SEEDS OF PEACE AND HOPE

 

Pope: God’s creation is not a battleground for vital resources

In his Message for the 10th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, Pope Leo XIV quotes extensively from Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato si’, denouncing environmental and social injustice and noting that God’s creation is not intended to be a battleground for vital resources.

By Linda Bordoni

As the Church prepares to mark the Tenth World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on 1 September 2025, Pope Leo XIV’s message for the occasion urges Christians and all people of goodwill to recognize the urgent need for environmental and social justice in a world increasingly scarred by climate change, conflict, and inequality.

Entitled Seeds of Peace and Hope and released on July 2, the Pope’s message resonates with the spirit of the ongoing Jubilee Year, calling the faithful to embrace their role as "pilgrims of hope" and stewards of God's creation.

Justice in a wounded world

Echoing the prophetic words of Isaiah, Pope Leo invites the global community to envision a transformation of today’s “arid and parched desert” into “a fruitful field.” This biblical vision, he explains, is not a poetic metaphor but an urgent call to action in the face of alarming ecological and human crises.

Quoting extensively from Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato si' in the year of its 10th anniversary, he writes, “Injustice, violations of international law and the rights of peoples, grave inequalities, and the greed that fuels them are spawning deforestation, pollution, and the loss of biodiversity.”

Linking environmental destruction to the exploitation of the poor and marginalized, he highlights the disproportionate suffering of indigenous communities and the widening gap between rich and poor as hallmarks of a system that treats nature as a commodity rather than a common home.

Nature as a battleground

He laments the fact that nature itself has become “a bargaining chip,” subjected to policies and practices that prioritize profit over people and the planet. From agricultural lands riddled with landmines to conflicts over water and raw materials, Pope Leo paints a sobering picture of a creation “turned into a battleground” for control and domination.

These wounds, he says, are “the effect of sin,” a betrayal of the biblical command not to dominate creation, but to “till and keep” it, a call to cultivate and preserve the Earth through a relationship of care and responsibility.

Environmental justice as a moral imperative

The Pope’s message reaffirms the Church’s commitment to an “integral ecology,” a concept at the heart of Laudato si’. Environmental justice, the Holy Father affirms, is not an abstract or secondary concern but a “duty born of faith.”

“For believers,” he writes, “the universe reflects the face of Jesus Christ, in whom all things were created and redeemed.” In this light, caring for the planet becomes not only an ecological necessity but also a profoundly spiritual and moral vocation.

Seeds that bear fruit

Encouraging concrete action, Pope Leo calls for perseverance and love in sowing “seeds of justice” that will, in time, bear the fruits of peace. He cites the Borgo Laudato Si’ project at Castel Gandolfo as a tangible example of how education and community life rooted in ecological values can shape a just and hopeful future.

“This may take years,” the Pope acknowledges, “but years that involve an entire ecosystem made up of continuity, fidelity, cooperation and love.”

A blessing for the future

Concluding his message with a prayer for the outpouring of God’s Spirit, Pope Leo XVI invokes the hope of the risen Christ as the guiding light for a world longing for healing.

“May [Laudato si’] continue to inspire us,” he writes, “and may integral ecology be increasingly accepted as the right path to follow.”

Vatican News

 

BUDS OF HOPE

 

en - fr- es

Think about the present of the school, which is the future of society, grappling with an epochal transformation. Think about the young teachers who are taking their first steps in school and the families who feel alone in their educational task. To each one, propose with humility and novelty your educational and associative style.

- by Luciano Corradini *

The new steps towards the world war between Israel and Iran and the barbarization of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza and the West Bank bring to mind two Latin mottos: the tragic but increasingly practiced mors tua, vita mea, and the more just but less practiced: vita tua, vita mea. The ideas, principles and institutions (the Constitutions, the UN and international law of human rights and humanitarian law) are increasingly considered historically outdated utopias. In this regard, two passages from the latest speeches of Pope Francis seemed enlightening to me, like a precious testament, of which I will quote a few sentences.

“When we still feel the weight of death in our hearts, when we see the shadows of evil continue their noisy march on the world, when we feel the wounds of selfishness or violence burning in our flesh and in our society, let us not lose heart, let us return to the announcement of this night: the light slowly shines even if we are in darkness; the hope of a new life and of a finally liberated world awaits us; a new beginning can surprise us even if at times it seems impossible, because Christ has conquered death.

The Christian faith – let us remember – does not want to confirm our certainties, make us settle into easy religious certainties, give us quick answers to the complex problems of life. On the contrary, when God calls he always inspires a journey, as it was for Abraham, for Moses, for the prophets and for all the disciples of the Lord. He sets us on a journey, takes us out of our comfort zones, questions our acquisitions and, precisely in this way, frees us, transforms us, illuminates the eyes of our hearts to make us understand what hope he has called us to. “ (cf. Eph 1:18).

