25/7/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): The Christian life requires an ongoing dedication and courage

"The Christian life is not limited to prayer, but requires an ongoing dedication and courage born of prayer."

Pope Francis (@Pontifex)

25/7/2013 Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt): A vida cristã requer um compromisso contínuo e corajoso

"A vida cristã não se limita à hora de rezar, mas requer um compromisso contínuo e corajoso que nasce da oração."

Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt)

25/7/2013 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): La vie chrétienne demande un engagement continuel et courageux

"La vie chrétienne ne se limite pas à la prière, mais demande un engagement continuel et courageux qui naît de la prière."

Pape François (@Pontifex_fr)

25/7/2013 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es): La vida cristiana requiere un compromiso diario y valiente

"La vida cristiana no se limita a la oración, pero requiere un compromiso diario y valiente que surge de la oración."

Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es)

25/7/2013 Papa Francesco ‏(@Pontifex_it): La vita cristiana richiede un impegno continuo e coraggioso

"La vita cristiana non si limita al pregare, ma richiede un impegno continuo e coraggioso che nasce dalla preghiera."

Papa Francesco (@Pontifex_it)

25/7/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): May sports always be a means of exchange and growth

"May sports always be a means of exchange and growth, never of violence and hate."

Pope Francis (@Pontifex)

25/7/2013 Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt): Que o esporte seja sempre instrumento de intercâmbio e crescimento

"Que o esporte seja sempre instrumento de intercâmbio e crescimento e nunca de violência nem de ódio."

Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt)

25/7/2013 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es): Que el deporte sea siempre instrumento de intercambio y superación

"Que el deporte sea siempre instrumento de intercambio y superación y nunca de violencia y odio."

Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es)

25/7/2013 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): Que le sport soit toujours un moyen d’échange et de croissance

"Que le sport soit toujours un moyen d’échange et de croissance, et jamais de violence ni de haine."

Pape François (@Pontifex_fr)

25/7/2013 Papa Francesco ‏(@Pontifex_it): Che lo sport sia sempre uno strumento di scambio e di crescita

"Che lo sport sia sempre uno strumento di scambio e di crescita; mai di violenza e di odio."

Papa Francesco (@Pontifex_it)

23/7/2013 Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt): Ide, fazei discípulos

"Queridos jovens, Cristo tem confiança em vocês e lhes confia sua própria missão: Ide, fazei discípulos."

Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt)

23/7/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): Go and make disciples!

"Dear young friends, Christ has confidence in you and he entrusts his own mission to you: Go and make disciples!"

Pope Francis (@Pontifex)

23/7/2013 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es): Vayan, hagan discípulos

"Queridos jóvenes, Cristo tiene confianza en ustedes y les encomienda su misma misión: Vayan, hagan discípulos."

Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es)

23/7/2013 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): allez, faites des disciples

"Chers jeunes, le Christ a confiance en vous et vous confie sa mission : allez, faites des disciples."

Pape François (@Pontifex_fr)

23/7/2013 Papa Francesco ‏(@Pontifex_it): Andate, fate discepoli

"Cari giovani, Cristo ha fiducia in voi e vi affida la sua stessa missione: Andate, fate discepoli."

Papa Francesco (@Pontifex_it)

18/7/2013 Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt): Todo o cristão é um apóstolo

"Neste Ano da Fé, recordemo-nos de que a fé não é propriedade exclusiva nossa, mas deve ser partilhada. Todo o cristão é um apóstolo."

Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt)

18/7/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): Every Christian is an apostle

"In this Year of Faith, let us remember that faith is not something we possess, but something we share. Every Christian is an apostle."

Pope Francis (@Pontifex)

18/7/2013 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es): Todo cristiano ha de ser un apóstol

"En este Año de la fe, no olvidemos que la fe no es para guardarla, sino para compartirla. Todo cristiano ha de ser un apóstol."

Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es)

18/7/2013 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): Tout chrétien est un apôtre

"En cette Année de la foi, rappelons-nous que la foi n’est pas notre propriété, mais qu’elle doit être partagée. Tout chrétien est un apôtre."

Pape François (@Pontifex_fr)

18/7/2013 Papa Francesco ‏(@Pontifex_it): Ogni cristiano è un apostolo

"In quest'Anno della fede, ricordiamo che la fede non è un nostro possesso, ma va condivisa. Ogni cristiano è un apostolo."

Papa Francesco (@Pontifex_it)

17/7/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): we should learn to be merciful

"God is so merciful toward us. We too should learn to be merciful, especially with those who suffer."

Pope Francis (@Pontifex)

17/7/2013 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es): misericordia

"Dios es muy misericordioso con nosotros. Aprendamos también nosotros a tener misericordia con los demás, especialmente con los que sufren."

Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es)

17/7/2013 Papa Francesco ‏(@Pontifex_it): misericordia

"Dio ha tanta misericordia con noi. Impariamo anche noi ad avere misericordia con gli altri, specialmente con quelli che soffrono."

