"Let yourselves be consoled' during Advent"
.- In his Angelus address on Sunday, Pope Francis asked that during Advent the faithful prepare for the Lord’s coming by being open to God’s consolation, which we must receive personally before giving to others.
“It is he who brings us to the source of every true consolation, that is, to the Father. And this is conversion. Please, let yourselves be consoled by the Lord! Let yourselves be consoled by the Lord!” the Pope told those present in St. Peter’s Square for his Dec. 7 address.
He referred to the day’s first reading, taken from the book of Isaiah, in which the prophet offers the people a message of mercy, consolation and hope.
When Isaiah tells the people “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God,” he is opening the doors of consolation and freedom to the people of Israel, who had been in exile and can now look forward to the future, and their return home, with hope.
“And this is the reason for the invitation to let ourselves be consoled by the Lord…Isaiah addresses the people who have passed through a dark time, who have undergone a very hard trial; but now the time of consolation has come,” the Roman Pontiff noted.
The Lord will now turn their sadness and fear into joy with the freedom and salvation he brings, and he does this with the gentle care and tenderness of a shepherd who cares for his flock, the Pope said.
“He will give unity and security to the flock, they will graze, the scattered sheep will be gathered
safely, he will pay special attention to the weakest and most fragile,” he observed, explaining that this is the same attitude that God has with each one of us.
Pope Francis then noted that because God looks at each person this way, we are called to follow Isaiah’s invitation to spread the Lord’s message of hope and consolation to all people throughout the world.
“But we cannot be messengers of the consolation of God if we do not experience first the joy of being consoled and loved by him,” he said, observing that we experience this love through reading the Bible, silent prayer, and by going to confession.
The Roman Pontiff asked that each one take Isaiah’s words to heart, because “today there is a need for people who are witnesses of the mercy and tenderness of the Lord, which shakes up those who are resigned, revives the discouraged (and) ignites the fire of hope.”
Many people are currently in desperate need of this message of consolation, the Bishop of Rome observed, especially those oppressed by suffering, injustice and tyranny, as well as those enslaved by power, success, money and worldliness.
“Poor things, they have a false consolation, they do not have the true consolation of the Lord!” the Pope said, explaining that Christians can give it to them because they themselves receive it from Christ.
Isaiah’s prophesy is like “a balm on our wounds” and serves as a motivation to work diligently in preparing for the coming of the Lord, who will tear down the walls of evil and iron-out the wrinkles caused by vanity and pride.
However, the Roman Pontiff noted that many times people are afraid of being consoled by the Lord, and prefer to remain in sadness and desolation, where it feels safer.
“Do you know why? Because in sadness, we feel almost like the protagonists. Instead, in consolation, the Holy Spirit is the protagonist, it is He who consoles us; it is He who gives us the courage to come out of ourselves.”
Pope Francis then asked that all remain open to the consolation of the Lord, and pointed to the Blessed Virgin Mary as the avenue that God himself chose and prepared to come into the world.
“Let us entrust to her the expectation of salvation and peace for all men and women of our time,” he prayed, and led pilgrims in the traditional Marian prayer.
“It is he who brings us to the source of every true consolation, that is, to the Father. And this is conversion. Please, let yourselves be consoled by the Lord! Let yourselves be consoled by the Lord!” the Pope told those present in St. Peter’s Square for his Dec. 7 address.
When Isaiah tells the people “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God,” he is opening the doors of consolation and freedom to the people of Israel, who had been in exile and can now look forward to the future, and their return home, with hope.
“And this is the reason for the invitation to let ourselves be consoled by the Lord…Isaiah addresses the people who have passed through a dark time, who have undergone a very hard trial; but now the time of consolation has come,” the Roman Pontiff noted.
The Lord will now turn their sadness and fear into joy with the freedom and salvation he brings, and he does this with the gentle care and tenderness of a shepherd who cares for his flock, the Pope said.
“He will give unity and security to the flock, they will graze, the scattered sheep will be gathered
Pope Francis then noted that because God looks at each person this way, we are called to follow Isaiah’s invitation to spread the Lord’s message of hope and consolation to all people throughout the world.
“But we cannot be messengers of the consolation of God if we do not experience first the joy of being consoled and loved by him,” he said, observing that we experience this love through reading the Bible, silent prayer, and by going to confession.
