Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

The following is the text of a video message sent by the Holy Father to a group of missionaries in Argentina:

 

Video Message of the Holy Father

I wish to greet the group of missionaries, young people and adults in total, who went on missions among the indigenous peoples of Salta, Victoria Este, in the diocese of Orán. And the motto of the mission is “Dreams are built together”. Thank you for what you have done, thank you for this work. Keep going. Because “to mission” is to go out of yourselves to give the best of yourselves and the best of what God gives, and this is a very beautiful thing. Greetings to Father Mariano, who is accompanying you in this. And pray for me, I will pray for you to. So, go back to your missionary work. God bless you.

This morning’s General Audience took place at 9.00 in the Paul VI Hall.

In his address in Italian the Pope, returning to his catechesis on old age, focused on the theme: “I go to prepare a place for you”. Old age, a time projected towards fulfilment (Bible reading: Jn 14: 1-3).

After summarizing his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed special greetings to the faithful present.

The General Audience concluded with the recitation of the Pater Noster and the apostolic blessing.

 

Catechesis of the Holy Father

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

We are now at the last catechesis dedicated to old age. Today we enter into the moving intimacy of Jesus’ farewell to his followers, amply recounted in the Gospel of John. The parting discourse begins with words of consolation and promise: “Let not your hearts be troubled” ( Jn 14:1). “When I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (14:3). They are beautiful, these words of the Lord.

Shortly beforehand, Jesus had said to Peter, “You shall follow afterward” (13:36), reminding him of the passage through the fragility of his faith. The time of life that remains to the disciples will be, inevitably, a passage through the fragility of witness and through the challenges of brotherhood. But it will also be a passage through the exciting blessings of faith: “He who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these he will do” (14:12). Think what a promise this is! I do not know if we think of it fully, if we believe in it fully! I don’t know, at times I think not.

Old age is the fitting time for the moving and joyful witness of expectation. The elderly man and woman are waiting, waiting for an encounter. In old age the works of faith, which bring us and others closer to the Kingdom of God, are by now beyond the power of the energy, words, and impulses of youth and maturity. But precisely in this way they make the promise of the true destination of life even more transparent. And what is the true destination of life? A place at the table with God, in the world of God. It would be interesting to see whether in the local Churches there is any specific reference intended to revitalize this special ministry of awaiting the Lord – it is a ministry, the ministry of awaiting the Lord – encouraging individual charisms and community qualities of the elderly person.

An old age that is consumed in the dejection of missed opportunities brings despondency to oneself and to others. Instead, old age lived with gentleness, lived with respect for real life, definitively dissolves the misconception of a Church that adapts to the worldly condition, thinking that by so doing it can definitively govern its perfection and fulfilment. When we free ourselves from this presumption, the time of aging that God grants us is already in itself one of those “greater” works Jesus speaks of. In effect, it is a task that Jesus was not given to fulfil: his death, his resurrection and his ascent to heaven made it possible for us! Let us remember that “time is superior to space”. It is the law of initiation. Our life is not made to be wrapped up in itself, in an imaginary earthly perfection: it is destined to go beyond, through the passage of death – because death is a passage. Indeed, our stable place, our destination is not here, it is beside the Lord, where he dwells forever.

Here, on earth, the process of our “novitiate” begins: we are apprentices of life, who – amid a thousand difficulties – learn to appreciate God’s gift, honouring the responsibility of sharing it and making it bear fruit for everyone. The time of life on earth is the grace of this passage. The conceit of stopping time – of wanting eternal youth, unlimited wellbeing, absolute power – is not only impossible, it is delusional.

Our existence on earth is the time of the initiation of life: it is life, but one that leads you towards a fuller life, the initiation of the fuller one; a life which finds fulfilment only in God. We are imperfect from the very beginning, and we remain imperfect up to the end. In the fulfilment of God’s promise, the relationship is inverted: the space of God, which Jesus prepares for us with the utmost care, is superior to the time of our mortal life. Hence: old age brings closer the hope of this fulfilment. Old age knows definitively, by now, the meaning of time and the limitations of the place in which we live our initiation. This is why old age is wise: the elderly are wise for this reason. This is why it is credible when it invites us to rejoice in the passing of time: it is not a threat, it is a promise. Old age is noble, it does not need to beautify itself to show its nobility. Perhaps the disguise comes when nobility is lacking. Old age is credible when it invites one to rejoice in the passing of time: but time passes … Yes, but this is not a threat, it is a promise. The old age that rediscovers the depth of the gaze of faith is not conservative by nature, as they say! God’s world is an infinite space, in which the passage of time no longer carries any weight. And it was precisely at the Last Supper that Jesus projected himself towards this goal, when he said to his disciples: “I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” ( Mt 26:29). He went beyond. In our preaching, Paradise is often rightly full of beatitude, of light, of love. Perhaps it lacks a little life. Jesus, in the parables, spoke of the kingdom of God by putting more life into it. Are we no longer capable of this? The life that continues…

Dear brothers and sisters, old age, lived in the expectation of the Lord, can become the fulfilled “apologia” of faith, which gives grounds, for everyone, for our hope for all (cf. 1 Pt 3:15). Because old age renders Jesus’ promise transparent, projecting towards the Holy City of which the Book of Revelation speaks (chapters 21-22). Old age is the phase in life most suited to spreading the joyful news that life is the initiation to a final fulfilment. The elderly are a promise, a witness of promise. And the best is yet to come . The best is yet to come: it is like the message of elderly believers, the best is yet to come. May God grant us all an old age capable of this! Thank you.

 

Greeting in English

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience. Upon you and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!