Papa Francesco (@Pontifex_it)

17/7/2013 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): miséricorde

"Dieu a beaucoup de miséricorde envers nous. Apprenons, nous aussi, à avoir miséricorde envers les autres, surtout ceux qui souffrent."

Pape François (@Pontifex_fr)

17/7/2013 Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt): misericórdia

""Deus usa de tanta misericórdia connosco. Aprendamos também nós a usar de misericórdia com os outros, especialmente aqueles que sofrem."

Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt)

16/7/2013 Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt): o caminho para a santidade

"São essenciais, na vida cristã, a oração, a humildade, a caridade para com todos: este é o caminho para a santidade."

Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt)

16/7/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): the way to holiness

"Prayer, humility, and charity toward all are essential in the Christian life: they are the way to holiness."

Pope Francis (@Pontifex)

16/7/2013 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es): el camino hacia la santidad

"En la vida cristiana son esenciales: la oración, la humildad, el amor a todos. Éste es el camino hacia la santidad."

Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es)

16/7/2013 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): le chemin de la sainteté

"Dans la vie chrétienne la prière, l’humilité et la charité envers tous sont essentielles : c’est le chemin de la sainteté"

Pape François (@Pontifex_fr)

16/7/2013 Papa Francesco ‏(@Pontifex_it): la strada per la santità

"Nella vita cristiana sono essenziali la preghiera, l'umiltà, la carità verso tutti: è la strada per la santità."

Papa Francesco (@Pontifex_it)

Spirituality, generosity, solidarity, perseverance, fraternity, joy

"Spirituality, generosity, solidarity, perseverance, fraternity, joy; they are values whose deepest root is in the Christian faith."

Pope Francis, 24/7/2013, (http://www.asianews.it/news-en/WYD:-for-pope,-Christians-should-be-hopeful,-surprised-by-God,-and-live-in-joy-28563.html)

14/7/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): life is not the product of mere chance, but the fruit of a call and personal love

"For a Christian, life is not the product of mere chance, but the fruit of a call and personal love."

Pope Francis (@Pontifex)

14/7/2013 Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt): a vida não é resultado de puro acaso, mas fruto de uma chamada e de um amor pessoal

"Para um cristão, a vida não é resultado de puro acaso, mas fruto de uma chamada e de um amor pessoal."

Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt)

14/7/2013 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es): la vida no es producto de la casualidad, sino fruto de una llamada y de un amor personal

"Para el cristiano, la vida no es producto de la casualidad, sino fruto de una llamada y de un amor personal."

Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es)

14/7/2013 Papa Francesco ‏(@Pontifex_it): la vita non è il prodotto del puro caso, ma frutto di una chiamata e di un amore personale

"Per un cristiano, la vita non è il prodotto del puro caso, ma frutto di una chiamata e di un amore personale."

Papa Francesco (@Pontifex_it)

14/7/2013 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): la vie n’est pas le produit du pur hasard, mais le fruit d’un appel et d’un amour personnel

"Pour un chrétien, la vie n’est pas le produit du pur hasard, mais le fruit d’un appel et d’un amour personnel."

Pape François (@Pontifex_fr)

12/7/2013 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): La Grâce

"Seigneur, donne-nous la grâce de pleurer sur notre indifférence, sur la cruauté qu’il y a dans le monde et en nous."

Pape François (@Pontifex_fr)

12/7/2013 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es): La Gracia

"Señor, concédenos la gracia de llorar por nuestra indiferencia, por la crueldad que hay en el mundo y en nosotros mismos."

Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es)

12/7/2013 Papa Francesco ‏(@Pontifex_it): La Grazia

"Signore, donaci la grazia di piangere sulla nostra indifferenza, sulla crudeltà che c’è nel mondo e in noi."

Papa Francesco (@Pontifex_it)

12/7/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): The Grace

"Lord, grant us the grace to weep over our indifference, over the cruelty that is in the world and in ourselves."

Pope Francis (@Pontifex)

12/7/2013 Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt): a Graça

"Senhor, dai-nos a graça de chorarmos pela nossa indiferença, pela crueldade que existe no mundo e em nós."

Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt)

Cristianismo e hinduísmo

Um provérbio hindu que poderia ser um provérbio cristão: "Tentar apagar a ânsia de riquezas com dinheiro é como tentar apagar um fogo deitando-lhe manteiga por cima."

O provérbio cristão, actualmente, diria talvez também: "Tentar apagar a ânsia de consumo com dinheiro é como tentar apagar um fogo deitando-lhe manteiga por cima."

10/7/2013 Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt): Seguir Cristo

"Se queremos seguir Cristo de perto, não podemos procurar um vida cómoda e tranquila. Será uma vida empenhada, mas cheia de alegria."

Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt)

10/7/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): To follow Christ

"If we wish to follow Christ closely, we cannot choose an easy, quiet life. It will be a demanding life, but full of joy."

Pope Francis (@Pontifex)

10/7/2013 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es): Seguir a Jesús

"Si queremos seguir a Jesús de cerca, no podemos buscar una vida cómoda y tranquila. Será una vida comprometida, pero llena de alegría."

Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es)

10/7/2013 Papa Francesco ‏(@Pontifex_it): Seguire Cristo

"Se vogliamo seguire Cristo da vicino, non possiamo cercare una vita comoda e tranquilla. Sarà una vita impegnativa, ma piena di gioia."

Papa Francesco (@Pontifex_it)

10/7/2013 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): Suivre le Christ

"Si nous voulons suivre le Christ de près, nous ne pouvons pas chercher une vie facile et tranquille. Elle sera engagée mais pleine de joie."

Pape François (@Pontifex_fr)

9/7/2013 Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt): Um cristão vive sempre cheio de esperança

"Um cristão vive sempre cheio de esperança; não pode jamais deixar-se cair no desânimo."


Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt)

9/7/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): Christians are always full of hope

"Christians are always full of hope; they should never get discouraged."

Pope Francis (@Pontifex)

9/7/2013 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es): El cristiano está siempre lleno de esperanza

"El cristiano está siempre lleno de esperanza; nunca puede dejarse llevar por el desánimo."

Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es)

9/7/2013 Papa Francesco ‏(@Pontifex_it): Un cristiano è sempre pieno di speranza

"Un cristiano è sempre pieno di speranza; non può mai scoraggiarsi."

Papa Francesco (@Pontifex_it)

9/7/2013 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): Un chrétien est toujours rempli d’espérance

"Un chrétien est toujours rempli d’espérance ; il ne peut jamais se décourager."

Pape François (@Pontifex_fr)

8/7/2013 Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt): Deus julgar-nos-á com base no modo como tivermos tratado os mais necessitados

"Rezemos para ter um coração que abrace os imigrantes. Deus julgar-nos-á com base no modo como tivermos tratado os mais necessitados."

Papa Francisco (‏@Pontifex_pt)

8/7/2013 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es): Dios nos juzgará según hayamos tratado a los más necesitados

"Pidamos un corazón que acoja a los inmigrantes. Dios nos juzgará según hayamos tratado a los más necesitados."

Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es)

8/7/2013 Papa Francesco ‏(@Pontifex_it): Dio ci giudicherà in base a come abbiamo trattato i più bisognosi

"Preghiamo per avere un cuore che abbracci gli immigrati. Dio ci giudicherà in base a come abbiamo trattato i più bisognosi."

Papa Francesco (@Pontifex_it) 

8/7/2013 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): Dieu nous jugera sur la façon dont nous aurons traités ceux qui sont dans le besoin

"Prions pour avoir un cœur qui accueille les immigrés. Dieu nous jugera sur la façon dont nous aurons traités ceux qui sont dans le besoin."

Pape François (@Pontifex_fr)

8/7/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): God will judge us upon how we have treated the most needy

"We pray for a heart which will embrace immigrants. God will judge us upon how we have treated the most needy."

Pope Francis (@Pontifex)

Pope: "there is no holiness in sadness"

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday evening told future nuns and priests and consecrated laypeople to keep “freshness” and “joy” in their lives, as he said: “There is no sadness in holiness”.
Speaking to participants in a four-day international event for Seminarians, Novices and those on a vocational journey, Francis gave an off-the-cuff lecture to seminarians and novices from across the globe, gathered in the Paul VI Hall.
In his remarks, the Pope urged those present not to be tempted by a culture that exalts provisional values, and he told them to avoid trappings like the latest smartphones and expensive cars so they can devote more resources to help the poor.
“It is not you that I reproach” said the Pope, and he specified that it is today’s culture of the provisional of which we are all victims that does not help us: “because in this day and age it is very difficult to make a definitive choice”. He pointed out that when he was young it was easier because the culture of the time favoured definitive choices, be it in conjugal life, in consecrated life or in priestly life. But today – he said “it is not easy to make a definitive choice. We are victims of this culture of the provisional”.
And then Pope Francis took seminarians and novices to task for being “too serious, too sad”. ``Something's not right here,'' Francis told them pointing out that `'There is no sadness in holiness,'' and adding that such clergy lack `'the joy of the Lord.''
“To become a priest or a religious is not primarily our choice; it is our answer to a calling, a calling of love”.

`'If you find a seminarian, priest, nun, with a long, sad face, if it seems as if in their life someone threw a wet blanket over them,'' then one should conclude `'it's a psychiatric problem, they can leave - `buenos dias’”.
And he highlighted the fact that he wasn't talking about superficial joy - `'the thrill of a moment doesn't really make us happy,'' warning against the temptation to seek `'the joy of the world in the latest smartphone, the fastest car.''

