General Audience with Pope Francis

Today the Claretian Missionary Sisters had a deep ecclesial experience in their encounter with the Holy Father, Pope Franacis.

The day began with mass above St. Peter’s tomb celebrated by Fr. Vicente Sanz, cmf

Then, we participated in the General Audience with the Pope. Jolanta, Superior General, and Soledad, former S.G., gave the Holy Father
a framed picture of the Crucified Christ of the initial vision … His message to the Claretian Sisters: “Don’t set aside prayer. With prayer everything will be overcome.” English text of the catechesis on Lk 7:30-50 follows. Truly beautiful message.

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

In our continuing catechesis, we now consider God’s mercy as the driving force of Christian hope. When Jesus forgives the sinful woman, his action causes scandal, because it overturns the dominant attitude of the time. Instead of rejecting sinners, Jesus embraces them, those who are outcast, “untouchable”. With a compassion that literally causes him to tremble in his depths, he reveals the merciful heart of God. This astonishing attitude to those in desperate situations, even those who have made many mistakes in life, marks our Christian identity with the stamp of mercy, and gives a sure foundation to our hope. We who have experienced God’s forgiveness should avoid the danger of forgetting that this mercy was purchased at a great price: Christ’s death on the Cross. Our Lord died not because he healed the sick, but because he did what only God can do: forgive sins. This divine mercy both transforms us and renews our hope. Our Lord, who rejects no one, graciously bestows upon us the mission to proclaim his mercy to the world.