杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

The Jubilee Year, says 杏MAP导航 Francis in a message to the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering (CSMG) in the United States, 鈥渋s an opportunity to place the challenge of 鈥榦rganizing hope鈥� at the center of the pastoral mission.鈥�

The annual meeting is organized each year by the USCCB鈥檚 Secretariat of Justice and Peace, in collaboration with ten other departments of the United State Conference of Catholic Bishops, along with twenty national Catholic organizations. The theme of this year鈥檚 Gathering 鈥淢issionaries of Hope, Advocates for Justice.鈥�

Building bridges of reconciliation, inclusion, and fraternity

In his message to participants, 杏MAP导航 Francis emphasized that the Church鈥檚 pastoral mission calls for 鈥渁 鈥楥hurch which goes forth,鈥� being able to sustain 鈥榳ith words and actions鈥� the hope with which so many families have always come to these blessed lands.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 goes on to express his hope that the CSMG 鈥渨ill become a sign of unity, to 鈥榖uild bridges of reconciliation, inclusion, and fraternity"鈥攁 challenge he knows they can rise to because, as he explained, 鈥渆ach one of you works very hard to recognize Jesus Christ in those most in need: the excluded, the discarded, the poor, the migrants.鈥�

Protagonists of history

After praising the Church in the United States for its focus on concrete reality rather than abstract ideas, 杏MAP导航 Francis recognizes the service of social ministry leaders, which makes possible 鈥渁 social dialogue that listens and converses 鈥榳ith鈥� the poor, always 鈥榓t the service of the common good鈥�.鈥�

And he encourages them to not be afraid 鈥渢o be protagonists of history,鈥� warning that 鈥渋f we fail to promote social justice, we will not be able to guarantee the dignity of every person, of every person who comes into this world, of every hopeful young person who sets foot in the Americas.鈥�

Continue to be pilgrims of hope

Then, addressing young people taking part in the Gathering, the Holy Father repeats his admonition, 鈥淒o not let yourselves be robbed of hope,鈥� reminding them that they are 鈥渒ey to putting an end to this piecemeal war that shakes the earth.鈥�

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis encourages all the participants of the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering 鈥渢o have the courage to continue to be pilgrims of hope, as your ancestors were.鈥