“It hurts my heart when I see a priest or a nun with the latest model of car” he said. And Francis continued saying “cars are necessary. But take a more humble one. Think of how many children die of hunger' and dedicate the savings to them”.
Urging all those with vocations to be authentic and true, the Pope also reminded them never to be afraid to recognise their own sins. And speaking of their formation, Francis said there are four fundamental pillars: spiritual formation; intellectual formation; apostolic life – during which one must go forth and announce the Gospel; and community living. “On these four pillars” – Pope Francis said “you must build your vocations”.
During his remarks, Pope Francis also praised the late Mother Teresa, who cared for the most impoverished sick of Calcutta, India, and held her up as a courageous example. “I would like a more missionary church,”' the pope told the young people “'Not so much a tranquil church, but a beautiful church that goes forward.”

(http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-to-seminarians-and-novices-there-is-no-holine)

The Light of Faith: Points to ponder

(Vatican Radio) Here are eight significant quotes from the first Encyclical of Pope Francis: Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith)

1. From Paragraph 4: “The light of faith is unique, since it is capable of illuminating every aspect of human existence. A light this powerful cannot come from ourselves but from a more primordial source: in a word, it must come from God. Faith is born of an encounter with the living God who calls us and reveals his love, a love which precedes us and upon which we can lean for security and for building our lives. Transformed by this love, we gain fresh vision, new eyes to see; we realize that it contains a great promise of fulfilment, and that a vision of the future opens up before us.”

2. From Paragraph 16: “If laying down one’s life for one’s friends is the greatest proof of love (cf. Jn 15:13), Jesus offered his own life for all, even for his enemies, to transform their hearts. This explains why the evangelists could see the hour of Christ’s crucifixion as the culmination of the gaze of faith; in that hour the depth and breadth of God’s love shone forth.”

3. From Paragraph 18: “In many areas in our lives we trust others who know more than we do. We trust the architect who builds our home, the pharmacist who gives us medicine for healing, the lawyer who defends us in court. We also need someone trustworthy and knowledgeable where God is concerned. Jesus, the Son of God, is the one who makes God known to us (cf. Jn 1:18). Christ’s life, his way of knowing the Father and living in complete and constant relationship with him, opens up new and inviting vistas for human experience.”

4. From Paragraph 25: “In contemporary culture, we often tend to consider the only real truth to be that of technology: truth is what we succeed in building and measuring by our scientific know-how, truth is what works and what makes life easier and more comfortable. Nowadays this appears as the only truth that is certain, the only truth that can be shared, the only truth that can serve as a basis for discussion or for common undertakings. Yet at the other end of the scale we are willing to allow for subjective truths of the individual, which consist in fidelity to his or her deepest convictions, yet these are truths valid only for that individual and not capable of being proposed to others in an effort to serve the common good. But Truth itself, the truth which would comprehensively explain our life as individuals and in society, is regarded with suspicion.”

5. From Paragraph 26: “Faith transforms the whole person precisely to the extent that he or she becomes open to love. Through this blending of faith and love we come to see the kind of knowledge which faith entails, its power to convince and its ability to illumine our steps. Faith knows because it is tied to love, because love itself brings enlightenment. Faith’s understanding is born when we receive the immense love of God which transforms us inwardly and enables us to see reality with new eyes.”

6. From Paragraph 46: “The Decalogue is not a set of negative commands, but concrete directions for emerging from the desert of the selfish and self-enclosed ego in order to enter into dialogue with God, to be embraced by his mercy and then to bring that mercy to others. Faith thus professes the love of God, origin and upholder of all things, and lets itself be guided by this love in order to journey towards the fullness of communion with God. The Decalogue appears as the path of gratitude, the response of love, made possible because in faith we are receptive to the experience of God’s transforming love for us.”

7. From Paragraph 52: “The first setting in which faith enlightens the human city is the family. I think first and foremost of the stable union of man and woman in marriage. This union is born of their love, as a sign and presence of God’s own love, and of the acknowledgment and acceptance of the goodness of sexual differentiation, whereby spouses can become one flesh (cf. Gen 2:24) and are enabled to give birth to a new life, a manifestation of the Creator’s goodness, wisdom and loving plan.”

8. From Paragraph 57: “Faith is not a light which scatters all our darkness, but a lamp which guides our steps in the night and suffices for the journey. To those who suffer, God does not provide arguments which explain everything; rather, his response is that of an accompanying presence, a history of goodness which touches every story of suffering and opens up a ray of light. In Christ, God himself wishes to share this path with us and to offer us his gaze so that we might see the light within it. Christ is the one who, having endured suffering, is “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:2).”

(http://www.news.va/en/news/the-light-of-faith-points-to-ponder)

The new enciclycal - faith as light

Nietzsche, the pioneer of non-faith for our era. Humanity renounced the search for a great light. This light is as a "spark, which then becomes a burning flame and like a heavenly star within me glimmers."


