Pope Francis' Address to Roman Curia
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Dear brothers and sisters,
I am pleased to offer heartfelt good wishes for a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year to you and your co-workers, to the Papal Representatives, and in particular to those who in the past year have completed their service and retired. Let us also remember all those who have gone home to God. My thoughts and my gratitude go to you and to the members of your families.
In our meeting in 2013, I wanted to stress two important and inseparable aspects of the work of the Curia: professionalism and service, and I offered Saint Joseph as a model to be imitated. Then, last year, as a preparation for the sacrament of Reconciliation, we spoke of certain temptations or «maladies» – the «catalogue of curial diseases» – which could affect any Christian, curia, community, congregation, parish or ecclesial movement. Diseases which call for prevention, vigilance, care and, sadly, in some cases, painful and prolonged interventions.
Some of these diseases became evident in the course of the past year, causing no small pain to the entire body and harming many souls.
It seems necessary to state what has been – and ever shall be – the object of sincere reflection and decisive provisions. The reform will move forward with determination, clarity and firm resolve, since Ecclesia semper reformanda.
Nonetheless, diseases and even scandals cannot obscure the efficiency of the services rendered to the Pope and to the entire Church by the Roman Curia, with great effort, responsibility, commitment and dedication, and this is a real source of consolation. Saint Ignatius taught that “it is typical of the evil spirit to instil remorse, sadness and difficulties, and to cause needless worry so as to prevent us from going forward; instead, it is typical of the good spirit to instil courage and energy, consolations and tears, inspirations and serenity, and to lessen and remove every difficulty so as to make us advance on the path of goodness.”
It would be a grave injustice not to express heartfelt gratitude and needed encouragement to all those good and honest men and women in the Curia who work with dedication, devotion, fidelity and professionalism, offering to the Church and the Successor of Peter the assurance of their solidarity and obedience, as well as their constant prayers.
Moreover, cases of resistance, difficulties and failures on the part of individuals and ministers are so many lessons and opportunities for growth, and never for discouragement. They are opportunities for returning to the essentials, which means being ever more conscious of ourselves, of God and our neighbours, of the sensus Ecclesiae and the sensus fidei.
It is about this return to essentials that I wish to speak today, just a few days after the Church’s inauguration of the pilgrimage of the Holy Year of Mercy, a Year which represents for her and for all of us a pressing summons to gratitude, conversion, renewal, penance and reconciliation.
Christmas is truly the feast of God’s infinite mercy, as Saint Augustine of Hippo tells us: “Could there have been any greater mercy shown to us unhappy men than that which led the Creator of the heavens to come down among us, and the Creator of the earth to take on our mortal body? That same mercy led the Lord of the world to assume the nature of a servant, so that, being himself bread, he would suffer hunger; being himself satiety, he would thirst; being himself power, he would know weakness; being himself salvation, he would experience our woundedness, and being himself life, he would die. All this he did to assuage our hunger, alleviate our longing, strengthen our weaknesses, wipe out our sins and enkindle our charity”.
Consequently, in the context of this Year of Mercy and our own preparation for the coming celebration of Christmas, I would like to present a practical aid for fruitfully experiencing this season of grace. It is by no means an exhaustive catalogue of needed virtues for those who serve in the Curia and for all those who would like to make their consecration or service to the Church more fruitful.
I would ask the Heads of Dicasteries and other superiors to ponder this, to add to it and to complete it. It is a list based on an acrostic analysis of the word Misericordia, with the aim of having it serve as our guide and beacon:
1. Missionary and pastoral spirit: missionary spirit is what makes the Curia evidently fertile and fruitful; it is proof of the effectiveness, efficiency and authenticity of our activity. Faith is a gift, yet the measure of our faith is also seen by the extent to which we communicate it. All baptized persons are missionaries of the Good News, above all by their lives, their work and their witness of joy and conviction. A sound pastoral spirit is an indispensable virtue for the priest in particular. It is shown in his daily effort to follow the Good Shepherd who cares for the flock and gives his life to save the lives of others. It is the yardstick for our curial and priestly work. Without these two wings we could never take flight, or even enjoy the happiness of the “faithful servant” (Mt 25:14-30).
