Pope: Embrace 'marvellous adventure' of following Christ more closely

Image: Vatican Media

Source: Vatican Media

Pope Leo XIV received the General Chapters of several religious institutes at Castel Gandolfo on Saturday morning: the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME); Religious Teachers Filippini; Religious Teachers Venerini; Daughters of the Church; Salesian Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart; and the Franciscan Sisters of St Angela (Angeline Franciscans).

In his reflection he invited them all to "embrace the marvellous adventure of following Christ more closely."

The Holy Father began by thanking them for their work and "faithful presence" in so many parts of the world, noting their Founders and Foundresses, "docile to the action of the Holy Spirit, have left you a variety of charisms for the building up of the Body of Christ." He observed that their respective Institutes "embody complementary aspects of the life and mission of the entire people of God," naming in particular "the offering of self in union with Christ's Sacrifice, the ad gentes mission, love for the Church preserved and handed on, and the education and formation of young people."

These, he said, are different paths all animated by the one eternal reality, namely, "God's love for humanity."

The Pope recognized that "each of their Congregations has identified particular perspectives through which to reread the legacy received, in order to renew and make its content relevant for today." He invited them to do this with "deep prayer and mutual listening."

Quoting Benedict XVI, Pope Leo recalled that it is the Holy Spirit who, "through the contribution of many under the guidance of the Pastors, 'helps the Christian community to walk in charity toward the full truth.'"

The Pope underscored the importance of renewing an authentic missionary spirit, adopting the sentiments 'that were in Christ Jesus,' rooting their hope in God, keeping alive in their hearts the flame of the Spirit, promoting peace, and fostering pastoral co-responsibility within local Churches.

"To place these side by side and recall them together at this moment," Pope Leo marvelled, "helps us to appreciate the richness of our being a community - especially as religious - engaged in the same marvellous adventure of 'following Christ more closely.'"

"May this renew and strengthen in all of us the awareness and joy of being Church," the Pope said, expressing his hope that this in particular encourage them, in their Chapter discernment, "to think boldly as unique pieces of a design that transcends and involves you beyond your own expectations."

That design, Pope Leo XIV noted, is "the plan of salvation" by which God desires to bring all humanity back to Himself, as one great family. Like small lights, he urged them to help the light of Christ, "which never fades," spread throughout the earth.

Before giving his Apostolic Blessing, Pope Leo XIV invited everyone to join him "in asking the Lord together to make us docile to the voice of His Spirit, who 'teaches all things,' and without whose help - in our weakness - we do not even know how to pray as we ought.'"