Pope Francis Recommends 4 Points to Make an Apostolate Luminous and Current with the 1st being “Prayer” as "oxygen of the soul" FULL TEXT
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SPEECH OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS
TO THE LATERAN CANONS REGULAR
Monday, June 19, 2023
________________________________________
Dear brothers, good morning and welcome!
I greet the Abbot General and all of you, wishing you all the best for the second centenary of the foundation! It was born from the fusion of two communities: that of the Regular Canons of the Most Holy Savior and that of the Lateran Canons Regular. But your origin is much older: it dates back to the fifteenth century and has its roots in the early days of the Church when, through the work of enlightened pastors, the common life of clerics soon began to be promoted. This is a very great grace.
You therefore belong to a centuries-old tradition, inspired by the early Christian community and centered on prayer, communion of life and the community use of goods (see Acts 2:42,47), so that, as Saint Augustine says, "live in in the house and have one soul and one heart reaching out to God" (Rule I,3). Prayer, community, common use of goods and a spirit of service to the Church: these four are the charismatic constants of your history, the "four stars" which never set and which make your apostolate luminous and current.
“Prayer”, because it is the oxygen of the soul. If you don't pray, you will be your own god. All selfishness arises from the lack of prayer. I ask you please: examine your conscience, each of you say how many hours a day he prays. Each one.
“Community”: what I mentioned, being brothers; and I give you some advice: never gossip about each other, never! Chatter is a pest. I will say that they give you, on the chatter, a writing that the secretary of the Congregation of Propaganda Fide did, read it carefully. Gossip is a plague, it destroys communities. No chatter. And then "common use of goods": a wise thing, always... The devil enters through the pockets! Think of when Jesus says: "You cannot serve two masters, or serve God - and there I would expect him to say: or serve the devil - instead he does not say the devil, but: "money", as if he were worse than the devil. This is curious. The devil always enters the pockets, always. And the fourth: "the spirit of service to the Church". Don't live for yourself but to serve, that's the four stars.
Your charism wants you to be contemplative and active at the same time, dedicated to prayer and study as well as to ministry, ready to respond to the needs of changing times. You have often experienced changes and the bicentenary you are celebrating is also linked to one of these, to when, in a time of adverse circumstances, you were able to make courageous choices, transforming the challenge into an opportunity for rebirth.
Now you are wondering how to continue with the renewal of your religious life. I would like to tell you: let your four stars guide you. The very name of your Congregation evokes them: Canons Regular of the Most Holy Salvatore Lateran. The fact of being dedicated to the Savior reminds us of the importance of cultivating the centrality of Christ through prayer. Then you have the title of Canons: you know well that it is not an indication of rank, but a sign of belonging to a community. You call yourselves regular canons, that is bound to a Rule, which outlines fidelity to your consecration according to your vows, above all poverty. Finally, your name binds you to the Lateran Basilica: not even this constitutes a prestigious frieze or a memory that evokes glorious pasts, no, but the invitation to fidelity to the Church, to be witnessed essentially through service.
I know that some of you, young priests from various parts of the world, are having an experience in recent months which, through meetings, celebrations and significant visits, aims to help you build projects and bonds, as well as broaden your knowledge. To them and to all of you I say: live this occasion as a gift, by listening to one another, recognizing in each one a treasure for the others. Tell each other and listen to each other, with sincerity and openness of heart, each not remaining steadfast in their own convictions, but moving with the heart, as Saint Augustine suggests: «It is one thing to move with the body, another is to move with the heart: one who moves with the body moves physically from one place to another, those who orient their affections differently move with the heart" (Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, 32). It is with a heart on the move, dynamic and dilated, that we welcome the paths that the Holy Spirit indicates. This I wish you with my heart, go ahead! I bless you and thank you for coming. And I ask you, please, to pray for me.
TO THE LATERAN CANONS REGULAR
Monday, June 19, 2023
________________________________________
Dear brothers, good morning and welcome!
I greet the Abbot General and all of you, wishing you all the best for the second centenary of the foundation! It was born from the fusion of two communities: that of the Regular Canons of the Most Holy Savior and that of the Lateran Canons Regular. But your origin is much older: it dates back to the fifteenth century and has its roots in the early days of the Church when, through the work of enlightened pastors, the common life of clerics soon began to be promoted. This is a very great grace.
You therefore belong to a centuries-old tradition, inspired by the early Christian community and centered on prayer, communion of life and the community use of goods (see Acts 2:42,47), so that, as Saint Augustine says, "live in in the house and have one soul and one heart reaching out to God" (Rule I,3). Prayer, community, common use of goods and a spirit of service to the Church: these four are the charismatic constants of your history, the "four stars" which never set and which make your apostolate luminous and current.
“Prayer”, because it is the oxygen of the soul. If you don't pray, you will be your own god. All selfishness arises from the lack of prayer. I ask you please: examine your conscience, each of you say how many hours a day he prays. Each one.
“Community”: what I mentioned, being brothers; and I give you some advice: never gossip about each other, never! Chatter is a pest. I will say that they give you, on the chatter, a writing that the secretary of the Congregation of Propaganda Fide did, read it carefully. Gossip is a plague, it destroys communities. No chatter. And then "common use of goods": a wise thing, always... The devil enters through the pockets! Think of when Jesus says: "You cannot serve two masters, or serve God - and there I would expect him to say: or serve the devil - instead he does not say the devil, but: "money", as if he were worse than the devil. This is curious. The devil always enters the pockets, always. And the fourth: "the spirit of service to the Church". Don't live for yourself but to serve, that's the four stars.
Your charism wants you to be contemplative and active at the same time, dedicated to prayer and study as well as to ministry, ready to respond to the needs of changing times. You have often experienced changes and the bicentenary you are celebrating is also linked to one of these, to when, in a time of adverse circumstances, you were able to make courageous choices, transforming the challenge into an opportunity for rebirth.
Now you are wondering how to continue with the renewal of your religious life. I would like to tell you: let your four stars guide you. The very name of your Congregation evokes them: Canons Regular of the Most Holy Salvatore Lateran. The fact of being dedicated to the Savior reminds us of the importance of cultivating the centrality of Christ through prayer. Then you have the title of Canons: you know well that it is not an indication of rank, but a sign of belonging to a community. You call yourselves regular canons, that is bound to a Rule, which outlines fidelity to your consecration according to your vows, above all poverty. Finally, your name binds you to the Lateran Basilica: not even this constitutes a prestigious frieze or a memory that evokes glorious pasts, no, but the invitation to fidelity to the Church, to be witnessed essentially through service.
I know that some of you, young priests from various parts of the world, are having an experience in recent months which, through meetings, celebrations and significant visits, aims to help you build projects and bonds, as well as broaden your knowledge. To them and to all of you I say: live this occasion as a gift, by listening to one another, recognizing in each one a treasure for the others. Tell each other and listen to each other, with sincerity and openness of heart, each not remaining steadfast in their own convictions, but moving with the heart, as Saint Augustine suggests: «It is one thing to move with the body, another is to move with the heart: one who moves with the body moves physically from one place to another, those who orient their affections differently move with the heart" (Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, 32). It is with a heart on the move, dynamic and dilated, that we welcome the paths that the Holy Spirit indicates. This I wish you with my heart, go ahead! I bless you and thank you for coming. And I ask you, please, to pray for me.
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