These words leave no room for any rhetoric or any escape. As in the Crucifixion, also in the Resurrection the Father could have erased doubt, and he did not do so. The Father, the Son and the Spirit, give us the task of continuing to believe and to testify, not to demonstrate scientifically (or with the pretense of “negotiating”) what He asks of us out of faith and love, and to defeat doubt, but to collaborate in the salvation of this world, also on an educational level.

On January 4, 2025, Pope Francis received the Uciim and AIMC conference participants who celebrated the 80th anniversary of their foundation, concluding his speech with these words: “At the beginning of your history there was the intuition that only by associating, walking together, could we improve the school, which by its nature is a community, in need of everyone’s contribution. Your founders lived in times in which the values ​​of the person and of democratic citizenship needed to be witnessed and strengthened, for the good of all; and also the value of educational freedom. Never forget where you come from, but do not walk with your head turned backwards, regretting the good old days!

Instead, think about the present of the school, which is the future of society, grappling with an epochal transformation. Think of the young teachers who are taking their first steps in school and the families who feel alone in their educational task. To each one, propose with humility and innovation your educational and associative style. All this you I encourage you to do it together, with a sort of “pact between associations”, because in this way you can better bear witness to the face of the Church in school and for school. So go forward with confidence! I bless you and all those who form the network of your Associations”. “Brothers and sisters, this is the call that we must feel strongly within us: let the hope of Easter sprout in our lives and in the world!

*Luciano Corradini is professor emeritus of General Pedagogy at the University of Rome Tre. He has taught in secondary schools, at the Universities of Cosenza, Milan State, Brescia Catholic and Rome La Sapienza, president of IRRSAE Lombardy, vice president of CNPI (National Council of P.I.), with seven successive ministers, undersecretary of P.I. in the Dini Government, president of ARDeP, association for the reduction of public debt, of AIDU (university teachers), of UCIIM (middle school teachers).

BOURGEONS D'ESPOIR

Pensez au présent de l'école, futur de la société, aux prises avec une transformation historique. Pensez aux jeunes enseignants qui font leurs premiers pas à l'école et aux familles qui se sentent seules dans leur mission éducative. À chacun, proposez avec humilité et nouveauté votre style éducatif et associatif.

- par Luciano Corradini *

Les nouvelles avancées vers la guerre mondiale entre Israël et l'Iran et la barbarie du conflit israélo-palestinien à Gaza et en Cisjordanie évoquent deux devises latines : la tragique mais de plus en plus pratiquée « mors tua, vita mea » et la plus juste mais moins pratiquée « vita tua, vita mea ». Les idées, les principes et les institutions (les Constitutions, l'ONU et le droit international des droits de l'homme et le droit humanitaire) sont de plus en plus considérés comme des utopies historiquement dépassées. À cet égard, deux passages des derniers discours du pape François m'ont semblé éclairants, comme un précieux témoignage, dont je citerai quelques phrases.

Lorsque nous sentons encore le poids de la mort peser sur nos cœurs, lorsque nous voyons les ombres du mal poursuivre leur marche bruyante sur le monde, lorsque nous sentons les blessures de l'égoïsme ou de la violence brûler dans notre chair et dans notre société, ne nous décourageons pas, revenons à l'annonce de cette nuit : la lumière brille lentement, même si nous sommes dans l'obscurité ; l'espérance d'une vie nouvelle et d'un monde enfin libéré nous attend ; un nouveau départ peut nous surprendre, même s'il semble parfois impossible, car le Christ a vaincu la mort.

La foi chrétienne – rappelons-le – ne veut pas confirmer nos certitudes, nous enfermer dans des certitudes religieuses faciles, nous donner des réponses rapides aux problèmes complexes de la vie. Au contraire, lorsque Dieu appelle, il inspire toujours un chemin, comme ce fut le cas pour Abraham, pour Moïse, pour les prophètes et pour tous les disciples du Seigneur. Il nous met en chemin, nous fait sortir de nos zones de confort, remet en question nos acquis et, précisément ainsi, il nous libère, nous transforme, illumine les yeux de notre cœur pour nous faire comprendre ce qu'est l'espérance. Il nous a appelés à cela. » (cf. Éph 1, 18).

Ces paroles ne laissent place à aucune rhétorique ni à aucune échappatoire. Comme lors de la Crucifixion, lors de la Résurrection aussi, le Père aurait pu dissiper le doute, et il ne l'a pas fait. Le Père, le Fils et l'Esprit nous confient la tâche de continuer à croire et à témoigner, non pas pour démontrer scientifiquement (ou sous prétexte de « négocier ») ce qu'Il nous demande par foi et par amour, et pour vaincre le doute, mais pour collaborer au salut de ce monde, y compris sur le plan éducatif.

