Posted On 2015-07-25 In Church - Francis - Movements, Francis - Message

The poor have much to teach us about humanity, goodness, sacrifice and solidarity

FRANCIS – WEEKLY QUOTES •

Every part of the Church, and many others outside of her – believers or non-believers – have received Pope Francis` clear and hope-filled words. They are also words that motivate us to assume the responsibility we all have to build a world in accordance to the Will of God, in the strength of the Spirit and through the way of Christ. Cardinals and bishops, priests, men and women religious, novices and seminarians, families, the youth and elderly, communities and institutes have received this challenge to go out “onto the street” to take – not a utopian hope – but concrete deeds in living evangelization projects to all men and women wherever they may be. And if they are on the “outskirts” then we have to go there, with all the risks and dangers it may include. He repeats to us constantly: I prefer an injured church, because she goes out to serve, to a Church that is sick because of her self-absorption. Testimony to this can be found in the section of Schoenstatt.org where on a weekly basis texts are selected which motivate us on our own pilgrimage toward the 2014 Jubilee. Undoubtedly, because we are the Church, these words are also directed to us. How happy must our Father not be with this missionary impetus which is given to us from the very heart of the Church! (Fr. José María García) •


Dictatorships, in every case. Always think to the people, never stop thinking about the good of the people.

All of you have a part to play in the pursuit of the common good. In the present condition of global society, where injustices abound and growing numbers of people are deprived of basic human rights and considered expendable, to see you here before me is a real gift.

I confess to you that I feel somewhat allergic, and a bit put off as it were, when I hear very eloquent discourses; those who know the speaker end up saying, “What are liar you are!”

It is a great pleasure to see the number and variety of associations sharing in the creation of an ever more prosperous Paraguay. But if you do not dialogue, all is pointless. If there is blackmail, all is pointless.

Corruption is the worm, the gangrene of the people.

I ask them not to yield to an economic model which is idolatrous, which needs to sacrifice human lives on the altar of money and profit.

Economic development must have a human face. We say no to an economy without such a face!

As Christians, moreover, we have an additional reason to love and serve the poor; for in them we see the face and the flesh of Christ, who made himself poor so to enrich us with his poverty.

Ideologies relate to people in ways that are either incomplete, unhealthy, or evil. Ideologies do not embrace a people.

You just have to look at the last century. What was the result of ideologies? Dictatorships, in every case. Always think to the people, never stop thinking about the good of the people.

An ideological approach is useless: it ends up using the poor in the service of other political or personal interests. Ideologies end badly, and are useless.

It’s important not to exclude anybody, and not to exclude oneself, because everybody needs everybody.

There are no first, second, third, fourth categories of persons: they are all of the same lineage.

When dialogue is authentic, it ends up with – allow me to use the word and to use it in a noble way – a new agreement, in which we all agree on something. Are there differences? They remain to one side, to be looked at again later. But on those things that we are agreed, we are committed and we defend them. This is one step forward.

Dialogue is for the common good and the common good is sought by starting from our differences.

Uniformity nullifies us, it makes us robots. The richness of life is in diversity.

And what is the identity of a country? – and here we are speaking about a social identity – to love the nation. The nation first, and then my business!

Don’t be afraid to give the best of yourselves! Don’t look for easy solutions beforehand so as to avoid tiredness and struggle. And don’t bribe the referee.

Be committed to something, be committed to someone. This is the vocation of young people so don’t be afraid to take a risk on the field, but play fairly and give it your best.

God is always on the side of those who help to uplift and improve the lives of his children.

It is important that you, the young, realize that genuine happiness comes from working to make a more fraternal country!

It comes from realizing that happiness and pleasure are not synonymous.

Happiness is demanding, it requires commitment and effort.

All quotes are from the meeting with the meeting with civil society representatives, Paraguay, 11.07.2015, compiled for Schoenstatt.org by Andrewza, Ortigoza, Dequeni


Evangelii Gaudium

Misericordiae Vultus

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