Francis: May religious life be marked by peace and joy

Patricia Ynestroza-Vatican City

In the video message, the Pope reminds the participants that the challenge posed by “the inculturation of faith for consecrated life” is very important, he also affirmed that their presence at this congress is “necessary so that it can have place and develop., an inculturated theology, which can be adapted to the local reality, which can be a vehicle of evangelization. “And he asks them not to forget that a” faith which is not inculturated does not is not authentic. ”Hence the Pope’s invitation to“ enter into the life of the people, into the soul of the people, which gives the true meaning of a culture ”.

Enter the life of the People of God

The Pontiff asks them “to enter into respect for their customs and traditions, trying to achieve the mission of inculturation of faith and evangelization of culture. To value what the Holy Spirit has sown among peoples, which is also a gift for us (Same. 246) ”, he declared.

Binomial: inculturate the faith and evangelize culture

The Holy Father asked them not to forget the pair: inculturate the faith and evangelize culture. Moreover, he told them that “consecrated life is an expert in communion; consecrated life is itinerant, it promotes fraternity ”. Finally, the Pope declared that faced with the temptation of “survival”, due to the decrease in the number of religious, he advises to follow the path of evangelization, to evangelize the people of God, and to leave the rest “to the Holy Spirit”.

A religious life marked by joy, peace and a sense of humor

Finally, Francis asked that religious life be marked by “joy in many ways, peace and a sense of humor”. He said, “It’s so sad to see consecrated men and women who don’t have a sense of humor, who take everything seriously. To be with Jesus is to be happy, it is also to have the capacity which gives the holiness of this sense of humor “.

The Congress

CLAR will set its sights on three vital priorities: synodality, the ethics of care and integral ecology in order to “listen to Jesus in this hour, and with him and like him, to walk towards a new way of being Church that allows itself to be transform to serve as a disciple, prophet and missionary ”.

The Congress is structured as follows: in the morning the main presentations will be presented by international specialists, while the afternoon block will develop workshops with speeches, discussions and dynamics.

Likewise, its organizers indicated in a note from Celam, that “the Religious Life of the Continent, is gathered around a great virtual Congress, in which resonates life, the urgencies of reality and the great themes in which God invites us to rethink the channels of our commitment ”. They also consider that “the historical moment demands that we strengthen certain features of our identity, in its intercongregational, intercultural and itinerant dimensions and that we assume the synodal spirit as our way of situating ourselves before the construction of the ecclesial fabric”.

The congress begins at 9 am Colombian time with greetings, presentation by moderators and introduction. From 10 a.m. there will be a prayer led by Sister Leida Dájome and Fr. Santiago González, followed by the presentation: Religious Life in an Inter-Congregational Key, which will be given by Fr. Luis Alberto Gonzalo Díez. At 12:45, Sister Cristina Robaina and Father Tarcisio Gaitán will give the Theological Keys in their presentations.

Congress on Religious Life organized by CLAR

From three to five in the afternoon there will be a Workshop: A 7-year journey for the care of the Laudato Si Common Home ‘Platform for Action. Main themes: Integral Ecology and Presentation of the Action Processes in Integral Ecology. At the end of the Conversation of the day, the moment of Listening of the Latin American Ecclesial Assembly will be invited: extractivism, resistance and hope.

From this link you can see the congress which starts today Friday 13th and ends Sunday 15th.