I extend a warm welcome to the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially those coming from Norway, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines and the United States of America. Upon all of you, and upon your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ! God bless you!

On the occasion of the International Day of the Rights of Children and Adolescents, held today, I wish to announce that next 3 February the World Meeting on Children’s Rights, entitled “Love them and protect them”, will take place here in the Vatican, with the participation of experts and figures from various countries. It will be an opportunity to identify new ways of assisting and protecting millions of children who are still without rights, who live in precarious conditions, who are exploited and abused, and who suffer the dramatic consequences of wars.

There is a group of children preparing for this Day, thanks to all of you who are doing this. And here, there is a brave girl who is coming here… now they are all coming! Children are like that: one starts and then they all come” Let us greet the children! Thank you! Good morning!

I want to say that next year, during the Jubilee for Adolescents, I will canonize Blessed Carlo Acutis, and that on the Jubilee for Young People, next year, I will canonize Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.

Yesterday marked one thousand days since the invasion of Ukraine, a tragic milestone for the victims and for the destruction it has caused, but at the same time a shameful catastrophe for the whole of humanity! However, this must not discourage us from continuing to stand beside the tormented Ukrainian people, nor from imploring for peace and working to make weapons give way to dialogue and confrontation to encounter.

The other day I received a letter from a university student from Ukraine, which said: “Father, when on Wednesday you remember my country, and will have the opportunity to speak to the entire world about the thousandth day of this terrible war, I beg you, do not speak only of our sufferings, but also bear witness to our faith: although it is imperfect, its value does not diminish, it paints a picture of the Risen Christ with painful brushstrokes. These days there have been too many deaths in my life. Living in a city where a missile kills and injures dozens of civilians, witnessing so many tears is difficult. I would have liked to escape, I would have liked to go back to being a child embraced by my mother, I would have liked to be in silence and love, but I thank God because through this pain, I learn to love more. Pain is not just a path to anger and despair; if it is based on faith, it is a good teacher of love. Father, if pain hurts, it means that you love; therefore, when you speak of our pain, when you remember the thousand days of suffering, remember also the thousand days of love, because only love, faith and hope give true meaning to the wounds”. This is what was written by this Ukrainian university student.

Lastly, my thoughts turn to the young people, the sick, the elderly and newlyweds. Next Sunday, the last of ordinary time, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe. I invite each one to recognize the presence of the Lord in his own lives, so as to participate in the building of his Kingdom of love and peace.

Tomorrow, the liturgical memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple, we celebrate the Day pro Orantibus. To the cloistered sisters called by the Lord to the contemplative life, we assure our closeness. Cloistered monasteries should not lack the necessary spiritual and material support of the ecclesial community. 

My blessing to all of you!

20.11.24

Pope Francis  General Audience  20.11.24  

Personal gifts the Spirit gives to each of us 

Excerpt below, for the full transcript click on the picture link above

In the last three catecheses, we talked about the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit which is implemented in the sacraments, in prayer and by following the example of the Mother of God. But let us listen to what a famous text from Vatican II says: “It is not only through the sacraments and the ministries of the Church that the Holy Spirit sanctifies and leads the people of God and enriches it with virtues, but, ‘allotting his gifts to everyone according as He wills’” (cf. 1 Cor 12:11) (Lumen gentium, 12). We too have personal gifts that the Spirit gives to each one of us.

Therefore, the moment has arrived to talk also about this second way the Holy Spirit works, which is charismatic action. Two elements contribute to defining what charism is. A somewhat difficult word, I will explain it. First, the charism is the gift given “for the common good” (1 Cor 12:7), to be useful to everyone. It is not, in other words, destined principally and ordinarily for the sanctification of the person, but for the “service” of the community (cf. 1 Pt 4:10). This is the first aspect. Secondly, the charism is the gift given “to one”, or “to some” in particular, not to everyone in the same way, and this is what distinguishes it from sanctifying grace, from the theological virtues and from the sacraments, which instead are the same and common to all. The charism is given to a specific person or community. It is a gift that God gives you.

The Council explains this too. The Holy Spirit, it says, “distributes special graces among the faithful of every rank. By these gifts He makes them fit and ready to undertake the various tasks and offices which contribute toward the renewal and building up of the Church, according to the words of the Apostle: ‘The manifestation of the Spirit is given to everyone for profit’” (1 Cor 12:7).