2. Idoneity and sagacity: idoneity, or suitability, entails personal effort aimed at acquiring the necessary requisites for exercising as best we can our tasks and duties with intelligence and insight. It does not countenance “recommendations” and payoffs. Sagacity is the readiness to grasp and confront situations with shrewdness and creativity. Idoneity and sagacity also represent our human response to divine grace, when we let ourselves follow the famous dictum: “Do everything as if God did not exist and then put it all in God’s hands as if you did not exist”. It is the approach of the disciple who prays to the Lord every day in the words of the beautiful Universal Prayer attributed to Pope Clement XI: “Vouchsafe to conduct me by your wisdom, to restrain me by your justice, to comfort me by your mercy, to defend me by your power. To thee I desire to consecrate all my thoughts, words, actions and sufferings; that hencefore I may think only of you, speak of you, refer all my actions to your greater glory, and suffer willingly whatever you appoint”.
3. Spirituality and humanity: spirituality is the backbone of all service in the Church and in the Christian life. It is what nourishes all our activity, sustaining and protecting it from human frailty and daily temptation. Humanity is what embodies the truthfulness of our faith; those who renounce their humanity renounce everything. Humanity is what makes us different from machines and robots which feel nothing and are never moved. Once we find it hard to weep seriously or to laugh heartily, we have begun our decline and the process of turning from “humans” into something else. Humanity is knowing how to show tenderness and fidelity and courtesy to all (cf. Phil 4:5). Spirituality and humanity, while innate qualities, are a potential needing to be activated fully, attained completely and demonstrated daily.
4. Example and fidelity: Blessed Paul VI reminded the Curia of “its calling to set an example”. An example of avoiding scandals which harm souls and impair the credibility of our witness. Fidelity to our consecration, to our vocation, always mindful of the words of Christ, “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever i
s dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much” (Lk 16:10) and “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world for stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes” (Mt 18:6-7).
5. Rationality and gentleness: rationality helps avoid emotional excesses, while gentleness helps avoid an excess of bureaucracy, programmes and planning. These qualities are necessary for a balanced personality: “The enemy pays careful heed to whether a soul is coarse or delicate; if it is delicate, he finds a way to make it overly delicate, in order to cause it greater distress and confusion”. Every excess is a symptom of some imbalance.
6. Innocuousness and determination: innocuousness makes us cautious in our judgments and capable of refraining from impulsive and hasty actions. It is the ability to bring out the best in ourselves, in others and in all kinds of situations by acting carefully and attentively. It consists of doing unto others what we would have them do to us (cf. Mt 7:12 and Lk 6:31). Determination is acting with a resolute will, clear vision, obedience to God and solely for the supreme law of the salus animarum (cf. CIC can. 1725).
7. Charity and truth: two inseparable virtues of the Christian life, “speaking the truth in charity and practising charity in truth” (cf. Eph 4:15). To the point where charity without truth becomes a destructive ideology of complaisance and truth without charity becomes myopic legalism.
8. Honesty and maturity: honesty is rectitude, consistency and absolute sincerity with regard both to ourselves and to God. An honest person does not act virtuously only when he or she is being watched; honest persons have no fear of being caught, since they never betray the trust of others. An honest person is never domineering like the “wicked servant” (cf. Mt 24:48-51), with regard to the persons or matters entrusted to his or her care. Honesty is the foundation on which all other qualities rest. Maturity is the quest to achieve balance and harmony in our physical, mental and spiritual gifts. It is the goal and outcome of a never-ending process of development which has nothing to do with age.
9. Respectfulness and humility: respectfulness is an endowment of those noble and tactful souls who always try to show genuine respect for others, for their own work, for their superiors and subordinates, for dossiers and papers, for confidentiality and privacy, who can listen carefully and speak politely. Humility is the virtue of the saints and those godly persons who become all the more important as they come to realize that they are nothing, and can do nothing, apart from God’s grace (cf. Jn 15:8).
