Pope Francis announces 2015 to be dedicated to consecrated life
Vatican City, 30 November 2013: The year 2015 will be dedicated to consecrated life,
Pope Francis made the announcement at an audience with 120 superiors generals attending
the 82nd General Assembly of the Union of Superiors General that ended
on Friday in Rome. During the three-hour meeting consisted of questions and answers,
the Pope touched on a variety of themes - the identity and mission of consecrated
life; the situation of vocations; the importance of formation; and the frontiers of
the mission of consecrated persons. Regarding the identity and mission of consecrated
life, the Pope said that a radical approach is required of all Christians; but religious
persons are called upon to follow the Lord in a special way: “They are men and woman
who can awaken the world. Consecrated life is prophecy. God asks us to fly the nest
and to be sent to the frontiers of the world, avoiding the temptation to 'domesticate'
them. This is the most concrete way of imitating the Lord”.
When asked about
the situation of vocations, the Pope emphasised that there are young Churches which
are bearing new fruit. This naturally gives rise to a re-evaluation of the inculturation
of charism. The Church must follow the example of Matteo Ricci in asking forgiveness
for and looking with shame upon apostolic failures caused by mis-understandings in
this field. The Pope insisted upon the importance of formation, founded upon four
fundamental pillars: spiritual, intellectual, communitarian and apostolic. It is indispensable
to avoid every form of hypocrisy and clericalism by means of a frank and open dialogue
on all aspects of life: “formation is an artisanal craft, not a form of policing”,
he commented; “its aim is to form religious persons with a tender heart, not acid,
not like vinegar. We are all sinners, but not corrupt. Sinners are to be accepted,
but not the corrupt”.
When asked about brotherhood, the Pope said that this
has a great force of attraction, and presupposes the acceptance of differences and
conflicts. At time it is difficult to live in fraternity, but without it no fruit
may be borne. In any case, “we must never act like managers when faced with a brother's
conflict: conflict instead must be caressed”, said the Pope.
A number of questions
were asked regarding the relationships between religious persons and the particular
Churches to which they belong. “We bishops must understand that consecrated persons
are not helpers, but rather charisms which enrich dioceses”.
The final questions
regarded the frontiers of the mission of consecrated persons. “They must be sought
on the basis of the charisms”, answered the Pope. Situations of exclusion remain the
first priorities. Alongside these challenges he mentioned the cultural and educational
mission in schools and universities. For the Pope, the pillars of education are “transmitting
knowledge, transmitting methods, transmitting values. By these means, faith is communicated”. Source:
VIS