(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis at his Wednesday General Audience continued his catechesis on the family, focusing on life within the family. “Today’s catechesis is like the gateway to a series of reflections on the life of the family, its real life, with its different times and events.” On this gateway, he said, “are written three…
Read more
“May I?”, “thank you”,
“pardon me”. The “three key expressions for family life” were proposed
by Francis to the faithful who
took part in the General Audience of Wednesday, 13 May, in St Peter’s Square. They are the
expressions of someone who is “well-mannered”, the Pope explained, specifying
that this is not “a kind of formalism that masks a dryness of soul and indifference
toward the other person”, but a habit of relating that is “rooted in love for
the good and respect for the other”. The following is a translation of the
catechesis, which was delivered in Italian. Dear brothers and sisters, good morning! Today’s catechesis will
serve as a doorway to a series of reflections on family life and what it’s
really like to live in a family, day in and day out. Imagine three expressions
written above the doorway; expressions I’ve already mentioned here in Saint
Peter’s Square several times before. The expressions are: “may I?”, “thank
you”, and “pardon me”. Indeed, these expressions open up the way to living well
in your family, to living in peace. They are simple expressions, but not so
simple to put into practice! They hold much power: the power to keep the home
life intact even when tested with a thousand problems. But if they are absent,
little holes can start to crack open and the whole thing may even
collapse. We usually include these
expressions under the general category of being “well-mannered”. Okay, a
well-mannered person asks permission, says thanks, and asks to be excused after
making a mistake. Very well. But good manners really are that important. A
great Bishop, Francis de Sales, used to say that “good manners are are already
half the way to holiness”. But be careful: history has shown that good manners
also can become a kind of formalism that masks a dryness of soul and
indifference toward the other person. It is often said, “behind a lot of good
manners lurk a lot of bad habits”. Not even religion is immune from the risk of
having formal observance sink into spiritual worldliness. The Devil, tempting
Jesus, boasts of good manners. Indeed, he presents himself as a gentleman, a
knight in shining armor. He even presents himself as a theologian by quoting
Holy Scripture. He appears to have everything right and neat on the outside,
but his intent is always to lead others astray from the truth of God’s love.
We, however, mean “good manners” only in the most authentic way, according to which the habit of
cultivating good relations is firmly rooted in a love for the good and a
respect for the other person. The family lives according to this refined sense
of loving. Let’s look at these
expressions: the first expression is, “may I?” When we take care to ask for
something kindly – even something we think we have a rightful claim to – we
help to strengthen the common life that undergirds marriage and the family. To
enter into the life of another, even when that person already has a part to
play in our life, demands the sensitivity of a non-invasive attitude which
renews trust and respect. Indeed, the deeper and more intimate love is, the
more it calls for a respect for the freedom of the other and the ability to wait
until he or she opens the door to the heart. At this point, we can remember the
words of Jesus in the Book of Revelation: “Behold, I stand at the door
and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him
and eat with him, and he with me” (3:20). Even the Lord asks permission to
enter! Let us not forget that. Before doing anything in your family, ask: “Do
you mind if I do this? Would you like me to do this?” This way of asking is
well-mannered indeed, but it is also full of love. This does so much good for
families. The second expression is
“thank you”. Sometimes we have to wonder if we are turning into a civilization
of bad manners and bad words, as if this were a sign of self-liberation. It’s
not uncommon to hear these bad words publicly. Kindness and the ability to say
thanks are often considered a sign of weakness and raise the suspicion of
others. This tendency is encountered even within the nucleus of the family. We
must become firmly determined to educate others to be grateful and
appreciative: the dignity of the person and social justice must both pass
through the portal of the family. If family life neglects this style of living,
social life will also reject it. Gratitude, however, stands at the very core of
the faith of the believer. A Christian who does not know how to thank has lost
the very “language” of God. This is terrible! Let’s not forget Jesus’s question
after he heals the ten lepers and only one of them returns to thank him (Luke
17:18). I remember once listening to a very wise, old person; very simple, but
with that uncommon wisdom of life and piety: “Gratitude is a plant that grows
only in the soil of noble souls”. That nobility of soul, that grace of God in
the soul compels us to say “thanks” in gratitude. It is the flower of a noble
soul. This really is something beautiful. The third expression is “excuse me”. Granted, it’s not always easy to
say, but it is so necessary. Whenever it is lacking, the little cracks begin to
open up – even when we don’t want them to – and they can even become enormous
sinkholes. It’s hardly insignificant that in the “Our Father” that Jesus
teaches us – a prayer that sums up all of life’s essential questions – we find
this expression: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass
against us” (Matt 6:16). To acknowledge that we have fallen short, to be
desirous of returning that which has been taken away – respect, sincerity, love
– these make us worthy of pardon. This is how we heal the infection. If we are
not able to forgive ourselves, then we are no longer able to forgive period . A house in which the words “I’m
sorry” are never uttered begins to lack air, and the flood waters begin to
choke those who live inside. So many wounds, so many cuts and bruises are the
result of a lack of these precious words: “I am sorry”. Marriage life is so
often torn apart by fights … the “plates will even start flying”, but let me
give you a word of advice: never finish the day without making peace with one
another. Listen to me carefully: have you fought with your wife or husband?
