit wants to dwell within us. We have been called to be happy for ever with God! 

That is our real “stature”, our spiritual identity: we are God’s beloved children, always. So you can see that not to accept ourselves, to live glumly, to be negative, means not to recognize our deepest identity. It is like walking away when God wants to look at me, trying to spoil his dream for me. God loves us the way we are, and no sin, fault or mistake of ours makes him change his mind. As far as Jesus is concerned – as the Gospel shows – no one is unworthy of, or far from, his thoughts. No one is insignificant. He loves all of us with a special love; for him all of us are important: you are important! God counts on you for what you are, not for what you possess. In his eyes the clothes you wear or the kind of cell phone you use are of absolutely no concern. He doesn’t care whether you are stylish or not; he cares about you!  In his eyes, you are precious, and your value is inestimable.

At times in our lives, we aim lower rather than higher. At those times, it is good to realize that God remains faithful, even obstinate, in his love for us. The fact is, he loves us even more than we love ourselves. He believes in us even more than we believe in ourselves. He is always “cheering us on”; he is our biggest fan. He is there for us, waiting with patience and hope, even when we turn in on ourselves and brood over our troubles and past injuries. But such brooding is unworthy of our spiritual stature! It is a kind of virus infecting and blocking everything; it closes doors and prevents us from getting up and starting over.  God, on the other hand, is hopelessly hopeful!  He believes that we can always get up, and he hates to see us glum and gloomy. Because we are always his beloved sons and daughters. Let us be mindful of this at the dawn of each new day.  It will do us good to pray every morning: “Lord, I thank you for loving me; help me to be in love with my own life!” Not with my faults, that need to be corrected, but with life itself, which is a great gift, for it is a time to love and to be loved.

Zacchaeus faced a second obstacle in meeting Jesus: the paralysis of shame. We can imagine what was going on in his heart before he climbed that sycamore. It must have been quite a struggle – on one hand, a healthy curiosity and desire to know Jesus; on the other, the risk of appearing completely ridiculous. Zacchaeus was public figure, a man of power. He knew that, in trying to climb that tree, he would have become a laughingstock to all.  Yet he mastered his shame, because the attraction of Jesus was more powerful. You know what happens when someone is so attractive that we fall in love with them: we end up ready to do things we would never have even thought of doing. Something similar took place in the heart of Zacchaeus, when he realized that Jesus was so important that he would do anything for him, since Jesus alone could pull him out of the mire of sin and discontent. The paralysis of shame did not have the upper hand. The Gospel tells us that Zacchaeus “ran ahead”, “climbed” the tree, and then, when Jesus called him, he “hurried down” (vv. 4, 6). He took a risk, he put his life on the line. For us too, this is the secret of joy: not to stifle a healthy curiosity, but to take a risk, because life is not meant to be tucked away. When it comes to Jesus, we cannot sit around waiting with arms folded; he offers us life – we can’t respond by thinking about it or “texting” a few words!

Dear young friends, don’t be ashamed to bring everything to the Lord in confession, especially your weaknesses, your struggles and your sins. He will surprise you with his forgiveness and his peace. Don’t be afraid to say “yes” to him with all your heart, to respond generously and to follow him! Don’t let your soul grow numb, but aim for the goal of a beautiful love which also demands sacrifice. Say a firm “no” to the narcotic of success at any cost and the sedative of worrying only about yourself and your own comfort.

After his small stature and the paralysis of shame, there was a third obstacle that Zacchaeus had to face.  It was no longer an interior one, but was all around him. It was the grumbling of the crowd, who first blocked him and then criticized him: How could Jesus have entered his house, the house of a sinner!  How truly hard it is to welcome Jesus, how hard it is to accept a “God who is rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4)! People will try to block you, to make you think that God is distant, rigid and insensitive, good to the good and bad to the bad. Instead, our heavenly Father “makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good” (Mt 5:45). He demands of us real courage: the courage to be more powerful than evil by loving everyone, even our enemies. People may laugh at you because you believe in the gentle and unassuming power of mercy. But do not be afraid. Think of the motto of these days: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” (Mt 5:7). People may judge you to be dreamers, because you believe in a new humanity, one that rejects hatred between peoples, one that refuses to see borders as barriers and can cherish its own traditions without being self-centred or small-minded. Don’t be discouraged: with a smile and open arms, you proclaim hope and you are a blessing for our one human family, which here you represent so beautifully!

That day the crowd judged Zacchaeus; they looked him over, up and down. But Jesus did otherwise: he gazed up at him (v. 5). Jesus looks beyond the faults and sees the person. He does not halt before bygone evil, but sees future good. His gaze remains constant, even when it is not met; it seeks the way of unity and communion.  In no case does it halt at appearances, but looks to the heart. With this gaze of Jesus, you can help bring about another humanity, without looking for acknowledgement but seeking goodness for its own sake, content to maintain a pure heart and to fight peaceably for honesty and justice. Don’t stop at the surface of things; distrust the worldly cult of appearances, cosmetic attempts to improve our looks. Instead, “download” the best “link” of all, that of a heart which sees and transmits goodness without growing weary. The joy that you have freely received from God, freely give away (cf. Mt 10:8): so many people are waiting for it!

Finally let us listen to the words that Jesus spoke to Zacchaeus, which to be seem meant for us today: “Come down, for I must stay at your house today” (v. 5).  Jesus extends the same invitation to you: “I must stay at your house today”. We can say that World Youth Day begins today and continues tomorrow, in your homes, since that is where Jesus wants to meet you from now on. The Lord doesn’t want to remain in this beautiful city, or in cherished memories alone. He wants to enter your homes, to dwell in your daily lives: in your studies, your first years of work, your friendships and affections, your hopes and dreams. How greatly he desires that you bring all this to him in prayer! How much he hopes that, in all the “contacts” and “chats” of each day, pride of place be given to the golden thread of prayer! How much he wants his word to be able to speak to you day after day, so that you can make his Gospel your own, so that it can serve as a compass for you on the highways of life!

In asking to come to your house, Jesus calls you, as he did Zacchaeus, by name. Your name is precious to him. The name “Zacchaeus” would have made people back the think of the remembrance of God. Trust the memory of God: his memory is not a “hard disk” that “saves” and “archives” all our data, but a heart filled with tender compassion, one that finds joy in “erasing” in us every trace of evil. May we too now try to imitate the faithful memory of God and treasure the good things we have received in these days. In silence, let us remember this encounter, let us preserve the memory of the presence of God and his word, and let us listen once more to the voice of Jesus as he calls us by name. So let us now pray silently, remembering and thanking the Lord wanted us to be here and has come here to meet us.

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope WYD Vigil: Leave your mark on the world

(Vatican Radio) From early on Saturday morning, World Youth Day pilgrims caught trams and buses from central Krakow to bring them as close as possible to the Campus Misericordiae. From there, they walked a further four kilometres to get to these grounds in order to be with the Holy Father at this ever popular vigil. Some of them carried mats to lie on for the long evening ahead, while others made sure they had food supplies to the ready. Under the searing heat of the sun pilgrims protected themselves with hats and sunglasses. There were also sprinkler systems dousing the young people with water and the voice of a loud speaker advised the mass of youth to take advantage of the zones for bottled water.

Once inside, the many thousands of young people in the camp joyously waved flags and sang songs, and when the Pope arrived, this field of pilgrims erupted with cheers.

One of the highlights of this vigil was when the Holy Father walked hand in hand with young representatives from 5 continents through an especially constructed Holy Door made from ribbons and wood which read, Jesus, I trust in You.

Then to their delight and their surprise the group joined Pope Francis in the Pope mobile making their way to the especially constructed alter, a replica of that in Blonia Park.

In the second of 5 themed scenes, a video entitled, “hope to those discouraged” showed different images of suffering in the world, beginning with the bombing of the twin towers on 9/11.

Also, during this scene a girl from Aleppo in Syria spoke just yards away from Pope Francis about the suffering in her country and the pain of her Christian compatriots. But she said, she and her colleagues at the Don Bosco centre in the city saw the presence of God in those who came there.

In another scene, “to forgive those who have done wrong”, the Holy Father and pilgrims watched a re-enactment of St John Paul’s prison visit to forgive the man who had made an attempt on his life.

When the Pope took to the podium, he told the over 1 million young people present, “we have no desire to conquer hatred with more hatred, violence with more violence, terror with more terror.  We are here today because the Lord has called us together.  Our response to a world at war has a name: its name is fraternity, its name is brotherhood, its name is communion, its name is family.”

