(Vatican Radio) Continue with the work of “justice, brotherhood, solidarity, dialogue and understanding:” that’s Pope Francis’ encouragement to the people of Colombia as the country negotiates with Marxist rebels to end fifty years of war. The Bogotà government is more than two years into peace negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebel group.
Listen to Tracey McClure’s report:
In a letter on the Pope’s behalf to Colombian bishops for Holy Week, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin says the Pope is aware of the crucial importance of this time in which the Colombian people are seeking “to construct a more just and fraternal society: a society in peace.”
“His Holiness invites you to be collaborators in the construction of peace,” Cardinal Parolin writes, adding that the Pope expresses his solidarity with the victims of the conflict which has killed 220,000 people.
The letter invites Colombians to “not lose energy or hope” in the face of difficulties in the peace process and urges them “to continue to work for truth, justice and reparation” so that “what went before will never be repeated.”
Negotiators have so far reached partial accords on land reform, an end to the illegal drugs trade and political participation for ex-rebels. They are now debating issues of reparations to victims and the demobilization of guerrillas.
“We must continue the commitment to the displaced, to survivors of land mines, those who have endured the taking of their property, the kidnapped, with everyone who has suffered,”
the letter reads.
“Constructing peace,” the letter says, “is a complex process that does not come to completion in short term spaces or plans. Risks need to be taken to cement peace…”
“Building a stable and lasting peace,” for Pope Francis means also “to work in favor of healthy relationships within families which are struck by worrisome situations of violence so that, transformed by the power of the Gospel, they may become seeds and schools of a culture of peace and of reconciliation.”
All of the Church, its parishes and institutions, the letter reads, must “take the risk” of being transformed into “a field hospital:” a safe haven where victims of atrocities can meet with those who committed the violence against them. What the Pope is looking for is a Church where everyone can find healing and an opportunity to recover their lost or stolen dignity – “a place where repentance, forgiveness and the decision to not reproduce the chain of violence are possible.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Good Friday (April 3rd) presides over the liturgy marking the Lord’s Passion in St Peter’s Basilica at 5pm and at 9.15 pm leads the traditional Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) at Rome’s Colosseum. The meditations for the 14 Stations of the Cross have been written this year by Renato Corti, Bishop Emeritus of Novara in Italy. (from Vatican Radio)…
Telegram to His Eminence Cardinal John Njue, President of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, Nairobi
Deeply saddened by the immense and tragic loss of life caused by the
recent attack on the Garissa University College, the Holy Father sends
assurances of his prayers and spiritual closeness to the families of the
victims and to all Kenyans at this painful time. He commends the souls
of the deceased to the infinite mercy of Almighty God, and he prays that
all who mourn them will be comforted in their loss. In union with all
people of good will throughout the world, His Holiness condemns this act
of senseless brutality and prays for a change of heart among its
perpetrators. He calls upon all those in authority to redouble their
efforts to work with all men and women in Kenya to bring an end to such
violence and to hasten the dawn of a new era of brotherhood, justice and
peace.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State
[00534-EN.01] [Original text: English]…
(Vatican Radio) In what has now become a tradition begun by Pope Francis himself three years ago, the Holy Father shared lunch with a group of priests on Holy Thursday 2 April, following the Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica. The bishop of Rome met nine parish priests of the diocese and the superior of one religious community at the home of Archbishop Angelo Becciu, Substitute Secretary of State, and spent about an hour and a half with them.
“How’s the tiredness going?” the Pope asked the priests, alluding to the theme of his homily at the Chrism mass just before their meeting.
Fr. Antonio Fois of the Rome parish of Saints Aquila and Priscilla, told one Italian news agency that the Pope asked him and the other priests present to share with him some of the good things they are doing in their pastoral work. The Pope was particularly interested in hearing about how the priests prepared young people for Confirmation and matrimony and about their work with the elderly and youth.
“He repeated to us that pastoral activities are tiring – that’s natural,” Fr. Antonio said. “Being pastors is tiring but tiredness repays you; the joy of being at the service of the Gospel repays you.”
Pope Francis, said Fr. Antoinio, also spoke about the importance of priestly formation and discernment and the need to “choose pastors well.”
Fr. Antonio added that for this reason, their lunch with the Pope was “very restful: we were together as brothers, as parish priests. We spoke about our communities and he listened to us and we could see he was taking in our experiences… it was a dialogue just as between father and sons and this very much moved us.”
“It was wonderful,” said Fr. Antoinio, “to feel loved by your own bishop – this too repays any tiredness.”
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday evening celebrated the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at Rome’s Rebibbia prison. The Mass was also attended by inmates at a nearby women’s detention centre. During the Mass Pope Francis washed the feet of 6 men and 6 women, including one mother holding her small child in her lap.
During his off-the-cuff homily, Pope Francis focused on the passage of the Gospel reading which said “He loved His own in the world, and He loved them until the end.”
“He loves us without limits, until the end,” Pope Francis said. “He never tires of loving….He loves all of us, so that he would even give his own life for us.”
Pope Francis pointed at individual inmates and said, Jesus gave his life “for you, for you, for you, for me…for everyone, first name and last name. His love is like this…so personal.”
The Holy Father told them God “never tires of loving, as he never tires of embracing us.”
Quoting Isaiah, Pope Francis said: “God’s love has no limits – ‘Even if a mom forgets her child, I won’t forget you.’ That’s God’s love for us.”
During the Rite of the Washing of the Feet, several of the inmates cried as the Pope washed their feet. One woman detainee from Africa was holding her young child, and the Pope washed his feet, too.
Earlier in his homily, the Pope has said in the time of Jesus, washing feet was the work of a slave.
“Jesus is so loving, that he became a slave to serve us, to heal us, to cleanse us,” said Pope Francis.
“I also need to be cleansed by the Lord,” he said. “And for this, pray during this Mass, so that the Lord also washes my sins and stains, too, so that I become more slave-like in the service of people as Jesus did.”
(Charles Collins)
(from Vatican Radio)…