杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo

杏MAP导航 Francis met with members of the Passionist Congregation on the occasion of their 47^th General Chapter, ahead of the 300^th anniversary of the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus.

Stimulating a renewal

With their theme being 鈥淩enewing our mission: gratitude, prophecy and hope鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis began his address by telling them that these three words 鈥渆xpress the spirit with which you wish to stimulate your Congregation towards a renewal in your mission鈥�.

The 杏MAP导航 spoke to the participants about their founder, St Paul of the Cross, whom he said 鈥渨anted your communities to be schools of prayer, in which to experience God鈥�.

Precious witness

鈥淎t the heart of your life and mission is the Passion of Jesus鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 continued. 鈥淚 encourage you to be ministers of spiritual healing and of reconciliation鈥� which, he said, 鈥渁re so necessary in today鈥檚 world鈥�. 杏MAP导航 Francis said that 鈥渢he Church needs ministers who speak with tenderness, listen without condemning and welcome with mercy鈥�. He recognised that the Passionists鈥� closeness to people 鈥渢raditionally expressed through parish mission, spiritual direction and the Sacrament of Reconciliation鈥� is a 鈥減recious witness鈥�.

Commitment in new challenges

杏MAP导航 Francis continued saying that the Church needs to 鈥済o into the peripheries鈥�, both geographically and existentially speaking. He said that the Passionists鈥� 鈥渃ommitment to welcoming new frontiers in their mission鈥� does not only help them to carry forward the Gospel, but to 鈥渇ace the new challenges of our times, such as migration, secularism and the digital world鈥�. This, said the 杏MAP导航, means 鈥渂eing present in situations in which people feel God鈥檚 absence鈥� and trying to 鈥渂e close to those who, in whatever shape or form, are suffering鈥�.

New era, new times

The 杏MAP导航 went on to say that 鈥渋n this era of changes, which is more of a change of era鈥�, Passionists are called to look out for the presence of the Holy Spirit, 鈥渞eading the signs of the times鈥�. 鈥淣ew situations require new answers鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航. And in this Saint Paul of the Cross was very 鈥渃reative鈥� in responding to the needs of his time, 鈥渞ecognizing 鈥� as the Rule states 鈥� that 鈥�the love of God is very ingenious鈥�.鈥� (XVI)鈥�.

An eternal, personal love

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded saying that 鈥渢he strength and simplicity of your message, that is the love of God revealed on the Cross, can still speak to today鈥檚 society, which has learnt to no longer trust mere words, or let itself be convinced only by facts鈥�. He explained that the Passion of Jesus can be a 鈥渟ource of hope and courage鈥� for young people seeking God, and that this Passion can teach them that 鈥渆ach and every one of them is personally loved, forever.鈥