Pope Francis: We all make mistakes, but no one is lost forever

Pope Francis affirmed in his speech to the bishops and religious of Belgium that God always forgives and recalled that, although “we all make mistakes,” no one is “lost forever.”

This morning, before leaving the Nunciature, Pope Francis briefly greeted the Vice President of the European Commission, Margarítis Schinás; to the Vice President of the European Commission for Democracy and Demography, Dubravka Šuica; to the Representative of the World Health Organization to the European Union, Oxana Domenti; and the WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge.

Pope Francis has breakfast with homeless people

Later, the Holy Father shared a breakfast with a group of 10 homeless people and migrants welcomed by the parish of St Gilles. The meeting was organized by Fr. Benjamin Kabongo, Friar Minor.

Father Benjamin Kabongo presented him with a beer brewed by the parish, the profits of which are intended to promote their work in favor of immigrants and the homeless.

Upon arrival at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of KoekelbergAfter 10:00 a.m., he greeted the faithful who received him outside the temple before beginning his meeting with the Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Consecrated Men and Women, Seminarians and Pastoral Agents of Belgium.

The President of the Belgian Episcopal Conference, Mons. Luc Terlinden, Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, and also the Rector of the Basilica, were waiting for him at the main entrance of the Basilica. He then crossed the nave and reached the altar while the choir performed a song.

Pope Francis listens to several testimoniesios

After the welcome greeting by the President of the Belgian Episcopal Conference, the Holy Father heard the testimonies of a priest, a pastoral worker, a theologian, a representative of shelter centers for victims of abuse, a nun and a chaplain of prisons, interspersed with the performance of some songs.

First of all, Priest Fr. Helmut Schmitz asked Pope Francis how a pastor can “guide people on their path.”

Later, a young pastoral worker, Yaninka De Weirdt, asked the Pontiff how “we can unite our dreams, how we as young people can contribute to the unity of diversity.”

For his part, theologian Arnaud Join-Lambert asked about the future of synodality in a secularized West and Mia De Schampelaere, who works in a care center for victims of abuse, turned to the Holy Father to ask for advice on how the Church learn from the “wounds of survivors and create a church culture where everyone can feel safe.”

Pope Francis also heard the testimony of a nun and a man who works in a prison.

Addressing the country’s bishops and religious, Pope Francis defined the Church of Belgium as a Church “in motion” that seeks to transform the presence of the parishes and also promote the formation of the laity.

Later, he focused his speech on reflecting on three aspects: evangelization, joy and mercy, and responded to each of those who offered their testimony.

Evangelization

First of all, he highlighted that the “changes of our time and the crisis of faith that we experience in the West have prompted us to return to what is essential, that is, to the Gospel.”

However, he pointed out that each crisis “is a time that has been offered to us to shake ourselves, to question ourselves and to change.”

In this sense, he stated that when we experience desolations, “we must always ask ourselves what message the Lord wants to communicate to us.”

He also explained that we have gone “from a Christianity established in a welcoming social framework, to a ‘minority’ or ‘witness’ Christianity.”

And this, the Pontiff continued, “calls for the courage of an ecclesial conversion, to begin those pastoral transformations that even have to do with the customs, the models, the languages ​​of faith, so that they are truly at the service of evangelization.”

For this reason, he reiterated that “priests are not limited to preserving or administering a heritage from the past, but rather shepherds in love with Jesus Christ and prepared to accept the demands of the Gospel” while walking with the holy People of God.

He also pointed out that “there may be many personal and community paths, but they lead us to the same goal, to the encounter with the Lord.”

“In the Church there is a place for everyone, everyone, everyone, and no one should be a photocopy of anyone. Unity in the Church is not uniformity, it is rather about finding harmony in diversity.”

The joy

Regarding joy, he explained that it is not about “the joys associated with something momentary,” but rather a greater joy, “that accompanies and sustains life even in dark or painful moments, and this is a gift that comes from above, from God.”

It is, according to the Pontiff, “the joy of the heart aroused by the Gospel, it is knowing that along the way we are not alone and that even in situations of poverty, sin, affliction, God is close, cares for us and “He will not allow death to have the last word.”

He stressed that “joy is the path” and that when fidelity is difficult we must show that this virtue is a “path to happiness.”

mercy

Thirdly, he pointed out that “God never withdraws his love from us,” not even when we do something “serious.”

He noted that “the justice of God is superior; He who has made a mistake is called to repair his mistakes, but to heal his heart he needs the merciful love of God. “God justifies us with his mercy, that is, he makes us righteous because he gives us a new heart, a new life.”

Later, he addressed Mia, who helps people who have suffered abuse, and noted that “abuse generates atrocious suffering and wounds, even diminishing the path of faith.”

“And a lot of mercy is needed not to remain with a heart of stone in the face of the suffering of the victims, to make them feel our closeness and offer them all possible help, to learn from them to be a Church that becomes a servant of all without subjecting nobody,” he said.

Along these lines, he pointed out that “a root of violence is in the abuse of power, when we use our roles to crush or manipulate others.”

He also stated that “Jesus shows us that God does not distance himself from our wounds and impurities. He knows that we all make mistakes, but none of them are mistakes. “No one is lost forever.”

“It is right then to follow the paths of earthly justice and the human, psychological and penal itineraries; but punishment must be a medicine, it must lead to healing,” he defended.

Finally, the Holy Father wished for “a Church that never closes its doors, that offers everyone an opening to the infinite, that knows how to look beyond.”

“This is the Church that evangelizes, that lives the joy of the Gospel, that practices mercy,” he concluded.

At the end of the meeting, the Holy Father went to the tomb of King Baudouin, known for his religious devotion and whose faith deeply marked his 42-year reign.