The charisms are the “jewels” or the ornaments that the Holy Spirit distributes to make the Bride of Christ more beautiful. One can thus understand why the Conciliar text ends with the following exhortation: “These charisms, whether they be the more outstanding or the more simple and widely diffused, are to be received with thanksgiving and consolation for they are perfectly suited to and useful for the needs of the Church” (LG 12).

Pope Benedict XVI affirmed: “Anyone who considers the history of the post-conciliar era can recognize the process of true renewal, which often took unexpected forms in living movements and made almost tangible the inexhaustible vitality of the holy Church”. And this is the charism given to a group, through a person.

We must rediscover the charisms, because this ensures that the promotion of the laity, and of women in particular, is understood not only as an institutional and sociological fact, but also in its biblical and spiritual dimension. Indeed, the laity are not the least, no, they laity are not a form of external collaborator or auxiliary troops of the clergy, no! They have their own charisms and gifts with which to contribute to the mission of the Church.

Let us add another thing: when we talk about the charisms, we must immediately dispel a misunderstanding: that of identifying them with spectacular or extraordinary gifts and capabilities; instead, they are ordinary gifts – each one of us has his or her own charism – that assume extraordinary value if inspired by the Holy Spirit and embodied with love in situations of life. Such an interpretation of the charism is important, because many Christians, when they hear talk of charisms, experience sadness or disappointment, as they are convinced that they do not possess any, and feel they are excluded or second-class Christians. No, they are not second-class Christians, no, each person has his or her own personal, and also community charism. Saint Augustine responded to these in his time with a very eloquent comparison: ‘If you love,’ he told his people, “If you love, it is not nothing that you have: if you love unity, whoever has anything in that unity has it also for you. In the body, the eye alone sees; but is it for itself alone that the eye sees? It sees both for the hand and the foot, and for all the other members”. 

This reveals the secret of why charity is defined by the Apostle as “a still more excellent way” (1 Cor 12, 31): it makes me love the Church, or the community in which I live and, in unity, all charisms, not just some, are “mine”, just as “my” charisms, little though they may seem, belong to all and are for the good of all. Charity multiplies charisms; it makes the charism of one, of one individual person, the charism of all. Thank you!

20.11.24

Pope Francis November 2024

For those who have lost a child

Pope Francis  Message to the G20 Leaders Summit 18.11.24

I would like to extend my congratulations to you for your role in chairing the Group of 20, which represents the largest economies in the world. I also extend warm greetings to all those present at this G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It is my sincere hope that the discussions and outcomes of this event will contribute to the advancement of a better world and a prosperous future for generations to come.

As I wrote in my Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti, “politics needs to make the effective elimination of hunger one of its foremost and imperative goals. Indeed, ‘when financial speculation manipulates the price of food, treating it as just another commodity, millions of people suffer and die from hunger. At the same time, tons of food are thrown away. This constitutes a genuine scandal. Hunger is criminal; food is an inalienable right’. Often, as we carry on our semantic or ideological disputes, we allow our brothers and sisters to die of hunger and thirst” (189).

However, in the context of a globalised world facing a multitude of interconnected challenges, it is essential to recognise the significant pressures currently being exerted on the international system. These pressures are being manifested in various forms, including the intensifying of wars and conflicts, terrorist activities, assertive foreign policies, and acts of aggression, as well as the persistence of injustices. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the Group of 20 identifies new avenues for achieving a stable and lasting peace in all conflict-related areas, with the objective of restoring the dignity of those affected.

The armed conflicts that are currently witnessed are not only responsible for a significant number of deaths, mass displacement, and environmental degradation; they are also contributing to an increase in famine and poverty, both directly in the affected areas and indirectly in countries that are hundreds or thousands of miles away from the conflict zones, particularly through the disruption of supply chains. Wars continue to exert a considerable strain on national economies, especially due to the exorbitant amount of money spent on weapons and armaments.

Furthermore, there is a significant paradox in terms of access to food. On the one hand, over 3 billion people lack access to a nutritious diet. On the other hand, almost 2 billion individuals are overweight or obese due to poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle. This calls for a concerted effort to actively engage in a change at all levels and reorganise food systems as a whole (cf. Message for World Food Day 2021).

Moreover, it is a matter of great concern that society has not yet found a way to address the tragic situation of those facing starvation. The silent acceptance by human society of famine is a scandalous injustice and a grave offence. Those who, through usury and greed, cause the starvation and death of their brothers and sisters in the human family are indirectly committing a homicide, which is imputable to them (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2269). No effort should be spared to lift people out of poverty and hunger.

