Pope to Capuchin Friars Minor: Be
humble and poor missionaries
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| Pope meets Capuchin Friars Minor of the Marches Region (Vatican Media) |
Pope Francis meets 73 Capuchin Friars Minor of the Italian
Province of the Marches and speaks of vocations, poverty, forgiveness, and
evangelization. Below is a Vatican News translation of the article published in
the "L'Osservatore Romano" newspaper.
Responding to God’s call
The Pope spoke first of all of God's call, reminding the
Friars that He calls in different ways. God does so by inviting at all times to
conversion. This is a powerful choice, a decision that involves taking the
consecrated person forward on the road of life. One of the risks is that of not
allowing oneself to be involved and to be questioned by God. Pope Francis
called this "religious acidity", the source of unhappiness.
Consecrated persons become "collectors of
injustice", he said, according to the typical attitude of those who always
feel they are victims and therefore complain constantly. The Pope referenced
Saint Teresa of Jesus in this regard, and how she warned against the temptation
to consider oneself the object of injustice. This “whining”, said the Pope, is
an attitude that must be countered by conversion. Entering the community means
preparing to move from conversion to conversion, because that leads to
humility.
Witnessing to Christ with meekness and poverty
Francis then stressed the importance of speaking not with
adjectives but with the theology of nouns, as the Franciscan spirit indicates.
He went on to speak about “being missionary”. As a consecrated person, said the
Pope, we no longer think of ourselves, but of living as witnesses. We should
not proselytize, he continued, but preach Jesus through our lives rather than
our words, as Saint Francis of Assisi himself suggested.
It is no coincidence that even contemporary saints like
Mother Teresa of Calcutta enjoyed unanimous respect in their lives, on the part
of believers and non-believers, precisely because of their witness. The Pope
invited the Capuchins to offer this witness with meekness but above all with
poverty, which must be lived in practice, without forgetting that the devil
enters from the pockets, he said.
A worldly spirit damages the Church
Pope Francis also spoke about the worldliness into which the
Church sometimes slips. A worldly spirit hurts the Church, he said, so much so
that Jesus in His prayer asks the Father to distance us, not from the world,
but from the spirit of the world that ruins everything and causes falsehoods.
We need humility, said the Pope to counter this evil.
Another temptation for the Church is clericalism, the child
of worldliness, continued Pope Francis. This is what risks transforming pastors
from servants to masters. It is important to rediscover the structure of
service within the ecclesial community. The Pope then invited the Capuchins to
live their Rule, accepting others and respecting them. Fraternal communion is
natural, he said, it is not created artificially. It is a grace of the Holy
Spirit and is nourished by forgiveness.
God never tires of forgiving
Pope Francis went on to speak of mercy. God never tires of
forgiving, he said, it is we who are tired of asking for forgiveness. The Pope
mentioned two examples in this regard: the first being that of an elderly
Capuchin who lived in Buenos Aires. Thinking back to the forgiveness and
absolution he had granted the many faithful who lined up for his confessional,
Pope Francis said he dispelled any doubt of having been too merciful, by
telling Jesus that He Himself had given him the example. The second is that of
the character of Father Felice portrayed by Alessandro Manzoni in the "Betrothed",
a sign of concrete mercy among the needy and sinners. The Pope also said we
need to rediscover compassion and the ability to cry.
Europe in need of evangelization
Pope Francis went on to speak of the need to evangelize
Europe. The young Churches can help the Old Continent refresh the embers of a
faith that is still burning, he said. The Pope referred to the testimony of the
many Filipino women who work in the service of the wealthiest families. In
their daily dialogue with the children and young people of these families, said
the Pope, they actually become catechists.
Pope Francis concluded his meeting with the Capuchin Friars
Minor by leaving to them the task of initiating a process of witness to the
young people who admire the Franciscan spirit and open themselves to the
charism of joy and simplicity that the example of Saint Francis offers at all
times.
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