Pope Francis "... seek first of all friendship with Jesus; to read and meditate on his word and welcome in his Eucharist his merciful and powerful presence..." FULL TEXT
ON THE OCCASION OF THE 450th ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF ST. STANISLAO KOSTKA
To Dear Brother
SELF. Mons. Piotr Libera
Bishop of Płock
Today, on the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the 450th anniversary of the death of St. Stanislaus Kostka. At the age of only 18, due to a serious illness, he finished his earthly pilgrimage this pupil of the Jesuit novitiate in Rome, one of the most excellent sons of your country and of the Society of Jesus. Therefore, commemorating his entry into the glory of the Lord, I join to the prayer of thanksgiving of the faithful of the Diocese of Płock and of the whole Church in Poland, who will soon be attending the central celebrations of the year dedicated to him in Rostkowo, the birthplace of the saint.
Taking this opportunity, I would like to address first of all to the young people, of whom San Stanislao is patron. I like to recall the phrase that Saint John Paul II pronounced in the church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale, when he venerated his relics: "The journey of his short life, begun in Rostkowo in Mazowsze, through Vienna and then to Rome, it can compare to a great cross-country race towards the goal of every Christian's life which is holiness "(November 13, 1988).
Dear young friends, I know that many of you, in September, make the pilgrimage on foot from Przasnysz to Rostkowo, from the place of his baptism to the place of his birth. It is, so to speak, the first stage of this Stanislaus "race" towards holiness. I encourage you to remember, not only during this march, but on all the paths of your daily life, that you too are capable of performing this "race". You too are driven by the love of Christ and strengthened by his grace. Be brave! The world needs your freedom of spirit, your confident gaze on the future, your thirst for truth, goodness and beauty. St. Stanislaus teaches you that freedom which is not a blind race, but the ability to discern the goal and to follow the best ways of behavior and life. He teaches you to always seek first of all friendship with Jesus; to read and meditate on his word and welcome in his Eucharist his merciful and powerful presence, to resist the conditioning of the worldly mentality. St. Stanislaus teaches you not to be afraid of the risk and dreams of true happiness, whose source and guarantee is Jesus Christ. «Jesus is the Lord of risk, he is the Lord of always" beyond ". [...] He wants your hands to continue building the world of today. It wants to build it with you "(cfr Discourse in the Vigil of the G.M.G., Krakow, 30 July 2016). Support you from the sky San Stanislao, and inspire you his motto: "Ad maiora natus sum" - "I was born for bigger things".
Dear Brother, through the intercession of St Stanislaus Kostka, I invoke divine protection on you, on all the Bishops and priests, on the faithful and especially on the young people of the Church in Poland. I ask you to pray for me, and I cordially bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
From the Vatican, 15 August 2018
FRANCIS
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