He also encouraged them to place before the Lord their own “battles”, “the interior struggles that each of you carries in his or her heart” and to build bridges of brotherhood.

Reinforcing the remarks of earlier this week, the Pope said to the pilgrims, “we didn’t come into this world to “vegetate”, to take it easy, to make our lives a comfortable sofa to fall asleep on.  No, we came for another reason: to leave a mark.” 

God comes to break down all our fences, the Pope said.  He comes to open the doors of our lives, our dreams...”

After a long period of reflection and prayer in front of the Blessed Eucharist, Pope Francis departed Campus Misericordiae in candlelight, leaving the youth of the world to continue that experience of fraternity and communion with music and song well into the night.

With Pope Francis in Krakow, I’m Lydia O’Kane

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope Francis visits Jesuit House in Krakow

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis paid a previously unannounced visit to the Jesuit House in Krakow on Saturday and urged them to look outwards and not just be concerned with abstract ideas. The Pope spent about 40 minutes with the Jesuits in an informal encounter where they chatted and he answered a number of question but said he had no desire to make a speech. Around 30 Jesuits were present for the encounter including the Provincials.  

The visit was not included in the Pope’s official programme during his stay in Krakow.  However, Father Antonio Spadaro, Director of the Jesuit magazine Civilita Cattolica who was present for the meeting, said such visits have become almost a regular habit during the Pope’s pastoral journeys abroad.

Father Spadaro described the encounter as very cheerful, relaxed and informal.  Asked about the Jesuits’ work with the world of culture especially at universities, Pope Francis said their work in this field “must be outward looking” and not only concerned with abstract concepts and ideas. He urged them to be very close to all those "who are marginalized" and stay far away from “a libertarian ideology that puts money at the centre rather than the human person.” 

Turning to the work of priests, Pope Francis said that nowadays “there is a risk that a priest who has not received a good formation is either 'too white or too black' and acts by simply applying the rules in a mechanical fashion.”  Instead, he stressed, “discernment is important” and should be at the heart of pastoral life. The Pope said for this reason it is necessary to help priests and seminarians with their spiritual discernment and this should be “one of the main tasks of the Society of Jesus nowadays.”  

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope Francis venerates relics of martyrs in Franciscan church

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis visited the Church of St. Francis in Krakow on Saturday to venerate the relics housed there of two Polish Franciscan martyrs, Zbigniew Strzalkowski and Michal Tomaszek. They were killed by the Sendero Luminoso guerrillas in Peru in 1991 and were beatified in 2015, together with the Italian priest Don Alessandro Dordi from the diocese of Bergamo. Several relatives of the martyrs were present together with the Superior General of the Franciscans and the Superior of the Franciscan House in Peru where the two martyrs lived.

During his visit to the church, Pope Francis said the following prayer (in Italian).   

 

Please find below a translation into English of the Pope’s prayer:

 

“Prayer for peace and protection from violence and from terrorism”

O almighty and merciful God, Lord of the universe and of history. All that You have created is good and your compassion for the mistakes of mankind knows no limits.

We come to You today to ask You to keep in peace the world and its people, to keep far away from it the devastating wave of terrorism, to restore friendship and instill in the hearts of your creatures the gift of trust and of readiness to forgive.

O Giver of life, we pray to You also for all those who have died as victims of brutal terrorist attacks. Grant them their eternal reward. May they intercede for the world that is torn apart by conflicts and disagreements.

O Jesus, Prince of Peace, we pray to You for the ones who have been wounded in these acts of inhuman violence: children and young people, old people and innocent people accidentally involved in evil. Heal their bodies and hearts; console them with Your strength and, at the same time, take away any hatred and a desire for revenge.

Holy Spirit Consoler, visit the families of the victims of terrorism, families that suffer through no fault of their own. Wrap them in the mantle of Your divine mercy. Make them find again in You and in themselves the strength and courage to continue to be brothers and sisters for others, above all for immigrants, giving witness to Your love by their lives.

Touch the hearts of terrorists so that they may recognize the evil of their actions and may turn to the way of peace and goodness, of respect for the life and for the dignity of every human being, regardless of religion, origin, wealth or poverty.

O God, Eternal Father, in Your mercy hear our prayer which we raise up to You amidst the deafening noise and desperation of the world. We turn to You with great hope, full of trust in Your infinite Mercy. Made strong by the examples of the blessed martyrs of Perú, Zbigniew and Michael, who have rendered courageous testimony to the Gospel, to the point of offering their blood, we entrust ourselves to the intercession of Your Most Holy Mother. We ask for the gift of peace and of the elimination from our midst of the sore of terrorism.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope Francis has lunch with young pilgrims in Krakow

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday had lunch with a dozen young people serving as volunteers for World Youth Day in the Polish city of Krakow.

The private encounter took place in the residence of the Archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, following a morning Mass for priests and religious in the shrine dedicated to the Polish pope, Saint John Paul II.

The young men and women invited to join the Pope for lunch came from all the different continents and included representatives from New Zealand, Italy, Columbia, as well as the host nation, Poland. After the meal, they invited him to pose for a selfie with them as a souvenir of this very special occasion.

Each one of them was able to ask Pope Francis a question, to which he replied with the help of an interpreter. Speaking at a press conference after the meal, one of the volunteers said she asked him how he felt following his election to the pontificate in March 2013, to which he replied: ``I felt a bit of peace, and I haven't lost this peace.'' Another young woman asked Francis for some advice and his answer was: ``Don't give up hope”, adding that it’s important for young people to be themselves “in these times, these crucial moments.''

After lunch, the Pope took some time to rest at the residence, ahead of a prayer vigil with young people in the Campus Misericordiae or Field of Mercy venue on the outskirts of Krakow. The venue contains two new charitable centres, a day care for the elderly and a storage building for food parcels donated by local parishes for those most in need. Both buildings were constructed as a permanent reminder of the theme for this year’s World Youth Day, taken from St Matthew’s Gospel: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy’.

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope urges priests, religious to open doors to God's mercy

Pope prays at chapel of St Faustina, greets young people

(Vatican Radio) On Saturday morning, Pope Francis paid a visit to the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Krakow. He began his visit at the Chapel of St Faustina Kowalska, where he was greeted by the Superior General of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and the Superior of the Convent. While there, he blessed a large picture of the Divine Mercy, and later prayed before the tomb of St Faustina. At the conclusion of his visit, the Holy Father signed the guest book, adding, in Spanish, the words, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifices.”

Leaving the convent, the Pope arrived at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy. From the terrace, he greeted the young people gathered in the “field of confessions”: “The Lord today wants us to feel His mercy even more deeply,” the Pope said. “Never distance yourself from Jesus! Even if, because of our sins and our failings, we feel we are the worst, He prefers us that way – thus His mercy spreads out. Let us all profit this day by receiving the mercy of Jesus.”

At the conclusion of his remarks, Pope Francis led the young people in a prayer to the “Mother of Mercy,” and asked them to please pray for him. 

During his visit to the sanctuary, Pope Francis also walked through the Holy Door established at the church for the Jubilee Year of Mercy.

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope Francis hears confessions at Divine Mercy sanctuary

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis heard the confessions of young pilgrims to World Youth Day in Krakow on Saturday. The moment of recollection and sacramental reconciliation took place at the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy just outside the host city on the morning of the penultimate day of the week-long gathering.

The Holy Father heard the confessions of five different young people.

The Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy is the focal point of a devotion given to St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun and mystic, whom Pope St. John Paul II canonized, and whose devotion he helped spread throughout the world.

(from Vatican Radio)

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Homily for Mass at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy: Full text

(Vatican Radio) On Saturday morning, at the Sanctuary of St John Paul II in Krakow, Pope Francis offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for priests, religious men and women, consecrated persons, and seminarians.

Below, please find the prepared text of the Pope's homily for the Mass: 

Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis

Mass with Priests, Religious, Consecrated Persons and Seminarians

Krakow, 30 July 2016

The words of the Gospel we have just heard (cf. Jn 20:19-31) speak to us of a place, a disciple and a book.

The place is where the disciples gathered on the evening of Easter; we read only that its doors were closed (cf. v. 19).  Eight days later, the disciples were once more gathered there, and the doors were still shut (cf. v. 26).  Jesus enters, stands in their midst and brings them his peace, the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of sins: in a word, God’s mercy.  Behind those closed doors there resounds Jesus’ call to his followers: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (v. 21).

