杏MAP导航

By Andrea Tornielli

This year, the twelfth anniversary of his pontificate falls at a particular moment for 杏MAP导航 Francis, who has been living in his hospital room on the tenth floor of Gemelli Hospital for almost a month. The news coming from the latest medical bulletins is encouraging, his prognosis is no longer guarded, and hopefully he will be able to return to the Vatican soon. Still, what the 杏MAP导航 is going through at this time undoubtedly makes this anniversary of the beginning of his pontificate very unusual. The same year that has seen 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� longest intercontinental journey (to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and Singapore); the conclusion of the Synod on Synodality; and the opening of the Holy Door that inaugurated the Jubilee, now witnesses this delicate passage. The Successor of St Peter, sick among the sick, suffers and prays for peace, accompanied by the chorus of prayers of so many people around the world. He, who in these twelve years has never concluded a meeting, a catechesis or an Angelus without the words, 鈥淧lease do not forget to pray for me鈥�, today feels the embrace of so many believers and non-believers who care deeply for him.

It is revealing: it is a time to consider the nature of the Church and the mission of the Bishop of Rome, which is so different from that of the general manager of a multinational corporation. Twelve years ago, the then Cardinal Bergoglio addressed the General Congregations, quoting Henri De Lubac鈥檚 opinion that 鈥渢he worst evil鈥� the Church can incur is 鈥渟piritual worldliness鈥�: The danger of a Church that 鈥渂elieves she has light of its own鈥�, that counts on her own strength, her own strategies, her own efficiency, and thus ceases to be the 鈥渕ysterium lunae鈥�, that is, no longer reflecting the light of Another, no longer living and acting only by the grace of the One who said: 鈥淲ithout me you can do nothing鈥�.

Remembering those words once again, today, we look with affection and hope at the windows of the tenth floor of Gemelli Hospital. We thank 杏MAP导航 Francis for this magisterium of fragility, for that still feeble voice of his that has joined the Rosary in St Peter鈥檚 Square in recent days鈥攁 fragile voice that continues to implore peace and not war, dialogue and not oppression, compassion and not indifference. Happy anniversary, 杏MAP导航 Francis! We still need your voice so much.