Le 4 janvier 2025, le pape François a reçu les participants à la conférence de l'Uciim et de l'AIMC, qui célébraient le 80e anniversaire de leur fondation. Il a conclu son discours par ces mots : « Au début de votre histoire, vous avez eu l'intuition que ce n'est qu'en vous associant, en cheminant ensemble, que nous pourrions améliorer l'école, qui est par nature une communauté, nécessitant la contribution de tous. Vos fondateurs ont vécu une époque où les valeurs de la personne et de la citoyenneté démocratique devaient être reconnues et renforcées, pour le bien de tous ; ainsi que la valeur de la liberté éducative. N'oubliez jamais d'où vous venez, mais ne marchez pas la tête tournée vers l'arrière, en regrettant le bon vieux temps !

Pensez plutôt au présent de l'école, qui est l'avenir de la société, aux prises avec une transformation historique. Pensez aux jeunes enseignants qui font leurs premiers pas à l'école et aux familles qui se sentent seules dans leur mission éducative. À chacun, proposez avec humilité et innovation votre style éducatif et associatif. Je vous encourage à le faire ensemble, dans une sorte de « pacte ». « Entre les associations », car ainsi vous pourrez mieux témoigner du visage de l'Église à l'école et pour l'école. Alors, allez de l'avant avec confiance ! Je vous bénis, vous et tous ceux qui forment le réseau de vos associations. » « Frères et sœurs, tel est l'appel que nous devons ressentir fortement en nous : que l'espérance de Pâques germe dans nos vies et dans le monde ! »

*Luciano Corradini est professeur émérite de pédagogie générale à l'Université de Rome III. Il a enseigné dans des lycées, aux universités de Cosenza, d'État de Milan, de Brescia et de Rome La Sapienza. Il a également été président de l'IRRSAE Lombardie, vice-président du CNPI (Conseil national de la PI), sous sept ministres successifs, sous-secrétaire de la PI dans le gouvernement Dini, président de l'ARDeP (Association pour la réduction de la dette publique), de l'AIDU (Professeurs d'université) et de l'UCIIM (Professeurs de collège).

BROTES DE ESPERANZA

Pensemos en el presente de la escuela, que es el futuro de la sociedad, lidiando con una transformación trascendental. Pensemos en los jóvenes docentes que dan sus primeros pasos en la escuela y en las familias que se sienten solas en su tarea educativa. A cada uno, proponle con humildad y originalidad su estilo educativo y asociativo.

- por Luciano Corradini *

Los nuevos pasos hacia la guerra mundial entre Israel e Irán y la barbarie del conflicto israelí-palestino en Gaza y Cisjordania evocan dos lemas latinos: el trágico, pero cada vez más practicado, «mors tua, vita mea»; y el más justo, pero menos practicado, «vita tua, vita mea». Las ideas, los principios y las instituciones (las Constituciones, la ONU y el derecho internacional de los derechos humanos y el derecho humanitario) se consideran cada vez más utopías históricamente obsoletas. En este sentido, dos pasajes de los últimos discursos del Papa Francisco me parecieron esclarecedores, como un valioso testimonio, del que citaré algunas frases.

Cuando aún sentimos el peso de la muerte en nuestros corazones, cuando vemos las sombras del mal continuar su marcha ruidosa sobre el mundo, cuando sentimos las heridas del egoísmo o la violencia arder en nuestra carne y en nuestra sociedad, no nos desanimemos, volvamos al anuncio de esta noche: la luz brilla lentamente aunque estemos en la oscuridad; nos espera la esperanza de una nueva vida y de un mundo finalmente liberado; un nuevo comienzo puede sorprendernos aunque a veces parezca imposible, porque Cristo ha vencido a la muerte.

La fe cristiana —recordemos— no quiere confirmar nuestras certezas, hacernos acomodar en fáciles certezas religiosas, darnos respuestas rápidas a los complejos problemas de la vida. Al contrario, cuando Dios llama, siempre inspira un camino, como lo fue para Abraham, para Moisés, para los profetas y para todos los discípulos del Señor. Nos pone en camino, nos saca de nuestra zona de confort, cuestiona nuestras adquisiciones y, precisamente así, nos libera, nos transforma, ilumina los ojos de nuestro corazón para hacernos comprender. A qué esperanza nos ha llamado» (cf. Ef 1,18).

Estas palabras no dejan lugar a retórica ni a evasión. Como en la Crucifixión, también en la Resurrección el Padre pudo haber disipado la duda, y no lo hizo. El Padre, el Hijo y el Espíritu nos encomiendan la tarea de seguir creyendo y dar testimonio, no para demostrar científicamente (ni con la pretensión de «negociar») lo que Él nos pide por fe y amor, ni para vencer la duda, sino para colaborar en la salvación de este mundo, también a nivel educativo.

El 4 de enero de 2025, el Papa Francisco recibió a los participantes de la conferencia Uciim y AIMC que celebraban el 80 aniversario de su fundación, concluyendo su discurso con estas palabras: «Al comienzo de su historia, se intuía que solo asociándonos, caminando juntos, podríamos mejorar la escuela, que por naturaleza es una comunidad, necesitada de la contribución de todos. Sus fundadores vivieron en tiempos en los que los valores de la persona y de la ciudadanía democrática debían ser presenciados y fortalecidos, por el bien de todos; y también el valor de la libertad educativa. Nunca olviden de dónde vienen, pero no caminen con la cabeza hacia atrás, lamentando los buenos tiempos».

