Pope Francis says "support spouses and families in their mission, helping them to be living stones of the Church and witnesses of fidelity, service, openness to life" to JPII Institute
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ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
TO THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY OF THE
PONTIFICAL JOHN PAUL II THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE
FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY SCIENCES
Clementine Hall
Monday, 25 November 2024
______________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
It is a pleasure to meet you at the beginning of the academic year. I greet and thank the Grand Chancellor, Msgr. Vincenzo Paglia, and the President, Msgr. Philippe Bordeyne, as well as the Vice-Presidents of the international sections, the professors, the students, the members of the Benedict XVI Foundation and the benefactors.
As you know, the Final Document of the XVI Assembly of the Synod states that families are a “privileged place to learn and experience the essential practices of a synodal Church” (n. 35). To this end, they must grow in their awareness that they are “subjects and not only recipients of the pastoral care of the family,” responsible for “building up the Church and commitment in society” (n. 64). We know how decisive marriage and family are for the life of peoples: the Church has always cared for them, supported them and evangelized them.
Unfortunately, there are countries in which public authorities do not respect the dignity and freedom to which every human being has an inalienable right as a child of God. Often, constraints and impositions weigh especially on women, forcing them into positions of subordination. And this is very bad. From the beginning, however, there have also been women among the Lord’s disciples, and “in Christ Jesus,” writes Saint Paul, “there is neither male nor female” (Gal 3:28). This does not mean that the difference between the two is eliminated, but rather that in the plan of salvation there is no discrimination between man and woman: both belong to Christ, they are “offspring of Abraham and heirs according to the promise” (v. 29). And speaking of women, an old priest told me: “Be careful, do not make mistakes, because since the day of the Garden of Eden they have been in charge!”.
Through Jesus we are all “freed from sin, sadness, interior emptiness, isolation” (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 1) and the Gospel of the family is a joy that “fills the heart and the whole life” (Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, 200). It is this Gospel that helps everyone, in every culture, to always seek what is in accordance with the human and the desire for salvation rooted in every man and every woman.
In particular, the sacrament of Matrimony is like the good wine that is served at the wedding at Cana (see John 2:1-12). In this regard, let us remember that the first Christian communities developed in a domestic form, expanding family units by welcoming new believers, and gathered in homes. As an open and welcoming home, from the beginning the Church has done her utmost to ensure that no economic or social constraint would prevent people from following Jesus. Entering the Church always means inaugurating a new brotherhood, founded on Baptism, which embraces the stranger and even the enemy.
Committed to the same mission, even today the Church does not close the door to those who struggle on the path of faith, but rather, she throws the door wide open, because everyone “needs merciful and encouraging pastoral attention” (Amoris laetitia, 293). Everyone. Do not forget this word: everyone, everyone, everyone. Jesus said it in a parable: when the wedding guests do not come, the master says to the servants: “Go out into the streets and bring everyone, everyone, everyone” – “Lord, all the good people, right?” – “No, everyone, good and bad, everyone”. Do not forget that “everyone”, which is a bit of the vocation of the Church, mother of all.
The “logic of pastoral integration is the key to pastoral accompaniment” for those “who live together, indefinitely postponing their marital commitment” and for divorced and remarried people. “They are baptized, they are brothers and sisters, the Holy Spirit pours into them gifts and charisms for the good of all” (ibid., 299): their presence in the Church bears witness to the will to persevere in the faith, despite the wounds of painful experiences.
Without excluding anyone, the Church promotes the family, founded on Marriage, contributing in every place and at every time to making the marital bond more solid, by virtue of that love which is greater than all: charity (ibid., 89ff). In fact, “the strength of the family lies essentially in its capacity to love and to teach how to love”; no matter how much a family may be wounded, "it can always grow starting from love" (ibid., 53). In families, wounds are healed with love.
Dearest, the challenges, problems and hopes that affect marriage and the family today are part of the relationship between the Church and culture, which Saint Paul VI already invited us to consider, underlining that "the rupture between the Gospel and culture is the drama of our time" (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi, 20). Saint John Paul II and Benedict XVI have explored the theme of inculturation by focusing on the issues of interculturality and globalization. The ability to fully carry out the evangelizing mission that engages every Christian depends on the ability to face these challenges. In this regard, the last Synod has enriched the ecclesial awareness of all participants: the very unity of the Church requires the commitment to overcome cultural differences or conflicts, building harmonies and understandings between peoples.
The John Paul II Institute is responsible for special cooperation in this area, through studies and research that develop a critical knowledge of the attitude of different societies and cultures towards marriage and the family. Therefore, I wanted the Institute to extend its attention also to “the developments of the human sciences and anthropological culture in a field so fundamental to the culture of life” (Apostolic Letter Summa familiae cura, Proemio).
It is good that the Institute’s offices, present in various countries of the world, carry out their activities in dialogue with scholars and cultural institutions, even those with different approaches, as is already the case with the Roma Tre University and the National Cancer Institute. We must move forward in these relationships, it is important.
I hope that in every part of the world the Institute will support spouses and families in their mission, helping them to be living stones of the Church and witnesses of fidelity, service, openness to life, and welcome. Let us walk together in following Christ! This synodal style corresponds to the great challenges of today, in the face of which families are a sign of fruitfulness and fraternity founded on the Gospel. In this style of Church, the proclamation of the Word is very important, but listening to the Word is more important. Before announcing, listen: listening to the Word as it is preached and listening to the Word that comes from the voices of others, because God speaks through everyone.
