(Vatican Radio) The Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, said on Tuesday the Church cannot abandon those who are involved in the “spiral of drugs.”
Cardinal Parolin was celebrating Mass at the Italian Centre of Solidarity Don Mario Picchi in Rome, marking the Jubilee of Mercy. Those at the Mass were being treated for drug addiction, accompanied by their families, as well as many who have overcome their dependency.
“We cannot limit ourselves to the work of recovery,” he said. “We have to work on prevention. We have here before us the example of many young people who, eager to escape drug addiction, are committed to rebuilding their lives. It is an incentive to look ahead with faith.”
Cardinal Parolin said faith in Christ can help them in their recovery.
“Your lives, with scars that speak of suffering and pain, but they also recount the resurrection of Christ that takes place within you,” he said. “You are now resurrected with Jesus to new life, and you agree, like the disciples of Emmaus, to walk forever with the Master along the roads of your lives not falling into the same mistakes. In doing this you are not alone, and you can count on the help of the Lord and the closeness of so many friends and fellow travelers.”
During his homily, Cardinal Parolin said the Church “cannot remain silent” in the face of the drugs crisis, and reiterated the position of Pope Francis that drugs are “an evil” and we “cannot compromise” on the issue, along with noting the legalization of so-called “soft drugs” has not had the desired effect of limiting their damage.
“In recent years, unfortunately, the range of addictions has kept on expanding more and more,” added Cardinal Parolin, mentioning compulsive addictions to surfing the Internet, shopping, gambling, food and sex.
Cardinal Parolin also thanked the Italian Centre of Solidarity Don Mario Picchi for their work in welcoming refugees, and helping the elderly, the sick, and at-risk fathers. He encouraged them in their fight against what Pope Francis calls “a culture of waste.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis will celebrate the Jubilee of Mercy for Families on Sunday 27 December, Feast of the Holy Family.
The Pope ushered in the Jubilee Year of Mercy on 8 December, the day the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and he is scheduled to close it on 20 November 2016, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King, with the closing of the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Pope Francis has asked all believers “to find in this Jubilee the joy of rediscovering and rendering fruitful God’s mercy (…) and to not forget that God forgives all , and God forgives always ”.
He has invited us go forward in the year-long penitential journey with an open heart “to receive the indulgence and the mercy of God”.
From an organizational point of view highlights of the Jubilee Year include the sending forth of the Missionaries of Mercy on Ash Wednesday and World Youth Day, which will take place in Krakow, Poland from 26-31 July.
Special jubilee days throughout the year are dedicated to groups of people in the Church, including Jubilees for Consecrated Life, for young children, for the sick, and for catechists. There will also be a Marian jubilee on the Saturday and Sunday following the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Coming up on Sunday 27 December Pope Francis will celebrate the Jubilee of Families with a special Mass for families in St. Peter’s Basilica.
For the occasion he is inviting families, all together, to join celebrations and cross the thresholds of Holy Doors – be they in St Peter’s Basilica – or in other Churches or Cathedrals throughout the world.
Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, Head of the Pontifical Council for the Family spoke to Vatican Radio about the significance of this particular jubilee:
Listen :
Archbishop Paglia says the Jubilee of Families is an occasion to rediscover the vocation and the mission of the family – and that is he says – is in the need to step out of our constricted selves and small family circles.
“We run the risk of staying ‘inside’ and this is a great danger – for families too!” he says.
It is important he says to go out, to cross the thresholds of our doors and to meet the whole of society, to meet all people, “especially poor people in order to be able to give to them the strength of brotherhood and solidarity, in order to transform our society into a real family of peoples”.
Archbishop Paglia underlines the fact that the mission and the vocation of Christian families is “to transform an individualistic world into a familiar world”.
Another vocation of families, he says, is “to defend the creation – our common home – for one large pluralistic family of peoples”.
(from Vatican Radio)…