En cambio, piensen en el presente de la escuela, que es el futuro de la sociedad, lidiando con una transformación trascendental. Piensen en los jóvenes docentes que dan sus primeros pasos en la escuela y en las familias que se sienten solas en su tarea educativa. A cada uno, propongan con humildad e innovación su estilo educativo y asociativo. Les animo a hacerlo juntos, con una especie de... “Pacto entre asociaciones”, porque así podrán dar mejor testimonio del rostro de la Iglesia en la escuela y para la escuela. ¡Avancen, pues, con confianza! Los bendigo a ustedes y a todos los que forman la red de sus asociaciones. Hermanos y hermanas, esta es la llamada que debemos sentir con fuerza en nosotros: ¡que la esperanza de la Pascua brote en nuestras vidas y en el mundo!

*Luciano Corradini es profesor emérito de Pedagogía General en la Universidad de Roma Tre. Ha impartido docencia en escuelas secundarias, en las Universidades de Cosenza, Estatal de Milán, Católica de Brescia y Roma La Sapienza; presidente de IRRSAE Lombardía; vicepresidente del CNPI (Consejo Nacional de Institutos Públicos), con siete ministros sucesivos; subsecretario de Institutos Públicos en el Gobierno de Dini; presidente de ARDeP (Asociación para la Reducción de la Deuda Pública); de AIDU (Profesorado Universitario); de UCIIM (Profesorado de Educación Secundaria).

LEARNING TO SAY GOODBYE

Fourth

 Lenten Meditation

The Preacher 

of the Papal Household 

reflects on “Spreading Hope” 

and the responsibility

 that accompanies 

the Ascension, 

in the fourth 

and final meditation 

for the Roman Curia

 for Lent 2025.

 

By Christopher Wells

 In his fourth and final meditation for Lent 2025, Father Roberto Pasolini, the Preacher of the Papal Household, reflected on Jesus’ Ascension and “knowing how to say goodbye when all that is possible and necessary has been accomplished.”

In Jesus' bidding farewell to His disciples, Fr Pasolini said, He “showed us that it is possible to step aside, restoring history’s freedom and widening the boundaries of an ever more universal and inclusive hope.”

Final encounters

Following His Resurrection, Jesus met with His disciples to help them “avoid falling into an abandonment syndrome.”

Notably, in taking leave of Mary Magdalene, Jesus helps her overcome her fear of death. Mary, despairing at the loss of Jesus, is able to recognize the Lord only when He calls her once again to a hope of life. “This is the definitive conversion that the Resurrection wants to lead us to,” he said, namely “the uprising of a heart that refuses to remain locked in sadness and allows itself to be redefined by the heart of another.”

The world turned upside down

Father Pasolini went on to explain that the “insight” Jesus offered to Mary Magdalene was likewise extended “to all the disciples at the moment of Jesus’ Ascension into heaven.”

For a period of forty days – “a symbolic period of testing” – Jesus chooses “to dwell lovingly with His disciples,” ensuring that they will not fall into the temptation of “imprisoning the Risen One in a seductive and mesmerizing image.”

The papal preacher noted, too, that the promise that Jesus will return in the same way that He left this world shows us that “Christ’s glorious return at the end of time is anticipated… by the living witness of the children of God” who make Him present in the world in which we live.

Communion of desire and life

Finally, Father Pasolini said, “the Ascension of the Lord erases any possible regret over the apparent void of power that God seems to have left in human history.”

Jesus’ return to the Father, he explained, was “the essential condition for a more intimate and profound communion with Him through the Spirit, destined to be expressed in witness and service to others” – a witness and a service that extends to all of creation.

Something beautiful and new

Drawing his meditations to a close, Father Pasolini noted that the call for Christians, the members of Christ’s body, “to embody and witness the truth of the Gospel… may be the greatest hope to cultivate in this Jubilee: that as the Church repeats the gestures of her faith and tradition, the world might recognize in us something beautiful and new, capable of sparking a surge of universal hope.”

The papal preacher concluded with the hope that Christians might live up to their potential and their calling to become “witnesses and facilitators of a new humanity.”

 

Vatican News

 

 

 

 

THE SCHOOL IS THE FUTURE OF SOCIETY

 

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
TO THE CATHOLIC UNION OF TEACHERS, MANAGERS, EDUCATORS, TRAINERS (UCIIM);
ITALIAN ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC TEACHERS (AIMC);
ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC SCHOOL PARENTS (AGESC)

Paul VI Audience Hall
Saturday, 4 January 2025

[Multimedia]

_________________________________

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

I am pleased to meet you on the occasion of the anniversaries of your Associations: the eightieth of the Italian Association of Catholic Primary School Teachers and of the Italian Union of Catholic School Teachers, Managers, Educators and Trainers, and the fiftieth of the Association of Catholic School Parents. It is a good opportunity to remember, to remember your history and to look to the future. This exercise, this movement between roots, memory and fruits, the results, is the key to commitment in education.