It is important to keep in mind that the issue of hunger is not merely a matter of insufficient food; rather, it is a consequence of broader social and economic injustices. Poverty, in particular, is a significant contributing factor to hunger, perpetuating a cycle of economic and social inequalities that are pervasive in our global society. The relationship between hunger and poverty is inextricably linked.

It is thus evident that immediate and decisive action must be taken to eradicate the scourge of hunger and poverty.

Such action must be undertaken in a joint and collaborative manner, with the involvement of the entire international community. The implementation of effective measures requires a concrete commitment from governments, international organisations and society as a whole. The centrality of the God-given human dignity of every individual, access to basic goods and the fair distribution of resources must be prioritised in all political and social agendas.

Moreover, the eradication of malnutrition cannot be achieved by merely increasing global food production. Indeed, there is already sufficient food to feed all the people on our planet; it is merely unequally distributed. It is therefore essential to recognise the significant amount of food that is wasted on a daily basis. Tackling food waste is a challenge that requires collective action. In this way, resources can be redirected towards investments that help the poor and hungry meet their basic needs. Furthermore, it is equally necessary to implement food systems that are environmentally sustainable and beneficial to local communities.

It is clear that an integrated, comprehensive, and multilateral approach is crucial to addressing these challenges. Given the magnitude and geographical scope of the issue, short-term solutions are insufficient. Long-term vision and strategy are necessary to combat effectively malnutrition. A sustained and consistent commitment is essential to achieving this goal, and it must not be contingent on immediate circumstances.

In this sense, it is my hope that the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty can have a significant impact on global efforts to combat hunger and poverty. The Alliance could begin by implementing the long-standing proposal of the Holy See, which calls for redirecting funds currently allocated to weapons and other military expenditures towards a global fund designed to address hunger and promote development in the most impoverished countries. This approach would help prevent citizens in these countries from having to resort to violent or illusory solutions, or from leaving their countries in search of a more dignified life (cf. Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti, 262).

It is imperative to recognise that the failure to fulfil society’s collective responsibilities towards the poor should not result in the transformation or the revision of the initial goals into programmes that, rather than addressing the genuine needs of people, ignore them. In these efforts local communities, cultural and traditional richness of peoples cannot be disregarded or destroyed in the name of a narrow and short-sighted concept of progress. To do so would, in reality, risk becoming synonymous with ‘ideological colonisation’. In this sense, interventions and projects should be planned and implemented in response to the needs of the people and their communities, and not imposed from above or by entities that seek only their own interests or profit.

For its part, the Holy See will continue to promote human dignity and to make its specific contribution to the common good, offering the experience and engagement of Catholic institutions worldwide, so that in our world no human being, as a person loved by God, be deprived of his or her daily bread.

May Almighty God abundantly bless your works and efforts for the genuine progress of the entire human family.

18.11.24

Pope Francis  Angelus   17.11.24

Are we attached to earthly things or to the words of the Lord?

Excerpt below, for the full transcript click on the picture link above

In the Gospel of today’s liturgy, Jesus describes a great tribulation: “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light” (Mk 13:24). Faced with this suffering, many might think of the end of the world, but the Lord seizes the opportunity to offer a different interpretation, saying: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Mk 13:31).

We can take a closer look at this expression: what will pass and what will remain.

First of all, what will pass. In some circumstances in our life, when we are going through a crisis or experience some failure, as well as when we see around us the pain caused by wars, violence, natural disasters, we have the feeling that everything is coming to an end, and we feel that even the most beautiful things pass away. Crises and failures, however, though painful, are important, because they teach us to accord everything its due weight, not to attach our hearts to the realities of this world, because they will pass: they are destined to fade away.

At the same time, Jesus talks about what will remain. Everything passes away, but His words will not pass away: Jesus’ words will remain for eternity. He thus invites us to trust in the Gospel, which contains a promise of salvation and eternity, and not to live under the anguish of death. For while everything passes away, Christ remains. In Him, in Christ, we shall one day find again the things and people who have passed away and who have accompanied us in our earthly existence. In the light of this promise of resurrection, every reality takes on a new meaning: everything dies and we too will one day die, but we will lose nothing of what we have built and loved, because death will be the beginning of a new life.

