What would the Church be without you? Pope asks Women Religious
Vatican City, 09 May 2013: A vocation is always God’s initiative. It is Christ who
has called you to follow Him in the consecrated life and this means making a continual
‘exodus’ from yourselves to centre your existences on Christ and his Gospel, said
Pope Francis to about 800 Superiors General of women’s religious orders on Wednesday
in the Vatican. The ‘exodus from oneself means, explained the Pontiff, placing oneself
on a journey of adoration and service. An exodus which takes us on a journey of adoration
of the Lord and service to the Lord in our brothers and sisters. The International
Union of Superiors General has been meeting for its general assembly in Rome since
May 3. The sisters met with the Pope at the conclusion of their plenary assembly which
has been focused on the theme of leadership in light of Gospel values.
In his
speech to them, Pope Francis spoke of their vows of obedience, poverty and chastity,
saying the sisters are not spinsters, but rather spiritual mothers and icons of the
Mother Church. Echoing the theme of their five day meeting, the Pope said true power
is always service to others. While the world may see power in terms of possession,
dominion and success, the authority of God is always synonymous with service, humility
and love. As he has done in the past, the Pope warned of the damage caused to
the Church by men and women who seek to further their own careers and personal ambitions.
Instead Pope Francis urged the sisters to always “feel with the Church” in faithfulness
to the Magesterium, the Pastors and the Bishop of Rome as a visible sign of the unity
of the Church. Citing Pope Paul VI, the Pontiff said that “It is an absurd dichotomy
to think of living with Jesus but without the Church, of following Jesus outside of
the Church, of loving Jesus without loving the Church.’
Pope Francis concluded
posing a question as ‘What would the Church be without you? She would be missing maternity,
affection, tenderness! A Mother's intuition.” Source: VR Sedoc