10. Diligence and attentiveness: the more we trust in God and his providence, the more we grow in diligence and readiness to give of ourselves, in the knowledge that the more we give the more we receive. What good would it do to open all the Holy Doors of all the basilicas in the world if the doors of our own heart are closed to love, if our hands are closed to giving, if our homes are closed to hospitality and our churches to welcome and acceptance. Attentiveness is concern for the little things, for doing our best and never yielding to our vices and failings. Saint Vincent de Paul used to pray: “Lord, help me to be always aware of those around me, those who are worried or dismayed, those suffering in silence, and those who feel alone and abandoned”.
11. Intrepidness and alertness: being intrepid means fearlessness in the face of troubles, like Daniel in the den of lions, or David before Goliath. It means acting with boldness, determination and resolve, “as a good soldier” (2 Tim 2:3-4). It means being immediately ready to take the first step, like Abraham, or Mary. Alertness, on the other hand, is the ability to act freely and easily, without being attached to fleeting material things. The Psalm says: “if riches increase, set not your heart on them” (Ps 61:10). To be alert means to be always on the go, and never being burdened by the accumulation of needless things, caught up in our own concerns and driven by ambition.
12. Trustworthyness and sobriety: trustworthy persons are those who honour their commitments with seriousness and responsibility when they are being observed, but above all when they are alone; they radiate a sense of tranquillity because they never betray a trust. Sobriety – the last virtue on this list, but not because it is least important – is the ability to renounce what is superfluous and to resist the dominant consumerist mentality. Sobriety is prudence, simplicity, straightforwardness, balance and temperance. Sobriety is seeing the world through God’s eyes and from the side of the poor. Sobriety is a style of life which points to the primacy of others as a hierarchical principle and is shown in a life of concern and service towards others. The sober person is consistent and straightforward in all things, because he or she can reduce, recover, recycle, repair, and live a life of moderation.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Mercy is no fleeting sentiment, but rather the synthesis of the joyful Good News, a choice and decision on the part of all who desire to put on the “Heart of Jesus” and to be serious followers of the Lord who has asked us to “be merciful even as your heavenly Father is merciful” (Mt 5:48; Lk 6:36). In the words of Father Ermes Ronchi, “Mercy is a scandal for justice, a folly for intelligence, a consolation for us who are debtors. The debt for being alive, the debt for being loved is only repayable by mercy”.
And so may mercy guide our steps, inspire our reforms and enlighten our decisions. May it be the basis of all our efforts. May it teach us when to move forward and when to step back. May it also enable us to understand the littleness of all that we do in God’s greater plan of salvation and his majestic and mysterious working.
To help us better grasp this, let us savour the magnificent prayer, commonly attributed to Blessed Oscar Arnulfo Romero, but pronounced for the first time by Cardinal John Dearden:
Every now and then it helps us to take a step back
and to see things from a distance.
The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is also beyond our visions.
In our lives, we manage to achieve only a small part
of the marvellous plan that is God’s work.
Nothing that we do is complete,
which is to say that the Kingdom is greater than ourselves.
No statement says everything that can be said.
No prayer completely expresses the faith.
No Creed brings perfection.
No pastoral visit solves every problem.
No programme fully accomplishes the mission of the Church.
No goal or purpose ever reaches completion.
This is what it is about:
We plant seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that others will watch over them.
We lay the foundations of something that will develop.
We add the yeast which will multiply our possibilities.
We cannot do everything,
yet it is liberating to begin.
This gives us the strength to do something and to do it well.
It may remain incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way.
It is an opportunity for the grace of God to enter
and to do the rest.
It may be that we will never see its completion,
but that is the difference between the master and the labourer.
We are labourers, not master builders,
servants, not the Messiah.
We are prophets of a future that does not belong to us.
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Pope's Address to Rail Workers
Below is a ZENIT translation of Pope Francis' address to dependents of the Italian railways in the Vatican on Saturday:
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Dear Brothers and Sisters, welcome!
I thank engineer Renato Mazzoncini for his words; I greet the President, Mrs. Ghezzi, and I greet you all.
