杏MAP导航 Francis encourages Irish students to promote culture of encounter

杏MAP导航

杏MAP导航 Francis spurs Catholic students from Queen鈥檚 University in Belfast to cultivate the culture of encounter so as to contribute to building up Ireland鈥檚 noble traditions of hospitality, reconciliation and fidelity to the Gospel.

By Lisa Zengarini

杏MAP导航 Francis on Monday received in audience a group of students from the Catholic Chaplaincy at Queen鈥檚 University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as they celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Chaplaincy. In his prepared remarks that were handed over to the group, the Holy Father encouraged them to cultivate the culture of encounter in their academic community.

鈥淚f we truly believe in Jesus, we must do what Jesus does: encounter others, encounter our neighbours, in order to share with them the saving truth of the Gospel," 杏MAP导航 Francis wrote.

鈥淭he Christian faith is fundamentally about an encounter with Jesus Christ鈥�

He noted that building a culture of encounter in the service of God鈥檚 kingdom is "personally demanding", but at the same time exciting, as 鈥渋t allows us to weave a web of relationships which can make our lives together 鈥榓 genuine experience of fraternity, a caravan of solidarity, a sacred pilgrimage鈥�.

鈥淏uilding a culture of encounter is not simply about seeing, but looking; it is not about hearing, but listening; it is not about just meeting or passing people by, but stopping to engage with them about the things that really matter.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis, therefore, encouraged the students to become promoters of this culture of encounter in their academic environment, thus contributing 鈥渢o building up Ireland鈥檚 noble traditions of hospitality, reconciliation, fidelity to the Gospel and steadfastness in the pursuit of holiness鈥�.

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