Don’t be afraid of surprises, leave doors and windows open



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Pope Francis said it this morning to the nearly four thousand faithful of his diocese gathered in the Paul VI room, on the occasion of the beginning of a synodal process which, explained the Holy Father, essentially means “to walk together. “. In addition, the Bishop of Rome described the synodal process which will begin in October and also spoke of the importance of the diocese as the Church works together to feel part of a “great people”

Vatican News

Speaking this morning to around four honey faithful from the diocese of Rome, of which the Pope is his bishop, gathered in the Paul VI room of Vatican City, Francis spoke of the forthcoming Synod, whose theme is: “For a Church synod: communion, participation, mission. ”In this regard, the Holy Father said that it is like a path in which the whole Church is committed.

October 2021 to October 2023

Francis also underlined that the Synod will take place between October 2021 and October 2023, and that the itinerary was conceived as “a dynamism of reciprocal listening, carried out at all levels of the Church, which involves all the people of God. “. .

First stage

The first stage of the process (from October 2021 to April 2022) is that which concerns each of the diocesan Churches. The Holy Father said word for word:

“This is why I am here, as your Bishop, to share, because it is very important that the Diocese of Rome commits itself with conviction in this way”

Walk together

In addition, Francis explained that “synodality expresses the nature of the Church, its form, its style, its mission”. The word “synod”, in fact, contains everything that needs to be understood: “to walk together”.

The Book of Acts of the Apostles

Referring to the book of Acts of the Apostles as “the first and most important” manual “of ecclesiology”, the Pope stressed that it tells the story of a journey which begins in Jerusalem and which, after a long journey , ends in Rome.

They are all protagonists

This path, he said, tells the story in which the Word of God and the people who direct their attention and faith to that Word walk together. “All are protagonists – said the Pope – no one can be considered a mere extra. Sometimes it may be necessary to leave, to change direction, to overcome convictions that hold us back and prevent us from moving forward and walk together. “

Pay attention to the needs of the poor

The Pope observed that there are problems which arise in the organization of the growing number of Christians, and “especially in meeting the needs of the poor”. The way to find a solution – said Francis, citing the book of the Acts of the Apostles – “is to assemble the assembly of disciples and to make the decision to appoint these seven men who engage in full-time diakonia, the service to the masses “.

Diocesan phase

Returning to the synodal process, the Pope said that the diocesan phase is very important because it involves listening to all the baptized. Therefore, Francisco pointed out that:

“There is a lot of resistance to overcoming the image of a Church rigidly divided between leaders and subordinates, between those who teach and those who must learn, forgetting that God likes to reverse positions. Walking together discovers horizontality and not verticality like a line “

The sense of faith

The sense of faith (that is to say “the sense of faith”) allows everyone in the dignity of the prophetic role of Jesus Christ “, also said the Bishop of Rome, in order to” discern what are the ways of l ‘Gospel in the present’.

Later, the Holy Father explained that “the exercise of sense of faith It cannot be reduced to communicating and comparing opinions that one may have on such and such a subject, such and such an aspect of doctrine, or such a rule of discipline. And he added:

“The idea of ​​distinguishing majorities and minorities cannot prevail either”

For everyone

“It is necessary to feel a member of one great people, recipient of divine promises,” Pope Francis continued, explaining:

“Open to a future that awaits everyone to participate in the banquet prepared by God for all peoples”

It’s not a privilege

In addition, the Pope said:

“I would like to stress that there can also be a rigid and antagonistic hermeneutics on the concept of ‘people of God’, allowing itself to be drawn into the idea of ​​exclusivity, of privilege, as happened with the interpretation. of the concept of “election”, which the prophets corrected, indicating how it is to be correctly understood “

Indeed, the Holy Father underlined that “it is not a privilege”, but a gift that someone receives for all, that we have received for others, a responsibility.

Listen to her

On the synodal path, in fact, Francis showed that listening must take into account the sense of faithBut we must not ignore all these “intuitions” which are embodied where we do not expect them: there can be an “intuition without citizenship”, but no less effective for that. Towards the conclusion of his speech, the Pope said:

“I have come here to encourage you to take this synodal process seriously and to tell you that the Holy Spirit needs you.”

Don’t leave anyone out or behind

And he encouraged them to listen to the Holy Spirit listening to themselves. At the same time, he asked them not to leave anyone outside or behind. Something which – Francis said – “is valid not only for those present, but for the whole Church, which does not strengthen itself only by reforming structures, by giving instructions, by offering retreats and conferences, or by the strength of directives and programs, but if it rediscovers that it is a people who want to walk together, with each other and with humanity. A city, that of Rome, which contains the variety of all peoples and all conditions: what extraordinary wealth, in its complexity! “.

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