Please take the time to read the Holy Father's Apostolic Exhortation for yourself. It is really a call for new evangelization. The link us below, but I highlight the following: "The great danger in today’s world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades. This is a very real danger for believers too. Many fall prey to it, and end up resentful, angry and listless. That is no way to live a dignified and fulfilled life; it is not God’s will for us, nor is it the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen Christ." I also really love his concluding prayer to Our Lady: Mary, Virgin and Mother, you who, moved by the Holy Spirit, welcomed the word of life in the depths of your humble faith: as you gave yourself completely to the Eternal One, help us to say our own “yes” to the urgent call, as pressing as ever, to proclaim the good news of Jesus. Filled with Christ’s presence, you brought joy to John the Baptist, making him exult in the womb of his mother. Brimming over with joy, you sang of the great things done by God. Standing at the foot of the cross with unyielding faith, you received the joyful comfort of the resurrection, and joined the disciples in awaiting the Spirit so that the evangelizing Church might be born. Obtain for us now a new ardour born of the resurrection, that we may bring to all the Gospel of life which triumphs over death. Give us a holy courage to seek new paths, that the gift of unfading beauty may reach every man and woman. Virgin of listening and contemplation, Mother of love, Bride of the eternal wedding feast, pray for the Church, whose pure icon you are, that she may never be closed in on herself or lose her passion for establishing God’s kingdom. Star of the new evangelisation, help us to bear radiant witness to communion, service, ardent and generous faith, justice and love of the poor, that the joy of the Gospel may reach to the ends of the earth, illuminating even the fringes of our world. Mother of the living Gospel, wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones, pray for us. Amen. Alleluia! http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/f...angelii-gaudium_en.html#A_people_for_everyone
I find the Holy Fathers words in his letter , 'Evangelisation and Joy '. very challenging , in fact although he writes first about joy he ended up depressing me a little Why? well I apply his words to my own life and I seem to be doing so very little to spread the Gospel . I go to mass every day sitting at the top of the Church , right in front of Mary's grotto, I talk to no one in the great Church and no no one there. I pray all the time but on my own. I go to confession every week, but on my own. I even live on my own , and pray as I walk the dogs on my own. Even as I write to others on the forum I am on my own. To some extent I have always been relaxed about this, feeling deep within my a monastic herimitical calling to Contemplative prayer, to exploring the lived mystery of Christ which is pure Catholic mysticism. When Our Lady asked me to, I did as she said and went on the internet and started this forum and told my story. To my great joy this has bourne some fruit in conversion and strengthening the Faith of others. But the Holy Father is right, there is such a need for Evangelisation in Joy in todays world, especially here in the West. But when I read Pope Francis's words they cheered me up a lot. He follows on Pope Benedict's words that conversion comes when people see our own joy and wish to share it. I can only say I often think i am the happiest person in the World, happy even than the angels. May that Joy reach out and fill the hearts of others drawing them to Christ. As to the rest? I sit at the Feet of Mary. If she wants me up and doing more let her kick my fat butt and I will be on my way, joyfully. As to the changes of the Church I think I have to recall what it essentially means to be a Catholic. Rome is about to fall. The Church is about to Fall into schism and huge persecution. Dark Niight is falling. Pope Francis, whether he knows this or not is being used by the Spirit to prepare us to walk with lighted Lanterns into the Dark. Let us pour the oil of prayer and Penance into the Lanterns of our hearts that they may burn the brighter as twilight comes.
How true Padraig. I am also a contemplative and not an apostle. But days are coming when we will have to bear witness even in the courts. So let us enjoy the freedom we have it.
I often wonder, Bobby, how much the Holy Father and his advisors know or guess about events that are due to occur....I would love to be a fly on the Vatican wall. I often had an strange feeling Pope Benedict had a good idea for instance. http://www.mercypope.org/index.php/future-of-the-church "No one can be a Christian alone; being a Christian means a communion of wayfarers. For this reason it must be the Church's concern to create pilgrim communities. The social culture of Europe and America no longer offers these wayfaring communities. The Church will have to form new ways of pilgrim fellowship; communities will have to shape each other more intensely by supporting each other and living in the faith. Christians must therefore really support one another. And here there are, in fact, already other forms, movements of various kinds, which help to form pilgrim communities. A renewal of the catechumenate is indispensable. This makes it possible to receive training in and knowledge of Christianity. The Church herself must form cells in which mutual support and a common journey, and thus the great vital milieu of the Church in miniature, can be experienced and put into practice. I am convinced that the parish will remain the essential cell of community life but it will be scarcely possible to keep up the entire parish system as it now exists. Fruitful exchange between parishes and movements is necessary; the movement needs the connection with the parish so as not to become sectarian; the parish needs movements in order not to ossify. Anyone who looks at what is happening can find an astonishing diversity of Christian forms of life today, in which the Church of tomorrow is already very clearly among us. What I really do underscore is that in Christianity there is always a new beginning. There are such beginnings even now, and they will continue to exist, and will bring forth new powerful forms of living the Christian reality." These thoughts of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger are from his interview with Peter Seewald in the book Salt of the Earth, Ignatius Press, 1997
Those of us with the contemplative mission will only know in heaven how our lives spread the Gospel. But I mentioned once before about a devout young woman I saw praying in church, long before my conversion. I was overcome with envy - wanting that depth of faith, that purity of prayer. She will never know the effect she had on me. For all we know, Padraig, the Lord is using your shadow to heal leprosy of soul in those you pass in the street.