The light of Faith transforms those who love.

Unless you believe in this light, you will not understand.

With light, we associate "love" with "truth."

Faith and Reason always work together under the light.

Faith implies a journey and a discovery. Faith itself is not the completion or the arrival. It's a journey under the light.

Faith is always communal. This means that faith always requires the Church in the light. Since we live in time, the faith is handed down in community.

The sacraments are the chief means by which the light of faith is transmitted to others and through time.

The Light of Faith

Pope Francis’ first encyclical entitled "Lumen fidei" or “The Light of Faith” was released Friday at a press conference in the Vatican. The document completes the trilogy of papal teachings on the three theological virtues, begun by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who issued his encyclicals "Deus Caritas Est" on Charity in 2005 and "Spe Salvi" on Hope in 2007.

(http://www.news.va/en/news/the-light-of-faith)

Like St. Escrivá, Let’s Bring Christ into daily life: Bishop Percival Fernandez

Mumbai:  Bringing the Word of God in the context in which we live, speaking of Christ and what he represents for us with our families and with those who are part of our daily lives. For Msgr. Percival Fernandez, former auxiliary bishop of Mumbai, these are the teachings of Saint Josemaría Escrivá on which we must build on the Year of Faith. In honor of the founder of Opus Dei, whose liturgical feast falls on June 26, the bishop celebrated a Mass in the church of St. Andrew in Bandra (Mumbai) on 28th June.

 

Canonized by John Paul II on October 6, 2002, St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer founded the Personal Prelature of Opus Dei in 1928. The Spanish priest preached the universal call to holiness, affirming the importance of work as a means of personal holiness and apostolate, when lived in union with Christ.

According to Msgr. Fernandez the most significant lesson that the founder of Opus Dei has left us is his being "a saint of ordinary life." In times "afflicted with a secularization of society, by a crisis of faith, by a religious indifference and relativism, St. Josemaría Escrivá teaches all of us to seek and find God in our lives, in our work, in our families and in our friendships, to live the Gospel in a simple way. "

"Because we are in the middle Year of Faith - said the bishop  to the faithful - we pray through  the intercession of St. Josemaría, to help us not only to hear the Word of God, but to live it in a genuine way in our communities".

(http://cbci.in/FullNews.aspx?Id=1248)

Pour une solidarité sans frontières

Des personnes qui tentent désespérément d'atteindre un autre pays, fuyant les persécutions, les violations des droits humains, une guerre civile, ou qui sont simplement à la recherche de meilleures opportunités économiques pour faire vivre leur famille. Lampedusa est une île italienne à 110 kilomètres de la Tunisie, où la migration irrégulière et les migrations forcées sont une réalité. Ce phénomène concerne des êtres humains qui ont un visage, qui sont à la recherche d'un nouveau  départ, et qui se tournent vers nous et attendent une réponse de notre part.

Lampedusa n'est que l'un des nombreux carrefours sur la planète où confluent des mondes divers. En effet, l'itinéraire vaste et complexe des réfugiés s'étend  à ceux qui se dirigent en bateau vers l'Australie, le Yémen, l'Italie ou Malte; qui traversent en camion le désert du Sahara du Nord; qui parcourent à pied le désert du Mexique vers les Etats-Unis; qui franchissent les fleuves pour entrer en Afrique du Sud par le Zimbabwe ou qui quittent l'Afghanistan à travers la Turquie, vers la Grèce. Ces formes de flux migratoires sont un phénomène mondial.

La présence du Pape François à Lampedusa sera un signe puissant pour rappeler l'attention de tous et certainement pour communiquer que la bonne nouvelle de Jésus s'adresse à chaque vie et à chaque situation. Précisément comme le Pape lui-même l'avait dit: « N’oubliez pas la chair du Christ qui est dans la chair des réfugiés: leur chair est la chair du Christ » (Discours aux participants à l'assemblée plénière du Conseil pontifical pour la pastorale des migrants et des personnes en déplacement, 24 mai 2013). Le Christ est présent sur l'île dans ceux qui sont arrivés, mais également dans la population locale qui les accueille. A Lampedusa, comme partout dans le monde, les défis sont affrontés par la population locale, qui en est parfois submergée et qui doit accueillir de grands nombres de nouveaux venus inattendus. « Au fil des ans, innombrables sont les exemples d’altruisme et d’actions héroïques de la part de membres des Eglises locales qui ont reçu des personnes déracinées de force, parfois même aux prix de leurs vies et de leurs propriétés. Offrir l’hospitalité signifie repenser et revoir sans cesse les priorités » (Conseil pontifical pour la pastorale des migrants et des personnes en déplacement, document Accueillir Jésus Christ dans les réfugiés et les personnes déracinées de force, orientations pastorales, n. 84;  année 2013). Ce phénomène rappelle également l'attention sur ceux qui se prodiguent pour leur venir en aide. Le secours en mer est un événement habituel. Souvent, ce sont les pécheurs et les marins qui les premiers, mettent leur vie en péril  et vont au secours de ceux qui sont en danger sur des embarcations surchargées et en très mauvais état. Il y a plusieurs années, le prix Nansen pour les réfugiés a été remis à l'armateur, au capitaine et à l'équipage du porte-container norvégien MV Tampa, qui avait sauvé 438 demandeurs d'asile dans l'Océan indien. Les pécheurs italiens sentent l'obligation morale d'aider les personnes à la merci des flots, quoi qu'en disent les autorités. Voilà pourquoi il est significatif qu'à Lampedusa, les pécheurs et leurs barques accompagneront le Saint-Père au port. Cette solidarité en mer peut être un encouragement en vue d'améliorer le bien-être des demandeurs d'asile et des personnes déplacées, en dépit des coûts élevés pour les personnes concernées.

