杏MAP导航

By Linda Bordoni

杏MAP导航 Francis recalled his visit to the city of Cesena for the commemoration of the third centenary of the birth of 杏MAP导航 Pius VI, and with a thought also for Pius VII.

He said the memory of these two Bishops of Rome, both of whom were born in Cesena, provided a good opportunity to reflect on the path of evangelization undertaken and on new missionary goals to look ahead to.

'Heirs of 杏MAP导航s Pius VI and VII'

鈥淗eirs of these and other important figures of pastors and evangelizers, you are called to continue on this same path, committing yourselves generously to proclaim the Gospel to your fellow citizens and witnessing it with works, which do not necessarily have to be great鈥� he said.

Christians, he explained, are leaven of love, of fraternity, of hope with many small daily gestures, and he encouraged them to love small, everyday gestures 鈥渢hat may be as small as the yeast but they do so much good鈥�.

He said the occasion for the visit to Bologna was offered by the conclusion of the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress.

Eucharistic Congress

鈥淢ay the fervor aroused by that ecclesial event, which gathered many people around the Eucharist, be prolonged in time, not fade away but grow and bear fruit, leaving an indelible mark on the path of faith of your Christian community鈥� he said.

And quoting from his recent Apostolic Exhortation 鈥淕audete et Exsultate鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said that 鈥淪haring the word and celebrating the Eucharist together fosters fraternity and makes us a holy and missionary community鈥�.

The Eucharist, he said, makes the Church, brings it together and unites it in a bond of love and hope.

The 杏MAP导航 concluded his address encouraging the men and women of our time to open their hearts to an encounter with Jesus Christ.

This mission, he said, is responsibility and joy, a heritage of salvation and a gift to share: 鈥淚t requires generous availability, self-denial and confident abandonment to the divine will. It is a question of making a journey of holiness in order to respond courageously to the call of Jesus, each according to his own particular charism鈥�.