Francis hopes Ireland visit will bring unity, reconciliation

August 21, 2018 CNA Daily News News Briefs 0 Print

Vatican City, Aug 21, 2018 / 12:20 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis said in a video message to the Irish people Tuesday he hopes his visit will bring about unity and reconciliation among Christians in the country.

"Although the specific reason for my visit to Ireland is the World Meeting of Families, I would like it to embrace all members of the Irish family," he said Aug. 21.

"In particular, I pray that it will serve to increase unity and reconciliation among all the faithful of Christ, as a sign of that lasting peace which is God's dream for the whole human family."

The pope will travel to Dublin Aug. 25-26 for the conclusion of the World Meeting of Families. In his message, Francis said he was looking forward to being in Ireland again. In 1980, while a priest, Pope Francis spent two months in the country to try to improve his English.

Mostly speaking in Italian, Francis added in English: “I'm excited to think I’ll come back to Ireland!”

The World Meeting of Families is "a celebration of the beauty of God's plan for the family" and "an opportunity for families from all over the world to meet and support each other in living their special vocation," he said.

You all know that families today face many challenges, he stated, and voiced his hope that the meeting will be a source of encouragement to families around the world – especially those present in Dublin.

"May we remember the essential place of the family in the life of society and in building a better future for young people," he said.

The pope also thanked everyone for their work in preparation of his visit and asked for prayers for the meeting to be a moment of "joy and serenity."

"From my heart, I give you my blessing," he said, adding in English, "God bless you all. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."

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Pope Francis: A shepherd must freely follow the Spirit

May 30, 2017 CNA Daily News 0

Vatican City, May 30, 2017 / 04:53 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis on Tuesday urged priests and bishops not to be afraid to “step down completely” from their assignment when they are called to a new duty.

“All shepherds have to step down. There comes a moment where the Lord says ‘go to another place, come here, go there, come to me.’ And it’s one of the steps that a shepherd must take,” he said during his homily May 30 at the chapel of the Vatican’s Santa Marta residence.

The shepherd must “be prepared to step down in the correct way, not still hanging on to his position,” he said.

In the first reading of the Mass, St. Paul addresses the Church leaders in Ephesus. The Pope said Paul left the Ephesus to go to Jerusalem, following the Holy Spirit’s call.

The Pope highlighted what he called the three “apostolic attitudes” demonstrated by St. Paul during a council with the priests of Ephesus, and he urged the faithful to pray that priests, bishops, and the Pope would live their lives accordingly.

The first attitude involves never turning back, and guiding the Church without compromise.

The second is obedience to the Spirit and the recognition that the life of a shepherd is a “journey,” always open to the voice of God.

St. Paul left Ephesus “because he had nothing of his own, he had not wrongly taken control of his sheep. He had served them … this is a shepherd without compromises who is now a shepherd on a journey.”

The third attitude involves the acknowledgement that “I am not the center of history. Whether it’s large history or small history, I am not the center, I am a servant.”

“With this most beautiful example, let us pray for our shepherds, for our parish priests, our bishops,” Pope Francis exhorted. “Let us pray for our shepherds.”

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