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Day: November 8, 2014

Pope exhorts Salesian Sisters to be prophetic witnesses

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has encouraged the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians to be prophetic witnesses and to widen their gazes to recognize the most authentic and urgent needs of a generation that is changing. The sisters, whose mission is among the young and the poor, were founded by Saint John Bosco and Saint Maria Domenica Mazzarello and are more commonly known as the Salesian Sisters On Saturday, Pope Francis met with those sisters who are in Rome for the institute’s General Chapter. In addition to electing their new General Council, the Chapter also served to reflect on the institute’s mission and to draw new lines for pastoral action. The Pope encouraged the sisters to move ahead with their new orientations, which include transforming their houses into environments for evangelization, implementing paths for change and pastoral conversion, and forming young people to become evangelizers of other youth. He also encouraged them to sustain their lives with prayer, adoration and the Word of God. With regard to their mission among the young, the Pope urged the sisters to “be everywhere a prophetic witness and educative presence through an unconditional welcome of the young…and individuating paths to render (their) apostolic interventions effective in a context…permeated by the virtual world and new technologies.” Speaking of the sisters’ call to witness to community, he also warned them of what he termed the “terrorism” affecting religious life—gossip.   “Never should you permit envy and jealousy among you,” he said, adding: “Gossip is a bomb” that destroys community. He encouraged the sisters toward continuing formation and education in order to help in their  mission. Finally, he exhorted the sisters to “be missionaries of joy, witness to the values that are proper to (their) Salesian identity, particularly the value of encounter,” describing the latter as “a spring” from which they “can draw that love that revitalizes that passion for God and for the young”. The Pope concluded, urging the sisters to turn to their founders for inspiration when faced with the inevitable difficulties of the mission. Report by Laura Ieraci (from Vatican Radio)…

Pope meets with adult Scout movement

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis greeted a group of Italian adult scouts today at Paul VI Hall, encouraging them on their “path” of formation.  In his message, the Holy Father encouraged them to continue on the “path”  of scouting, a term that describes the formative dimension of the movement.  He outlined three paths: family, creation, and the city.
Listen to the report by Andrew Summerson: 

“All vocations take their first steps in the family…a movement such as yours, based on continuing education…for you, Christian parents, the educational mission finds its source in the sacrament of marriage, in which the raising of children constitutes a true ministry in the Church”, he said.
Pope Francis also encouraged the group to continue the on path in the care of creation, saying that “ecological question is vital for the survival of man. It has a moral dimension that affects everyone, so no one can be disinterested in the question”.
Pope Francis asked them to continue on paths in the city. “Living in the city you are asked to be the leaven in the dough, offering a sincere contribution to realize the common good”.
Finally, Pope Francis exhorted them to continue their journey, emphasizing that “ your formation as scouts is good training!” Echoing St. Paul, he said Christians train, not like athletes for an ephemeral prize, but to be “a good missionary disciple of the Lord Jesus”.
(from Vatican Radio)…

The Temple and Worship

THE TEMPLE AND WORSHIP In all of today’s readings, the temple is prominently mentioned. Ezekiel speaks of streams of living water flowing out from the temple, watering the desert, bringing life to all living things, offering fresh healing to God’s people. Paul reminds the Corinthians that their faith rests upon the firmest of foundations, Christ…
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Bulletin: November 9, 2014-The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Bulletin: November 9, 2014 – The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Pope meets with adult scout movement

(Vatican Radio) In his message, he encouraged them to continue on the “path”  of scouting, a term that describes the formative dimension of the movement.  He outlined three paths: family, creation, and the city. Listen to the report by Andrew Summerson:   “All vocations take their first steps in the family…a movement such as yours, based on…
Read more