By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Embrace the marvelous adventure of following Christ more closely.
Pope Leo XIV gave this exhortation to religious men and women on Saturday morning in Castel Gandolfo, where he is staying for his summer vacation.
While Popes generally hold few encounters during their stay in the lakeside town southeast of Rome, the Holy Father welcomed participants in the General Chapters of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (P.I.M.E.); Religious Teachers Filippini; Religious Teachers Venerini; Daughters of the Church; Salesian Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart; and Franciscan Sisters of St Angela (Angeline Franciscans).
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.”
Love of God for humanity
The Pope 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.”
“As is customary,” 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,” and he invited them to do this with deep prayer and mutual listening.”
Benedict XVI’s reminder
The Holy Spirit, Pope Leo said, quoting Benedict XVI, recalled that it is the 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.'”
In this context, 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.
Marvelous adventure of following Christ more closely
“To place these side by side and recall them together at this moment,” Pope Leo marveled, “helps us to appreciate the richness of our being a community—especially as religious—engaged in the same marvelous 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.”
God’s plan of salvation
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 imparting his Apostolic Blessing, Pope Leo XIV invited those present 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.'” – Vatican News