The Roman Pontiff asked that each one take Isaiah’s words to heart, because “today there is a need for people who are witnesses of the mercy and tenderness of the Lord, which shakes up those who are resigned, revives the discouraged (and) ignites the fire of hope.”
Many people are currently in desperate need of this message of consolation, the Bishop of Rome observed, especially those oppressed by suffering, injustice and tyranny, as well as those enslaved by power, success, money and worldliness.
“Poor things, they have a false consolation, they do not have the true consolation of the Lord!” the Pope said, explaining that Christians can give it to them because they themselves receive it from Christ.
Isaiah’s prophesy is like “a balm on our wounds” and serves as a motivation to work diligently in preparing for the coming of the Lord, who will tear down the walls of evil and iron-out the wrinkles caused by vanity and pride.
However, the Roman Pontiff noted that many times people are afraid of being consoled by the Lord, and prefer to remain in sadness and desolation, where it feels safer.
“Do you know why? Because in sadness, we feel almost like the protagonists. Instead, in consolation, the Holy Spirit is the protagonist, it is He who consoles us; it is He who gives us the courage to come out of ourselves.”
Pope Francis then asked that all remain open to the consolation of the Lord, and pointed to the Blessed Virgin Mary as the avenue that God himself chose and prepared to come into the world.
“Let us entrust to her the expectation of salvation and peace for all men and women of our time,” he prayed, and led pilgrims in the traditional Marian prayer.
Tags: Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis
Final report:
Vatican thanks women religious, stresses focus on Christ
Religious sisters take part in a Eucharistic procession to the Basilica of St. Mary Major on June 19, 2014. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.
.- The Vatican has published the results of its apostolic visitation examining the quality of religious communities across the U.S. in a report described as realistic yet encouraging.
Voicing thanks to women religious for their service to the Church, the Vatican congregation in charge of religious life also encouraged them to remember to keep Christ at the center of their communities.
The congregation asked the women religious to “carefully review their spiritual practices and ministry” to ensure that they are “in harmony with Catholic teaching about God, creation, the Incarnation and the Redemption.”
Launched in 2009 to examine the quality of religious communities across the U.S., the visitation included meetings, questionnaires, and visits to about one-quarter of the country’s religious communities.
It involved 341 religious congregations, to which approximately 50,000 women in the U.S. belong.
The survey presented religious communities several questions concerning religious orders’ vocation promotion, admission and formation policies, and fidelity to and expression of their vows. The reflections also asked respondents about their concerns for the future of their religious order.
It is distinct from the inquiry into the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, a canonically-approved body which has over 1,500 leaders of women religious communities as members.
The LCWR has been assessed by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, who raised concerns of dissent from Church doctrine on theological topics including homosexuality, the sacramental priesthood and the divinity of Christ.
Mother Mary Clare Millea, the Connecticut-born Superior General of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was the apostolic visitor who led the survey of U.S. religious communities along with a team that she hand-picked.
Mother Millea was one of a panel of seven speakers on Dec. 16, which also included the Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz.
She told journalists that although she was initially “overwhelmed” with the task, she maintained a complete and “deep trust” in the congregation’s decision to enact the visitation.
The report, signed by Cardinal Braz de Aviz as well as Archbishop Jose Rodriguez Carballo, secretary for the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, recognized that although this visitation was in some ways “unprecedented,” they are a normal phenomenon in the life of the Church.
“We initiated the visitation because of our awareness that the apostolic religious life in the United States is experiencing challenging times,” the cardinal told journalists.
He affirmed the need for new vocations, as well as an exploration of themes such as a congregation’s community and spiritual life, their work and apostolate, in light of the modern call for “credible and attractive witnesses of consecrated religious who demonstrate the redemptive and transformative power of the Gospel.”
Report topics range from finances to vocations, prayer, evangelization, and the role of women in the Church. It provides a presentation of the visitation’s findings as well as points of guidance from the congregation at the end of each section.
As to the declining number of women religious in the U.S., the report revealed that the peak number of vocations seen between the 1940s-1960s was “relatively short-term” and “not typical” in terms of the history of vocations in the country.
Rather, the report explained that such a peak would probably not be seen again. The report’s findings revealed that the numbers dropped due to the fact that many sisters left their congregations after the 1960s, couple with the fact that fewer women have joined communities since.
With the drop in new arrivals, institutes are spending vast spiritual and material means in order to promote vocations.
