杏MAP导航 encourages Polish pilgrims to cultivate ecumenism and mercy

杏MAP导航

杏MAP导航 Francis receives in audience a group of pilgrims from the archdiocese of 艁贸d藕, in Poland, visiting Rome on the occasion of the Jubilee celebrations of the foundation of their diocese.

By Lisa Zengarini

杏MAP导航 Francis has commended the Archdiocese of 艁ód藕 in Poland for its century-old commitment to ecumenism and charity work. The archdiocese was established as a diocese in 1920 by 杏MAP导航 Benedict XV and has just concluded its Jubilee celebrations.

Communion in diversity is a sign of synodality

Speaking on Thursday to some 2,000 participants in an ecumenical pilgrimage from the Polish archdiocese in the Paul VI Audience Hall, 杏MAP导航 Francis recalled the great 鈥渆cumenical sensitivity鈥� shown by its first bishop, the Most Reverend Wincenty Tymieniecki, and encouraged the pilgrims to continue to 鈥渟afeguard his ecumenical determination鈥�.

He greeted the large representation of local religious leaders belonging to other Christian Churches who have joined the pilgrimage, remarking that their 鈥渃ommunion in diversity is a sign of synodality, it is synodality in deeds鈥� and encouraging them to continue on the path of unity.

杏MAP导航 Francis further noted that the pilgrimage is also a 鈥渂eautiful image of the synodal Church鈥�, which, he said, 鈥渁ctually walks the paths of the Apostles together, as a family of sisters and brothers, coming from different parishes and from different communities and ecclesial groups: priests and lay faithful, married and consecrated persons鈥�.

鈥淚 hope that you have not only committed yourselves to the Synod, but that you have already tasted the experience of it, rediscovering the beauty of ecclesial communion, of living the faith together, of assuming mutual responsibility for each other, of sharing with others, even with those who are apparently distant or think differently.鈥�

The Samaritan face of the Church

杏MAP导航 Francis also called attention to another important legacy of Bishop Tymieniecki鈥檚 episcopal ministry: that of mercy, which he said, is also in the 鈥淒NA鈥� of the Church of 艁ód藕.

Noting that, today, mercy requires great "imagination鈥� and 鈥渃reativity鈥�, he praised the works of charity carried out in the archdiocese, even at a personal level, for the sick, the elderly, unemployed people, the homeless, immigrants and all the poor, suffering and marginalized people , and for children who need a home and a family.

鈥淭his is how the Church takes on the most evangelical face, that of the Good Samaritan, who does not want and does not know how to be indifferent鈥�, he said.

鈥淏ishop Tymieniecki knew how to unite in himself the courage of mercy and the courage of ecumenism. He chose the path of ecumenism long before the Catholic Church took it officially.鈥�

He therefore called upon Archdiocese of 艁ód藕 to keep the courage of its first pastor alive and to continue to witness fraternity.

An outgoing Church

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded wishing that the Jubilee celebrations may renew and strengthen the evangelization mission of the Church in 艁ód藕 .

鈥淚 wish you the credibility, the coherence and the attractive power of testimony; to experience and cultivate ever more fraternal relationships in your Church; to be a beautiful 鈥榦utgoing鈥� Church, which just like yeast makes all the dough ferment and has the strength of the mustard seed鈥�, he said.

Listen to our report