The Railways of the Italian State have surpassed by ten years a century of life, and this is, first of all, a reason to thank the Lord. However, it is also an occasion to thank the many persons that worked hard to realize the railway network in Italy: a territory that isn’t easy, which calls for much effort be it in the planning phase be it in the implementation. Not a few workers also lost their life in this work. We remember them all. And, in so far as it depends on us, we endeavor not to have this happen again.
The history of the Italian Railways attests also to the special attention given to the poorest, with several initiatives of solidarity, old and recent. One of these are the Help Centers, present in tens of Italian cities and born of the collaboration between the Railways, the Local Entities and the Third Sector. They are “
Another important initiative is the Don Luigi Di Liegro Hostel at the Termini Station, where yesterday we opened the Door of Charity. The Railways renovated this structure, in collaboration with the diocesan Caritas. Five years ago Benedict XVI placed the first stone at the beginning of the works to make ready the new premises. The Hostel, which receives daily hundreds of guests, is also making available the service of daytime hospitality, it carries out an essential work in an area of the city where often people gather in search of shelter. May the Holy Year, which began a short while ago, teach us this first of all, and imprint in our mind and in our hearts that mercy is the first and truest medicine for man — how many cures a merciful caress effects! — medicine of which everyone is in urgent need. It flows continually and superabundantly from God, but we must also become capable of giving it to one another, so that each one can live in the fullness of his/her humanity. In fact, the Holy Doors call us to this, which were opened these days in all the dioceses of the world: one who crosses it with love will find forgiveness and consolation, and will be pushed to give and to give him/herself with more generosity, for his/her own salvation and that of brothers. Let us all allow ourselves to be transformed by the crossing of this spiritual door, so that it marks our life interiorly. Let us be involved in the Jubilee of Mercy – we are all in need of some mercy – in order to renew the fabric of our whole society, rendering it more just and solidaristic, especially in this “third world war, which has broken out “in fragments,” but which we are living.
I learned that the last monograph, which has just been published in the series The Italy of the Train, is entitled “Jubilee”: a collection of photographs that depict the trips of Pontiffs in trains. May the esteem that unites us, of which today’s meeting is a sign, be able to be reinforced in this Holy Year, so that Italy and all the countries of the world become places of solidaristic networks, more authentically human, more capable of enjoying the love of God and communion with one another. I ask the Lord to bless you all. I give you my blessing and I ask it of the Lord for you. And I ask you not to forget to pray for me. Thank you.
[Original text: Italian] [Translation by ZENIT]
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Pope's Address to Employees of Holy See, Vatican
Below is a ZENIT translation of Pope Francis' address to the employees of the Holy See and of Vatican City State, with their respective families, for the exchange of Christmas greetings, yhis morning in the Vatican:
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Dear Brothers and Sisters, welcome!
Christmas, now close, offers us a beautiful occasion to meet with one another and to exchange greetings.
First of all, I wish to thank you for your work, for the commitment you have to do things well always, even when there is no recognition. So often one does something well and it is not acknowledged. I would like to thank particularly those among you who for the many years have been doing the same type of work — work that is often hidden; and who seek to do things as they should be done. We know that this is normal, it is simply to do one’s duty, but we also know that it’s not easy for us human beings; we are not machines – thank God! – and sometimes we are in need of an incentive, or of some change. I congratulate you who feel just pride in doing the normal everyday things to the best. Thank you! We go forward, in the different realms of work, collaborating together, with patience, seeking to help one another.
And while I thank you, I also want to ask forgiveness for the scandals that have happened in the Vatican. However, I would like my attitude and yours, especially in these days, to be above all that of prayer, to pray for the persons involved in these scandals, so that the one who has done wrong repents and is able to rediscover the right way.
There is something else I want to say to you, perhaps the most important thing: I encourage you to take care of your marriage and your children. To take care and not neglect them: to play with your children. Marriage is like a plant. It’s not like a closet, which one puts there in the room, and it’s enough to dust it every now and then. A plant is alive, it is taken care of every day: one sees how it’s doing, gives it water, and so on. Marriage is a living reality: a couple’s life is never taken for granted, in any phase of the course of the family. We remind ourselves that the most precious gift for the children is not things but the love of the parents. And I do not intend only the love of parents for the children, but in fact the love of parents between them, namely, the conjugal relation. This does you, and also your children, so much good! Don’t neglect the family!