Papal Chapel for the funeral of His Eminence Cardinal Jozef Tomko

The funeral of His Eminence Cardinal Jozef Tomko, of the Title of Santa Sabina, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and president emeritus of the Pontifical Committee for the International Eucharistic Congresses, will take place on Thursday, 11 August 2022, at 11.00, at the Altar of the Cathedra of Saint Peter’s Basilica.

The funeral liturgy will be celebrated by His Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, together with the cardinals, archbishops and bishops.

At the end of the Eucharistic celebration, the Holy Father Francis will preside over the rite of the Ultima Commendatio and the Valedictio .

At midday today, the Holy Father Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to pray the Angelus with the pilgrims and faithful gathered in Saint Peter’s Square.

The following are the Pope’s words of introduction to the Marian prayer:

 

Before the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters, buongiorno !

In the Gospel of today’s Liturgy, Jesus speaks to the disciples to reassure them of any fear and to invite them to be vigilant. He addresses two fundamental exhortations to them: the first is, “Do not be afraid, little flock” ( Lk 12:32); the second is, “Be ready” [literal translation of v.35 used in the Italian original]. “Do not be afraid” and “be ready”. They are two key words for conquering the fears that paralyze us at times, and to overcome the temptation of a passive, slumbering life. “Do not be afraid” and “Be ready”. Let us look at these two invitations.

Do not be afraid . First of all, Jesus encourages the disciples. He has just finished speaking to them about the loving and provident care of the Father, who cares for the lilies of the fields and the birds of the air, and therefore, all the more for his children. So there is no need to worry and fret for our lives are firmly in God’s hands. We are heartened by Jesus’ invitation not to fear. Indeed, at times we feel imprisoned by a feeling of distrust and anxiety. It is the fear of failure, of not being acknowledged and loved, the fear of not being able to realize our plans, of never being happy, and so on. And so, we struggle to find solutions, to find a space in which to get out of the cycle, to accumulate goods and wealth, to obtain security. And where does this take us? We end up living anxiously and constantly worrying. Instead, Jesus reassures us: Do not be afraid! Trust in the Father who wants to give you all you truly need. He has already given you his Son, his Kingdom, and he will always accompany you with his providence, taking care of you every day. Do not be afraid -- this is the certainty that your hearts should be attached to! Do not be afraid – a heart attached to this certainty. Do not be afraid.

But knowing that the Lord watches over us with love does not entitle us to slumber, to let ourselves succumb to laziness! On the contrary, we must be alert, vigilant. Indeed, to love means being attentive to the other, being aware of his or her needs, being willing to listen and welcome, being ready.

The second word . Be ready. This is the second invitation today. This is Christian wisdom. Jesus repeats this invitation several times. And today he does so through three short parables, centred on the master of a house who, in the first, returns unexpectedly from a wedding banquet; in the second, does not want to be surprised by thieves; and in the third, returns from a long journey. The message in all of them is it is necessary to stay awake , not to fall asleep, that is, not to be distracted, not to give in to inner idleness, because the Lord comes even in situations in which we do not expect him. To be attentive to the Lord, not to go to sleep. We need to stay alert.

And at the end of our life, he will call us to account for the goods he has entrusted to us. Therefore, being vigilant also means being responsible , that is, safeguarding and administering those goods faithfully. We have received so much: life, faith, family, relationships, work, but also the places where we live, our city, creation. We have received so many things. Let us try to ask ourselves: Do we take care of this inheritance the Lord has left us? Do we safeguard its beauty or do we use things only for ourselves and for our immediate convenience? We have to think a little about this – are we guardians of the creation that has been given to us?

Brothers and sisters, let us walk without fear, in the certainty that the Lord accompanies us always. And let us stay awake lest we be asleep when the Lord passes by. Saint Augustine used to say, “I am afraid that the Lord will pass by and I will not notice”. To be asleep, and not to notice that the Lord passes by. Stay alert! May the Virgin Mary help us, who welcomed the Lord’s visit and readily and generously said, “Here I am”.

 

After the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters,

I want to welcome with satisfaction the departure of the first ships loaded with grain from the ports of Ukraine. This step demonstrates that it is possible to dialogue and to reach concrete results for everyone’s benefit. Therefore, this event also presents itself as a sign of hope, and I sincerely hope that, following in this direction, there might be an end to combat and that a just and lasting peace might be reached.

I sadly learned of the automotive accident that happened yesterday morning in Croatia. Some pilgrims going to Medjugorje lost their lives and others were wounded. May Our Lady intercede for all of them and for their relatives.

Today is the final day of the European Youth Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela postponed from last year’s Holy Year of Compostela. With joy, I cordially bless each young person who has participated, and I bless also all who worked to organized and have accompanied this event. May your lives always be a journey, a journey with Jesus, a journey toward God and toward your brothers and sisters, a journey in service and in joy!

And I now extend my greeting to you, people from Rome and pilgrims from various countries, especially the faithful from Malta. I greet the group from Crevalcore, the young people from the diocese of Verona, and those from the Oratory of “Don Bosco” from Tollmezzo.

I wish all of you a good Sunday. Please do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your meal and arrivederci

 

Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Peru

Appointment of president of the Pontifical Academy of Theology

 

Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Peru

The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Paolo Rocco Gualtieri, titular of Sagona, until now apostolic nuncio in Madagascar, the Seychelles and Mauritius, apostolic delegate in the Comoros Islands and Réunion, as apostolic nuncio in Peru.

 

Appointment of president of the Pontifical Academy of Theology

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Antonio Staglianò, until now bishop of Noto, as president of the Pontifical Academy of Theology.