On the morning of this Saturday, Pope Leo XIV received in Castel Gandolfo the participants of the general chapters of eight religious congregations, which he invited to renew “the conscience and the joy of being a church” and “to think big” to spread the gospel.
The Holy Father arrived at the Pontifical Villa on July 6, for his summer rest that will run until July 20. Then he will return from August 15 to 17. In the courtyard of the enclosure, he wanted to reflect today together with general superiors, advice and members of these eight congregations.
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Representatives of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (Pime), Philippian Pías, Venerine Pias, daughters of the Church, Salesians of the Sacred Heart, Franciscan Sisters Angelinas, Oblate Institute of Jesus and Mary, Religious Daughters of Mary of the Pious Schools were present representatives.
“They have gathered to pray, dialogue and reflect together on what the Lord asks for the future. Its founders and founders, docile to the action of the Holy Spirit, have left them a legacy of various charisms for the building of the body of Christ, and precisely so that he grows according to the plan of God, the Church asks for the service they provide,” said Leo XIV this July 12.
The Pope pointed out that each congregation embodies different aspects “of the life and work of all the people of God” that complement each other. Among them, the offer of one’s life in the image of Jesus’ sacrifice, the evangelizing mission through which the love of church is transmitted and preserved, in addition to the education and formation of young people.
“These are different ways in which the only eternal reality that encourages them all expresses charismatic way: the love of God for humanity,” he added.
In the midst of the general chapters and assemblies, ”said the Pope – each congregation has identified particular ways to reinterpret and update the legacy received from its founders, expressing them in specific lines of work that“ are also a beautiful gift as the fruit of the spirit ”.
“Thus, they have formulated guidelines that contain fundamental reminders: renew a true missionary spirit, make feelings own that were from Christ Jesus (Cf. Flp 2,5) Encouraged hope in God, keep the flame of the Spirit alive in our hearts, promote peace, cultivate pastoral co -responsibility in local churches, and much more, ”said Leo XIV.
For the Pope, these days of reflection must be for religious an opportunity to “understand the richness of our community being” and deeply commit “in the same wonderful adventure” of following the Lord more closely.
“That this renews and confirms in all of us the conscience and joy of being a church, and in particular drives them, in their chapter discernment, to think great, as unique pieces of a plan that surpasses them and involves them beyond their own expectations: the plan of salvation with which God wants to attract all humanity towards himself, as a great family,” said the Holy Father.
Andrés Henríquez
I was born in Caracas in 1996. I am a writer for ACI Press and correspondent of EWTN since 2023. Since then, I cover events of the Catholic Church in Venezuela, Latin America and the world. I have more than 6 years of experience in bilingual media. In addition, in Venezuela I have worked from various fields for freedom and respect for fundamental rights in the country. I am a member of the Regnum Christi Federation since 2014.