I wish everyone a fruitful academic year. I bless you all. And I ask you please to pray for me. Thank you!
TO THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY OF THE
PONTIFICAL JOHN PAUL II THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE
FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY SCIENCES
Clementine Hall
Monday, 25 November 2024
______________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
It is a pleasure to meet you at the beginning of the academic year. I greet and thank the Grand Chancellor, Msgr. Vincenzo Paglia, and the President, Msgr. Philippe Bordeyne, as well as the Vice-Presidents of the international sections, the professors, the students, the members of the Benedict XVI Foundation and the benefactors.
As you know, the Final Document of the XVI Assembly of the Synod states that families are a “privileged place to learn and experience the essential practices of a synodal Church” (n. 35). To this end, they must grow in their awareness that they are “subjects and not only recipients of the pastoral care of the family,” responsible for “building up the Church and commitment in society” (n. 64). We know how decisive marriage and family are for the life of peoples: the Church has always cared for them, supported them and evangelized them.
Unfortunately, there are countries in which public authorities do not respect the dignity and freedom to which every human being has an inalienable right as a child of God. Often, constraints and impositions weigh especially on women, forcing them into positions of subordination. And this is very bad. From the beginning, however, there have also been women among the Lord’s disciples, and “in Christ Jesus,” writes Saint Paul, “there is neither male nor female” (Gal 3:28). This does not mean that the difference between the two is eliminated, but rather that in the plan of salvation there is no discrimination between man and woman: both belong to Christ, they are “offspring of Abraham and heirs according to the promise” (v. 29). And speaking of women, an old priest told me: “Be careful, do not make mistakes, because since the day of the Garden of Eden they have been in charge!”.
Through Jesus we are all “freed from sin, sadness, interior emptiness, isolation” (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 1) and the Gospel of the family is a joy that “fills the heart and the whole life” (Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, 200). It is this Gospel that helps everyone, in every culture, to always seek what is in accordance with the human and the desire for salvation rooted in every man and every woman.
In particular, the sacrament of Matrimony is like the good wine that is served at the wedding at Cana (see John 2:1-12). In this regard, let us remember that the first Christian communities developed in a domestic form, expanding family units by welcoming new believers, and gathered in homes. As an open and welcoming home, from the beginning the Church has done her utmost to ensure that no economic or social constraint would prevent people from following Jesus. Entering the Church always means inaugurating a new brotherhood, founded on Baptism, which embraces the stranger and even the enemy.
Committed to the same mission, even today the Church does not close the door to those who struggle on the path of faith, but rather, she throws the door wide open, because everyone “needs merciful and encouraging pastoral attention” (Amoris laetitia, 293). Everyone. Do not forget this word: everyone, everyone, everyone. Jesus said it in a parable: when the wedding guests do not come, the master says to the servants: “Go out into the streets and bring everyone, everyone, everyone” – “Lord, all the good people, right?” – “No, everyone, good and bad, everyone”. Do not forget that “everyone”, which is a bit of the vocation of the Church, mother of all.
The “logic of pastoral integration is the key to pastoral accompaniment” for those “who live together, indefinitely postponing their marital commitment” and for divorced and remarried people. “They are baptized, they are brothers and sisters, the Holy Spirit pours into them gifts and charisms for the good of all” (ibid., 299): their presence in the Church bears witness to the will to persevere in the faith, despite the wounds of painful experiences.
Without excluding anyone, the Church promotes the family, founded on Marriage, contributing in every place and at every time to making the marital bond more solid, by virtue of that love which is greater than all: charity (ibid., 89ff). In fact, “the strength of the family lies essentially in its capacity to love and to teach how to love”; no matter how much a family may be wounded, "it can always grow starting from love" (ibid., 53). In families, wounds are healed with love.
Dearest, the challenges, problems and hopes that affect marriage and the family today are part of the relationship between the Church and culture, which Saint Paul VI already invited us to consider, underlining that "the rupture between the Gospel and culture is the drama of our time" (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi, 20). Saint John Paul II and Benedict XVI have explored the theme of inculturation by focusing on the issues of interculturality and globalization. The ability to fully carry out the evangelizing mission that engages every Christian depends on the ability to face these challenges. In this regard, the last Synod has enriched the ecclesial awareness of all participants: the very unity of the Church requires the commitment to overcome cultural differences or conflicts, building harmonies and understandings between peoples.
The John Paul II Institute is responsible for special cooperation in this area, through studies and research that develop a critical knowledge of the attitude of different societies and cultures towards marriage and the family. Therefore, I wanted the Institute to extend its attention also to “the developments of the human sciences and anthropological culture in a field so fundamental to the culture of life” (Apostolic Letter Summa familiae cura, Proemio).
It is good that the Institute’s offices, present in various countries of the world, carry out their activities in dialogue with scholars and cultural institutions, even those with different approaches, as is already the case with the Roma Tre University and the National Cancer Institute. We must move forward in these relationships, it is important.
I hope that in every part of the world the Institute will support spouses and families in their mission, helping them to be living stones of the Church and witnesses of fidelity, service, openness to life, and welcome. Let us walk together in following Christ! This synodal style corresponds to the great challenges of today, in the face of which families are a sign of fruitfulness and fraternity founded on the Gospel. In this style of Church, the proclamation of the Word is very important, but listening to the Word is more important. Before announcing, listen: listening to the Word as it is preached and listening to the Word that comes from the voices of others, because God speaks through everyone.
I wish everyone a fruitful academic year. I bless you all. And I ask you please to pray for me. Thank you!
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