Pope Francis Tells Chaplains for Education "The Holy Spirit, the “Hidden Great One” in the Church. But it is He who gives us the strength, the courage: we must ask the Spirit to give us this courage."
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SPEECH OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS
TO PARTICIPANTS IN THE CHAPLAINS' MEETING
AND THOSE IN CHARGE OF UNIVERSITY PASTORAL,
PROMOTED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE AND EDUCATION
Consistory Hall
Friday, November 24, 2023
_______________________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
I greet all of you: Cardinal Tolentino with the other Superiors and the Officials of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, I greet the chaplains and those responsible for university pastoral care. It's nice that you are here, on the occasion of the conference you have organised. Your presence transmits the echo of the voice of students, of teachers of various disciplines, of those who, even with the most hidden work, contribute to the good performance of your educational institutions, of cultures, of local Churches, of peoples, embracing also the many young people for whom the right to education still represents - unfortunately - an inaccessible privilege, such as the poorest and refugees.
For your works you have chosen the theme "Towards a multifaceted vision". I really like the figure of the polyhedron, because it says a lot; you know that this image is dear to me: I have used it since the beginning of my pontificate, when I said that pastoral care must not take the sphere as a "model [...] where every point is equidistant from the center and there are no differences between a point and the other", but "the polyhedron, which reflects the confluence of all the partiality which in it maintains their originality" (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 236). The Gospel is thus incarnated, allowing its chorality to resonate differently in people's lives, like a single melody capable of expressing itself with different timbres. In this sense I would like to entrust to you three attitudes that I believe are important for your service: appreciating differences, accompanying with care and acting with courage.
Appreciate the differences. The polyhedron is not an easy geometric figure. Unlike the sphere, which is smooth and comfortable to handle, it is angular, even sharp: it has something shocking, just like reality, at times. However, this very complexity is the basis of its beauty, because it allows it to reverberate the light with different shades and gradations, depending on the angle of each individual face. One facet returns a crisp light; another more nuanced; yet another a chiaroscuro. Not only that: with its multiple faces a polyhedron can also produce a diversified projection of shadows. Having a multifaceted vision, then, implies training your eyes to grasp and appreciate all these nuances. After all, the very origin of the wonderful polyhedra of the mineral world, such as quartz crystals, is the result of a very long history, marked by complex geological processes lasting hundreds of millions of years. This patient, welcoming and creative style refers to the way of doing things of God who, as the prophet Isaiah recalls, creates the shining sun, but does not despise the uncertain light of "a wick with a dull flame" (Is 42.3). Beyond metaphor, in the training service, welcoming people, the lights and shadows, even the shadows present in them and in situations, with a paternal and maternal spirit is already a mission: it facilitates the growth of what God has sown within each one in unique and unrepeatable way. Each person must be welcomed as they are and the dialogue begins from there; from there the journey; from there progress.
Thus we come to the second point: accompanying with care. Believing in the vitality of God's sowing involves taking care of what grows in silence and manifests itself in the thoughts, desires and affections, even if sometimes disorganized, of the young people entrusted to you. Don't be afraid to take on all of this. Your attitude must not be one of simple apologetics, of question and answer, of "no": do not be afraid to take on those realities. If you remove the edges and erase the shadows in a geometric solid, you reduce it to a flat figure, without thickness and depth. And today we see ideological currents within the Church, where people go and end up being reduced to a "flat" figure, without nuances... But if a person wisely values himself for what he is, a work of art. The Lord teaches us precisely this art of care: He, who created the world from the darkness of chaos and who resurrected to life from the night of death, teaches us to get the best out of creatures starting from taking care of what is in them. there is something more fragile and imperfect. Therefore, faced with the educational challenges you encounter every day, in contact with people, cultures, situations, affections and thoughts that are so different and sometimes problematic, do not be discouraged; take care of them, without seeking immediate results, but with the certain hope that, when you accompany young people with closeness and when you pray for them, wonders flourish. But they do not flourish from uniformity: they flourish precisely from differences, which are their richness.
