(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis dedicated his General Audienc e on Wednesday to a reflection on his Aposotolic Visit to Colombia , which concluded on Sunday.
He prayed, “through the prayers of Our Lady of Chiquinquirá, Patroness of Columbia,” that the nation might “continue to progress in the way of peace in love, justice and truth.”
Below, please find the official English-language summary of Pope Francis’ remarks at the General Audience for Wednesday, 13 September 2017:
Dear Brothers and Sisters: My recent Pastoral Visit to Colombia, in the footsteps of Popes Paul VI and John Paul II, sought to encourage the process of reconciliation in that country following a half century of conflict and division. Its motto – Let us Take the First Step – was also an appeal to the nation to discover in its deep Christian roots the spiritual resources needed to advance the work of healing and rebuilding. In Bogotá, I was warmly welcomed, especially by the young, who are the future of the country. The Beatification of two martyrs and the reconciliation service celebrated in Villavicencio were particularly moving. In Medellín, the emphasis was on Christian discipleship and mission, exemplified in the help given to youth through the Hogares group homes and in the faces of the many young men and women who are responding to Jesus’ call to the priesthood and the consecrated life. In Cartagena, the example of Saints Peter Claver and Maria Bernarda Bütler reaffirmed our evangelical commitment to human promotion and the defence of human rights. Through the prayers of Our Lady of Chiquinquirá, Patroness of Columbia, may the nation continue to progress in the way of peace in love, justice and truth.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has concluded his visit to Colombia where he spent five days meeting victims of the country’s civil war and urging all people to work together for peace and national reconciliation .
But as the spotlight fades and organisers dismantle the Mass venues, what effect will the pope’s words have on the politicians, religious leaders and Colombians from all walks of life who flocked to see and hear him speak in Cartagena, Medellin, Villavicencio and the capital, Bogotà?
Our correspondent in Bogotà, Linda Bordoni , put that question to Beatrice Canal, a professional translator and mother of two grown up children, who shares her own reactions to the papal visit.
Listen:
Beatrice says she was “pleasantly surprised” and deeply moved to see so many people welcoming the pope “with happiness in their eyes”.
The visit, she says, “has brought us together” and “touched the hearts of every Colombian” who had the chance to see him at the main events or simply line the streets as he drove by.
Colombians very touched by visit
She says she was happy to see that the trip was “completely unpolitical”, but as an overwhelmingly Catholic nation (over 80 percent of the population) “we were very touched by the visit”.
In particular, Beatrice says, Colombians are “all very happy that he is the first Latin American pope and “we see him as one of our own”.
Desire to reach out to others
Asked what impact the papal visit may have on the future of her country, Beatrice notes the pope spoke extensively “about peace and reaching out to others”. She adds: “I hope he leaves behind the desire in every Colombian to again feel and share that brotherly and fraternal love he’s been speaking so much about”.
People want to live in peace
While she acknowledges that the implementation of the peace agreements remains fraught with difficulties, Beatrice insists that “every Colombian is hopeful to live in a country in peace”.
Learn to accept former insurgents
She notes that her own children, aged 30 and 35, have never lived in a country in peace, and that she was “a little girl when the violence broke out”. She says: “I know that the signing of a paper does not translate immediately into peace, now comes the most difficult part where every Colombian has to chip into the process and to open our hearts and be accepting of the former insurgents”.
Victims need to live without fear
Also the victims, she concludes, need to “find a place in their heart to want to forgive” and to be able to live, free of the fear that has caused so much suffering for those living the countryside.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has returned to the Vatican at the end of his five day apostolic visit to Colombia.
After the papal plane touched down at Rome’s Ciampino airport on Monday afternoon, the pope went to the Rome Basilica of St Mary Major, as he habitually does, to give thanks for his successful journey.
Inside the ancient basilica, he spent a few moment in prayer in front of the icon of Maria Salus Populi Romani.
