杏MAP导航

杏MAP导航 Francis meets young people of the lay Catholic group 'Catholic Action' at the Vatican 杏MAP导航 Francis meets young people of the lay Catholic group 'Catholic Action' at the Vatican 

杏MAP导航 encourages Catholic Action youth to become "leaven" in society

杏MAP导航 Francis encourages young leaders of the Italian Catholic Action in their work in the parishes and urges them to contribute to the growth of the Church in fraternity.

By Benedict Mayaki, SJ

杏MAP导航 Francis received young parish leaders of the Italian Catholic Action group in the Vatican on Saturday morning.

Addressing them, the 杏MAP导航 expressed appreciation for their care of parishes, noting that, as he belongs to a different generation when the parish and the parish priest, was a central point of reference in the lives of people through Sunday Masses, catechesis and the sacraments.

He further acknowledged that the socio-cultural reality has now significantly changed 鈥 in other countries and in Italy 鈥 and the mission of the Church, including the parish, has been rethought. However, one essential thing remains for everyone in their journey of faith and growth: 鈥渢he parish experience has been and is important.鈥

The 杏MAP导航 said that the parish "is the 'normal' environment where we learned to hear the Gospel, to know the Lord Jesus, to offer service with gratuitousness, to pray in community, to share projects and initiatives, to feel part of God's holy people." 

Catholic Action and the parish community

Through Catholic Action, 杏MAP导航 Francis pointed out, the parish leaders have had an 鈥渁ssociational鈥 experience intertwined with that of the parish community. Many, he added, have been part of the Catholic Action for youth group and are learning what it means to be part of a Christian community.

鈥淭his is very important: to learn through experience that in the Church we are all brothers and sisters by Baptism; that we are all protagonists and responsible; that we have different gifts and all for the good of the community; that life is vocation, following Jesus; that faith is a gift to be given, to witness.鈥

The 杏MAP导航 also upheld the Christian鈥檚 responsibility of taking an interest in social reality and making a contribution, moving from not caring to caring, in the face of human misery that is almost always the fruit of injustices to be eradicated. He said that these realities of life are often learned in the parish and in Catholic Action and many, in both Church and society have carried into adulthood these things they learned as young people.

鈥淪o, dear young people,鈥 the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渨e are from different generations, but we have in common a love for the Church and a passion for the parish, which is the Church in the midst of the homes, in the midst of the people.鈥

Contributing to the growth of the Church in fraternity

The Holy Father went on to recommend ways by which Catholic Action can contribute to the growth of the Church in fraternity.

First, he urged them not to be frightened even in the face of a weak community "dimension" 鈥 a social fact - which has also been aggravated by the pandemic. He noted that many young people no longer have the desire to have meetings and assemblies as it used to be 50 years ago, and in a way, it is a good thing, because 鈥淐atholic Action does not have to be a Catholic 'Session', and the Church does not move ahead with meetings."

However, he warned that individualism, closure in small groups and the tendency to relate 鈥渁t a distance,鈥 has also infected Christian communities; therefore, we need to respond, starting with 鈥渁 work鈥 on ourselves.

鈥淲orking鈥 on ourselves

The 杏MAP导航 explained that he calls it 鈥渨ork鈥 because 鈥渋t is a challenging journey and requires constancy鈥 as fraternity is not improvised, neither is it built only with emotions, slogans and events. Rather, it is a work 鈥渢hat each person does on himself together with the Lord, with the Holy Spirit, who creates harmony among diversity.鈥 In this regard, he recommended that the Catholic Action leaders reread the part of the Exhortation 鈥 titled 鈥淧aths of Fraternity鈥.

鈥淭he starting point is going out of oneself to open oneself to others and go out to meet them,鈥 the 杏MAP导航 said. It is a 鈥渞elationship in which we recognize ourselves and grow together.鈥 He stressed that the fundamental reality for us is that 鈥渋n the Church we experience this movement in Christ, through the Eucharist: He comes out of Himself and comes into us so that we come out of ourselves and are united with Him, and in Him we find ourselves in a new, free, gratuitous, oblative communion.鈥

鈥淔raternity in the Church is founded in Christ, in His presence in us and among us. Thanks to Him we welcome each other, bear each other, forgive each other.鈥

The Holy Father also warned against gossipping, which he referred to as "the most serious sickness in a parish community." He stressed that it is "not Christian" and is "diabolical because it divides." 

鈥淟eaven鈥 in society

杏MAP导航 Francis then highlighted in what sense Christians become 鈥渓eaven鈥 in society, noting that if they are in Christ and animated by His Spirit, they cannot but be 鈥渓eaven of humanity鈥 because 鈥淛esus Christ is the perfect Man and His Gospel is a humanizing force.鈥

He upheld the expression used by the Catholic Action: 鈥渂eing kneaded in this world鈥, saying that it is 鈥渢he principle of incarnation鈥 and 鈥渢he way of Jesus鈥 to bring new life from within.

The 杏MAP导航 also urged the Catholic Action leaders to allow 鈥渢hat leaven be leaven, that salt be salt, that light be light鈥, warning, that we risk becoming worldly, losing the newness of Christ and having nothing more to say or to give if we do otherwise. He added that this is what Jesus meant when on the one hand he says "You are the salt of the earth," and then immediately warns: be careful not to lose the flavor! (cf. Mt 5:13).

Responsible credible young believers

The Holy Father then highlighted another expression used by Catholic Action: 鈥渢o be responsible credible young believers鈥. He said that these words are embodied by saints - even young saints, and pointed at the examples of a few Italian saints - Francis and Clare of Assisi, Rose of Viterbo, Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, Dominic Savio, Gemma Galgani, Maria Goretti, Pier Giorgio Frassati, Clare Badano and Carlo Acutis.

鈥淭hey teach us what it means to be leaven, to be in the world but not of the world,鈥 the 杏MAP导航 said.

He also recalled the life of Pier Giorgio Frassati who was an active and enthusiastic member of the Italian Catholic Action, and who showed us how to be a responsible credible young believer.

Learning from the Virgin Mary

Bringing his address to a close, the 杏MAP导航 recalled that October is the month of the Rosary and encouraged them to learn from Our Lady to 鈥渒eep and meditate in your heart the mysteries of Jesus.鈥

鈥淢irror yourself every day in the joyful, luminous, sorrowful and glorious events of his life, and they will enable you to live the ordinary in an extraordinary way, that is, with the newness of the Spirit, the newness of the Gospel.鈥

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis blessed and thanked the Catholic Action for their witness and urged them to go forth with joy and courage. 

 

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29 October 2022, 12:30