Open the door, step outside: says Pope Francis during General Audience

March 27, 2013: Pope Francis who was elected as the head of the Catholic Church on March 13, held his first ever general audience on Wednesday. General Audiences are public meetings where pilgrims and tourists have a chance of seeing and hearing the Pope speak in several languages, and also receive his blessing. The General Audience of March 27 was held in the open in St. Peter’s square. A scripture passage was read in several languages.
Listen:
An Aide greeted the Pope on behalf of the English-speaking pilgrims, and presented the various groups to him, saying “Most Holy Father, the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims are happy to have this occasion to express to you their sentiments of respect and esteem and to assure you of their prayers for your ministry as the successor of Peter.”

Pope Francis then delivered his discourse in Italian for the English-speaking people. An Aide then summarised Pope Francis’s discourse into English:
“Dear Brothers and Sisters,
On Palm Sunday we began Holy Week, the heart of the liturgical year, when we commemorate the great events that express most powerfully God’s loving plan for all men and women. Jesus enters Jerusalem in order to give himself completely. He gives us his body and his blood, and promises to remain with us always. He freely hands himself over to death in obedience to the Father’s will, and in this way shows how much he loves us. We are called to follow in his footsteps. Holy Week challenges us to step outside ourselves so as to attend to the needs of others: those who long for a sympathetic ear, those in need of comfort or help. We should not simply remain in our own secure world, that of the ninety-nine sheep who never strayed from the fold, but we should go out, with Christ, in search of the one lost sheep, however far it may have wandered. Holy Week is not so much a time of sorrow, but rather a time to enter into Christ’s way of thinking and acting. It is a time of grace given us by the Lord so that we can move beyond a dull or mechanical way of living our faith, and instead open the doors of our hearts, our lives, our parishes, our movements or associations, going out in search of others so as to bring them the light and the joy of our faith in Christ.

Heartfelt greetings to the English-speaking pilgrims, especially the large group of university students taking part in the international UNIV Congress here in Rome. I extend a warm welcome to the pilgrims from England, Ireland, the Philippines and the United States of America. I invite all of you to enter fully into the spirit of Holy Week, following in the footsteps of Jesus and bringing the light of his love to everyone you meet. Happy Easter!

Pope Francis also spoke to other groups in their languages and concluded Wednesday’s General Audience with his blessing.