On the Solemnity of Pentecost the Pope celebrates the Day of movements, new communities, associations and lay groups.
A Church that reaches out to all
A Church not closed in on itself but open to meeting everyone and commited to
being alongside the poorest of the poor in
the
“outskirts of existence” of the world. This is what Pope Francis proposed to the
movements, the new communities, associations and lay groups on the Feast of
Pentecost. On the day dedicated to them during the Year of Faith, the Pope met
twice, in a matter of hours, the leaders of these ecclesial realities arriving
in crowds at St Peter's Square. At the prayer vigil, presided over Saturday
evening, the Bishop of Rome spoke at length answering four questions on the
issues of faith and personal testimony. “I prefer a damaged Church a thousand
times more”, he said, “than a Church that is sick because it is closed”. Hence
his call to “come out of ourselves” because there is a need for authentic
witnesses, and not for “starched Christians”. Also the presence of Paul Batthi
was acknowlged, brother of Pakistani Minister Shabbaz who was slain in 2011.
“There are more martyrs today than there were in the early centuries of the
Church”. The next day, celebrating Sunday Mass, the Pope returned to this theme
in his Homily, urging everyone to be “open to the surprises of God”. Finally, at
the Regina Caeli he summed up the two days, calling them a “celebration of
faith... A renewed Pentecost that transformed St Peter’s Square into an Upper
Room beneath the open sky”.
fuente:
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