Interviews with various communities revealed that often entrance candidates seek to live in a “formative community” and be “externally recognizable” as consecrated women, which is a challenge for institutions that don’t observe these practices.
As for the sisters’ spiritual life, the visitation found that institutes generally have written guidelines for receiving the sacraments and strict spiritual practices.
However, the congregation cautioned each community to “evaluate their actual practice of liturgical and common prayer,” and to do whatever is needed to foster each member’s personal relationship with Christ.
Finances were also touched on in the report, which revealed that ongoing losses exist due to a variety of reasons, including the under-compensation of religious women for their ministry over an extended period of time.
Other reasons include a lack of sisters working due to low membership, the subsidizing of sisters who work for the poor by their institutes, the low salaries of sisters who work in ecclesial structures as well as changes to the United States healthcare system.
“Changes in the healthcare system in the United States, resulting in uncertainty regarding the availability of government funding for the future needs of the elderly is a particular concern,” the report observed.
In terms of ecclesial communion, the report revealed that although many religious described themselves as integral members of the universal Church, they expressed a desire for there to be “greater recognition” on the part of pastors for the contribution of women religious.
Some spoke in the survey of feeling like they did not have enough input into pastoral decisions that affect them despite having “considerable knowledge and experience.”
The report also recognized the refusal of some communities to participate in the visitation’s mandate, which Cardinal Braz de Aviz called a “painful disappointment” for everyone involved.
However, he used the occasion as an opportunity to assure the congregation’s willingness to engage in a “respectful and fruitful dialogue” with the institutes that were not fully compliant.
The report commissioned those institutes that felt apprehensive or betrayed by the visitation to use the current Year of Consecrated Life as an opportunity to make steps toward “forgiveness and reconciliation” so that “an attractive witness of fraternal communion” be given to all.
Sr. Sharon Holland, I.H.M., president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, told journalists that she is “concerned about those who may still be angry…It’s a concern for me because it’s not healthy to remain angry.”
Although she said she doesn’t know all of the reasons why some women religious feel that way, “sometimes when we’re fearful and feel powerless then we externalize that in anger, but underneath that there’s a fear or hurt or anxiety over what will happen.”
Despite the fact that there are still those who remain angry with the visitation, Sr. Holland said that “I think a lot of us have come beyond that.”
“There is an encouraging and realistic tone in this report,” she said. “Challenges are understood, but it is not a document of blame or of simplistic solutions. One can read the rest and feel appreciated and trusted to carry on.”
In the report, the congregation affirmed Pope Francis’ call for a greater participation of women in the life of society and the Church, as well as his resolve that “the ‘feminine genius’ find expression in the various settings where important decisions are made.”
With a reference to the pontiff’s apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, the report explained that “we need to create still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church.”
The report closed by using the biblical encounter between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth shortly after the Annunciation as an analogy of overcoming fear and uncertainty in order “to joyfully embrace their role in God’s plan of salvation.”
“So too the apostolic visitation offered new opportunities for women religious to discover God’s presence and salvific action in fruitful communication with other religious, with the Church’s pastors and lay faithful.”
Voicing thanks to women religious for their service to the Church, the Vatican congregation in charge of religious life also encouraged them to remember to keep Christ at the center of their communities.
The congregation asked the women religious to “carefully review their spiritual practices and ministry” to ensure that they are “in harmony with Catholic teaching about God, creation, the Incarnation and the Redemption.”
Launched in 2009 to examine the quality of religious communities across the U.S., the visitation included meetings, questionnaires, and visits to about one-quarter of the country’s religious communities.
It involved 341 religious congregations, to which approximately 50,000 women in the U.S. belong.
The survey presented religious communities several questions concerning religious orders’ vocation promotion, admission and formation policies, and fidelity to and expression of their vows. The reflections also asked respondents about their concerns for the future of their religious order.
It is distinct from the inquiry into the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, a canonically-approved body which has over 1,500 leaders of women religious communities as members.
The LCWR has been assessed by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, who raised concerns of dissent from Church doctrine on theological topics including homosexuality, the sacramental priesthood and the divinity of Christ.
Mother Mary Clare Millea, the Connecticut-born Superior General of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was the apostolic visitor who led the survey of U.S. religious communities along with a team that she hand-picked.
Mother Millea was one of a panel of seven speakers on Dec. 16, which also included the Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz.
She told journalists that although she was initially “overwhelmed” with the task, she maintained a complete and “deep trust” in the congregation’s decision to enact the visitation.
