Pope Francis on February 10, 2018, stressed the value of fraternity, “a grace, and without prayer, this grace is not obtained.” His comments, in audience in the Vatican’s Consistory Hall, came to members of the Stigmatine Fathers, on the occasion of their General Chapter.
The Holy Father addressed the name of the Stigmatines, according to Vatican New: “The Lord’s stigmata, the Lord’s wounds—this is the door from which mercy comes.” He noted that everyone is wounded, but “we are brought to knock at the door of mercy; the Lord’s wounds…a ‘wounded’ sinner finds forgiveness, peace, and consolation only in the wounds of the Lord, nowhere else.”
The Stigmatine Fathers are a Catholic religious congregation of priests and brothers, founded by St. Gaspar Bertoni in Verona, Italy, in 1816. They serve as Apostolic Missionaries in the service of Bishops. They preach the Word of God, help in the formation of the Youth and assist in Clergy formation.
