The Pope in Luxembourg: Francis urges us to accept the challenge of evangelizing in the midst of a secularized society

Accepting the challenge of being a Church that does not retreat, but rather goes out and evangelizes in the midst of a secularized society, is the call that Pope Francis made to the Catholic community of Luxembourg during the meeting they held this September 26.

The meeting took place at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg, the small European country of just over 660,000 inhabitants and bordering France, Germany and Belgium.

The Pontiff, who arrived in a wheelchair, greeted a group of disabled people who were waiting for him at the entrance of the cathedral, inside which were present the Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, the Archbishop of Luxembourg, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich , bishops, priests, nuns and faithful.

In addition to listening to Cardinal Hollerich’s words of welcome and three testimonies, the Holy Father appreciated the staging of the musical Laudato Si’in which some passages from the life of Saint Francis of Assisi and his dream of brotherhood among human beings were shown.

In his speech to the Catholic faithful, Francis highlighted the four centuries of Marian devotion that the duchy celebrates in its invocation of Consolation of the Afflicted, a title that “fits well with the theme they have chosen for this visit: ‘To serve’” , he stated.

In that sense, the Holy Father took advantage of the occasion to reflect on the service, the mission and the joy involved in bringing the Gospel to other people, following the mandate left by Christ to his disciples.

Regarding the service, the Pontiff explained that it is connected to welcome, an urgent aspect in these times and which is one of the characteristics of Luxembourg society. “The spirit of the Gospel is a spirit of welcome, of openness to all, and does not admit any type of exclusion,” he noted.

Francisco recalled that, on his 1985 visitSaint John Paul II “encouraged young Luxembourgers to trace the path of ‘a Europe not only of goods and merchandise, but of values, of men and of hearts’ in which the Gospel would be shared ‘in the word of proclamation and in the signs of love.'”

The mission of the Catholic Church

In his speech, the Pontiff referred to the words of Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, who spoke of an “evolution of the Luxembourg Church in a secularized society.”

Pope Francis appreciated this expression because “the Church, in a secularized society, progresses, matures, grows.”

“She does not withdraw into herself, sad, resigned, resentful; but accepts the challenge, in fidelity to the values ​​of always, to rediscover and revalue in a new way the paths of evangelization, increasingly moving from a simple proposal of pastoral care to a proposal of missionary proclamation,” he noted.

The Holy Father recalled that “love urges us to announce the Gospel by opening ourselves to others,” overcoming “the fear of embarking on new paths, pushing us to gratefully welcome the contribution of others.”

Finally, addressing the joy of faith, the Pontiff referred to the testimony of Diogo, a young man who shared the happiness he experienced during the vigil of World Youth Day Lisbon 2023, “and the joy, a year later, at meet together with the others here in Luxembourg.”

“Do you see it? Our faith is like this. It is joyful, ‘dancing’, because it shows us that we are children of a God who is a friend of man, who wants us happy and united, that nothing makes him happier than our salvation,” the Pope said.

To this end, he highlighted the traditional procession that the Catholics of Luxembourg celebrate on Pentecost to remember “the tireless missionary work of Saint Willibrord, evangelizer of these lands,” and in which “the entire city comes out to dance in the streets and squares.” to the cathedral in memory of the holy shepherd.

At the end of the Pope’s speech, the opening of the Marian jubilee took place for the 400 years of devotion to Mary, Consolation of the afflicted, patron saint of Luxembourg.

In addition, the Pontiff donated a golden rose that was placed in front of the Marian image, “in accordance with an ancient practice with which Popes show their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary,” the Vatican reported.

The Pontiff will remain in Luxembourg for only one day, since after 6 p.m. he will leave for Belgium, the second stage of this apostolic journey that will culminate on Sunday, September 29.