Our meeting takes place in the liturgical season of Christmas, a time that shows us God's pedagogy. And what is His “educational method”, God's educational method? It is that of proximity, closeness. God is close, compassionate and tender. The three qualities of God: closeness, compassion and tenderness. Closeness. Proximity. It is the Lord who, as a teacher who enters the world of his pupils, chooses to live among men to teach through the language of life and love. Jesus was born in a condition of poverty and simplicity: this calls us to a pedagogy that values the essential and places humility, gratuitousness and acceptance at the centre. A remote pedagogy, distant from the people, is no use, it does not help. Christmas teaches us that greatness is not manifested in success or wealth, but in love and service to others. God’s is a pedagogy of giving, a call to live in communion with Him and with others, as part of a plan of universal fraternity, a plan in which the family has a central and irreplaceable position. The family. In addition, this pedagogy is an invitation to recognize the dignity of every person, starting from those who are rejected and at the margins, just as the shepherds were treated two thousand years ago, and to appreciate the value of every phase of life, including childhood. The family is at the centre, do not forget. Someone told me that one Sunday he was having lunch in a restaurant, and at a nearby table there was a family: father, mother, son and daughter. All four of them were on their mobile phones, and they did not talk among themselves. This man felt something, and he approached them, saying: “But you are a family, why don’t you talk to each other and talk like this, it is strange…”. They listened to him, then they sent him packing and carried on doing these things… Please, in the family, one talks! Family is dialogue, it is dialogue that makes us grow.

Today’s meeting also takes place at the beginning of the Jubilee journey, which began a few days ago with the celebration of the event by which, with the incarnation of the Son of God, hope entered the world. The Jubilee has a lot to say to the world of education, and also to the world of the school. Indeed, “pilgrims of hope” are all the people who look for a meaning for their life and also those who help the smallest to walk on this path. A good teacher is a man or a woman of hope, because they devote themselves with confidence and patience to a project of human growth. Their hope is not naive, it is rooted in reality, sustained by the conviction that every educational effort has value and that every person has a dignity and every person has a vocation that deserve to be nurtured. It pains me when I see children who are not educated and who go to work, many times exploited, or who go looking for food or things to sell among the rubbish. It is hard. And there are such children!

Hope is the motor that sustains the educator in their daily effort, even in difficulty and failure. But what can we do so as not to lose hope, and to foster it every day? Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, teacher and travelling companion: this allows us truly to be pilgrims of hope. Think of the people you meet at school, children and adults: “Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring” (Spes non confundit, 1). These human hopes, through each one of us, can encounter Christian hope, the hope that is born of faith and lives in charity. And let us not forget: hope does not disappoint. Optimism disappoints, but hope does not disappoint. A hope that exceeds every human desire, because it opens minds and hearts to life and eternal beauty.

The school needs this! You are called to develop and transmit a new culture, a new culture, based on the encounter between generations, on inclusion, on the discernment of the true, the good and the beautiful; a culture of responsibility, both personal and collective, to face global challenges such as the environmental, social and economic crises, and the great challenge of peace. At school you can “imagine peace”, that is, lay the foundations for a more just and fraternal world, with the contribution of all disciplines and the creativity of children and young people. But if at school you wage war among yourselves, if at school you bully girls and boys who have problems, that is preparing for war, not peace. Please, never bullying, do you understand this? I think not... [reply: ‘Yes!’] No bullying! Let us all say it together! Come on! Never bully! I don't understand... [repeat: Never bully!] Be bold and go ahead. Work on this.

Dear sisters and dear brothers, you are here today to celebrate significant anniversaries for your associations, which were founded to offer a contribution to the school, for the best fulfilment of its educational purposes. Ah, I can’t remember, what was it you were saying? [They answer: “No bullying!”]. Understood. And not to the school as a container, but to the people who live and work in it: the students, the teachers, the parents, the administrators and all the staff. At the beginning of your history there was the insight that only by associating, walking together, can one improve the school, which by its nature is a community, a community in need of the contribution of everyone. Your founders lived in times when the values of the person and of democratic citizenship needed to be witnessed and strengthened, for the good of all; and also the value of educational freedom. Never forget where you come from, but do not walk with your head facing the other way, mourning times past! This is important. And what mustn’t you do, what was it? [They answer: “Never bully!”]. You have learned! Think instead of the present of the school, which is the future of society, getting to grips with an epoch change. Think of the young teachers who are taking their first steps in school, and of the families who feel alone in their educational task. To each one of them, propose your educational and associative style with humility and freshness; and what was it? [They answer: “No bullying!”] Do not forget this.