Jesus sends.  From the beginning, he wants his to be a Church on the move, a Church that goes out into the world.  And he wants it to do this just as he did.  He was not sent into the world by the Father to wield power, but to take the form of a slave (cf. Phil  2:7); he came not “to be served, but to serve” (Mk  10:45) and to bring the Good News (cf. Lk 4:18).  In the same way, his followers are sent forth in every age.  The contrast is striking: whereas the disciples had closed the doors out of fear, Jesus sends them out on mission.  He wants them to open the doors and go out to spread God’s pardon and peace, with the power of the Holy Spirit.

This call is also addressed to us.  How can we fail to hear its echo in the great appeal of Saint John Paul II: “Open the doors”?  Yet, in our lives as priests and consecrated persons, we can often be tempted to remain enclosed, out of fear or convenience, within ourselves and in our surroundings.  But Jesus directs us to a one-way street: that of going forth from ourselves.  It is a one-way trip, with no return ticket.  It involves making an exodus from ourselves, losing our lives for his sake (cf. Mk 8:35) and setting out on the path of self-gift.  Nor does Jesus like journeys made halfway, doors half-closed, lives lived on two tracks.  He asks us to pack lightly for the journey, to set out renouncing our own security, with him alone as our strength.

In other words, the life of Jesus’ closest disciples, which is what we are called to be, is shaped by concrete love, a love, in other words, marked by service and availability.  It is a life that has no closed spaces or private property for our own use.  Those who choose to model their entire life on Jesus no longer choose their own places; they go where they are sent, in ready response to the one who calls.  They do not even choose their own times.  The house where they live does not belong to them, because the Church and the world are the open spaces of their mission.  Their wealth is to put the Lord in the midst of their lives and to seek nothing else for themselves.  So they flee the satisfaction of being at the centre of things; they do not build on the shaky foundations of worldly power, or settle into the comforts that compromise evangelization.  They do not waste time planning a secure future, lest they risk becoming isolated and gloomy, enclosed within the narrow walls of a joyless and desperate self-centredness.  Finding their happiness in the Lord, they are not content with a life of mediocrity, but burn with the desire to bear witness and reach out to others.  They love to take risks and to set out, not limited to trails already blazed, but open and faithful to the paths pointed out by the Spirit.  Rather than just getting by, they rejoice to evangelize.

Secondly, today’s Gospel presents us with the one disciple who is named: Thomas.  In his hesitation and his efforts to understand, this disciple, albeit somewhat stubborn, is a bit like us and we find him likeable.  Without knowing it, he gives us a great gift: he brings us closer to God, because God does not hide from those who seek him.  Jesus shows Thomas his glorious wounds; he makes him touch with his hand the infinite tenderness of God, the vivid signs of how much he suffered out of love for humanity.

For us who are disciples, it is important to put our humanity in contact with the flesh of the Lord, to bring to him, with complete trust and utter sincerity, our whole being.  As Jesus told Saint Faustina, he is happy when we tell him everything: he is not bored with our lives, which he already knows; he waits for us to tell him even about the events of our day (cf. Diary, 6 September 1937).  That is the way to seek God: through prayer that is transparent and unafraid to hand over to him our troubles, our struggles and our resistance.  Jesus’ heart is won over by sincere openness, by hearts capable of acknowledging and grieving over their weakness, yet trusting that precisely there God’s mercy will be active. 

What does Jesus ask of us?  He desires hearts that are truly consecrated, hearts that draw life from his forgiveness in order to pour it out with compassion on our brothers and sisters.  Jesus wants hearts that are open and tender towards the weak, never hearts that are hardened.  He wants docile and transparent hearts that do not dissimulate before those whom the Church appoints as our guides.  Disciples do not hesitate to ask questions, they have the courage to face their misgivings and bring them to the Lord, to their formators and superiors, without calculations or reticence.  A faithful disciple engages in constant watchful discernment, knowing that the heart must be trained daily, beginning with the affections, to flee every form of duplicity in attitudes and in life.

The Apostle Thomas, at the conclusion of his impassioned quest, not only came to believe in the resurrection, but found in Jesus his life’s greatest treasure, his Lord.  He says to Jesus: “My Lord and my God!” (v. 28).  We would do well each day to pray these magnificent words, and to say to the Lord: You are my one treasure, the path I must follow, the core of my life, my all.

The final verse of today’s Gospel speaks of a book: it is the Gospel that, we are told, does not contain all the many other signs that Jesus worked (v. 30).  After the great sign of his mercy, we could say that there is no longer a need to add another.  Yet one challenge does remain.  There is room left for the signs needing to be worked by us, who have received the Spirit of love and are called to spread mercy.  It might be said that the Gospel, the living book of God’s mercy that must be continually read and reread, still has many blank pages left.  It remains an open book that we are called to write in the same style, by the works of mercy we practise.  Let me ask you this: What are the pages of your books like?  Are they blank?  May the Mother of God help us in this.  May she, who fully welcomed the word of God into her life (cf. Lk  8:20-21), give us the grace to be living writers of the Gospel.  May our Mother of Mercy teach us how to take concrete care of the wounds of Jesus in our brothers and sisters in need, those close at hand and those far away, the sick and the migrant, because by serving those who suffer we honour the flesh of Christ.  May the Virgin Mary help us to spend ourselves completely for the good of the faithful entrusted to us, and to show concern for one another as true brothers and sisters in the communion of the Church, our holy Mother.

Dear brothers and sisters, each of us holds in his or her heart a very personal page of the book of God’s mercy.  It is the story of our own calling, the voice of the love that attracted us and transformed our life, leading us to leave everything at his word and to follow him (cf. Lk 5:11).  Today let us gratefully rekindle the memory of his call, which is stronger than any resistance and weariness on our part.  As we continue this celebration of the Eucharist, the centre of our lives, let us thank the Lord for having entered through our closed doors with his mercy, for calling us, like Thomas, by name, and for giving us the grace to continue writing his Gospel of love. 

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope: Cruelty and suffering but Jesus is near

(Vatican Radio) From the window of the Archbishop’s residence on Friday evening, Pope Francis recalled this day as one of pain. “Friday, he said, is the day when we remember the death of Jesus and with the young people we prayed the Way of the Cross: the suffering and death of Jesus for all of us.”

So many people, the Pope noted, “so many people are suffering: the sick; those who are at war; the homeless; the hungry; those who are doubtful in life, who do not feel happiness,”…
 

In the afternoon, he continued, “I went to the children’s hospital. There too, Jesus suffers in so many sick children: I always ask myself that question, "Why do children suffer?". It's a mystery. There are no answers to these questions ...”

Recalling his morning at Auschwitz-Birkenau, he said, “how much pain, how much cruelty! Is it possible that we men, created in the likeness of God, we are able to do these things?

Then he added, “cruelty did not end in Auschwitz, Birkenau: even today. Today! Today we torture people; many prisoners are tortured immediately, to get them to talk ... It 's terrible!”  “Today there is this cruelty. We say, "Yes, there we saw the cruelty more than 70 years ago. How they died shot or hanged or with gas .. ". But today in many places of the world where there is war, it's the same!

In this reality, the Holy Father said, “Jesus came to take us on his shoulders. He asks us to pray. We pray for all the Jesus’ who today are in the world: the hungry; the thirsty; the doubters; the sick, who are on their own; those who feel the weight of so many doubts and guilt. Who suffer so much ... Let us pray for all the sick children, innocent, who carry the Cross for children. And we pray for so many men and women who today are tortured in many countries of the world; for prisoners who are all piled up there, as if they were animals.”

“Everyone here is a sinner”, the Pope concluded, “we all have the weight of our sins.” “But He loves us: He loves us!” Let's all pray together for these people who are suffering in the world today so many bad things, many bad things. And when there are tears, the child seeks its mother. Even us sinners we are children, we look for our mother and pray to Our Lady all together, each in his own language.”

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope in Krakow: The Way of the Cross defeats sin, evil and death

(Vatican Radio)The theme of this Way of the Cross for World Youth Day was the path of mercy and this solemn event opened in Blonia Park in Krakow to the anthem of the Jubilee Year performed by a talented youth orchestra and choir with Pope Francis looking on.

In a prelude to the mediations for this evening, a girl in Marian like clothes took to the stage creating a design drawn in sand which revealed the face of Christ.