Brothers and sisters, even in tribulations, in crises, in failures, the Gospel invites us to look at life and history without fear of losing what ends, but with joy for what will remain. Let us not forget that God is preparing for us a future of life and joy.

And so, let us ask ourselves: are we attached to earthly things, which pass away, which pass quickly, or to the words of the Lord, which remain and guide us towards eternity? Let us ask ourselves this question, please. It will help us.

And let us pray to the Blessed Virgin, who entrusted herself totally to the Word of God, so that She may intercede for us.

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Pope Francis  World Day of the Poor Message 17.11.24

Excerpt below, for the full transcript click here

The prayer of the poor rises up to God (cf. Sir 21:5)

The poor hold a privileged place in God’s heart, to the point that, in the face of their suffering, God is “impatient” until he has rendered justice to them. 

17.11.24 wdotp

Pope Francis Holy Mass 17.11.24

How do we receive the Word of God? The response is clear: As one receives Jesus Christ. The Church tells us that Jesus is present in the Scripture, in His Word.

Always carry a small Gospel with you in your purse, in your pocket, and read a passage from the Gospel during the day. Not so much to learn something, but mostly to find Jesus, because Jesus actually is in His Word, in His Gospel.  Every time I read the Gospel, I find Jesus.  - Pope Francis 01.09.14

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Pope Francis  Holy Mass   17.11.24

World Day of the Poor

The words we have just heard could evoke feelings of anguish, whereas they are in fact a great proclamation of hope.  While Jesus seems to be describing the state of mind of those who have witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and think that the end has come, he announces something extraordinary: in the very hour of darkness and desolation, just when everything seems to collapse, God comes, God draws near, God gathers us together to save us.

Jesus invites us to take a deeper look, to have eyes capable of “reading within” the events of history.  In this way, we discover that even in the anguish of our hearts and of our times, an unshakable hope shines forth.  On this World Day of the Poor, let us pause to consider two realities always at war upon the battlefield of our hearts: anguish and hope.

First of all, anguish.  Feelings of anguish are widespread in our age, given that social media amplifies problems and wounds, making the world more insecure and the future more uncertain.  Even today’s Gospel opens with an image that seems to project the tribulation of the people upon the cosmos through the use of apocalyptic language: “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken…” and so on (Mk 13:24-25).

If we limit our gaze to the narrative of events, we allow anguish to gain the upper hand.  Indeed, even today we see the “sun darken” and the “moon fade” when we contemplate the famine that afflicts so many of our brothers and sisters who have no food to eat, and when we see the horrors of war or see the death of the innocent.  Faced with this scenario, we run the risk of falling into despondency and failing to recognise the presence of God within the drama of history.  In so doing, we condemn ourselves to powerlessness.  We witness the growing anguish around us brought about by the suffering of the poor, but we slip into the resigned way of thinking of those who, moved by convenience or laziness, think “that’s life” and “there is nothing I can do about it”.  Thus, Christian faith itself is reduced to a harmless devotion that does not disturb the powers that be and is incapable of generating a serious commitment to charity.  While one part of the world is condemned to live in the slums of history, while inequalities grow and the economy punishes the weakest, while society devotes itself to the idolatry of money and consumption, it so happens that the poor and marginalised have no choice but to continue to wait (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 54).

Yet it is precisely here, in the midst of that apocalyptic scene, that Jesus kindles hope.  He opens up the horizon, widens our gaze, so that even in the precariousness and pain of the world, we may learn to grasp the presence of God’s love, which comes close to us, does not abandon us, and acts for our salvation.  In fact, just as the sun darkens and the moon stops shining and the stars fall from the sky, the Gospel says, “they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory.  Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven” (Mk 13:26-27).

With these words, Jesus alludes to his death that will take place shortly thereafter.  Indeed, on Calvary the sun will fade and night will descend upon the world.  In that very moment, however, the Son of Man will be seen upon the clouds, for the power of his resurrection will break the chains of death, the eternal life of God will rise from the darkness and a new world will be born from the rubble of a history ravaged by evil.

Brothers and sisters, this is the hope that Jesus wants to give us and he does so through a beautiful image.  He asks us to consider the fig tree: “As soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near” (Mk 13:28).  We too are called to interpret the signs of our life here on earth: where there seems to be only injustice, pain and poverty – in the very drama of that moment – the Lord draws near to free us from slavery and in order to make life shine (cf. Mk 13:29).  He draws near to others through our Christian closeness, our Christian fraternity. It is not a matter of throwing a coin into the hands of someone in need.  To those who gives alms, I ask two things: “Do you touch people’s hands or do you throw a coin at them without touching them?  Do you look into the eyes of the person whom you help or do you look away?”.