Kids – have you fought with your parents? Did you fight hard ? That’s not a good thing, but that’s not really the problem:
the problem arises only if this feeling hangs over into the next day. So if
you’ve fought, do not let the day end without making peace with your family.
And how am I going to make peace? By getting down on my knees? No! Just by a
small gesture, a little something, and harmony within your family will be
restored. Just a little caress, no words necessary. But don’t let the sun go
down on your family without having made your peace. Do you understand me? It’s
not easy, but you have to do it. It will help to make life so much more
beautiful. So these are three key expressions for family life are really simple
words; so simple that perhaps they even bring a grin to our face. But when we
forget them, it’s no laughing matter, right? Perhaps we overlook our good
manners too often. May the Lord help us to put them back where they belong: in
our hearts, in our houses, and in our civic life. These are the words that
truly enter into the love of a family. Special Groups I offer an affectionate greeting to all the English-speaking pilgrims
and visitors present at today’s Audience, including those from England, Sweden,
Taiwan, Cameroon and the United States.
May Jesus Christ strengthen you and your families in faith, so that you
may be a sign to the world of his love and mercy. May God bless you all! I address a special thought to young people, to the sick and to
newlyweds. Today is the liturgical memory of the Blessed Virgin of Fatima. Dear
young people, learn to cultivate a devotion to the Mother of God with the daily
recitation of the Rosary; dear sick people, feel Mary present at the hour of
the Cross and you, dear newlyweds, pray to her that love and mutual respect
never be lacking in your home….
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said Tuesday whoever lives the mission of “Caritas” is a true witness of Christ.
Speaking during his homily for the opening Mass of the XXth General Assembly of “Caritas Internationalis”, the Pope said the Church’s humanitarian and development organization reveals the power of Christian love and the desire of the Church to reach out to Jesus in every person, especially the poor and the suffering.
The Mass, in St. Peter’s Basilica, inaugurated the “Caritas Internationalis” General Assembly during which members of the Caritas Confederation from across the globe come together to approve a strategic framework and a budget for the next four years.
Please find below the translation of the full text of the Pope’s homily:
HOMILY FOR THE OPENING MASS
OF THE XXth GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF CARITAS INTERNATIONALIS*
12.5.2015
The reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 16: 22-34) that we have just heard presents us a somewhat special character. It is the jailer of the prison at Philippi, where Paul and Silas were imprisoned following an up roar of the crowd against them. The magistrates first had Paul and Silas beaten and then sent to prison, ordering the jailer to keep a good guard. So, during the night, when the man felt the earthquake and saw the prison doors open, he was full of despair and thought of killing himself. But Paul reassured him; and trembling and full of wonder, the man got down on his knees and pleaded for salvation.
The story tells us that the man immediately took the necessary steps on the path towards faith and salvation: together with his household, he listened to the Word of the Lord; washed the wounds of Paul and Silas; received Baptism with his entire family; and finally, full of joy, he welcomed Paul and Silas into his home, setting the table and offering them something to eat.
The Gospel, proclaimed and believed, urges us to wash the feet and the wounds of the suffering and to prepare the table for them. The simplicity of the gestures, where the acceptance of the Word and the sacrament of Baptism are accompanied by the welcome of the brother, as if these were indeed one single gesture: to welcome God and to welcome others; to welcome others with the grace of God; to welcome God and express this act in the service to our brothers and sisters. Word, Sacraments and service refer to and nourish each other, as can already be seen in these testimonies of the early Church.
We can see in this gesture the entire vocation of Caritas. Caritas is now a great Confederation, widely recognized throughout the world for its work and accomplishments. Caritas is a reality of the Church in many parts of the world and must still seek a greater expansion in the different parishes and communities, to renew what took place in the early days of the Church. In fact, the source of all your service lies in the simple and docile welcome of God and neighbor.This is the source; if you take away this source Caritas will die. This welcome is first personally experienced by you, so that you may then go out into the world, and there, to serve others in the name of Christ, whom you have met and whom you will continue to meet in every brother and sister that you will approach as your neighbor. Thanks to this, you will actually avoid the risk of being reduced to a mere humanitarian organization.
There are no large or small “Caritas”‘, they are all the same. Let us ask the Lord for the grace to understand what is the true dimension of “Caritas”; the grace so as not to fall into the deceit of believing that well-organized centralization is the right road to take; the grace to understand that “Caritas” is always to be found in the peripheries, in each particular Church; the grace to believe that the central “Caritas” is only aid, service and common experience but it is not the head of them all.