I encourage you to do all this together, with a sort of “pact between associations”, because in this way you can better bear witness to the face of the Church in the school and for the school. Hope never disappoints, never; hope is never still, it is always on the move, and makes us move. So, go forward confidently! I bless you all and those who make up the network of your associations. And do not forget to pray for me, and do not forget to…? [They answer: “Never bully!”]. You have learned! Thank you.

__________________

Holy See Press Office Daily Bulletin, 4 January 2025

 

PILGRIMS OF HOPE FOR THE MISSION

 

WYD message: Hope in the Lord and you will not grow weary

Pope Francis releases his message for the 39th World Youth Day,

 and encourages young people to embrace life's challenges 

with hope and perseverance.

AR  - DE  - EN  - ES  - FR  - IT  - PL  - PT 

By Francesca Merlo

 Pope Francis has addressed a message to young people around the world for the 39th World Youth Day. The message, entitled “Those who hope in the Lord will run and not be weary,” centres on the theme of hope and endurance, drawing inspiration from the words of the prophet Isaiah.

 In his message, Pope Francis encouraged young people to see life as a pilgrimage, a quest for happiness that is admittedly also tiring. It is precisely in this journey that hope must shine brightest, said the Pope.

 Those who hope in the Lord do not tire

In light of some of the difficulties young people face, Pope Francis encouraged them to persevere. He emphasised that hope is not simply a passive feeling but an active force, one that allows us to "press forward, for it is a gift received from God Himself."

 Pope Francis also addressed the fatigue that can come with life’s struggles. He noted that this weariness is common to all who embark on meaningful journeys and that the solution to such tiredness is not found in resting but in “becoming pilgrims of hope.”

 In his message, the Pope invited the young people to embrace life fully, warning against the stagnation, where people "stand still with no desire to move.”

 He emphasised how this apathy can often lead to a paralysing sense of futility. “I prefer the tiredness of those who are moving forward, not the ennui of those who stand still,” the Pope said.

 Eucharist is the highway to Heaven

The Pope went on to compare young people’s journey to the Biblical story of Israel’s journey through the desert.

 He reassured them that even in moments of crisis and despair, God does not abandon His people. Instead, like a loving Father, He nourishes them with His presence, just as He provided manna to the Israelites in the desert.

 In light of this, the Pope urged the young people to rediscover the profound gift of the sacrament of the Euchraist, by reminding them that "the Eucharist is the highway to heaven.”

 Not tourists but pilgrims

Looking towards the Jubilee of 2025, Pope Francis expressed his hope that the upcoming celebration would be an opportunity for young people to deepen their relationship with God and to experience His mercy and love.

 He extended an invitation to all, saying: "Do not set out as mere tourists, but as true pilgrims," reminding them that the journey towards the Jubilee is not only a physical one but also a spiritual one.

 Bringing his message to a close, Pope Francis encouraged the young people to be brave.

 “Take courage,” he said, before assuring them of his prayers and entrusting their journey to the Blessed Virgin Mary. With her example, he concluded, young people can “persevere in their journey as pilgrims of hope and love.”

 

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS

AR  - DE  - EN  - ES  - FR  - IT  - PL  - PT

 

ETHICS, EDUCATION and LEADERSHIP

 

Keys 

to Good Governance,

 Hope and Joy

 

-       +Vincent Dollmann*

-        

Among the gospels, that of Saint Matthew pays particular attention to the organization and life of Christian communities and highlights the teaching of Jesus for those who exercise ecclesial responsibilities. The translations notably give chapter 18 the title of “ecclesiastical discourse” whose teaching can relate to social life and leadership. Jesus speaks of “brother” to designate Christians but the universal perspective of his speech makes it possible to extend the attribution of every man. The term "brother" has both theological and ethical meaning. In use on theological level, the term is linked to the central revelation of Jesus, that of a Father God. Christ looks at persons in their connection to God who willed them and who loves them in a unique and personal way.

At the ethical level, "brother" underlines the requirement of a relational quality based on the revelation of a Father God. Jesus concludes the parable of the lost sheep thus: “In the same way, it is not desired by my Father who is in heaven that even one of these little ones should be lost" (Mt. 18:14).

This recognition of the other as a brother leads us to exercise responsibilities in a dynamic of service. A servant is first characterized by the link to a master. For us, it is about God who does not seek to keep us in servile submission, but who wants to share with us his life of love and gift. Thus, one of the hymns of the breviary in French proclaims: "Serving God, makes man free like this" (Office of Readings, Thursday of Week11)

Jesus introduces his speech with the example of the child where humility he invites to imitate. He speaks of "humbling oneself" (Mt. 18:14); the expression designates an attitude of total trust and abandonment in God, like himself, lived it in his abasement until the cross to save us (Cf Phil 2,8). Jesus thus demonstrated that God did not exercise his authority by crushing or imposing Himself, but by elevating. This is the meaning of the Feast of the Glorious Cross celebrated on September 14. For us, to live according to the humility of Jesus is to let God and our neighbor reveal themselves to me; it is letting God be our creator and our savior and It is letting our neighbor, big or small, rich or poor, be our traveling companion.

