(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis denounced a hidden euthanasia of elderly telling thousands of young people gathered on Naples waterfront that family affection is the best medicine for the elderly, solitude their worst poison.
Some 100 thousand young people gathered on Naples waterfront in what was Pope Francis’ last appointment on his busy one day pastoral visit to the southern Italian Campania region.
Greeted to cheers shouted in the local dialect on arriving on the stage the Pope took the microphone to encourage the crowd to shout the name of Jesus and proclaim their faith in Him and not that of the Pope.
Then in what has become the Pope’s preferred form of encounter, people were invited to pose questions for him to answer. As he responded to the first question on how to recognize God in today’s world, he apologized for reaming seated, confessing his tiredness after a hectic day.
“Our God is a God of words, gestures and silences”, he replied pointing to the parable of the Good Shepherd. He is a God who knows us better then we know ourselves, who speaks to us in the silence of our hearts. But God can’t speak to us if we are not silent, if we do not silently gaze at the Crucifix. We can draw near to the silence of God by contemplating Christ crucified abandoned.
God did create us to be happy, but that does not mean that everything in life will be perfect if we believe in Him. The Pope said one of the great silences of God regards why do children suffer. We can’t always understand the silence of God, so “we have to get closer to Christ on the cross”.
The second question, posed by an elderly women, was about the integration of the elderly into society today so they are not left alone or abandoned.
In his response Pope Francis roundly condemned the throw away culture of today with discards not only the elderly but also children and the unborn, which considers children useless and the affection of a cat or dog preferable.
He also clearly condemned a society which sees euthanasia as a solution to the ills of old age. However, not just ‘technical euthanasia’ administered with an injection, the Pope also spoke of a ‘hidden euthanasia’, when old people are denied medicine, food, the affection of their family. Solitude, said Pope Francis is the great poison of the old. And he urged all present with elderly parents to examine their conscience, and think of when was the last time they phoned or visited them.
The Third question regarded ideological attacks on family, to which Pope Francis replied “The family is in crisis. It’s true. But it’s not new. He said marriage and family life isn’t like learning a language – eight lessons and you’re fluent. It takes time. And must be well prepared. Above all he concluded it requires the witness of married couples, who can teach young people how to face and resolve problems together.
Taking his leave of the crowds as the sun set over the Bay of Naples, the Pope said that youth and elderly must remain united. The youth have the strength. The elderly have the memory and the wisdom.
“Today is the first day of Spring. Pray for young people. For their future. For hope”.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis spoke of the ‘terrorism of gossip’ as the biggest sign of the devils work in a meeting with priests, religious and seminarians at Naples Cathedral Saturday.
The Gothic ‘Duomo’ – home to the much revered relic of St. Januarius patron Saint of Naples – was the setting for Pope Francis’ first appointment of the afternoon.
He was welcomed by Cardinal Crescenzio Seppe, the Archbishop of Naples and then surrounded by an enthusiastic group of cloistered nuns who had been given special permission to attend the encounter.
The spontaneity of the cloistered set the tone for a convivial meeting, so much so, that in what has become a classic move, Pope Francis began saying “I prepared a speech, but speeches are boring” before launching into a forty minute off-the-cuff reflection on priestly and religious life.
Pope Francis reminded the priests, religious, seminarians and deacons present to put Jesus at the center of their life and not personal problems with their bishop, other priests or members of their community. He said “If the center of your life is someone you have a problem with, you’ll have no joy” and when there’s no joy in life of priest or nun, ‘people can smell it’.
To seminarians, he said “If Jesus isn’t center of your life, postpone ordination”, while he urged religious men and women to nurture a deep relationship with Mary saying “if you don’t know the Mother, you won’t know Son”.
Pope Francis also spoke of the danger of attachment to worldly goods. He said when priests or nuns are attached to money, they unconsciously prefer people with money. Here, in a humorous aside, the Pope told the story of one nun so attached to money that when she fainted someone suggested putting 100 pesos under her nose to wake her up. Instead, ordained and consecrated must always have a preferential option for the poor.
Pope Francis also tested those present asking how many could remember the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Too many of us can’t, he said. He spoke of a convent that remodeled and put TVs in every room, which hindered community life.
“Community life isn’t easy” Pope Francis admitted. Often because “the devil sows jealously” which is revealed in the ‘terrorism of gossip’, that can destroy others. This, he stated “is the greatest sign of the devil’s work”.
But all of these dangers can be avoided by three simple things, Pope Francis concluded: Adoration, love of the Church and apostolic zeal. Warning that the Church isn’t an NGO, Pope Francis said “I leave you with three things: adore Jesus, love the Church, be a missionary”.
The encounter concluded with the veneration of the relics of St. Januarius, a vile of dried blood which each March 19 th on the Feast of the great patron is moved, liquefies and visibly flows again. It has become inseparable in popular imagination with good fortune.
As the Pope kissed the reliquary, cardinal Sepe announced the blood of St Januarius “is already halfway liquefied”. To which Pope Francis calmly responded if the blood only half liquefied it means the Saint thinks we’re only half converted. “We must keep going.”
Following his encounter with the clergy and religious of Naples, Pope Francis held a closed door encounter with the sick and disabled in the Jesuit Church in Naples.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis denounced a hidden euthanasia of elderly telling thousands of young people gathered on Naples waterfront that family affection is the best medicine for the elderly, solitude their worst poison. Some 100 thousand young people gathered on Naples waterfront in what was Pope Francis’ last appointment on his busy one day pastoral…
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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis denounced a hidden euthanasia of elderly telling thousands of young people gathered on Naples waterfront that family affection is the best medicine for the elderly, solitude their worst poison. Some 100 thousand young people gathered on Naples waterfront in what was Pope Francis’ last appointment on his busy one day pastoral…
Read more
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis denounced a hidden euthanasia of elderly telling thousands of young people gathered on Naples waterfront that family affection is the best medicine for the elderly, solitude their worst poison. Some 100 thousand young people gathered on Naples waterfront in what was Pope Francis’ last appointment on his busy one day pastoral…
Read more