Hence, first of all cultivate the “plant” of marriage, which you spouses are, and at the same time take care of the relation with your children, also here, focusing more on the human relation than on things. Speak to your children, listen to them, ask them what they think. This dialogue between parents and children does so much good! It makes the children grow in maturity. We focus on mercy, on daily relations, between husband and wife, between parents and children, between brothers and sisters, and we take care of the grandparents. Grandparents are so important in the family. Grandparents have memory; they have wisdom. Do not leave grandparents to one side! They are very important. A young lady was telling me that she has a seven-year-old son, and that the grandmother, in her nineties, lives with her, but that she is not altogether well, and she was advised to put her in a rest home. And this wise lady, who hasn’t studied at a university, answered the one who was advising her to put the grandmother in a home of re The Jubilee is to be lived also in the domestic Church, not only in great events! What’s more, the Lord loves one who practices mercy in ordinary circumstances. I wish you this: that you experience the joy of mercy, beginning in your family. Thank you for your work, forgive the scandals and go forward. Go forward in this community and bring my greeting and good wishes to your dear ones, to the elderly and to the sick. And, please, continue to pray for me. Thank you again and happy Christmas! — Pope Francis has made two appointments for Vatican communications offices. He named Stefano D'Agostini, Italy, technical head of the Vatican Television (CTV), as director of the CTV. And he named Gregory Burke, communications adviser at the Secretariat of State, as deputy director of the Holy See Press Office. — Author of 'Practical Guide' Gives Advice for Evangelizing Our Family During the Holidays Christmas is a time to gather with family to celebrate the birth of Jesus. But for many of us, gathering with family is more than just a celebration. It is also an opportunity for evangelization — which comes with a particular set of challenges. Carrie Gress considers this struggle in Nudging Conversions: A Practical Guide to Bringing Those You Love Back to the Church. ZENIT asked Gress for some tips for the holiday season. ZENIT: With Christmas fast approaching, many of us are thinking about how to share our faith with those we love in a way that will be fruitful, not divisive. What would you suggest? Gress: Christmas can be so challenging for many reasons, but especially when those we love share the holiday with us but not the reason for it. There can be a lot of pressure to find the right thing to say or do in hopes that our faith will rub off on them. Many of us, when we think of evangelization, think of it in terms of a debate: “What can I say that will win them over?” The reality is, however, that most of the time conversions don’t take place because someone is won over with argumentation. While no two conversion stories are exactly alike, the most effective transformations happened when people felt they were loved and not judged. With my own family, I remember trying to win them over with discussions and rather than helping, it just seemed to drive them further away. I think they sensed my own frustration that my efforts weren’t working. In prayer, the idea came to me to give them back to God and just love them exactly where they were in life. I didn’t have to endorse every element of their lives, but just love them as they were. What happened was that our relationships became richer, fuller, and more genuine. Trust was established and they knew that I really loved them and treasured them for who they were. Rather than feeling pressure that “I’ll love you if…” they knew I already loved them. Only then did small changes start taking place. Of course, I was also praying and fasting for them so that grace was moving in their lives. Nagging, passive-aggressive responses and snide remarks simply don’t work. We are called to mimic God’s love of graciousness and generosity. Any expectations we may have of how a soul will move in grace will only hinder the process. ZENIT: You mention in your book that working on our own faith can be effective in helping others come back to the Church. Explain this. Gress: There are actually many reasons. The first is that, in order to pass along the faith, we first must have it. You cannot give what you don’t have. Looking at the lives of the saints, we see that their holiness is attractive, not off-putting. People just wanted to be around them because it made them feel closer to God. The more we grow in our own faith, the more attractive we will be come (no matter what our appearance). Additionally, Pope Francis has given us a great example to follow with his “culture of encounter.” Our Pope is truly present to whomever he is with at the moment. His entire attention is centered upon that person, who they are and what they need. This is another fruit of holiness – the forgetting of self and extension of charity to others. And finally, when we grow in holiness, our ability to hear