Children are ‘innocence, promise, many good things,’ Pope Francis says

Vatican City, Feb 10, 2020 / 11:34 am (CNA).- Pope Francis emphasized unity in a message sent Monday to bishops connected to the Focolare Movement, which is celebrating 100 years since the birth of its founder.

“The charism of unity is one of these graces for our time, which is experiencing a momentous change, and calls for a simple and radical spiritual and pastoral reform which brings the Church back to the ever new and current source of the Gospel of Jesus,” the pope said in the Feb. 10 message.

The pope referenced John 17:21, in which Christ prays, “so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.”

“Through the charism of unity, fully attuned to the magisterium of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, the Holy Spirit concretely teaches how to live the grace of unity” according to Christ’s prayer, he said.

The message from Pope Francis was read aloud at the opening of a conference of seven cardinals and 137 Catholic bishops from 50 countries Feb. 10.

The bishops and cardinals are connected to the Focolare Movement and referred to as “friends” of the group. The meeting, titled “a charism at the service of the Church and humanity,” is taking place Feb. 10-12 in Loppiano, Italy.

The Focolare Movement is a Catholic organization focused on the principles of unity and fraternity; it began in northern Italy in 1943.

In 2020, the movement is celebrating the centenary of the birth of its founder, laywoman Chiara Lubich, whose cause for beatification was opened by the Vatican in 2015.   

Lubich was born on Jan. 22, 1920 in Trento and died March 14, 2008 in Rocca di Papa, surrounded by members of the movement. In the days leading up to her death, she was visited by many people, including important political and religious leaders.

Her funeral was celebrated at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls in Rome and was attended by nearly 40,000 people.

In his message, the pope also spoke about the Holy Spirit’s invitation to choose Christ Crucified as the “compass of our ministry” and to become “one with everyone, starting from the least, from the excluded, from the discarded, to bring them light, joy, peace.”

“The Spirit opens the dialogue of charity and truth with every man and woman, of all cultures, religious traditions, ideal convictions, to build the new civilization of love in encounter,” he continued. “The Spirit puts us at the school of Mary, where we learn that what is worthy and remains is love.”

The president of the Focolare Movement, Maria Voce, sent a video message to the bishops’ meeting Feb. 10.

Voce said they want to promote “a lifestyle of fellowship and communion with Jesus among Catholic bishops from all over the world… Such a lifestyle contributes to making collegiality ever more effective and affective.”

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A hearing in the Vatican finance trial on May 20, 2022. / Vatican Media.

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Vatican City, Sep 3, 2017 / 08:47 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Sunday Pope Francis spoke about the sacrifice of the cross, explaining how as followers of Christ we must embrace suffering, because it is through the suffering and death of Christ that his love is made known to us.

“Always, even today, the temptation is to follow a Christ without a cross, rather, to teach God the right path,” the Pope said Sept. 3. Like Peter we maybe say: “No, this will never happen.”

“But Jesus reminds us that his way is the way of love,” Francis said, and there is no true love without Christ’s self-sacrifice. We must embrace suffering, because as Christ told his disciples: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”

Before leading the Angelus Pope Francis reflected on our call as Christians not to be absorbed by the world’s vision to live an easy life, but rather to go “against the current,” pointing out the challenge to self-centeredness found in Christ’s words, “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my cause will find it.”

“In this paradox is contained the golden rule that God has inscribed into the human nature created in Christ: the rule that only love gives meaning and happiness to life,” Pope Francis said.

Spending our time, talents and our energy only to save and take care of ourselves actually leads to loss, to a “sad and sterile existence,” he explained. Whereas, if we live our lives for the Lord, set on fire with love, then our lives will be fruitful and we will have genuine joy.

The Pope pointed out that we rediscover the mystery of Christ’s cross every time we participate in the Eucharist. In the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass Christ’s redeeming sacrifice, “in which the Son of God completely loses himself to receive himself again from the Father,” is made present.

In the Eucharist, we, the lost, are found by Christ. The love of Christ crucified and risen is given to us as food and drink, he said.

“Mary Most Holy, who followed Jesus to Calvary, also accompany us and help us not to fear the cross,” he concluded. “Not a cross without Jesus, the cross with Jesus, that is, the cross of suffering for love of God and brethren.”

After the Angelus, the Pope prayed for all those affected by Hurricane Harvey, which hit the Gulf Coast of the United States last week, particularly Texas and Louisiana, asking for the special intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“I also want to express my deepest interest in the suffering of the people of Texas and Louisiana suffering from a hurricane and exceptional rain that have caused casualties, thousands of displaced persons and massive material damage,” he said.

He also renewed his spiritual closeness to the people of South Asia, who have also been affected by severe flooding, asking, “Mary the Most Holy, comfort of the afflicted, to obtain from the Lord the grace of comfort for these our severely tested brothers.”

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