Toutefois, il faut s'interroger sur les comportements des gouvernements, en particulier en ce qui concerne les conditions et les lieux à l'intérieur du pays réservés à ces personnes déplacées. Il s'agit des confins extrêmes d'une nation, de camps de réfugiés dans le désert ou sur une île perdue loin de  la terre ferme. On se demande s'il ne serait pas plus adapté de les accueillir dans d'autres zones. Ces questions ne peuvent certainement pas être évitées par les gouvernements locaux.

Les réfugiés et les demandeurs d'asiles devraient voir leurs droits respectifs garantis. S'ils ont le droit de fuir pour sauver leur vie, on devrait également leur donner le droit d'avoir accès à l'asile dans le pays d'arrivée. En outre, tous les autres droits de protection devraient être appliqués. Le droit de libre circulation et le droit au travail doivent être appliqués et ultérieurement étendus. Les gouvernements devraient protéger ceux qui fuient les violences, les persécutions et les discriminations. Au cours des années, les Etats ont élargi le concept de réfugié afin de répondre au défi actuel, et la législation internationale a elle aussi changé, en assurant une plus grande protection aux personnes contraintes de fuir. Malheureusement, l'attitude actuelle de nombreux gouvernements apparaît contraire à ces décisions, même si les Etats ont quoi qu'il en soit l'obligation d'assurer une protection aux personnes en fuite.

Sauver des vies humaines, en restituant la dignité, en offrant une espérance et en apportant des réponses sociales et communautaires, est étroitement lié aux valeurs morales et à la vision chrétienne. Cette interaction avec la présence des réfugiés, des demandeurs d'asile et des personnes déracinées de force pourrait conduire à un renouveau ultérieur de l'Eglise, qui nous poussera hors de notre univers familier, vers l'inconnu, en mission, pour rendre témoignage du Seigneur. « Nous devons tous avoir le courage de ne pas détourner notre regard des réfugiés et des personnes déplacées de force, afin de permettre à leurs visages de pénétrer dans nos cœurs et les accueillir dans notre monde. Si nous savons écouter leurs espoirs et leur désespoir, nous comprendrons les sentiments qui les habitent » (op. cit., n. 120). La visite du Saint-Père pourrait être un nouveau début pour nous tous.

(http://www.news.va/fr/news/pour-une-solidarite-sans-frontieres)

The wounds of Jesus today

"In the history of the Church there have been some mistakes made on the path towards God. Some have believed that the Living God, the God of Christians can be found on the path of meditation, indeed that we can reach higher through meditation. That's dangerous! How many are lost on that path, never to return. Yes perhaps they arrive at knowledge of God, but not of Jesus Christ, Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity. They do not arrive at that. It is the path of the Gnostics, no? They are good, they work, but it is not the right path. It’s very complicated and does not lead to a safe harbor. "
"Others - the Pope said - thought that to arrive at God we must mortify ourselves, we have to be austere and have chosen the path of penance: only penance and fasting. Not even these arrive at the Living God, Jesus Christ. They are the pelagians, who believe that they can arrive by their own efforts. " But Jesus tells us that the path to encountering Him is to find His wounds:
"We find Jesus’ wounds in carrying out works of mercy, giving to our body – the body – the soul too, but – I stress - the body of your wounded brother, because he is hungry, because he is thirsty, because he is naked because it is humiliated, because he is a slave, because he's in jail because he is in the hospital. Those are the wounds of Jesus today. And Jesus asks us to take a leap of faith, towards Him, but through these His wounds. 'Oh, great! Let's set up a foundation to help everyone and do so many good things to help '. That's important, but if we remain on this level, we will only be philanthropic. We need to touch the wounds of Jesus, we must caress the wounds of Jesus, we need to bind the wounds of Jesus with tenderness, we have to kiss the wounds of Jesus, and this literally. Just think of what happened to St. Francis, when he embraced the leper? The same thing that happened to Thomas: his life changed. "

Pope Francis

(http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-at-mass-we-encounter-the-living-god-through-h)

The mystery of God's patience

Pope Francis sits in the back of the Chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae before celebrating Mass with the Vatican gardeners and janitors March 22, 2013. Credit: L'Osservatore Romano.

