杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

杏MAP导航 Francis exchanged on Friday, taking the occasion to explore the joys and afflictions facing the Catholic Church in this particular moment.

Church on path of renewal

鈥淐hristmas鈥�, the Holy Father said, 鈥渇ills us with joy and makes us certain that no sin will ever be greater than God鈥檚 mercy鈥�. He took St. Paul鈥檚 words to the Romans (13:12) as his focus: 鈥淭he night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 warned that being Christian 鈥渄oes not mean acting like an élite group who think they have God in their pocket鈥�. He said the Church always walks a path of penance and renewal and is 鈥渁t once holy and always in need of purification鈥�.

Afflictions

Turning to the afflictions facing the Church, 杏MAP导航 Francis said she 鈥渉as been buffeted by strong winds and tempests鈥� this year. Some people, he said, have been disheartened by news reports and have abandoned the Church. Others have attacked her out of fear or personal interest, while others express 鈥済lee at seeing her hard hit.鈥� But others, he said, remain faithful.

First, the Holy Father noted the afflictions immigrants face, including poverty, violence, and brutality in their home countries, as well as fear and prejudice in their host countries. Many other Christians face persecution, he added, 鈥測et they continue courageously to embrace death rather than deny Christ.鈥�

Abuse

杏MAP导航 Francis then spoke at length about the 鈥渟courges of abuse and infidelity鈥�.

鈥淭he Church has for some time been firmly committed to eliminating the evil of abuse, which cries for vengeance to the Lord, to the God who is always mindful of the suffering experienced by many minors because of clerics and consecrated persons: abuses of power and conscience and sexual abuse.鈥�

Abusers are more afraid of being found out than of 鈥淕od or His judgment鈥�, he said. 鈥淭he sins and crimes of consecrated persons are further tainted by infidelity and shame; they disfigure the countenance of the Church and undermine her credibility.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis emphatically said the Church 鈥渨ill spare no effort to do all that is necessary to bring to justice whosoever has committed such crimes.鈥� He pointed to the February meeting of presidents of Bishops鈥� Conferences on the protection of minors, saying 鈥渢he Church will restate her resolve to pursue unstintingly the path of purification.鈥� The event will seek to turn past mistakes into 鈥渙pportunities for eliminating this scourge鈥� of sexual abuse.

The 杏MAP导航 said some people accuse the media of ignoring abuse in wider society and of seeking to give the 鈥渇alse impression鈥� that it only affects the Catholic Church. For his part, 杏MAP导航 Francis offered his 鈥渉eartfelt thanks鈥� to journalists 鈥渨ho were honest and objective and sought to unmask these predators and to make their victims鈥� voices heard.鈥�

鈥淭he greater scandal in this matter is that of cloaking the truth,鈥� he said.

The Holy Father appealed to members of the Roman Curia to help the Church 鈥渋n her difficult task of recognizing real from false cases, accusations from slander, grievances from insinuations, gossip from defamation.鈥� He also begged those who abuse minors to convert and to hand themselves 鈥渙ver to human justice, and prepare for divine justice.鈥�

Infidelity

Another affliction 杏MAP导航 Francis listed is 鈥渢he infidelity of those who betray their vocation鈥� and 鈥渉ide behind good intentions in order to stab their brothers and sisters in the back and to sow weeds, division, and bewilderment.鈥� He said they resemble Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus but did not repent, as they find intellectual and spiritual excuses to continue on their 鈥減ath to perdition鈥�.

All of us, said the 杏MAP导航, have the duty to fight spiritual corruption.

Joys

杏MAP导航 Francis then turned to the many joys of the past year. He praised the Synod of Bishops on young people, progress made to reform the Curia, efforts towards clarity and transparency in the Vatican鈥檚 financial affairs, and a new Decree on labour in the Vatican.

He also spoke approvingly of the 19 recently beatified martyrs of Algeria, the many faithful added to the Church in Baptism, and the witness of young people who dedicate their lives to service in the consecrated life and priesthood.

杏MAP导航 Francis made special mention of the Church鈥檚 many ministers who 鈥渄aily live their calling in fidelity, silence, holiness, and self-denial.鈥� Speaking especially of parish priests, the Holy Father said they are ignored by the mass media, 鈥渂ut were it not for them, darkness would reign.鈥�

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis invited the members of the Roman Curia to open their hearts to Jesus Christ, 鈥渢he light of goodness that conquers evil鈥�.

鈥淐hristmas,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 concluded, 鈥済ives us the certainty that God鈥檚 light will continue to shine, despite our human misery鈥� and that 鈥渢he Church will emerge from these tribulations all the more beautiful, purified, and radiant.鈥