Pope tells missionaries to be attentive to dialogue
with Islam
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has urged
missionaries to reserve special attention for dialogue with Islam, to promote
the dignity of women and the values of the family, to be sensitive to issues of
justice and peace
The Pope was addressing Consolata Missionaries who
have begun their 13th General Chapter in Rome. The Chapter
will officially end on June 20th, the feast of Our Lady
Pope Francis expressed his joy at being able to welcome both
the male and female branches of the Religious Family founded by Blessed
Giuseppe Allamano and he highlighted his appreciation for their particular
mission that takes them into challenging situations.
In view of the effort to continue to produce abundant good
fruits in the Consolata communities and in the missionary activity of the
Church, the Pope told the religious that in light of new pastoral urgencies and
new forms of poverty they are called to deepen their charism and renew their
impetus for evangelization.
“While I thank the Lord for the good that you are doing in
the world, I urge you use great discernment and consideration of the situations
in which the peoples you are working with find themselves in” he said.
Encouraging them never to tire of bringing comfort to
populations that are often marked by great poverty and acute suffering, as in
so many parts of Africa and Latin America, he said: “Let yourself continually
be provoked by the concrete realities with which you come in contact and try to
offer the testimony of charity that the Spirit has poured into your hearts in a
proper way.”
Remarking on the fact that - just like that of any family -
the history of the religious communities is marked by joys and sorrows, by
lights and shadows, and recently, he said “it has been made fruitful thanks to
the Cross of Christ”.
“How can we not mention your brothers and sisters who loved
the Gospel of charity more than themselves and who crowned their missionary
service with the sacrifice of their lives? Their evangelical choice highlights
your missionary commitment and encourages you to pursue your particular mission
in the Church with renewed generosity” he said.
The Pope said that to pursue this difficult mission it is
necessary to live in communion with God with an enhanced awareness of the
Lord’s love and mercy for us.
“It is more important, he said, to be aware of God’s love
for us, rather than of how much we love Him.”
The Pope said that we all need to rediscover the love and
mercy of the Lord in order to become more ‘familiar’ with God. Consecrated
persons, he continued, need to rediscover that love and mercy in order to
conform more closely to Christ, with freedom, spontaneity and a sense of awe
for the wonders He performs.
In this perspective, the Pope said, religious life can
become a journey of rediscovery of divine mercy, “helping you in your attempts
to imitate Christ’s virtues and His humanity as you carry out your pastoral
ministry”.
He also encouraged them to joyfully be open to the many
incentives for renewal and commitment that derive from true contact with the
Lord Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit.
This, the Pope noted, will allow you to be actively present
in new arenas of evangelization with openness and attentiveness to
situations of particular need that are emblematic of our time - even
should this imply some sacrifice.
Pope Francis urged those present to always look to the
example of their blessed Founder and not to tire of giving new impetus to
missionary work.
He remarked on their responsibility to support Christian
communities that have been entrusted to them “especially those of a recent
foundation” and called for sensitivity towards inculturation of the Gospel,
respect for co-workers and the choice of being present in simplicity and
poverty.
The Pope invited them to reserve special attention for
dialogue with Islam, to promote the dignity of women and the values of the
family, to be sensitive to issues of justice and peace.
He concluded encouraging the Consolata brothers and sisters
to continue in their missionary journey with hope and expressed his trust that
it may increasingly provide a vivid and sanctifying encounter with Jesus,
source of consolation, peace and salvation for all men.
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