Thus we come to the third point: act with courage. Dear friends, nurturing the joy of the Gospel in the university environment is an adventure, exciting but also demanding: it requires courage. And this is the virtue that is placed at the beginning of every undertaking, from the fiat lux of creation to the fiat of Mary up to the smallest "yes" of our everyday life; it is courage that allows you to build bridges even over the deepest abyss, such as those of fear, indecision and paralyzing alibis that inhibit action and fuel disengagement. We listened to the parable of "the unfaithful servant", who does not invest the capital that the Lord had given him and buries it so as not to take risks: the worst thing for an educator is not to take risks. When there is no risk there is no fruitfulness: this is a rule. When a decision breaks out in the torment of a soul that creates something new, rebelling against the inertia of an overly calculating conscience, this is courage; the courage that does not like frills, neither mental nor emotional, but gets to the point by aiming for what is necessary, leaving aside everything that could weaken the impact force of the initial choice. It is the courage of the first disciples, it is the virtue of the "poor in spirit" (Mt 5.3), of those who, knowing they are in need of mercy, beg for grace without fear and in their poverty love to dream big. Dream big: young people must dream and you must do everything possible to dream, aiming for the proportions of Christ: the height, breadth and depth of his love for him (see Eph 3:17-19). I wish you to always cultivate, in life and ministry, the bold trust of those who believe. And who is the One who gives us the courage to move forward? The Holy Spirit, the “Hidden Great One” in the Church. But it is He who gives us the strength, the courage: we must ask the Spirit to give us this courage.
And before concluding I would like to tell you another reason for happiness that accompanies me in this meeting. I was told that some of you, personally or through your universities, have contributed financially, so that even those with fewer possibilities could participate in this conference. Thanks, it's nice. It is beautiful that similar gestures become an increasingly habitual part of your style of action: making sure that those who can help those in difficulty, with that modesty that Christian almsgiving has. A Christian, when he gives, always preserves modesty: he gives secretly, he gives delicately, without offending. Maintain this greatness of soul in giving, but also modesty in the way you do it. This is very beautiful, remembering that we all, always, need each other and that therefore we all, always, have something precious to give. I thank you for your presence, please greet the students entrusted to you, the academic authorities, the staff of your universities and the Churches from which you come. I accompany you with prayer and I also ask you not to forget to pray for me. Thank you.
AND THOSE IN CHARGE OF UNIVERSITY PASTORAL,
PROMOTED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE AND EDUCATION
Consistory Hall
Friday, November 24, 2023
_______________________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
I greet all of you: Cardinal Tolentino with the other Superiors and the Officials of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, I greet the chaplains and those responsible for university pastoral care. It's nice that you are here, on the occasion of the conference you have organised. Your presence transmits the echo of the voice of students, of teachers of various disciplines, of those who, even with the most hidden work, contribute to the good performance of your educational institutions, of cultures, of local Churches, of peoples, embracing also the many young people for whom the right to education still represents - unfortunately - an inaccessible privilege, such as the poorest and refugees.
For your works you have chosen the theme "Towards a multifaceted vision". I really like the figure of the polyhedron, because it says a lot; you know that this image is dear to me: I have used it since the beginning of my pontificate, when I said that pastoral care must not take the sphere as a "model [...] where every point is equidistant from the center and there are no differences between a point and the other", but "the polyhedron, which reflects the confluence of all the partiality which in it maintains their originality" (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 236). The Gospel is thus incarnated, allowing its chorality to resonate differently in people's lives, like a single melody capable of expressing itself with different timbres. In this sense I would like to entrust to you three attitudes that I believe are important for your service: appreciating differences, accompanying with care and acting with courage.
