Pope Francis says "I urge you to form as a great spiritual family, within which we respect, love and support each other. In this way you will be able to become signs of hope..." FULL TEXT to Religious of Madagascar

GREETING FROM THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS

TO PRIESTS, RELIGIOUS AND RELIGIOUS OF MADAGASCAR RESIDING IN ROME

Clementina room

Thursday, October 27, 2022

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I am pleased to meet you and greet the leaders of the Council of the Union of Malagasy priests, men and women religious for this visit, which allows me to get to know you and your expectations and hopes as consecrated persons on mission in Rome better. I also greet Monsignor Marie Fabien, President of the Episcopal Conference, who has worked to make this meeting take place, and I thank him for his presence and for his organization.

Your presence today, while your Bishops are on their ad limina visit, is the expression of your communion of prayer with the spiritual journey they make at the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul. In fact, the fruitfulness of your mission also depends on the unity you cultivate, among yourselves and with your Pastors. This is very important: unity. This is a testimony that you are invited to bring to our society. "Our world needs unity, it is a time when we all need unity, we need reconciliation, communion, and the Church is a house of communion" (Catechesis, General Audience of 25 September 2013).

Today, in our societies, and unfortunately sometimes also in the Church, we are witnessing the search for personal interests. There is a lot of gossip, chatter is the order of the day; please, do not chatter, do not chat, always speak well of each other, because chattering is a weapon of disunity. The search for personal interests, the "virus of selfishness", threatens peaceful coexistence between peoples, as between sons and daughters of the same country. Faced with this situation, your personal and community experience of consecration to Christ is proof that life can be lived differently in the light of the Gospel, which gives true joy. I therefore encourage you to always walk together and to make your presence here in Rome a precious opportunity, which will allow you to enrich and renew your faith in the footsteps of the great figures of saints who preceded you here. I urge you to form as a great spiritual family, within which we respect, love and support each other. In this way you will be able to become signs of hope for your particular Churches and for Madagascar, which expect a lot from you.

I entrust each and every one of you to the Virgin Mary. May she help you to faithfully guard your identity as priests, men and women religious, lay people, in the midst of the changes of this time. May Our Lady intercede for you, so that you may always be open and generous towards your brothers and sisters, especially those who are going through times of difficulty. Be united, all, united, united with the bishops, who are the pastors. I invoke God's blessing upon you, the Church in Madagascar and your whole nation. And please, do not forget to pray for me. Thank you!

Source Vatican.va with  Image Screenshot Vatican.va