Pope urges parish faithful to "Listen to Jesus!"

March 17, 2014 - Pope Francis made a visit on Sunday afternoon to the provincial parish of Our Lady of Oration in the Setteville neighbourhood east of Rome, and urged the faithful to listen to the voice of God. While celebrating Mass he delivered a homily focusing on the importance of listening, of being attuned and attentive to the Word of God. “What are the duties of a Christian?” he asked. “Perhaps,” he added, “you will tell me: going to Mass on Sundays; fasting and abstaining during Holy Week, and such things,” said Pope Francis, “but the first duty of a Christian is to listen to the Word of God, to listen to Jesus, because He speaks to us and He saves us with His Word – and with His word, He also makes our faith stronger, more robust,” he said. Among the several programmes in the parish the Pope greeted the faithful, met the sick and disabled persons, met those who are receiving their first Holy Communion and Confirmation. He also had an encounter with the the Neocatechumenal Way communities of the parish. He also exercised his priestly function of hearing confessions before Mass, and later had a brief exchange with the family members of the priests serving the parish.