the Holy Spirit increases. Sometimes he may tell us of particular things to pray for, such as a loved one’s unhealed wound or something they may need. I first experienced this with my sister. I had the sense that, since I was her younger sister, I wasn’t going to be the right person to bring her back to the faith – so I felt the Holy Spirit urge me to pray that she would meet someone else. Sure enough, in the most unlikely set of circumstances, she met a lovely woman who helped bring her home to the Church. ZENIT: Many people think of apologetics as the best way to convince others of the truth of the faith, but you don't put it at the top of your list of effective approaches to evangelize. Why not? Gress: I remember as a young student thinking that I was going to win over a good friend because I finally understood St. Thomas Aquinas’ five proofs for God’s existence. I couldn’t have been more mistaken. Not only was my friend not convinced, she didn’t have any interest whatsoever in the question. Not that she wasn’t bright, but it just wasn’t part of her experience to think philosophically about God. Apologetics are certainly important, especially for certain individuals who have a more intellectual bent or deeper theological understanding, but for most of us there are more effective ways. Hospitality is one of those areas. When we have people in our homes, do they feel welcomed? Are we attentive to who they are, their work, their interests? Do they leave our homes feeling drained and empty or edified with a better sense of feeling “known” by us? It is little things like this that can open a heart to Christ. ZENIT: You have a whole chapter on asking questions in your book. How can questions be helpful? Gress: Questions are an age-old tool. Most people think of Socrates when they think of questions, but Jesus used questions all the time. Think about the Gospels. «Who do people say that I am?» (Mk 8:27), “Who touched me?” (Lk 8:45) or “Can any of you by worrying add a moment to your lifespan?” (Lk 12:25). Although they are used in all four Gospels, Matthew’s account has Jesus asking a question in nearly every chapter. We think of the parables as Jesus’ most common teaching tool, but questions might actually be more commo So what do questions do? First, they take the attention off of you and put it on the other person. Even if they don’t answer the question very thoughtfully at the time, they may come back to it later and rethink what they said. Sometimes it takes hearing our thoughts out loud to realize that they don’t make very sense. Additionally, some times people just need to be listened to. There are a lot of wounded people out there harboring very difficult things. Giving them an opportunity to talk about what they are struggling with can go a long way. ZENIT: In what ways do you see technology helping and/or hindering our efforts? Gress: There’s a great picture on Facebook circulating of about 8 people sitting on couches, presumably at a family event, with everyone of them staring at their smartphones. Smartphones and computers in general have filled up a lot of space that used to be spent talking and just being together. This can certainly be an obstacle. It is hard to find the truth when we get caught up in the quick and fleeting gratification of the next big thing trending online. This certainly has negative effects on our attention spans, but it also makes it hard to think about deeper realities – such as, what happens when we die, why do people suffer, what does it mean to love someone. On the other hand, Catholics in general are doing a good job of filling the Internet with a lot of solid info. When I first reverted back to the Church, the Internet was a new thing. Books and VHS videos were the best options for learning about the faith, but it was hard to know what was worthwhile. The Internet offers a lot of great content without having to wade through heterodox or misleading information. It is important to establish – in all of our lives – tech free zones, like the dinner table. Even something like going for a walk, visiting a museum or watching a fire can offer great opportunities to really talk and think about deeper things. ZENIT: If you could have people remember just one thing over the holidays about evangelization, what would it be? Gress: God is already there. He loves those you love more than you do. The best thing you can do is let him take over, rest in his providence, and do your part with prayer, sacrifice, listening and love. I think this might be close to what St. Francis meant by «Evangelize always. Speak only when necessary.»
st: “No! I want my son to grow beside his grandmother!” She knew the good that grandparents do to grandchildren. Take care of peace in the family: we all know there is quarrelling in the family. When there is no quarrelling in a marriage, it seems abnormal. What is important is that the day not end without making peace. Pope Appoints Director of Vatican Television, Deputy Director of Press Office
INTERVIEW: Could Christmas Be a Time for Nudging Conversions?
n. Why? Because questions help us to realize things in a more profound way than if someone tells us.