The report, signed by Cardinal Braz de Aviz as well as Archbishop Jose Rodriguez Carballo, secretary for the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, recognized that although this visitation was in some ways “unprecedented,” they are a normal phenomenon in the life of the Church.
“We initiated the visitation because of our awareness that the apostolic religious life in the United States is experiencing challenging times,” the cardinal told journalists.
He affirmed the need for new vocations, as well as an exploration of themes such as a congregation’s community and spiritual life, their work and apostolate, in light of the modern call for “credible and attractive witnesses of consecrated religious who demonstrate the redemptive and transformative power of the Gospel.”
Report topics range from finances to vocations, prayer, evangelization, and the role of women in the Church. It provides a presentation of the visitation’s findings as well as points of guidance from the congregation at the end of each section.
As to the declining number of women religious in the U.S., the report revealed that the peak number of vocations seen between the 1940s-1960s was “relatively short-term” and “not typical” in terms of the history of vocations in the country.
Rather, the report explained that such a peak would probably not be seen again. The report’s findings revealed that the numbers dropped due to the fact that many sisters left their congregations after the 1960s, couple with the fact that fewer women have joined communities since.
With the drop in new arrivals, institutes are spending vast spiritual and material means in order to promote vocations.
Interviews with various communities revealed that often entrance candidates seek to live in a “formative community” and be “externally recognizable” as consecrated women, which is a challenge for institutions that don’t observe these practices.
As for the sisters’ spiritual life, the visitation found that institutes generally have written guidelines for receiving the sacraments and strict spiritual practices.
However, the congregation cautioned each community to “evaluate their actual practice of liturgical and common prayer,” and to do whatever is needed to foster each member’s personal relationship with Christ.
Finances were also touched on in the report, which revealed that ongoing losses exist due to a variety of reasons, including the under-compensation of religious women for their ministry over an extended period of time.
Other reasons include a lack of sisters working due to low membership, the subsidizing of sisters who work for the poor by their institutes, the low salaries of sisters who work in ecclesial structures as well as changes to the United States healthcare system.
“Changes in the healthcare system in the United States, resulting in uncertainty regarding the availability of government funding for the future needs of the elderly is a particular concern,” the report observed.
In terms of ecclesial communion, the report revealed that although many religious described themselves as integral members of the universal Church, they expressed a desire for there to be “greater recognition” on the part of pastors for the contribution of women religious.
Some spoke in the survey of feeling like they did not have enough input into pastoral decisions that affect them despite having “considerable knowledge and experience.”
The report also recognized the refusal of some communities to participate in the visitation’s mandate, which Cardinal Braz de Aviz called a “painful disappointment” for everyone involved.
However, he used the occasion as an opportunity to assure the congregation’s willingness to engage in a “respectful and fruitful dialogue” with the institutes that were not fully compliant.
The report commissioned those institutes that felt apprehensive or betrayed by the visitation to use the current Year of Consecrated Life as an opportunity to make steps toward “forgiveness and reconciliation” so that “an attractive witness of fraternal communion” be given to all.
Sr. Sharon Holland, I.H.M., president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, told journalists that she is “concerned about those who may still be angry…It’s a concern for me because it’s not healthy to remain angry.”
Although she said she doesn’t know all of the reasons why some women religious feel that way, “sometimes when we’re fearful and feel powerless then we externalize that in anger, but underneath that there’s a fear or hurt or anxiety over what will happen.”
Despite the fact that there are still those who remain angry with the visitation, Sr. Holland said that “I think a lot of us have come beyond that.”
“There is an encouraging and realistic tone in this report,” she said. “Challenges are understood, but it is not a document of blame or of simplistic solutions. One can read the rest and feel appreciated and trusted to carry on.”
In the report, the congregation affirmed Pope Francis’ call for a greater participation of women in the life of society and the Church, as well as his resolve that “the ‘feminine genius’ find expression in the various settings where important decisions are made.”
With a reference to the pontiff’s apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, the report explained that “we need to create still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church.”
The report closed by using the biblical encounter between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth shortly after the Annunciation as an analogy of overcoming fear and uncertainty in order “to joyfully embrace their role in God’s plan of salvation.”
“So too the apostolic visitation offered new opportunities for women religious to discover God’s presence and salvific action in fruitful communication with other religious, with the Church’s pastors and lay faithful.”
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