杏MAP导航

By Vatican News staff writer

鈥淚n 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥檚 teachings, we must recognize the wisdom and courage of having focused on the contextual aspect of the truth. Giving new prominence to the 'signs of the times' and the 'strength of the real' in the proclamation of the Gospel is allowing the Church to move towards rethinking the 鈥渕agisterial form.鈥� These were the words of Cardinal Michael Czerny, during a lecture organized by the Bishop A. Lanza Higher Institute of Political-Social Training (ISFPS) of the Archdiocese of Reggio Calabria 鈥� Bova in Italy.

The Cardinal, who is also the Under-secretary of the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, presented a brief profile of 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� pontificate, highlighting the distinguishing social aspects of his teachings.

The lecture, themed 鈥淭he Church 鈥榞oing out鈥� of 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� is part of a program titled "The world we want: beyond the crisis. Starting over creatively." The Cardinal gave the lecture virtually via Zoom on Wednesday. 

Gestures and words

Cardinal Czerny based his lecture on two sources: The Vatican Council's 1965 Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum §2, and the Church鈥檚 reception of the pronouncements from its twenty-one councils.

He explained that in Dei Verbum, the Council Fathers stated that God spoke to humankind through 鈥済estures and words鈥�, emphasizing the circularity and intimate connection between God鈥檚 words and what He accomplishes. Applying this to 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� pontificate, he said that to understand the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 Teaching, it is not enough to refer to speeches or documents alone, rather we should also look at the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 鈥済estures鈥�. Some of these include 杏MAP导航 Francis invitation to all Christians to pray for him on the evening of his election as 杏MAP导航, and his visit to the migrants who came by boat to Lampedusa.

These 鈥渟igns鈥� and 鈥渁ctions鈥�, said the Cardinal, 鈥渋lluminate the words which he has addressed to Catholics and people of good will during these years.鈥�

The second premise for his affirmation, stated Cardinal Czerny, finds its relevance from observing a certain 鈥渢heological-pastoral鈥� custom of a 鈥渟elective鈥� interpretation of Vatican II in the past fifty years, adding that much work still needs to be done on this front.

In light of this, explained the Cardinal, some basic choices of 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� teaching and his insistence on certain points of the Council鈥檚 teaching can be explained as an attempt to implement what remains unfinished and what has not been fully assimilated by the Church.

Some of these include 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥檚 calls for a fuller collegiality among Bishops, a greater involvement of national Episcopal Conferences, highlighting the role of women and an insistence on a preferential option for the poor.

The Church 鈥済oing out鈥� and Vatican II

Cardinal Czerny went on to illustrate four examples from 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� Teaching which not only find their roots in the transformation initiated by the Vatican II Council, but are also authentic lines of interpretation of the Council itself.

Pastoral ministry

The first, he notes, is pastoral ministry as an internal moment 鈥� not a consecutive one - to doctrinal elaboration. He explains that contrary to seeing pastoral life as a moment following doctrinal formulation, 杏MAP导航 Francis, adopting the idea of 杏MAP导航 John XXIII, prefers the perspective of the good of souls and the necessity of responding to the needs of the present hour.

In this regard, 杏MAP导航 Francis has often highlighted the need to overcome the separation between theology and pastoral ministry, faith and life. For this reason, the 杏MAP导航, in the first months of his pontificate, encouraged the Church to come out as it is only through 鈥済oing out and risking鈥� that we have a concrete experience of being called to proclaim.

Church, People of God

The second, Cardinal Czerny stated, is the Church as 鈥淧eople of God鈥� on the road to salvation.

杏MAP导航 Francis, the Cardinal said, uses this image of 鈥淧eople of God鈥� taken from Lumen gentium, to mean that history represents for the Church, a further criterion of verification for believing. The Church, he continued, 鈥渕ust allow herself to be challenged by present facts and by the trials to which she is subjected, continually renewing herself and expressing her commitment to Christ in every age.鈥�

The Cardinal added that only a Church that recognizes itself as 鈥減eople鈥�, unique, and of God, can mature its vocation to universality and become the 鈥淔ather's house鈥� and a 鈥淢other with an open heart鈥� for all.

From this, the challenges faced by the world listed in Evangelii gaudium and Fratelli tutti 鈥� individualism, growth without integral development, an economy of exclusion, inequality, among others - can be surmounted by charity which is the 鈥渆ssence of Christianity.鈥�

Care of our common home

Safeguarding creation, the Cardinal remarked, was already treated during the Vatican II Council when it focused on the environmental question in Gaudium et spes §3 and denounced the modern human for an inconsiderate use of nature to the extent of changing its balance.

This third example, the care of our common home, was brought even more to the fore with 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� 2015 Laudato si鈥� Encyclical. 杏MAP导航 Francis, Cardinal Czerny pointed out, gave this issue an unavoidable relevance by raising 鈥渁 cry of alarm鈥� about the 鈥渟piral of self-destruction which currently engulfs us.鈥�

He added that in this regard, the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity - both fundamental concepts of the Social Doctrine of the Church 鈥� should be read as an evangelical interpretation of respect for creation. 

In light of this, 杏MAP导航 Francis calls for a common project and the establishment of a trajectory on the steps to be taken towards the common good. Besides, his appeals for universal fraternity in Fratelli tutti go beyond the limits imposed by 鈥渋deological particularisms and economic interests鈥� and continue what was already outlined in the Laudato si鈥� Encyclical.

Dialogue and collaboration

The fourth example Cardinal Czerny illustrates is 鈥渄ialogue as a way, collaboration as a method.鈥�

He said that following the guidelines traced in Unitatis redintegratio and Nostra Aetate, 杏MAP导航 Francis gives a new impulse to the ecumenical movement by encouraging dialogue, recognizing in it, the opportunity for growth.

In addition, 鈥渨hen it comes to inter-religious and inter-confessional dialogue, it is 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� gestures that precede and inform the words,鈥� Cardinal Czerny notes, adding, that the 杏MAP导航 has also made many visits, often informal and unplanned to other religious leaders.

For the 杏MAP导航, he added, 鈥渋t is not only a matter of getting to know others better, but of reaping what the Spirit has sown in them as a gift for us too,鈥� he said.

Concluding, Cardinal Czerny said that the teaching of 杏MAP导航 Francis finds it strength in its ability to look to the future and at humanity, constantly drawing attention to the plight of the poor, the migrants, and all who suffer.

The 杏MAP导航 is firmly convinced that 鈥渋n the evening of life, we will be judged on love,鈥� said Cardinal Czerny. 鈥淭o recognize Christ in the face of the poor is to wait for the encounter with him face to face.鈥