Appreciate the differences. The polyhedron is not an easy geometric figure. Unlike the sphere, which is smooth and comfortable to handle, it is angular, even sharp: it has something shocking, just like reality, at times. However, this very complexity is the basis of its beauty, because it allows it to reverberate the light with different shades and gradations, depending on the angle of each individual face. One facet returns a crisp light; another more nuanced; yet another a chiaroscuro. Not only that: with its multiple faces a polyhedron can also produce a diversified projection of shadows. Having a multifaceted vision, then, implies training your eyes to grasp and appreciate all these nuances. After all, the very origin of the wonderful polyhedra of the mineral world, such as quartz crystals, is the result of a very long history, marked by complex geological processes lasting hundreds of millions of years. This patient, welcoming and creative style refers to the way of doing things of God who, as the prophet Isaiah recalls, creates the shining sun, but does not despise the uncertain light of "a wick with a dull flame" (Is 42.3). Beyond metaphor, in the training service, welcoming people, the lights and shadows, even the shadows present in them and in situations, with a paternal and maternal spirit is already a mission: it facilitates the growth of what God has sown within each one in unique and unrepeatable way. Each person must be welcomed as they are and the dialogue begins from there; from there the journey; from there progress.
Thus we come to the second point: accompanying with care. Believing in the vitality of God's sowing involves taking care of what grows in silence and manifests itself in the thoughts, desires and affections, even if sometimes disorganized, of the young people entrusted to you. Don't be afraid to take on all of this. Your attitude must not be one of simple apologetics, of question and answer, of "no": do not be afraid to take on those realities. If you remove the edges and erase the shadows in a geometric solid, you reduce it to a flat figure, without thickness and depth. And today we see ideological currents within the Church, where people go and end up being reduced to a "flat" figure, without nuances... But if a person wisely values himself for what he is, a work of art. The Lord teaches us precisely this art of care: He, who created the world from the darkness of chaos and who resurrected to life from the night of death, teaches us to get the best out of creatures starting from taking care of what is in them. there is something more fragile and imperfect. Therefore, faced with the educational challenges you encounter every day, in contact with people, cultures, situations, affections and thoughts that are so different and sometimes problematic, do not be discouraged; take care of them, without seeking immediate results, but with the certain hope that, when you accompany young people with closeness and when you pray for them, wonders flourish. But they do not flourish from uniformity: they flourish precisely from differences, which are their richness.
Thus we come to the third point: act with courage. Dear friends, nurturing the joy of the Gospel in the university environment is an adventure, exciting but also demanding: it requires courage. And this is the virtue that is placed at the beginning of every undertaking, from the fiat lux of creation to the fiat of Mary up to the smallest "yes" of our everyday life; it is courage that allows you to build bridges even over the deepest abyss, such as those of fear, indecision and paralyzing alibis that inhibit action and fuel disengagement. We listened to the parable of "the unfaithful servant", who does not invest the capital that the Lord had given him and buries it so as not to take risks: the worst thing for an educator is not to take risks. When there is no risk there is no fruitfulness: this is a rule. When a decision breaks out in the torment of a soul that creates something new, rebelling against the inertia of an overly calculating conscience, this is courage; the courage that does not like frills, neither mental nor emotional, but gets to the point by aiming for what is necessary, leaving aside everything that could weaken the impact force of the initial choice. It is the courage of the first disciples, it is the virtue of the "poor in spirit" (Mt 5.3), of those who, knowing they are in need of mercy, beg for grace without fear and in their poverty love to dream big. Dream big: young people must dream and you must do everything possible to dream, aiming for the proportions of Christ: the height, breadth and depth of his love for him (see Eph 3:17-19). I wish you to always cultivate, in life and ministry, the bold trust of those who believe. And who is the One who gives us the courage to move forward? The Holy Spirit, the “Hidden Great One” in the Church. But it is He who gives us the strength, the courage: we must ask the Spirit to give us this courage.
And before concluding I would like to tell you another reason for happiness that accompanies me in this meeting. I was told that some of you, personally or through your universities, have contributed financially, so that even those with fewer possibilities could participate in this conference. Thanks, it's nice. It is beautiful that similar gestures become an increasingly habitual part of your style of action: making sure that those who can help those in difficulty, with that modesty that Christian almsgiving has. A Christian, when he gives, always preserves modesty: he gives secretly, he gives delicately, without offending. Maintain this greatness of soul in giving, but also modesty in the way you do it. This is very beautiful, remembering that we all, always, need each other and that therefore we all, always, have something precious to give. I thank you for your presence, please greet the students entrusted to you, the academic authorities, the staff of your universities and the Churches from which you come. I accompany you with prayer and I also ask you not to forget to pray for me. Thank you.
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