All through the Via Crucis the World Youth Day cross was brought to each station by a different group of young people which included a group of refugees from Syria, a former homeless couple from Poland and nuns from the missionaries of charity; all symbolising the works of mercy.

Many of the stops on the way to Calvary were artistically re-enacted through the medium of dance and at the 10th station an acrobat took to the sky where the cloth wound around him fell away to symbolise Jesus being stripped of his garments.

At the 12 station and to the strains of Samuel Barber’s, “Adagio for Strings”, Jesus on the Cross at Blonia Park took his last breath and the worlds’ youth here fell silent

In his words, following this intense and moving event, the Holy Father posed the question; where is God, if evil is present in our world, if there are men and women who are hungry and thirsty, homeless, exiles and refugees?  Where is God, when innocent persons die as a result of violence, terrorism and war? “We can only look to Jesus and ask him”, the Pope said, “and Jesus’ answer is this: “God is in them”.  Jesus is in them; he suffers in them and deeply identifies with each of them.” 

The Pope also had words for the group of Syrian refugees present here on Friday evening, saying, “tonight Jesus, and we with him, embrace with particular love our brothers and sisters from Syria who have fled from the war.  We greet them and we welcome them with fraternal affection and friendship.”

As Pope Francis departed from Blonia Park, he left the hundreds of thousands of young people present with this message of hope.

“The Way of the Cross alone defeats sin, evil and death, for it leads to the radiant light of Christ’s resurrection and opens the horizons of a new and fuller life.”  

With Pope Francis in Krakow, I'm Lydia O'Kane

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope asks young people to be of service to humanity

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis told young people that the world needs those who do not live to live their lives “halfway” and who like Christ are ready to spend their lives serving the poorest and most vulnerable. He said the Way of the Cross is Jesus’ style and is a way that fears no lack of success, ostracism or solitude. The Pope was speaking at the conclusion of a Way of the Cross event attended by young people taking part in the World Youth Day gathering in the Polish city of Krakow. During his address to the young people, the Pope had affectionate words of greeting for “our brothers and sisters from Syria who have fled from the war.” The Syrian refugees were among a group of about 20 young people helping to carry the Cross during the first station. The others included a Polish couple who until recently lived on the streets and young people from Italy, Argentina, Ukraine and Pakistan. 

Please find below a translation into English of the Pope’s prepared remarks at the Way of the Cross event:

I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
I was naked and you gave me clothing,
I was sick and you took care of me,
I was in prison and you visited me (Mt 25:35-36).

                These words of Jesus answer the question that arises so often in our minds and hearts:  “Where is God?”  Where is God, if evil is present in our world, if there are men and women who are hungry and thirsty, homeless, exiles and refugees?  Where is God, when innocent persons die as a result of violence, terrorism and war?  Where is God, when cruel diseases break the bonds of life and affection?   Or when children are exploited and demeaned, and they too suffer from grave illness?  Where is God, amid the anguish of those who doubt and are troubled in spirit?  These are questions that humanly speaking have no answer.  We can only look to Jesus and ask him.   And Jesus’ answer is this: “God is in them”.  Jesus is in them; he suffers in them and deeply identifies with each of them.  He is so closely united to them as to form with them, as it were, “one body”.

                Jesus himself chose to identify with these our brothers and sisters enduring pain and anguish by agreeing to tread the “way of sorrows” that led to Calvary.  By dying on the cross, he surrendered himself into to the hands of the Father, taking upon himself and in himself, with self-sacrificing love, the physical, moral and spiritual wounds of all humanity.  By embracing the wood of the cross, Jesus embraced the nakedness, the hunger and thirst, the loneliness, pain and death of men and women of all times.  Tonight Jesus, and we with him, embrace with particular love our brothers and sisters from Syria who have fled from the war.  We greet them and we welcome them with fraternal affection and friendship.

                By following Jesus along the Way of the Cross, we have once again realized the importance of imitating him through the fourteen works of mercy.  These help us to be open to God’s mercy, to implore the grace to appreciate that without mercy we can do nothing; without mercy, neither I nor you nor any of us can do a thing.  Let us first consider the seven corporal works of mercy: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick and those in prison, and burying the dead.  Freely we have received, so freely let us give.  We are called to serve the crucified Jesus in all those who are marginalized, to touch his sacred flesh in those who are disadvantaged, in those who hunger and thirst, in the naked and imprisoned, the sick and unemployed, in those who are persecuted, refugees and migrants.  There we find our God; there we touch the Lord.  Jesus himself told us this when he explained the criterion on which we will be judged: whenever we do these things to the least of our brothers and sisters, we do them to him (cf. Mt 25:31-46).

                After the corporal works of mercy come the spiritual works: counseling the doubtful, instructing the ignorant, admonishing sinners, consoling the afflicted, pardoning offences, bearing wrongs patiently, praying for the living and the dead.  In welcoming the outcasts who suffer physically and welcoming sinners who suffer spiritually, our credibility as Christians is at stake.

                Humanity today needs men and women, and especially young people like yourselves, who do not wish to live their lives “halfway”, young people ready to spend their lives freely in service to those of their brothers and sisters who are poorest and most vulnerable, in imitation of Christ who gave himself completely for our salvation.  In the face of evil, suffering and sin, the only response possible for a disciple of Jesus is the gift of self, even of one’s own life, in imitation of Christ; it is the attitude of service.  Unless those who call themselves Christians live to serve, their lives serve no good purpose.  By their lives, they deny Jesus Christ.

                This evening, dear friends, the Lord once more asks you to be in the forefront of serving others.  He wants to make of you a concrete response to the needs and sufferings of humanity.  He wants you to be signs of his merciful love for our time!  To enable you to carry out this mission, he shows you the way of personal commitment and self-sacrifice.  It is the Way of the Cross.  The Way of the Cross is the way of fidelity in following Jesus to the end, in the often dramatic situations of everyday life.  It is a way that fears no lack of success, ostracism or solitude, because it fills ours hearts with the fullness of Jesus.  The Way of the Cross is the way of God’s own life, his “style”, which Jesus brings even to the pathways of a society at times divided, unjust and corrupt.

                The Way of the Cross alone defeats sin, evil and death, for it leads to the radiant light of Christ’s resurrection and opens the horizons of a new and fuller life.  It is the way of hope, the way of the future.  Those who take up this way with generosity and faith give hope and a future to humanity.

                Dear young people, on that Good Friday many disciples went back crestfallen to their homes.  Others chose to go out to the country to forget the cross.  I ask you: How do you want to go back this evening to your own homes, to the places where you are staying?  How do you want to go back this evening to be alone with your thoughts?  Each of you has to answer the challenge that this question sets before you.

(from Vatican Radio)

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Jesus himself chose to identify with these our brothers and sisters enduring pain and anguish

Address of His Holiness Pope Francis Conclusion of the Way of the Cross Krakow, 29 July 2016 - I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something  o drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me (Mt 25:35-36).

These words of Jesus answer the question that arises so often in our minds and hearts: “Where is God?” Where is God, if evil is present in our world, if there are men and women who are hungry and thirsty, homeless, exiles and refugees? Where is God, when innocent persons die as a result of violence, terrorism and war? Where is God, when cruel diseases break the bonds of life and affection? Or when children are exploited and demeaned, and they too suffer from grave illness? Where is God, amid the anguish of those who doubt and are troubled in spirit? These are questions that humanly speaking have no answer. We can only look to Jesus and ask him. And Jesus’ answer is this: “God is in them”. Jesus is in them; he suffers in them and deeply identifies with each of them. He is so closely united to them as to form with them, as it were, “one body”.

Jesus himself chose to identify with these our brothers and sisters enduring pain and anguish by agreeing to tread the “way of sorrows” that led to Calvary. By dying on the cross, he surrendered himself into to the hands of the Father, taking upon himself and in himself, with self-sacrificing love, the physical, moral and spiritual wounds of all humanity. By embracing the wood of the cross, Jesus embraced the nakedness, the hunger and thirst, the loneliness, pain and death of men and women of all times. Tonight Jesus, and we with him, embrace with particular love our brothers and sisters from Syria who have fled from the war. We greet them and we welcome them with fraternal affection and friendship.