Pope Francis is no fool. I am confident he knows prophecy as well, or better than anyone. He knows the tribulation that the Church will very soon go through. He knows his number will be up soon. He knows he has wolves the the Vatican. He knows he has to do what is possible to make the Chruch alive, even while hidden in exile, during the tribulation. I think this is why he is and will continue to reposition the Holy See to be resurrected after its desimation. Everthing has its place and is being prepared for what is forthcoming.
Yes Padraig. Benedict knows - maybe that is why he stepped down? It is interesting that Pope Francis emphasises the mercy of God perhaps in preparation for the warning? But also he knows mercy precedes justice
It's a good thing Benedict did step down and a younger Pope is in his place as the darkness envelopes the minds of some people. Here is an example of more attacks against the Holy Father,in response to Evangeli Gaudium...very disturbing. The Honeymoon is Over Pro-abortion Feminist activists burn effigy of Pope Francis in front of the Cathedral of San Juan (Province of San Juan), Argentina. November 24, 2013 (Warning: disturbing and inappropriate images) Among the vulnerable for whom the Church wishes to care with particular love and concern are unborn children, the most defenceless and innocent among us. Nowadays efforts are made to deny them their human dignity and to do with them whatever one pleases, taking their lives and passing laws preventing anyone from standing in the way of this. Frequently, as a way of ridiculing the Church’s effort to defend their lives, attempts are made to present her position as ideological, obscurantist and conservative. Yet this defence of unborn life is closely linked to the defence of each and every other human right. It involves the conviction that a human being is always sacred and inviolable, in any situation and at every stage of development. Human beings are ends in themselves and never a means of resolving other problems. Once this conviction disappears, so do solid and lasting foundations for the defence of human rights, which would always be subject to the passing whims of the powers that be. Reason alone is sufficient to recognize the inviolable value of each single human life, but if we also look at the issue from the standpoint of faith, “every violation of the personal dignity of the human being cries out in vengeance to God and is an offence against the creator of the individual”. Precisely because this involves the internal consistency of our message about the value of the human person, the Church cannot be expected to change her position on this question. I want to be completely honest in this regard. This is not something subject to alleged reforms or “modernizations”. It is not “progressive” to try to resolve problems by eliminating a human life. Franciscus Evangelii Gaudium
It's true Kathy we will never know the good our prayers will do in this life. I notice towards the end of St Therese of Liseaux's life (she died when she was only 24!! Just imagine such a great saint in such a short time) a kind of morning or awakening to light of her mission and role. For instance she said when she died she, 'Would pour forth a shower of roses upon the Earth' She also said she would not enter heaven but spend her Eternity, 'Doing good upon Earth'. I think sometimes God does grant us small glimpses. One time a couple of years ago I was sitting at a table outside a down town pub with my brother and a friend drinking. A former girl friend of my brothers came along and chatted for a while and went inside. My brother was talking to her later and she told him how excited she had been to meet me as herself and her friends. where on this website all the time and were great followers of it. So we never know what ripples the love in our hearts makes in the hearts of others.
This link is interesting, it relates to what has been going on in the Vatican and how Pope Benedict was undermined and isolated (Bertone is named). The anti-Catholic Protestants who already regard the place as Babylon must think this confirms them in their worst fears. It includes an interview with good Cardinal Arinze (bless him). What occurred to me for the first time is that all the graft and corruption in the Vatican involved some of my money (and yours). No wonder that the Cardinals were prepared to elect anyone to be Pope as long as he had never worked in the Vatican, it sounds like a thoroughly nasty place. I hope that some of the culprits are about to be exposed and serve time. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03jfc4m
The layers of the onion are being peeled back. Once the corruptness is made more public the apostasy and confusion within the Church will take on a new high. Many will loose complete faith in the Church and join in the apostasy. Few will understand the root causes. It will take an act of great Mercy from God to remain faithful in these times ahead. Pope Francis has his hands full and we must pray harder than ever for him.
Remember the words of Our Lady of Good Success: "Woe to the world should it lack monasteries and convents! Men do not comprehend their importance, for, if they understood, they would do all in their power to multiply them, because in them can be found the remedy for all physical and moral evils... No one on the face of the earth is aware whence comes the salvation of souls, the conversion of great sinners, the end of great scourges, the fertility of the land, the end of pestilence and wars, and the harmony between nations. All this is due to the prayers that rise up from monasteries and convents. There has been a loss of so many monasteries and convents in the last century. If God has decided to raise up contemplatives from among the faithful, so be it! Many he call many more Padraigs and Bobbys to offset that loss! Safe in the Refuge of Immaculate Heart!
