Pope Francis receives members of the Focal Movement on Saturday in the Paul VI Hall at the end of the General Assembly.
Vatican News staff reporter
During this week’s General Assembly, members of the Focal Movement discussed a number of key issues and elected new leaders.
At the end of the meeting, Pope Francis received on Saturday words of thanks to the outgoing president, Maria Voce, and the newly elected president, Margaret Karram.
He also gave the Movement some thought, to “encourage them in their journey.”
He divided these reflections into three points: she was post-Founding; the importance of crises and living spirituality with coherence and realism.
Openness and dialogue
Speaking about the post-Founding period, the Pope mentioned that twelve years after the passing of Chiara Lubich, the Movement is called to overcome this “natural loss and even decrease in number to continue to be a living expression of the founding charism. . ”
This, he said, requires “a dynamic fidelity, capable of interpreting the signs and needs of the times and meeting the new demands of humanity.” Pope Francis added that it is also a matter of “remaining faithful to the original source, of striving to rethink it and to express it in dialogue with new social and cultural situations.”
This work of renewal, he said, “is all the more fruitful as it is accomplished more by harmonizing creativity, wisdom, sensitivity to all, and fidelity to the Church.”
The Pope went on to say that “openness to others, whoever they are, must always be cultivated: the gospel is for everyone, it is a dough of a new humanity in every place and time.”
Dealing with problems
However, the Pope also had words of warning, advising not to withdraw, which, he said, “always leads to the defense of the institution to the detriment of individuals and which can also lead to the justification or coverage of forms of abuse.” .
Instead, Pope Francis continued, “it is better to be brave and face problems with parity and truth, always following the directions of the Church.”
A call to a new maturity
Focusing on the second theme, “the importance of crises,” the Pope stressed that “every crisis is a call to a new maturity; it is a time of the Spirit, which awakens the need for updating, without being discouraged by human complexity and its contradictions ”.
“It is the duty of the government, at all levels, to work to address community and organizational crises in the best, most constructive way,” he said.
Addressing in particular the spiritual crises of individuals, which involve the intimacy of the individual and the sphere of conscience, Pope Francis mentioned that “they must be faced with caution by those who do not hold governing positions, at every level, within the Movement. ”
“This is a good rule that applies not only to the moments of crisis of individuals, but generally applies to their accompaniment in their spiritual journey,” the pope said.
Outside and inside
Reflecting on the third point, “live your spirituality with coherence and realism,” Pope Francis told those gathered, “the ultimate goal of your charism coincides with the intention that Jesus presented to the Father in the last his great prayer: that “all may be one,” knowing very well that it is the work of the grace of the One and Triune God. “This intention,” he explained, “requires a commitment in a twofold perspective: outside the Movement and within it.”
As for external action, the Pope said, “I encourage you to be … witnesses of rapprochement with fraternal love that transcends any barrier and reaches any human condition.”
Regarding the commitment to the Movement, he continued, “I urge you to promote more and more synodality so that all members, as depositories of the same charism, can be co-responsible and participate in the life of Mary. and its specific objectives. ”
Transforming pain into hope
In conclusion, the Pope invited those present to imitate its founder, Chiara Lubich, always listening to “the cry of the abandonment of Christ on the cross, which manifests the highest measure of love.”
The grace that comes from it, he added, “is able to awaken in us, who are weak and sinful, generous and sometimes heroic responses; it is able to turn suffering and even tragedy into a source of light and hope for humanity. In this passage from death to life lies the heart of Christianity and also of your charism ”.