杏MAP导航 to Paulines: Evoke hidden thirst for God with all comms channels

杏MAP导航

杏MAP导航 Francis greets participants in the 11th General Chapter of the Society of St. Paul, and urges Paulines to embrace all means of communication to bring forth people鈥檚 hidden desire for God.

By Devin Watkins

As the Society of St. Paul wraps up its 11th General Chapter鈥攈eld from 29 May to 19 June in Ariccia, near Rome鈥斝覯AP导航 Francis met in the Vatican on Saturday with members of the institute founded by Blessed James Alberione.

In his prepared remarks which were handed to those present, the 杏MAP导航 recalled the Chapter鈥檚 guiding theme: 鈥溾€楲et yourselves be transformed by renewing your way of thinking鈥� (Rm 12:2): Called to be artisans of communion to prophetically announce the joy of the Gospel in the culture of communication."

He noted that St. Paul urges Christians to 鈥渁llow themselves to be transformed,鈥� which means making space for the Holy Spirit to conform us to Christ, so as to transform the world around us.

Transformed to transform the world

Blessed Alberione, said the 杏MAP导航, called for Paulines to renew their way of thinking.

鈥淥ur mentality must first of all be changed, converted, and assimilated to that of Jesus our Teacher, in order to contribute to spreading in society a way of thinking and living based on the Gospel.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis said Paulines should not only embrace all means of communication to spread the Church鈥檚 teaching, but also 鈥渋ntegrate the message itself into the new culture created by modern forms of communication.鈥�

Technology to build culture of encounter

One key aspect of modern communications, said the 杏MAP导航, is that of 鈥渋nterpersonal relationships in a globalized and interconnected world,鈥� which impact both the Church and society.

鈥淎fter the initial euphoria for technological novelties, we now recognize that it is not enough to be 鈥榦n the web鈥� or 鈥渃onnected,鈥� but that we need to understand how our communication鈥攅nriched as it is by the digital realm鈥攅ffectively builds bridges and contributes to building a culture of encounter.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis said Blessed Alberione wanted the Paulines to offer themselves fully to the apostolate, in the footsteps of St. Paul.

The Apostle to the Gentiles, said the 杏MAP导航, was filled with a missionary spirit but carried out his mission in community with others around him. In other words, he worked 鈥渨ith a network鈥� to communicate the Good News to people where and how they live.

Evoke people鈥檚 thirst for God

杏MAP导航 Francis thus encouraged the Paulines to employ their professional competencies for the sake of the Gospel in communion.

鈥淵ou are called to live communion in fraternity,鈥� he said, 鈥渋n your relationships with the diocesan communities in which you live and within the larger and diverse Pauline Family. Your horizon is that of Paul: the whole of humanity of our times.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 wrapped up his speech by recalling that the Paulines鈥� mission is to help people who appear far from the Church to become aware of their 鈥渄esire for God and thirst for love and truth.鈥�

Listen to our report