Vatican City, Jun 28, 2013 / 12:13 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- God's action in our life is according to his own plan rather than ours, Pope Francis taught in his daily homily June 28, and this requires patience on both his part and ours.

“The Lord takes his time. But even he, in this relationship with us, has a lot of patience,” preached the Bishop of Rome at the chapel of the Vatican's Saint Martha House. “Not only do we have to have patience: He has. He waits for us.”

“And he waits for us until the end of life. Think of the good thief – right at the end, at the very end, he acknowledged God.”

Pope Francis gave Abraham as an example of God's sometimes lengthy timetable: when he was 99, and his wife 90, God promised him a son.

On the other hand, God immediately acts in the life of the leper who in the day's Gospel asked for healing.

“When the Lord intervenes, he does not always do so in the same way,” explained the Roman Pontiff.

“There is no 'set protocol' of action of God in our life; it does not exist.”

God acted one way with Abraham, and “in a different way” with the leper, but he always acts in our lives.

There is “always this meeting between us and the Lord,” yet he “always chooses his way to enter into our lives.”

“He always enters, he is involved with us, but he does so in his own way and when he thinks it's best.”

We are often “in danger of losing our patience a little,” because of this, as we pray, “But Lord, when?”

On the other hand, “when we think of what the Lord has promised us, that it is such a huge thing, we don’t believe it; we are a little sceptical” as Abraham was when promised a son by his 90 year old wife.

“How often, when the Lord does not intervene, does not perform a miracle – does not do what we want him to do – do we become impatient or sceptical,” Pope Francis reflected.

In the face of temptations to disbelief and impatience, we must remember that “the Lord walks with us, but often does not reveal himself, as in the case of the disciples of Emmaus.”

“The Lord is involved in our lives … but often we do not see. This demands our patience. But the Lord who walks with us, he also has a lot of patience with us.”

The “mystery of God's patience,” said the Bishop of Rome, is that “in walking, (he) walks at our pace.”

We are called to imitate his patience, because when life is at its darkest, when we “are in trouble,” “we want … to come down from the cross.”

“And when we come down from the cross,, we always do so just five minutes before our release comes, at the very moment when our impatience is greatest.”

Christ too “heard them challenging him” while he was on cross to “come down,” but chose not to.

“Patience until the end,” Pope Francis urged, “because he has patience with us.”

“He tells us exactly what he told Abraham: Walk in my presence and be blameless.'”

The Roman Pontiff concluded, saying, “This is the journey with the Lord and he intervenes, but we have to wait for the moment” he chooses.

“We ask this grace from the Lord, to always walk in his presence, trying to be blameless.”

(http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/god-acts-in-our-lives-on-his-timetable-not-ours-pope-stresses/)

Which demons are possessing you and so not allowing you to be free? Do you believe that Jesus can exorcise them from your life today?

More than physical demons that may possess us, we may be possessed by psychological demons. These can be feelings of fear, anger, revenge, jealousy, envy and a pessimistic attitude. If we continue in these feelings we are not living fully the life that God wants us to live. We need to decide that with the help of Jesus we are going to get rid of them today.

 

(http://errolsj.blogspot.be/2013/07/which-demons-are-possessing-you-and-so.html)

Palliative care

Laguna Palliative Care Hospital, Madrid

St Josemaria understood that suffering has a place in the plan of the Redemption. At the same time, he often said, “If it’s possible to get rid of physical pain, it should be got rid of. There’s enough suffering in life already! And when it can’t be got rid of, we offer it up.” This is the inspiration behind the “Hospital Centro de Cuidados Laguna” (Laguna Palliative Care Hospital) in Madrid, Spain. It is dedicated to caring for patients at an advanced stage of sickness, and elderly patients in need of help. The organization behind the hospital is the Vianorte Foundation.

Every year over 250,000 people in Spain require palliative care for pain relief and the control of symptoms related to terminal illness. The purpose of palliative care is to eliminate pain or reduce it as much as possible, and to improve the sick person’s quality of life to the maximum.

St Josemaria and the sick in Madrid

View of the Laguna building

Laguna is now a fully-functioning concern, but it was set up fairly recently. On January 8 2003, just one day before the centenary of St Josemaria’s birth, a group of about 100 people met on the site of the future hospital, under the auspices of the Vianorte Foundation, for the ceremony of blessing and laying the first stone.

The date was no coincidence. Throughout his life St Josemaria stimulated the setting up of all sorts of social, educational and charitable projects as an expression of people’s desire to help solve social needs, and he awakened this desire in the hearts of many.