Whoever lives the mission of Caritas is not simple charitable worker, but is a true witness of Christ. He is a person who seeks Christ and allows Christ to seek him; people who love with the spirit of Christ, a spirit of gratuitousness and gift. All of our strategies and plans remain empty unless we carry this love in us. Not our love, but His. Or better yet: our love, purified and strengthened by His love.
In this way, we can serve everyone and set the table for all. This is also a beautiful image that the Word of God offers us today: setting the table. Even now, God sets the table of the Eucharist. Caritas sets many tables for the hungry. In recent months you launched the great campaign”One human family, food for all”. There are still so many people today who do not have enough to eat. The planet has enough food for all, but it seems that there is a lack of willingness to share it with everyone. We ought to set the table for all, and ask that there be a table for all. We must do what we can so that everyone has something to eat, but we must also remind the powerful of the Earth that God will call them to judgement one day and there it will be revealed if they really tried to provide food for Him in every person (cf. Matt.25: 35) and if they did what they could to preserve the environment so that it could produce this food.
And thinking about the table of the Eucharist, we cannot forget our Christian brothers and sisters who have been violently deprived of the food for the body and for the soul: they have been driven from their homes and their churches – at times destroyed. I renew the appeal not to forget these people and these intolerable injustices.
Together with many other charitable organizations of the Church, Caritas, therefore, reveals the power of Christian love and the desire of the Church to reach out to Jesus in every person, especially the poor and suffering. This is the path that lies ahead of us. With this perspective, I hope that you will carry out your work during these. We entrust them to the Virgin Mary, who has made this welcome of God and neighbor as the fundamental criteria of her life. In fact, tomorrow we will celebrate Our Lady of Fatima, who appeared to announce victory over evil. With such a great support, we are not afraid to continue our mission. Amen.
*The official text is published on the website of the Holy See.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said Tuesday whoever lives the mission of “Caritas” is a true witness of Christ. Speaking during his homily for the opening Mass of the XXth General Assembly of “Caritas Internationalis”, the Pope said the Church’s humanitarian and development organization reveals the power of Christian love and the desire of the Church…
Read more
(Vatican Radio) ‘One Human Family, Caring for Creation’ – that’s the theme of the Caritas Internationalis General Assembly which kicked off Tuesday in Rome. A press conference introducing the works of the 12-17 May Assembly was held in the Vatican Press Office. Pope Francis was to officially open the Assembly with a special Mass Tuesday evening at 5:30 pm local time in Saint Peter’s Basilica. Click here to follow the Mass live . Over the next five days, more than 300 delegates from around the world will lay out plans for the coming four years, aimed at improving the lives of those living in poverty and misery.
“Pope Francis has asked us to go to the ‘peripheries’ to help those in need,” said Caritas Internationalis President Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga. “During the Caritas Internationalis General Assembly, the peripheries will come to Rome to seek better ways to improve our service to the most vulnerable”.
Cardinal Rodríguez Maradiaga will officially open the event on 13 May at Domus Mariae Church Palace Hotel.
Guest speakers will include Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; theologian Fr Gustavo Gutierrez O.P; economist Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Dr Jacques Diouf, Special Envoy for the Sahel and the Horn of Africa; and Beverly Haddad from the University of Kwazulu-Natal.
Some fifty young people, volunteers, grassroots communities and campaigners against hunger will also be present.
“Inequality, migration, climate change, conflict, and the scandal of hunger are challenges facing Caritas and its mission to promote development and justice,” said Michel Roy, Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis. “There are major opportunities coming up to work towards this goal, such as a new papal encyclical on human ecology, the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals and the COP 21 climate meeting in Paris”.
Key leadership roles will also be up for election. Cardinal Rodríguez Maradiaga will step down as president after eight years. Candidates for president are Archbishop Youssef Soueif , president of Caritas Cyprus and Cardinal Luis Tagle, Archbishop of Manila. Elections for the leadership will take place on 14 May.
After the General Assembly, Caritas delegates will go to the EXPO 2015 in Milan for an official EXPO Caritas Day on 19 May. The event is part of Caritas’ campaign ‘One Human Family, Food for All’ which aims to end hunger by 2025.
During Tuesday’s press conference, Michel Roy described the General Assembly as a unique moment to “celebrate who we are and what we do.” Mr Roy said that Caritas had prepared a 5 point strategic framework that would be discussed over the course of the meeting.
Michel Roy also explained that there will be a “new governance coming out of this Assembly” A new President of Caritas Internationalis will be elected as Cardinal Maradiaga will have completed the maximum two terms at the helm of the organization.
Listen to Michel Roy, Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis:
(from Vatican Radio)…