By following Jesus along the Way of the Cross, we have once again realized the importance of imitating him through the fourteen works of mercy. These help us to be open to God’s mercy, to implore the grace to appreciate that without mercy we can do nothing; without mercy, neither I nor you nor any of us can do a thing. Let us first consider the seven corporal works of mercy: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick and those in prison, and burying the dead. Freely we have received, so freely let us give. We are called to serve the crucified Jesus in all those who are marginalized, to touch his sacred flesh in those who are disadvantaged, in those who hunger and thirst, in the naked and imprisoned, the sick and unemployed, in those who are persecuted, refugees and migrants. There we find our God; there we touch the Lord. Jesus himself told us this when he explained the criterion on which we will be judged: whenever we do these things to the least of our brothers and sisters, we do them to him (cf. Mt 25:31-46).

After the corporal works of mercy come the spiritual works: counseling the doubtful, instructing the ignorant, admonishing sinners, consoling the afflicted, pardoning offences, bearing wrongs patiently, praying for the living and the dead. In welcoming the outcast who suffer physically and welcoming sinners who suffer spiritually, our credibility as Christians is at stake.

Humanity today needs men and women, and especially young people like yourselves, who do not wish to live their lives “halfway”, young people ready to spend their lives freely in service to those of their brothers and sisters who are poorest and most vulnerable, in imitation of Christ who gave himself completely for our salvation. In the face of evil, suffering and sin, the only response possible for a disciple of Jesus is the gift of self, even of one’s own life, in imitation of Christ; it is the attitude of service. Unless those who call themselves Christians live to serve, their lives serve no good purpose. By their lives, they deny Jesus Christ.

This evening, dear friends, the Lord once more asks you to be in the forefront of serving others. He wants to make of you a concrete response to the needs and sufferings of humanity. He wants you to be signs of his merciful love for our time! To enable you to carry out this mission, he shows you the way of personal commitment and self-sacrifice. It is the Way of the Cross. The Way of the Cross is the way of fidelity in following Jesus to the end, in the often dramatic situations of everyday life. It is a way that fears no lack of success, ostracism or solitude, because it fills ours hearts with the fullness of Jesus. The Way of the Cross is the way of God’s own life, his “style”, which Jesus brings even to the pathways of a society at times divided, unjust and corrupt.

The Way of the Cross alone defeats sin, evil and death, for it leads to the radiant light of Christ’s resurrection and opens the horizons of a new and fuller life. It is the way of hope, the way of the future. Those who take up this way with generosity and faith give hope and a future to humanity.

Dear young people, on that Good Friday many disciples went back crestfallen to their homes. Others chose to go out to the country to forget the cross. I ask you: How do you want to go back this evening to your own homes, to the places where you are staying? How do you want to go back this evening to be alone with your thoughts? Each of you has to answer the challenge that this question sets before you.

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Pope in Poland: impressions of day 3

Pope Francis visits Children’s Hospital near Krakow

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis visited on Friday the Pediatric Hospital of Prokocim near Krakow and in an address to patients and staff said he wished that “We Christians could be as close to the sick as Jesus was, in silence, with a caress, with prayer.”  Sadly, the Pope continued, “our society is tainted by the culture of waste” and the victims of this “are the weakest and frailest and this is indeed cruel." He thanked all those working at the hospital for the love and compassion shown towards the young patients, describing this as “the sign of true civility, human and Christian: to make those who are most disadvantaged the centre of social and political concern.” 

 

Please find below an English translation of the Pope’s greeting to patients and staff at the Children’s Hospital:

 

Dear brothers and sisters,

                A special part of my visit to Kraków is this meeting with the little patients of this hospital.  I greet all of you and I thank the Prime Minister for his kind words.  I would like to draw near to all children who are sick, to stand at their bedside, and embrace them.  I would like to listen to everyone here, even if for only a moment, and to be still before questions that have no easy answers.  And to pray.

                The Gospel often shows us the Lord Jesus meeting the sick, embracing them and seeking them out.  Jesus is always attentive to them.  He looks at them in the same way that a mother looks at her sick child, and he is moved by compassion for them.

                How I would wish that we Christians could be as close to the sick as Jesus was, in silence, with a caress, with prayer.  Sadly, our society is tainted by the culture of waste, which is the opposite of the culture of acceptance.  And the victims of the culture of waste are those who are weakest and most frail; and this is indeed cruel.  How beautiful it is instead to see that in this hospital the smallest and most needy are welcomed and cared for.  Thank you for this sign of love that you offer us!  This is the sign of true civility, human and Christian: to make those who are most disadvantaged the centre of social and political concern.

Sometimes families feel alone in providing this care.  What can be done?  From this place, so full of concrete signs of love, I would like to say: Let us multiply the works of the culture of acceptance, works inspired by Christian love, love for Jesus crucified, for the flesh of Christ.  To serve with love and tenderness persons who need our help makes all of us grow in humanity.  It opens before us the way to eternal life.  Those who engage in works of mercy have no fear of death.

                I encourage all those who have made the Gospel call to “visit the sick” a personal life decision: physicians, nurses, healthcare workers, chaplains and volunteers.  May the Lord help you to do your work well, here as in every other hospital in the world. May he reward you by giving you inner peace and a heart always capable of tenderness.

Thank you for this encounter!  I carry you with me in affection and prayer.  And please, do not forget to pray for me.

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope Francis visits Auschwitz-Birkenau museum and memorial

Pope Francis sends video message for young people in Havana

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis on Friday sent a video message for young Cubans who organized their own youth gathering to coincide with the official World Youth Day events in Krakow, Poland. In his message the Pope praised the young people for taking this initiative and urged them to unite together in “a social friendship,” regardless of their differences and be “carriers of hope” and “builders of bridges.”

Around 1,400 young Cubans are taking part in their own youth gathering in the capital Havana that’s being attended by young people who for economic reasons cannot afford to travel to the WYD in Poland. They have adopted the same themes as the WYD in Krakow and the event includes catechesis sessions, a Way of the Cross procession and passing through the Holy Door. 

Pope Francis told the young Cubans that he trusted this event will be an opportunity to promote a culture of encounter, respect, understanding and mutual forgiveness. He went on to urge them “not to be afraid of anything” and “to free themselves from the chains of this world” to announce the Good News.

Saying they must be “carriers of hope, the Pope told the young Cubans that in order to be this, they must retain their ability to dream, warning that whoever can’t dream is already like an old-age pensioner.

“Do not be afraid, do not be fussy or choosy,” he declared. “Dream that through your help, Cuba can be different and improve each day.”

Turning to the importance of hope, Pope Francis said hope brings people together to build “a social friendship,” and stressed that it isn’t necessary for them to all think alike to do this. What is important, he said, is that they all share “that desire to dream” and that “love for their nation” and together they can “build bridges” by stretching out their hands to others.   

(from Vatican Radio)

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Holy See to UN: Remember role of religion in Africa peacebuilding

(Vatican Radio) The Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, on Thursday addressed the UN Security Council about the role that grassroots movements, faith-based organizations and local communities play in conflict prevention and peacebuilding on the continent of Africa.

He was speaking during an open debate on Peacebuilding in Africa.

“The Catholic Church in Africa contributes directly to conflict prevention and  peacebuilding  through  the  capillary  presence  of  its  tens  of  thousands  of  institutions, like hospitals and dispensaries, schools and other centers of formation. Catholic humanitarian and charitable agencies work in all countries of Africa in various arenas, such as fostering village dialogues, providing emergency assistance and building small business capacities,” the Archbishop said.

He also called on the United Nations to help stop the arms trade on the continent.

“The proliferation of weapons simply aggravates situations of conflict  and  results  in  a  huge  human  and  material  cost,  which  profoundly  undermines  the search  for  peace,” – Archbishop Auza said – “Peacebuilding can only be effective if human rights are promoted and fostered, if the human dignity of every human being is recognized and protected, and if we all stick together in mutual solidarity, leaving no one behind.”

 

The full text of Archbishop Auza’s intervention is below

 

Intervention of H.E. Archbishop Bernardito Auza

Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations

United Nations Security Council Open Debate on

Peacebuilding in Africa

New York, 28 July 2016

Mr. President,

My delegation wishes to thank Japan’s Presidency of the Security Council for convening this Open Debate on Peacebuilding in Africa.

The divergent results of peacebuilding efforts in African countries in post-conflict situations suggest that there is not a  single model of peacebuilding. Some countries have gained peace and stability and achieved sustained growth, while others continue to wallow in the mire of extreme poverty and unstable if not nonexistent institutions.

Quick-impact interventions like providing food security and basic health-care immediately after a conflict, medium-range initiatives like heavy investment in jobs creation, and long-term programs like institution-building are clearly important pillars to kick-start and sustain peacebuilding.

