SUMMARY:
-
THE COMMUNITY DIMENSION OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS
-
POPE'S APPEAL TO CLOISTERED LIFE AND THE RURAL FAMILY
-
THE POPE PRAYS FOR THE ISLAND OF SARDINIA , STRICKEN BY FLOODS
-
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
______________________________________
THE
COMMUNITY DIMENSION OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS
Vatican
City, 20 November 2013 (VIS) – The forgiveness of sins, with
reference to the so-called “power of the keys”, biblical symbol
of the mission Jesus gave to the Apostles, was the theme of the
Pope's catechesis during today's general audience in St. Peter's
Square this morning.
“The
agent of the forgiveness of sins is the Holy Spirit”, said Pope
Francis, explaining that in his first appearance before the Apostles,
the risen Christ performed the gesture of breathing on to them,
saying “'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any,
they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are
retained'. Jesus, bodily transfigured, is now a new man, who offers
the Paschal gifts, the fruit of his death and resurrection: peace,
joy, forgiveness of sins, the mission, and above all the Holy Spirit
that is the source of all this. The breath of Jesus … indicates the
transmission of life, the new life regenerated by forgiveness. But
before this gesture … Jesus shows the wounds on his hands and his
side: these wounds represent the price of our salvation. The Holy
Spirit brings us God's forgiveness, 'passing through' Jesus' wounds”.
In
turn, the Church is “the depository of this power. God forgives all
men in his sovereign mercy, but He Himself wishes for them to belong
to Christ and His Church, receiving pardon through the ministers of
the Community. … In this way, Jesus calls us to experience the
ecclesial and community dimension of reconciliation. … The Church …
accompanies us along the path of conversion throughout our lives. The
Church is not the 'owner' of the power of the keys, but is rather the
servant of the ministry of mercy”.
“Many
people nowadays perhaps do not understand the ecclesial dimension of
forgiveness, as individualism and subjectivism dominate”, observed
the Pope. “Certainly, God forgives every repentant sinner,
personally, but the Christian is bonded with Christ, and Christ is
united to the Church. For us, as Christians, it is an extra gift, but
it is also an extra commitment; to pass humbly through ecclesial
ministry. We must value this. … I go to my brother priest and say,
'Father, I have done this...' and he answers, 'But I forgive you; God
forgives you'. In that moment I am sure that God has forgiven me”.
The
Pope's final point of reflection was the figure of the priest as a
'tool' in the forgiveness of sins. “The priest, a man who, like us,
is in need of mercy, truly becomes an instrument of mercy, bringing
us the limitless love of God the Father. … At times we hear of
those who claim to confess directly to God … yes, as I said before,
God always listens, but in the Sacrament of Reconciliation he sends a
brother to bring forgiveness to you, the certainty of forgiveness, in
the name of the Church”.
The
service that the priest offers as a minister of God in forgiving sins
requires that “his heart is at peace; that he does not mistreat the
faithful, but rather is humble, benevolent and merciful; that he
knows how to sow hope in hearts and, above all, is aware that the
brother or sister who seeks the Sacrament of Reconciliation seeks
forgiveness and does so in the same way that many people sought
Jesus, in order that he might cure them. When a priest who does not
have this disposition of spirit it is better if, until this is
corrected, he does not administer this Sacrament. The penitent
faithful have the right to find, in priests, the servants of God's
forgiveness”.
“Let
us not forget that God never tires of forgiving us; through the
ministry of the priest he holds us in a new embrace that regenerates
us and enables us to get up again and continue anew on our path”,
the Holy Father concluded.
POPE'S
APPEAL TO CLOISTERED LIFE AND THE RURAL FAMILY
Vatican
City, 20 November 2013 (VIS) – Following today's general audience,
Pope Francis greeted the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square. He
recalled the victims and families of those affected by the floods
that have claimed many lives on the Italian island of Sardinia.
The
Pontiff commented that “Pro Orantibus Day”, will be celebrated
tomorrow, 21 November, the liturgical memory of the Presentation of
the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple and a day on which the Church
also remembers cloistered monks and nuns. He encouraged those present
to support both spiritually and materially those who are called to
the cloistered life, to assist them in carrying out the important
task entrusted to them. “It is a good occasion to thank the Lord
for the gift of the many people who, in monasteries and hermitages,
dedicate themselves to God in prayer and constructive silence”.
He
went on to mention that on 22 November the United Nations will
inaugurate the “International Year of the Family Farming”. “In
work, too, the family is a model of fraternity, for living an
experience of unity and solidarity between all its members, with
greater sensitivity towards those who are most in need of care or
assistance, and stemming social conflict at source”, said the Holy
Father, who expressed his wish that this initiative might contribute
to promoting “the innumerable benefits that the family brings to
the economic, social, cultural and moral growth of the entire human
community”.
THE
POPE PRAYS FOR THE ISLAND OF SARDINIA , STRICKEN BY FLOODS
Vatican
City, 20 November 2013 (VIS) – Archbishop Pietro Parolin, secretary
of State, has sent a telegram on behalf of Pope Francis to Archbishop
Arrigo Miglio of Cagliari, president of the Sardinian Episcopal
Conference, following the floods that struck the island of Sardinia,
Italy, claiming lives and causing numerous injuries and extensive
material damage.
“It
is with great sadness that the Supreme Pontiff has learned of the
floods that have affected the island of Sardinia, causing loss of
human life, injury and enormous damage and discomfort to many
families. His Holiness wishes to extend to all some affectionate
words of comfort and encouragement, assuring his special prayers for
those who have lost their lives and for all those affected by this
grave disaster. The Holy Father expresses his hope that the
solidarity and necessary assistance in facing this difficult moment
will be forthcoming, and imparts his heartfelt apostolic
benediction”.
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 20 November 2013 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father appointed Msgr.
Armando Antonio Ortiz Aguirre of the clergy of Leon, Mexico, as
bishop of Ciudad Lazaro Cardenas (area 14,800, population 846,000,
Catholics 787,000, priests 43, religious 82), Mexico. The
bishop-elect was born in Guanajuto, Mexico in 1952 and was ordained a
priest in 1977. He has served in a number of pastoral roles within
the archdiocese of Leon, including formator, prefect of discipline,
spiritual director and head of the preparatory course in the minor
seminary; vice rector and professor at the major seminary; chaplain
of the “Sanatorio Moderno Pablo de Anda” and spiritual director
of the faculty of theology of the seminary of Leon. He is currently
priest of the parish of “San Maximiliano Koolbe” and co-ordinator
general of the diocesan presbyteral commission.
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