We, in turn, as his disciples, can sow hope in this world through the power of the Holy Spirit.  We can and must enkindle lights of justice and solidarity even as the shadows of our closed world deepen (cf. Fratelli Tutti, 9-55).  We are the ones that must make his grace shine forth through lives steeped in compassion and charity that become signs of the Lord’s presence, always close to the suffering of the poor in order to heal their wounds and transform their fortune.

Brothers and sisters, let us not forget that Christian hope, fulfilled in Jesus and realized in his kingdom, needs us and our commitment, it needs our faith expressed in works of charity, and it needs Christians who do not look the other way.  I was looking at a photograph that a Roman photographer took: an adult couple, quite elderly, were coming out of a restaurant in winter; the woman was well covered with a fur coat, as was the man.  At the door, there was a poor woman, lying on the floor, begging for alms, and both were looking the other way.  This happens every day.  Let us ask ourselves: do I look the other way when I see the poverty, the needs, or the pain of others?  A twentieth-century theologian said that the Christian faith must generate in us “a mysticism with open eyes,” not a spirituality that flees from the world but – on the contrary – a faith that opens its eyes to the sufferings of the world and the unhappiness of the poor in order to show Christ’s compassion.  Do I feel the same compassion as the Lord before the poor, before those who have no work, who have no food, who are marginalized by society?  We must look not only at the great problems of world poverty, but at the small things all of us can do each day by our lifestyle; by our attention to and caring for the environment in which we live; by the tenacious pursuit of justice; by sharing our goods with those who are poorer; by a social and political engagement in order to improve the world that surrounds us.  It may seem a small thing to us, but the small things that we do will be like the first leaves sprouting on the fig tree, our little actions will be a foretaste of the summer that is near.

Dear friends, on this World Day of the Poor, I would like to share a warning from Cardinal Martini.  He insisted that we must avoid considering the Church as separate from the poor as if the Church existed as an independent reality that must then care for the poor.  The reality is that we become the Church of Jesus to the extent that we serve the poor, because only in this way “does the Church ‘become’ herself, that is, the Church becomes a house open to all, a place of God’s compassion for the life of every individual” (C.M. Martini, Città senza mura. Letters and speeches to the diocese 1984, Bologna 1985, 350).

I say this to the Church, to Governments and to International Organizations.  I say to everyone: please, let us not forget the poor.

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Pope Francis Angelus 17.11.24

Yesterday in Shkodra, two martyrs were beatified: Luigi Palić, priest of the Order of Friars Minor, and Gjon Gazulli, diocesan priest, victims of the religious persecution of the twentieth century. And today, in Freiburg im Breisgau another martyr was beatified, the priest Max Josef Metzger, founder of the Secular Institute of Christ the King, opposed by Nazism for his religious commitment in favour of peace. May the example of these martyrs comfort so many Christians who are discriminated against for their faith in our time. Let us applaud the new Blesseds!

Today we celebrate World Day of the Poor, which has the theme: “The prayer of the poor rises up to God” (Sir 21:5). I thank those who, in the dioceses and parishes, have organized initiatives of solidarity with the most disadvantaged. And on this day, let us also remember all road victims: let us pray for them, for their relatives, and make an effort to prevent accidents.

I will ask a question; everyone can ask this question to themselves: do I go without something in order to give it to the poor? When I give alms, do I touch the hand of the poor person and look him or her in the eyes? Brothers and sisters, let us not forget that the poor cannot wait!

I join with the Church in Italy, which is repeating tomorrow’s Day of Prayer for victims and survivors of abuse. Every abuse is a betrayal of trust, a betrayal of life! Prayer is indispensable for “rebuilding trust”.

I would also like to remember all fishermen, on the occasion of World Fisheries Day, which will take place next Thursday: Mary, Star of the Sea, protect fishermen and their families.

Brothers and sisters, let us pray for peace; in tormented Ukraine, in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, and Sudan. War dehumanizes us, it induces us to tolerate unacceptable crimes. May leaders listen to the cry of the people who are asking for peace.

I wish you all a good Sunday. And please, do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch, and arrivederci!

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