Pope Francis at consistory session Friday morning

February 21, 2014: Pope Francis offered brief words of address to the participants on Friday at morning session of the second day of the extraordinary consistory on the family, ahead of Saturday's ordinary public consistory for the creation of new cardinals. The Holy Father had special words of greeting for the Ukrainian Cardinals participating in the gathering, in light of ongoing unrest in their homeland. The Pope also offered words of praise for the theological writings of Cardinal Walter Kasper, the President-emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity.

Below, please find Vatican Radio's translation of the transcript of the Holy Father's remarks, which were delivered in Italian.

I would like to send a greeting, both from me personally and in the name of everyone [present], to the Ukrainian Cardinals: Cardinal [Marian] Jaworski, Emeritus of Lviv; and Cardinal [Ljubomyr] Husar, emeritus archbishop of Kiev – who are suffering much in these days have many difficulties in their homeland. Perhaps it would be nice to deliver this message in the name of all – you agree? [Applause] Do you agree, all of you, with this? [Applause] Another thing: yesterday, before falling asleep – though not in order to fall asleep! – I read – I re-read Cardinal Kasper’s work, and I would like to thank him, because [in it] I found profound theology, also a serene thought in theology. It is nice to read serene theology. And also, I found that, of which St. Ignatius spoke to us: that sensus Ecclesiae, no? Love for Mother Church, right there, no? It did me good and I had an idea - and excuse me if I embarrass [Your] Eminence, but the idea is: this is called doing theology while kneeling. Thank you. Thank you.