In this teaching in chapter 18, Jesus will thus indicate two criteria for the exercise of responsibility: attention to the little ones and respect for each person.

Attention to the little ones is underlined by the warning of the scandal of which they can be victims (Mt. 18,4.14). The little ones whom Jesus speaks of are in fact the disciples exposed to the danger of false prophets. The scandal then constructs/manipulates the teachings and attitudes of those who are attentive to their faith.

We can understand in this teaching call to refuse elitism and pay attention to all forms of intellectual development, speculative ang practical.  A leader of the Church, like all other human institution, must ensure total integration. This requirement covers concern for the small abandoned or marginalized persons, It is the universal guarantor because he who is attends to the lowly and the poor knows how to be attentive to every man.

Attention to the little ones broadens in the Gospel to unconditional respect for the human person. Jesus makes this the measures of the institutional functioning of the Church like any human community. By relying on the parable of the merciless servant which constitutes the conclusion of the discourse (Mt. 18: 21-35), we can develop a real pedagogy of leadership. It's about learning to always start by seeing the positive in others, then authenticating it and valuing it as a gift from God. It is about learning to always start by seeing the positive in others, then authenticating it and valuing it as a gift from God. And the final step consists of welcoming the gift perceived in the neighbor, as a gift which is also for me, which can enrich me and enrich the whole group.

By relying on the teaching of Jesus, we are always led to verify the foundation of our thinking and our action. Jesus not only gives us the keys to give meaning to our life; He is the key that guarantees us the fruitfulness of life in the service of God and our neighbor. May He support us in reflection and initiatives concerning education and leadership.

*Archbishop of Cambrai – Umec-Wuct Ecclesiastical Assistant

SOUTH SUDAN - SEMINARE SPERANZA - SOWING HOPE

 South Sudan : 

Seminare speranza

 nel mezzo della violenza

---English below---

 

È passato poco più di un mese da quando la vita del mio amico James è stata spezzata, l’ennesima vita stroncata dall'odio, dalla violenza e dalla vendetta in questo paese, il Sud Sudan, che anela e spera per una pace che sembra ancora tanto lontana dal realizzarsi. Mi trovavo nella mia capanna di sera, intorno alle 19:00, scrivendo una lettera, quando sento un colpo di pistola che sembra far tremare il suolo a poche decine di metri dalla chiesa. Subito ci rendiamo conto che qualcosa di molto brutto è accaduto e nel silenzio attendiamo di capire cosa è successo. Dopo circa un minuto sentiamo grida disperate specialmente di donne che piangono il loro figlio, caduto a terra in un mare di sangue. La gente continua a piangere e a gridare mentre il corpo di James, un giovane di 29 anni appena sposato con un figlio appena nato, viene avvolto in un lenzuolo e viene portato nella casa di suo padre dove secondo la tradizione viene immediatamente seppellito. Piove a dirotto questa notte, notte di lacrime e di angoscia.

Il giorno dopo le strade sono deserte e le poche persone che vanno al mercato camminano in silenzio, nessuno parla con un’altra persona, nessuno sa cosa accadrà adesso. Le scuole rimangono chiuse. La casa del padre di James viene circondata da soldati, per cercare di garantire sicurezza nell’area. Al mattino seguente vado a trovare il padre di James, John, nella sua casa, assieme ad un catechista. La casa è piena di donne che piangono e che tentano di consolarsi a vicenda. Il padre di James è a letto, sconsolato. James è l’unico figlio di John che lavorava, l’unico che poteva aiutare la famiglia a comprare il cibo e a mantenere la famiglia, adesso non c’è più. Cerchiamo di portare speranza nel mezzo della violenza con la ferma fede in quel Dio della Vita che è il solo che ci dà la forza di lottare e seminare pace nel mezzo della violenza.

I soldati mi chiedono di andare in un villaggio lì vicino perché la famiglia di James vuole preparare la vendetta, subito. La vendetta è una pratica davvero (troppo!) comune nella cultura dei Nuer, “se ti viene fatto un torto e non ti vendichi non sei un uomo”, si dice da queste parti. Ascoltiamo questi familiari di James. Il loro cuore è un misto di tristezza e rabbia, sono armati fino ai denti. Mi colpisce davvero tanto vedere un giovane di 25 anni col rosario al collo e un fucile tra le mani: non credo che dimenticherò mai questo giovane. Uno zio di James dice che bisogna colpire un familiare dell’assassino immediatamente, a sangue freddo. Gli altri non sono d’accordo. Dicono che istruiranno i loro figli sin da bambini e che quando cresceranno uno di loro farà fuori uno dei figli di chi ha colpito James. Il desiderio di vendetta viene tramandato da una generazione all'altra. La fede in Gesù sembra essere offuscata dalla cultura della vendetta, il sangue della cultura sembra essere più forte dell’acqua del battesimo.