During the eleven hour flight, Pope Francis answered questions from the journalists who had been covering his visit to the Colombia cities of Cartagena, Medellin, Villavicencio and the capital Bogotà.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent telegrams to the countries over which he flew on his return flight to Rome at the conclusion of his Apostolic Visit to the Colombia. Those countries include: Colombia, the Netherlands, United States, Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy. Please find below the original telegrams: Colombia HIS EXCELLENCY JUAN MANUEL SANTOS PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA BOGOTÁ RETURNING TO ROME AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC VISIT TO COLOMBIA I ONCE AGAIN WISH TO EXPRESS SINCERE THANKSGIVING TO ALMIGHTY GOD FOR THE MANY GRACES RECEIVED OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS. WITH RENEWED GRATITUDE FOR THE HOSPITALITY I HAVE RECEIVED, I ASSURE YOUR EXCELLENCY AND ALL THE BELOVED PEOPLE OF COLOMBIA OF MY CONTINUED PRAYERS FOR THE PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE NATION. AS A PLEDGE OF PEACE IN THE LORD I GLADLY INVOKE UPON ALL OF YOU GOD’S ABUNDANT BLESSINGS. FRANCISCUS PP. The Netherlands HIS MAJESTY WILLEM-ALEXANDER KING OF NETHERLANDS EN ROUTE TO ROME AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY APOSTOLIC VISIT TO COLOMBIA, I ONCE AGAIN GREET THE PEOPLE OF THE CARIBBEAN PARTS OF THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS, PRAYING FOR THE BLESSING OF PEACE, HEALTH AND PROSPERITY. FRANCISCUS PP. United States (Ocean & Puerto Rico) THE HONORABLE DONALD TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WASHINGTON AS I FLY THROUGH UNITED STATES AIRSPACE FOLLOWING MY APOSTOLIC VISIT TO COLOMBIA, I ONCE AGAIN PRAY FOR YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, THAT ALL OF YOU MAY CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF ALMIGHTY GOD. FRANCISCUS PP. Portugal HIS EXCELLENCY MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSA PRESIDENT OF THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC LISBON AS MY RETURN JOURNEY TO ROME TAKES ME ONCE MORE THROUGH YOUR AIRSPACE, I CORDIALLY RENEW MY PRAYERS THAT ALL THE PORTUGUESE PEOPLE MAY BE BLESSED WITH THE ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF ALMIGHTY GOD. FRANCISCUS PP. Spain HIS MAJESTY KING FELIPE VI KING OF SPAIN MADRID RETURNING TO ROME FOLLOWING MY APOSTOLIC VISIT TO COLOMBIA, I ONCE AGAIN SEND WARM GREETINGS TO YOUR MAJESTY, THE MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, AND THE PEOPLE OF SPAIN, WITH RENEWED PRAYERS FOR THE SECURITY, WELLBEING AND PROSPERITY OF ALL. FRANCISCUS PP. France HIS EXCELLENCY EMMANUEL MACRON PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC PARIS RETURNING FROM MY APOSTOLIC VISIT TO COLOMBIA, I ONCE AGAIN GREET YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS, WILLINGLY INVOKING UPON YOU AND ALL THE FRENCH PEOPLE ABUNDANT BLESSINGS OF ALMIGHTY GOD. FRANCISCUS PP. Italy A SUA ECCELLENZA ON. SERGIO MATTARELLA PRESIDENTE DELLA REPUBBLICA ITALIANA PALAZZO DEL QUIRINALE – 00187 ROMA AL RIENTRO DAL VIAGGIO APOSTOLICO IN COLOMBIA, DOVE HO POTUTO INCONTRARE NUMEROSI FEDELI E RAPPRESENTANTI DI QUELLA CARA NAZIONE AMMIRANDONE LA FEDE E IL DESIDERIO DI CRESCITA SPIRITUALE E SOCIALE, ESPRIMO A LEI, SIGNOR PRESIDENTE, IL MIO CORDIALE SALUTO ED ASSICURO UNA SPECIALE PREGHIERA PER IL BENE, LA SERENITA’ E LA PROSPERITA’ DEL POPOLO ITALIANO, AL QUALE INVIO CON AFFETTO LA MIA BENEDIZIONE FRANCISCUS PP. (from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Council of Cardinal Advisors – the so-called C-9 – is holding its 29th Reunion this week, with meetings set to take place in the Vatican from 11-13 September. The Council, established by Pope Francis on 28 September 2013, was created to assist the Holy Father in the governance of the universal Church, and to study the project of revision of the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus , which regulates the Roman Curia .
The group consists of nine Cardinals from the Vatican and around the world, as well as a Secretary, Bishop Marcello Semeraro . In an exclusive interview with Vatican Radio’s Alessandro Gisotti, Bishop Semeraro spoke about the work of the C-9, how Pope Francis participates in the group’s activities, and the next phase of the ongoing reform of the Curia.
WORK OF THE COUNCIL
Bishop Semeraro described the work of the Council of Cardinals with three key words: listening , reflecting , and verifying . The Council, he said, listens to the contributions of the Church; reflects on those contributions, and looks into the details of them, considering the best way of going forward. It then makes proposals to the Pope; as Bishop Semeraro explained, the Council has a consultative, rather than a deliberative role.
The Council, he said, is a synodal structure, and in this sense the Cardinals are able to serve both the Pope and the local Churches. Pope Francis chose them precisely in order that they might be, “in some sense ‘sensitive antennae’ that are capable of capturing, somehow, the instances of the local Churches over a broad range.” As such, it is an organism that is situated within the context of episcopal collegiality .
POPE FRANCIS’ PARTICIPATION
The Pope himself takes part in the Council’s work, habitually being present in the meetings of the Cardinals. Bishop Semeraro said the Pope is present above all through listening, although he does intervene, “with great discretion,” when there is need of clarifying some point, or presenting his own experiences or calling attention to certain realities within the Church. The Bishop emphasized that the reform of the Curia is only one aspect of the Council’s work; it’s principle duty is to collaborate with the Pope, and to give him advice or share their opinions “when [the Pope] considers it necessary to make this consultation.” He gave the example “the sorrowful reality which is the abuse of minors” which the Council has brought to the Pope’s attention. “This, of itself, is not part of the reform of the Roman Curia,” he said, “and yet the Pope decided to listen to the Council” even with regard to this issue.
PROGRESS OF REFORM
Asked about the progress of the reform, Bishop Semeraro said the reform is more than three quarters done, at least with regard to the work of the Cardinals. That is, he said, it is almost to the point where the Cardinals are able to present their proposals to the Holy Father. “I think that within a few months this revision will be more or less complete,” he said, and “then the Pope will have at his disposition the proposals that regard all the Dicasteries and I would expect him to decide how and when to actuate them.” He noted that Pope Francis has preferred, up to this point, a more gradual reform, with a kind of “breaking-in” period, which allows for corrections that are inevitably called for as the reform moves from theory to practical reality.
(from Vatican Radio)…