In addition to these, many other elements must come into play to achieve sustainable peace. My delegation would like to mention first of all the role that grassroots movements, faith-based organizations and local communities play in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. They enjoy concrete knowledge of local realities and immediate interactions  with the local population.

They empower individuals and societies at a local level, identify and nurture new leaders, and rally communities to work together for the  greater common good. They get results that local individuals and communities can easily relate to and identify with.

In this regard, the Catholic Church in Africa contributes directly to conflict prevention and peacebuilding through the capillary presence of its tens of thousands of institutions, like hospitals and dispensaries, schools and other centers of formation. Catholic humanitarian and charitable agencies work in all countries of Africa in various arenas, such as fostering village dialogues, providing emergency assistance and building small business capacities. The Holy See oversees this vast network of quick-impact, medium-term and long-term programs to foster the best possible levels of education and health-care, and to assure continuing efforts to prevent conflict and to build peace through dialogue and integral human development.

Indeed, the Holy See believes that to achieve sustainable peace, it is necessary to bring people together concretely in dialogue, so that opposing positions can be fairly and equally heard and agreed solutions can be found and implemented. It is only through dialogue and negotiation that peoples and nations feel that they are active protagonists of their own peace efforts. Without a collective sense of ownership and attachment to initiatives that concern them, such initiatives would always be considered as something imposed from outside.

The Holy See believes that all peace processes and peacebuilding efforts must go beyond formal negotiations, no matter how indispensable these may be. Formal diplomatic efforts must be accompanied by all forms of “informal diplomacies,” from dialogue among clans and tribes to collaboration among religions and other civil society stakeholders, from discussions between nomadic and settled communities to fair trade talks about Africa’s enormous natural resources at the level of Governments and multinational corporations. Some African countries have achieved sustained peace and development because they have been able to harness “informal and track II diplomacies” fruitfully in a way that complements the formal diplomacy of States and multilateral bodies, thus helping communities and peoples to accept and assimilate the efforts of formal negotiations.

Particularly important to peacebuilding, moreover, are the contributions of women and youth. The Holy See commends the efforts of this Council and of National Governments to arrive at a fuller recognition of the vital role of women in preventive diplomacy, mediation and the peacebuilding process. Similarly, the Holy See commends the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations for recognizing youth as active stakeholders, participants, leaders and partners in the peace process.

Mr. President,

Conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts require, more often than not, considerably more resources than ending wars and civil strife. They demand perseverance, long-term vision and commitment. They are consolidated through thousands of daily actions that are the building blocks of just and peaceful societies. They are achieved when leaders and citizens transcend selfish interests for the common good, reject a spirit of vengeance and take the path of healing and reconciliation.

In this context, it is vital to press for greater progress in disarmament efforts and in checking the legal and illegal arms trade. The proliferation of weapons simply aggravates situations of conflict and results in a huge human and material cost, which profoundly undermines the search for peace. It is the responsibility of the entire international community to further incentivise concrete efforts in this area and to support the commitment of civil society and of religious institutions aimed at preventing conflict.

Peacebuilding can only be effective if human rights are promoted and fostered, if the human dignity of every human being is recognized and protected, and if we all stick together in mutual solidarity, leaving no one behind. In a visit to a favela in Rio de Janeiro three years ago, Pope Francis said: “No amount of  'peace-building' will be able to last, nor will harmony and happiness be attained, in a society that ignores, pushes to the margins, or excludes a part of itself; it loses something essential. We must never, never allow the throwaway culture to enter our hearts! ... No one is disposable!”

At the end of the day, no amount of conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts will succeed if the human person is not the heart of every consideration.

Thank you, Mr. President.

 

 

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope's advice to newlyweds

Young people on Thursday evening chanted and sang songs awaiting Pope Francis to come to the window of the Archbishop’s residence in Krakow and when he came out, the Square below erupted with cheers.

This evening’s remarks were directed at newly married couples and the Pope jokedInizio modulo, they say today there is a good group here, in this square, newlyweds.”

He commended young men and women for having the courage to commit to marriage and because he said “it is not easy to form a family.”

The pope said that he sometimes is asked how married couples can surmount varies difficulties and he suggested that three words are always used, pardon, thanks, and forgiveness.

Marriage, the Pope stressed “is something so beautiful, so beautiful that we must preserve it, because it is forever.”
 

There will always be quarrels, but do not be afraid when this happens, underlined Pope Francis.

This is my advice, he said, “never finish the day without making peace. And you know why? Because the cold war the next day is very dangerous.”

The Holy Father concluded, “I invite you, before receiving the blessing, to pray for all the families present here, for newlyweds, for those who are already married for a long time.”

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope to young people: 'Mercy has a youthful face'

Pope Francis visits ailing Cardinal in Krakow Hospital

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis paid an unscheduled call on Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, Archbishop-emeritus of Krakow.

Cardinal Macharski was Pope St. John Paul II’s immediate successor on the See of St. Stanislaus, which he held from 1978 until 2005.

The 89 year-old Cardinal Macharski is in University Hospital, Krakow, where he is receiving care for a protracted illness.

 

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope tells WYD pilgrims to show mercy by building bridges

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis told hundreds of thousands of World Youth Day pilgrims on Thursday to share God’s merciful love by building bridges and by tearing down barriers, walls and barbed wire. Speaking during a welcome ceremony in the giant Blonia Park, close to Krakow’s city centre, the Pope said "mercy has a youthful face" which can move us beyond our comfort zones and make us ready to embrace everyone. A merciful heart, he said, is able to be a place of refuge for the homeless, sharing bread with the hungry and welcoming refugees and migrants.

Recalling the legacy of Saint John Paul II, who began the tradition of World Youth Days, Pope Francis praised the “enthusiasm, dedication, zeal and energy with which so many young people live their lives”. He warned them not to be tempted by “dark paths” or to “run after peddlers of fond illusions”.

Instead, he urged them to be like Mary, Martha’s sister in the reading from St Luke’s Gospel, who made space to listen to Jesus in the midst of her busy life. The Pope told the young people to imitate Mary of Bethany and Mary of Nazareth by welcoming Jesus, by helping the poor and by listening attentively to other cultures and peoples, "even those we are afraid of because we consider them a threat". 

Please find below the English translation of Pope Francis’ prepared address to young people at the welcome ceremony of WYD in Blonie, Krakow,

Dear Young Friends, good evening!

At last we are together!  Thank you for your warm welcome!  I thank Cardinal Dziwisz, the bishops, priests, men and women religious, the seminarians and those who have accompanied you.  I am also grateful to all those who made it possible for us to be here today, who “went the extra mile” so that we could celebrate our faith.

In this, the land of his birth, I especially want to thank Saint John Paul II, who first came up with the idea of these meetings and gave them such momentum.  From his place in heaven, he is with us and he sees all of you: so many young people from such a variety of nations, cultures and languages but with one aim, that of rejoicing that Jesus is living in our midst.  To say that Jesus is alive means to rekindle our enthusiasm in following him, to renew our passionate desire to be his disciples.  What better opportunity to renew our friendship with Jesus than by building friendships among yourselves!  What better way to build our friendship with Jesus than by sharing him with others!  What better way to experience the contagious joy of the Gospel than by striving to bring the Good News to all kinds of painful and difficult situations!

Jesus called us to this Thirty-first World Youth Day.  Jesus tells us: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy (Mt 5:7).  Blessed indeed are they who can forgive, who show heartfelt compassion, who are capable of offering the very best of themselves to others. 

Dear young people, in these days Poland is in a festive mood; in these days Poland wants to be the ever-youthful face of mercy.  From this land, with you and all those young people who cannot be present today yet join us through the various communications media, we are going to make this World Youth Day an authentic Jubilee celebration.

In my years as a bishop, I have learned one thing.  Nothing is more beautiful than seeing the enthusiasm, dedication, zeal and energy with which so many young people live their lives.  When Jesus touches a young person’s heart, he or she becomes capable of truly great things.  It is exciting to listen to you share your dreams, your questions and your impatience with those who say that things cannot change.  For me, it is a gift of God to see so many of you, with all your questions, trying to make a difference.  It is beautiful and heartwarming to see all that restlessness!  Today the Church looks to you and wants to learn from you, to be reassured that the Father’s Mercy has an ever-youthful face, and constantly invites us to be part of his Kingdom.

