Pope Francis says "the attitude of the soul of Mary is always this: pointing to Jesus...That is the mission of the Mother" and he Reveals 5 Elements of the Church to Missionary Sisters - FULL TEXT
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SPEECH OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS
TO THE CAPITULARS OF THE RELIGIOUS OF MARY IMMACULATE
CLARETIAN MISSIONARIES
Room adjacent to the Paul VI Hall
Monday, July 24, 2023
_______________________________________________
Dear Mother General,
Dear Capitular Sisters:
I am happy to receive you here today, when you are celebrating the Ordinary General Chapter, the XVIII of your Congregation.
I know that you traveled a long way to prepare for this event, and that you did not do it alone, but accompanied by the other members of the Claretian Family and other people with whom you share life and mission. Thanks for this path.
Your itinerary reminds me of the passage to Emmaus. In this Gospel story we see two disciples walking together, at a certain moment they meet a stranger, they chat with him, they invite him to dinner. When they discover that this pilgrim is the risen Jesus — and they notice it when they feel their hearts burn in his presence, when they witness his words and his gestures, when they share the bread and wine, and enter into communion with him—; then, they can only go out to announce it, they run away, and they run away full of joy.
TO THE CAPITULARS OF THE RELIGIOUS OF MARY IMMACULATE
CLARETIAN MISSIONARIES
Room adjacent to the Paul VI Hall
Monday, July 24, 2023
_______________________________________________
Dear Mother General,
Dear Capitular Sisters:
I am happy to receive you here today, when you are celebrating the Ordinary General Chapter, the XVIII of your Congregation.
I know that you traveled a long way to prepare for this event, and that you did not do it alone, but accompanied by the other members of the Claretian Family and other people with whom you share life and mission. Thanks for this path.
Your itinerary reminds me of the passage to Emmaus. In this Gospel story we see two disciples walking together, at a certain moment they meet a stranger, they chat with him, they invite him to dinner. When they discover that this pilgrim is the risen Jesus — and they notice it when they feel their hearts burn in his presence, when they witness his words and his gestures, when they share the bread and wine, and enter into communion with him—; then, they can only go out to announce it, they run away, and they run away full of joy.
We can recognize in the story of Emmaus the main elements of the synodal process that we are experiencing in the Church: encounter, participation, dialogue, communion, mission. All of this: meeting, participation, dialogue, communion, mission.
And this is what you also want to live and offer from the particularity of your charism, joining the path of the universal Church. I thank you for this availability, this desire to build listening spaces together, spaces for the proclamation of the Gospel, in every part of the world where you are present.
I would like to highlight, starting from the name of the Congregation, three notes that are the characteristics of your vocation: you are Marians, missionaries and Claretians. Three things: they are Marian, missionary and Claretian. They are Marian, the Immaculate Heart of Mary accompanies them, points them to the Sacred Heart of her Son and tells them: "Do whatever He tells you" (Jn 2,5). It is curious, the attitude of the soul of Mary is always this: pointing to Jesus, pointing to Jesus. That is the mission of the Mother: to point to Jesus. As missionaries, they carry the message of Jesus wherever they are sent, with the trust and tenderness of Mary, embodying the words and gestures of the Lord to make his Kingdom of love present in the world. And they are also Claretians, daughters of Saint Anthony Maria Claret; a holy shepherd, missionary and founder who intercedes for you and is the model you can always look to to learn how to cultivate a filial relationship with Mary, a passion for evangelization and missionary daring.
Dear sisters, I invite you to deepen your charismatic roots, in those three congregational notes that identify you, it is the legacy that you have received and that you are called to transmit to those around you, "infecting" them with the joy of the Gospel. Do not be afraid to cross geographical borders and even existential borders, as Father Claret did, so that everyone knows the overflowing love of the Heart of God. The Church and the world today urgently need the faithful and courageous witness of their consecrated lives.
I pray for the fruits of the Chapter, that they be creative, I ask you not to forget to pray for me. May Jesus bless you and Mary Immaculate care for you. Thank you so much.
And this is what you also want to live and offer from the particularity of your charism, joining the path of the universal Church. I thank you for this availability, this desire to build listening spaces together, spaces for the proclamation of the Gospel, in every part of the world where you are present.
I would like to highlight, starting from the name of the Congregation, three notes that are the characteristics of your vocation: you are Marians, missionaries and Claretians. Three things: they are Marian, missionary and Claretian. They are Marian, the Immaculate Heart of Mary accompanies them, points them to the Sacred Heart of her Son and tells them: "Do whatever He tells you" (Jn 2,5). It is curious, the attitude of the soul of Mary is always this: pointing to Jesus, pointing to Jesus. That is the mission of the Mother: to point to Jesus. As missionaries, they carry the message of Jesus wherever they are sent, with the trust and tenderness of Mary, embodying the words and gestures of the Lord to make his Kingdom of love present in the world. And they are also Claretians, daughters of Saint Anthony Maria Claret; a holy shepherd, missionary and founder who intercedes for you and is the model you can always look to to learn how to cultivate a filial relationship with Mary, a passion for evangelization and missionary daring.
Dear sisters, I invite you to deepen your charismatic roots, in those three congregational notes that identify you, it is the legacy that you have received and that you are called to transmit to those around you, "infecting" them with the joy of the Gospel. Do not be afraid to cross geographical borders and even existential borders, as Father Claret did, so that everyone knows the overflowing love of the Heart of God. The Church and the world today urgently need the faithful and courageous witness of their consecrated lives.
I pray for the fruits of the Chapter, that they be creative, I ask you not to forget to pray for me. May Jesus bless you and Mary Immaculate care for you. Thank you so much.
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