Vianorte Foundation draws its inspiration from St Josemaria’s priestly ministry among the sick and abandoned in the 1930s, especially in Madrid’s General Hospital and the King’s Hospital , which specialized in serious contagious diseases for which, in those days, no cure was available. As he said himself, his apostolate in these hospitals and his contact with suffering were the roots from which he drew the spiritual strength he needed at the beginnings of Opus Dei.

“Helping patients enjoy the life that remains to them”

Volunteers are essential in the Laguna approach

Laguna Hospital cares for the sick through palliative care, a day-centre for the elderly, a respite care centre, and a rehabilitation service for Alzheimer’s sufferers, as well as a training and research centre.

“A widespread but false idea of palliative care,” says Antonio Noguera, Laguna’s medical sub-director, “is that the patients are extremely old, unconscious, and remain under sedation until the end of their lives. In reality, a patient may experience intense pain, breathing difficulties, fear, anguish, and have an anxious family. My work consists of treating all those symptoms and enabling them to enjoy the life that remains to them as much as possible, with their family close at hand. With the right medical and practical care, the sick can be perfectly conscious, calm, free from pain or with minimal suffering, and leading a fairly normal cognitive life.”

Maria Clavel, psycho-social team coordinator, adds: “The patients are not just lying there waiting to die. They are alive, and they will die when the time comes, but right now is the time for living, enjoying being with their families, and with the volunteers who come and see them, enjoying all sorts of things. Here we help them live to the very last day of their lives.”

Volunteers, part of a “little family”
“It’s an enormously enriching job which offers lessons you don’t get at school or at college,” explains a Laguna volunteer. “Things like the value of families in people’s lives, the importance of a loving smile, the deep treasure of love, the meaning of suffering, the meaning of hope.”

(http://www.josemariaescriva.info/article/opus-dei-social-initiatives-laguna-palliative-care-hospital-madrid)

Christians of action and truth

We need “Christians of action and truth” and not “Christians of words”.

Pope Francis

(http://www.news.va/en/news/christians-of-action-and-of-truth)

“Expect the unexpected” – World Youth Day with Pope Francis

Lilian Chan.

Credit: Caritas Australia

What inspires young people to cross continents for a celebration of faith with Pope Francis? Lilian Chan, on line editor for Caritas Australia, tells us about the energy, diversity and unity to be found at World Youth Day.

One of the phrases I’ve most heard during my preparations for WYD is “to expect the unexpected”!

I am definitely looking forward to seeing Pope Francis. I’ve read a few of his addresses, and they have been so amazing and inspiring – he is simple to understand, but has such insight into the world and how we as Catholics fit in. He also shows such love and understanding of humanity when he speaks, which is so different to what we often hear in our world today.

The chance to see a pope from Latin America in Latin America will be really amazing. Most importantly, I’ve decided to go to WYD this year because I want to grow in my faith and have a stronger relationship with Christ.

I’ve had friends who have attended WYD overseas, and they’ve all come back with a renewed passion for their faith, so attending an overseas WYD has always been something I’ve thought about doing. I think one of the things which particularly attracted me to WYD in Brazil is that it’s such a predominately Catholic country, so I’m keen to experience the passion and dedication that people have for our faith.

As I’m going with my diocese group, I’ve been attending the formation sessions that they’ve run over the past few months. I’ve also been trying to do practical things to prepare, like finding out more about places, and trying to learn a tiny bit of Portuguese. In terms of preparing spiritually, we’ve had catecheses at the formation sessions, and I’ve also been trying to read the Bible a bit more often over the past few weeks.

We will be spending 4 days in Peru before WYD. The first day will be a pilgrimage to visit significant sites of St Rose of Lima and St Martin de Porres. Then we will be spending 3 days with the Houses of Hope – one of the Caritas programmes in Lima. For me, this was definitely one of the things which swayed me to sign up to WYD this year. Being relatively new at Caritas, I’m keen to see a Caritas programme in action. But even more so, I think the few days spending time with the poor will be a really important part of the pilgrimage experience.

I went to WYD in Sydney in 2008. It was a great experience – the thing that struck me most was the energy and passion of young people for our faith – it’s not something you see every day, especially in Sydney! I was also struck by the diversity of our faith – the different cultures, and different ways of expressing our faith; but yet also the universality – the one united faith which was really demonstrated in the final mass.

But I’ve been told that attending a WYD in your home city is nothing like attending one overseas, so I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what WYD in Rio will be like!

(http://blog.caritas.org/2013/07/01/expect-the-unexpected-world-youth-day-with-pope-francis/)

26/6/2013 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): Charity, patience and tenderness

"Charity, patience and tenderness are very beautiful gifts. If you have them, you want to share them with others."

Pope Francis (@Pontifex)