Knowing your enthusiasm for mission, I repeat: mercy always has a youthful face!  Because a merciful heart is motivated to move beyond its comfort zone.  A merciful heart can go out and meet others; it is ready to embrace everyone.  A merciful heart is able to be a place of refuge for those who are without a home or have lost their home; it is able to build a home and a family for those forced to emigrate; it knows the meaning of tenderness and compassion.  A merciful heart can share its bread with the hungry and welcome refugees and migrants.  To say the word “mercy” along with you is to speak of opportunity, future, commitment, trust, openness, hospitality, compassion and dreams.

Let me tell you another thing I have learned over these years.  It pains me to meet young people who seem to have opted for “early retirement”.  I worry when I see young people who have “thrown in the towel” before the game has even begun, who are defeated even before they begin to play, who walk around glumly as if life has no meaning.  Deep down, young people like this are bored… and boring!  But it is also hard, and troubling, to see young people who waste their lives looking for thrills or a feeling of being alive by taking dark paths and in the end having to pay for it… and pay dearly.  It is disturbing to see young people squandering some of the best years of their lives, wasting their energies running after peddlers of fond illusions (where I come from, we call them “vendors of smoke”), who rob you of what is best in you. 

We are gathered here to help one another other, because we do not want to be robbed of the best of ourselves.  We don’t to be robbed of our energy, our joy, our dreams by fond illusions.

So I ask you: Are you looking for empty thrills in life, or do you want to feel a power that can give you a lasting sense of life and fulfilment?  Empty thrills or the power of grace?  To find fulfilment, to gain new strength, there is a way.  It is not a thing or an object, but a person, and he is alive.  His name is Jesus Christ. 

Jesus can give you true passion for life.  Jesus can inspire us not to settle for less, but to give the very best of ourselves.  Jesus challenges us, spurs us on and helps us keep trying whenever we are tempted to give up.  Jesus pushes us to keep our sights high and to dream of great things. 

In the Gospel, we heard how Jesus, on his way to Jerusalem, stopped at a home – the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus – and was welcomed.  He stopped, went in and spent time with them.  The two women welcomed him because they knew he was open and attentive.  Our many jobs and responsibilities can make us a bit like Martha: busy, scattered, constantly running from place to place… but we can also be like Mary: whenever we see a beautiful landscape, or look at a video from a friend on our cellphone, we can stop and think, stop and listen…  In these days, Jesus wants to stop and enter our home.  He will look at us hurrying about with all our concerns, as he did with Martha… and he will wait for us to listen to him, like Mary, to make space for him amid the bustle.  May these be days given over to Jesus and to listening to one another.  May they help us welcome Jesus in all those with whom we share our homes, our neighbourhoods, our groups and our schools.

Whoever welcomes Jesus, learns to love as Jesus does.   So he asks us if we want a full life: Do you want a complete life?  Start by letting yourself be open and attentive!  Because happiness is sown and blossoms in mercy.  That is his answer, his offer, his challenge, his adventure: mercy.  Mercy always has a youthful face.  Like that of Mary of Bethany, who sat as a disciple at the feet of Jesus and joyfully listened to his words, since she knew that there she would find peace.  Like that of Mary of Nazareth, whose daring “Yes” launched her on the adventure of mercy.  All generations would call her blessed; to all of us she is the “Mother of Mercy”. 

All together, then, we ask the Lord: “Launch us on the adventure of mercy!  Launch us on the adventure of building bridges and tearing down walls, barriers and barbed wire.  Launch us on the adventure of helping the poor, those who feel lonely and abandoned, or no longer find meaning in their lives.  Send us, like Mary of Bethany, to listen attentively to those we do not understand, those of other cultures and peoples, even those we are afraid of because we consider them a threat.  Make us attentive to our elders, as Mary of Nazareth was to Elizabeth, in order to learn from their wisdom. 

Here we are, Lord!  Send us to share your merciful love.  We want to welcome you in our midst during this World Youth Day.  We want to affirm that our lives are fulfilled when they are shaped by mercy, for that is the better part, and it will never be taken from us.

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope Francis in Poland Day 2

Pope Francis "has a lot of the parish priest in him"

Pope Francis: "Gossip is the terrorism of words"

(Vatican Radio) As Pope Francis continues his papal visit to Poland, he answered the questions of three young people on Wednesday evening, who are participating in World Youth Day.

The first girl recounted how by chance she had not been on the train which was involved in the horrific crash earlier this month. She asked Pope Francis how she can return to normality and overcome the fear she now feels.

Pope Francis said that this was not a physical wound but a wound of the soul; fear.  He explained that life is full of scars and pain, but the young can learn to become wise. He expressed the importance of learning to live with both the beautiful and the ugly both with courage and with pain. Live with joy as it carries you forward and saves you from living in fear.

The second girl explained how she had arrived in Italy six years ago with a very basic understanding of Italian. She became a victim of bullying which pushed her to the point of trying to commit suicide. Although she has chosen to forgive, she explained to Pope Francis that she still feels animosity towards those who hurt her. She asked how can she forgive those completely and move forward as she does not want to hate.

Pope Francis first of all thanked her for telling her story. He gave her an expression that describes the cruelty of language; gossip is terrorism, it’s the terrorism of words, insulting one’s heart, dignity and in this young person’s case, nationality. We must choose silence, patience and most importantly forgiveness, however these choices are not easy. We must ask the Lord for help in choosing to forgive and forget fully, and ask Him to forgive those who hurt us.

The final question came from a boy who had been in Nice during the attack on Bastille Day.  He asked Pope Francis how, as young people, can we continue to spread peace in a world that is full of hate?

Pope Francis answered that peace builds bridges and hate builds walls and in life we have the choice to either build bridges or construct walls. Walls divide us, causing hate to increase, whilst bridges unite us allowing us to communicate with one another. We have the ability to build a human bridge, every time we hold someone’s hand. Even when bridges collapse, we must persevere and look for ways to rebuild them. 

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope Erects Eparchy of Great Britain of Syro-Malabar with a new Bishop

The Holy Father on Thursday, has erected the Eparchy of Great Britain of the Syro-Malabar Church based in Preston and has appointed Dr. Fr. Joseph (Benny Mathew) Srampickal, a member of the clergy of the Eparchy of Palai, until now Vice-Rector of the Collegio De Propaganda Fide in Rome, as the first bishop of the Eparchy.

Msgr. Joseph (Benny Mathew) Srampickal was born on May 30, 1967 in Poovarany, in the Eparchy of Palai. He entered the minor seminary and he studied philosophy at St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, and theology at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome, where he obtained a licentiate in biblical theology. He continued his studies at Oxford (England). He knows: Malayalam, English, Italian and German.

Ordained a priest on August 12, 2000, he has held the following positions: Professor at the minor seminary and Ephrem Formation Centre of Pala; Director of the Mar Sleeva Nursing College, Cherpumkal; Director of the Evangelization Programme; Secretary of the Bishop; Pastor at Urulikunnam. From 2013, he is Vice Rector of the Pontifical Urbaniana College of the Propaganda Fide, Rome.

The last thirty years have seen a growing influx of immigrants from India to the British Isles. More than 38,000 Syro Malabar faithful reside in England, Scotland and Wales. They are present in twenty-seven dioceses, concentrated mainly in the big cities: London, Birmingham and Liverpool. Twenty-three Syro Malabar priests are engaged in pastoral care, coordinated by Dr. Thomas Parayadiyil, MST, from 2013. In addition to the liturgical celebrations, training programs were established in the faith according to the Syro Malabar tradition for both, adults as well as children, with significant benefits for the involvement of the laity.

The See of the circumscription is in Preston, in the Diocese of Lancaster, where the Cathedral dedicated to St. Alphonsa is located, along with the Registry and the Residence of the new Bishop Joseph (Benny Mathew) Srampickal.

 

(from Vatican Radio)

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Pope appoints apostolic visitator for Syro-Malabar faithful living in Europe

(Vatican Radio) The Holy Father has appointed Mons. Stephen Chirappanath, of the clergy of the eparchy of Irinjalakuda, as the Apostolic Visitor for the Syro-Malabar faithful living in Europe, elevating him to the episcopate and assigning him the Titular see of Slebte.

Msgr. Stephen Chirappanath was born December 26, 1961 at Puthenchira. After his philosophical and theological studies at St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, he obtained a doctorate in moral theology at the Alphonsian Academy in Rome. He speaks Malayalam, English, Italian and German.

He was ordained a priest on December 26, 1987 and has also held the following positions: Priest in Padua Nagar; Tribunal ; Director of the Centers for Drug Rehabilitation; Rector of St. Paul's Minor Seminary, Irinjalakuda; Professor, and then Vice Rector of St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary in Vadavathoor. Since 2011 he is the procurator to the Major Archbishop in Rome and the coordinator for the Syro Malabar faithful in Italy, offices which he will continue to hold.

In recent decades, the emigration of Indians in the West has been growing significantly. Now there are Syro Malabar communities in different European countries: Italy, Austria, Denmark, France, Germany and Switzerland, as well as Ireland. The number of faithful varies from 11,125 in Italy to 7768 in Ireland, and only 30 in Denmark, with a total of about 30,000. There are 20 centers for the Celebration of ‘Qurbana’ (Liturgical Service) in Italy, 16 in Ireland, 10 in Austria and less in other countries, with about 35 priests. The Apostolic Visitor has the duty to visit the faithful of his Church living in Europe, interacting with the Ordinaries of the place to which they are entrusted, referring to the Apostolic See about their pastoral care.

 

(from Vatican Radio)

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Homily of Pope Francis for Mass in Czestochowa

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday morning celebrated Mass at the Jasna Gora Monastery in Czestochowa, Poland, to mark the 1050^th anniversary of the ‘Baptism of Poland.’

The full text of his homily is below

 

Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis

1050^th Anniversary of the Baptism of Poland

Czestochowa, 28 July 2016

 

            From the readings of this Liturgy a divine thread emerges, one that passes through human history and weaves the history of salvation.

            The apostle Paul tells us of God’s great plan: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his son, born of a woman” (Gal 4:4).  But history tells us that when this “fullness of time” came, when God became man, humanity was not especially well-disposed, nor was there even a period of stability and peace: there was no “Golden Age”.  The scenario of this world did not merit the coming of God; indeed, “his own received him not” (Jn 1:11).  The fullness of time was thus a gift of grace: God filled our time out of the abundance of his mercy.  Out of sheer love he inaugurated the fullness of time.

            It is particularly striking how the coming of God into history came about: he was “born of a woman”.  There was no triumphal entrance or striking epiphany of the Almighty.  He did not reveal himself as a brilliantly rising sun, but entered the world in the simplest of ways, as a child from his mother, with that “style” that Scripture tells us is like a rainfall upon the land (cf. Is 55:10), like the smallest of seeds which sprouts and grows (cf. Mk 4:31-32).  Thus, contrary to our expectations and perhaps even our desires, the kingdom of God, now as then, “does not come in a way that attracts attention” (Lk 17:20), but rather in littleness, in humility.

            Today’s Gospel takes up this divine thread delicately passing through history: from the fullness of time we come to the “third day” of Jesus’ ministry (cf. Jn  2:1) and the proclamation of the “hour” of salvation (cf. v. 4).  Time shortens, God always shows himself in littleness.  And so we come to “the first of the signs that Jesus did” (v. 11), in Cana of Galilee.

There is no amazing deed done before the crowd, or even a word to settle a heated political question like that of the subjection of the people to the power of Rome.  Instead, in a small village, a simple miracle takes place and brings joy to the wedding of a young and completely anonymous family.  At the same time, the water that became wine at the wedding banquet is a great sign, for it reveals to us the spousal face of God, a God who sits at table with us, who dreams and holds communion with us.  It tells us that the Lord does not keep his distance, but is near and real.  He is in our midst and he takes care of us, without making decisions in our place and without troubling himself with issues of power.  He prefers to let himself be contained in little things, unlike ourselves, who always want to possess something greater.  To be attracted by power, by grandeur, by appearances, is tragically human.  It is a great temptation that tries to insinuate itself everywhere.  But to give oneself to others, eliminating distances, dwelling in littleness and living the reality of one’s everyday life: this is exquisitely divine.

God saves us, then by making himself little, near and real.  First God makes himself little.  The Lord, who is “meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29), especially loves the little ones, to whom the kingdom of God is revealed (Mt 11:25); they are great in his eyes and he looks to them (cf. Is 66:2).  He especially loves them because they are opposed to the “pride of life” that belongs to the world (cf. 1 Jn 2:16).  The little ones speak his own language, that of the humble love that brings freedom.  So he calls the simple and receptive to be his spokespersons; he entrusts to them the revelation of his name and the secrets of his heart.  Our minds turn to so many sons and daughters of your own people, like the martyrs made the defenseless power of the Gospel shine forth, like those ordinary yet remarkable people who bore witness to the Lord’s love amid great trials, and those meek and powerful heralds of mercy who were Saint John Paul II and Saint Faustina.  Through these “channels” of his love, the Lord has granted priceless gifts to the whole Church and to all mankind.  It is significant that this anniversary of the baptism of your people exactly coincides with the Jubilee of mercy.

Then too, God is near, his kingdom is at hand (cf. Mk 1:15).  The Lord does not want to be feared like a powerful and aloof sovereign.  He does not want to remain on his throne in heaven or in history books, but loves to come down to our everyday affairs, to walk with us.  As we think of the gift of a millennium so filled with faith, we do well before all else to thank God for having walked with your people, having taken you by the hand and accompanied you in so many situations.  That is what we too, in the Church, are constantly called to do: to listen, to get involved and be neighbours, sharing in people’s joys and struggles, so that the Gospel can spread every more consistently and fruitfully: radiating goodness through the transparency of our lives.

Finally, God is real.  Today’s readings make it clear that everything about God’s way of acting is real and concrete.  Divine wisdom “is like a master worker” and “plays” (cf. Prov 8:30).  The Word becomes flesh, is born of a mother, is born under the law (cf. Gal 4:4), has friends and goes to a party.  The eternal is communicated by spending time with people and in concrete situations.  Your own history, shaped by the Gospel, the Cross and fidelity to the Church, has seen the contagious power of a genuine faith, passed down from family to family, from fathers to sons and above all from mothers and grandmothers, whom we need so much to thank.  In particular, you have been able to touch with your hand the real and provident tenderness of the Mother of all, whom I have come here as a pilgrim to venerate and whom we have acclaimed in the Psalm as the “great pride of our nation” (Jud 15:9).

It is to Mary, then that we, who have gathered here, now look.  In her, we find complete conformity to the Lord.  Throughout history, interwoven with the divine thread, is also a “Marian thread”.  If there is any human glory, any merit of our own in the fullness of time, it is she.  Mary is that space, preserved free from sin, where God chose to mirror himself.  She is the stairway God took to descend and draw near to us.  She is the clearest sign of the fullness of time.

In the life of Mary we admire that littleness that God loves, for he “looked upon the humility of his servant”, and “lifted up the lowly” (Lk 1:48, 52).  He was so pleased with her that he let his flesh be woven from hers, so that the Virgin became the Mother of God, as an ancient hymn, sung for centuries, proclaims. To you who uninterruptedly come to her, converging upon this, the spiritual capital of the country, may she continue to point the way.  May she help you to weave in your own lives the humble and simple thread of the Gospel.

At Cana, as here in Jasna Góra, Mary offers us her nearness and helps us to discover what we need to live life to the full.  Now as then, she does this with a mother’s love, by her presence and counsel, teaching us to avoid hasty decisions and grumbling in our communities.  As the Mother of a family, she wants to keep us together.  Through unity, the journey of your people has surmounted any number of harsh experiences.  May the Mother, who stood steadfast at the foot of the Cross and persevered in prayer with the disciples in awaiting the Holy Spirit, obtain for you the desire to leave behind all past wrongs and wounds, and to build fellowship with all, without ever yielding to the temptation to withdraw or to domineer.

At Cana, Our Lady showed great realism.  She is a Mother who takes people’s problems to heart and acts.  She recognizes moments of difficulty and handles them discreetly, efficiently and decisively.  She is neither imperious nor intrusive, but a Mother and a handmaid.  Let us ask for the grace to imitate her sensitivity and her creativity in serving those in need, and to know how beautiful it is to spend our lives in the service of others, without favourites or distinctions.  May Mary, Cause of our Joy, who brings peace amid the profusion of sin and the turmoil of history, obtain for us the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and enable us to be good and faithful servants

            Through her intercession, may the fullness of time come about also for us.  The transition from before to after Christ means little if it remains a date in the annals of history.  May each one of us be able to make an interior passage, a Passover of the heart, towards the divine “style” incarnated by Mary.  May we do everything in littleness, and accompany others at close hand, with a simple and open heart.

 

 

(from Vatican Radio)

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