Noi predichiamo la pace, con tutto il cuore e con tutte le energie; quella pace che solo Gesù può darci. Al funerale di James grido alla gente il vangelo del perdono e della giustizia. Assolutamente no all'occhio per occhi e dente per dente! Mai farsi giustizia da sé, mai impugnare il fucile ed uccidere, ma dare spazio alle autorità locali affinché giustizia venga fatta. La vendetta non porta niente di buono, soltanto aumenta il dolore e la sofferenza. In questo paese che ha appena celebrato il suo 10° anniversario di indipendenza speriamo in un futuro migliore, per il bene della nostra gente, per una vita vera per i nostri giovani e bambini. Non siamo soli. Siamo convinti che Gesù di Nazareth è con noi, lotta con noi, e chiediamo che il suo Spirito trasforma e converta il cuore dei signori della guerra. Senza Gesù non sarebbe possibile vivere in questo contesto. Solo con Gesù un altro mondo è davvero possibile.

P. Mario Pellegrino, mccj

 English version

South Sudan: Sowing hope in the midst of violence

(original Italian text)

It has been a little over a month since my friend James's life was broken, yet another life cut short by hatred, violence and revenge in this country, South Sudan, which yearns and hopes for a peace that seems still very far from being realized. I was in my hut in the evening, around 7 pm, writing a letter, when I hear a gunshot. It seemed to shake the ground a few tens of meters from the church. We immediately realize that something very bad has happened and in silence we wait to understand what had happened. After about a minute we hear desperate cries, especially from women in mourning for their son, who had fallen to the ground. He was surrounded by a pool of ​​blood. People continue to cry and scream as his body, James had been 29 years old who had just got married and had a newborn son, is wrapped in a sheet and taken to his father's house where, according to tradition, he is immediately buried.

It was raining heavily that night, a night of tears and anguish.

The next day the streets are deserted and the few people who go to the market walk in silence, no one talks to another person, no one knows what will happen now. Schools remain closed. The house of James's father is surrounded by soldiers, trying to ensure safety in the area. The next morning, I go to visit John, the troubled father; I was accompanied by a catechist. The house is full of women crying and trying to console each other. James's father is in bed, dejected. James was the only son who worked, the only one who could help the family buy food and support its members; he is no longer there. We try to bring hope in the midst of violence with firm faith in that God of Life who is the only one who gives us the strength to fight and sow peace in the midst of violence.

The soldiers ask me to go to a nearby village because James's family wants to prepare for revenge, right away. Revenge is a really (too!) much of a common practice in the Nuer culture, "if you are wronged and you do not take revenge you are not a man", they say around here. Let's listen to James’s family members. Their heart is a mixture of sadness and anger; they are armed to the teeth. It really strikes me to see a young man of 25 with a rosary around his neck and a gun in his hands: I don't think I'll ever forget him. On of James’s uncles says that they need to hit a killer's family member immediately, in cold blood. The others disagree. They say they will educate their children from an early age and that when they grow up one of them will kill one of the children of whoever hit James. The desire for revenge is handed down from one generation to the next. Faith in Jesus seems to be clouded by the culture of revenge, the blood of culture seems to be stronger than the water of baptism.

We preach peace with all our hearts and with all energies; that peace that only Jesus can give us. At James's funeral, I cry out to the people the gospel of forgiveness and justice. Absolutely no eye for eye and tooth for tooth! Never take justice on your own, never grab a gun and kill, but give space to local authorities so that justice is done. Revenge does not bring anything good; it only increases the pain and suffering. In this country that has just celebrated its 10th anniversary of independence, we hope for a better future, for the good of our people, for a real life for our young people and children. We are not alone. We are convinced that Jesus of Nazareth is with us, struggles with us, and we ask that his Spirit transform and convert the hearts of the warlords. Without Jesus it would not be possible to live in this context. Only with Jesus is another world possible.

 

Fr. Mario Pellegrino, mccj

 

POPE: GLOBAL COMPACT ON EDUCATION - MESSAGE - AR - DE - EN - ES - FR - IT - PT

Pope: Global Compact on Education bears in itself 'a seed of hope'

Pope Francis relaunches the Global Compact on Education on Thursday with a video message during a virtual event at Rome’s Pontifical Lateran University.

 By Robin Gomes

 Pope Francis on Thursday appealed to every sector of society across the globe to subscribe to and support the Global Compact on Education. The initiative promotes the values of care for others, peace, justice, goodness, beauty, acceptance, and fraternity in order to build 

The Pope made the appeal in a video message at the relaunch of the Global Compact on Education during a virtual event on Thursday at Rome’s Pontifical Lateran University.  Education - a seed of hope

The Compact, sponsored by the Congregation for Catholic Education, is meant to encourage change on a global scale, so that education may become a creator of fraternity, peace, and justice. According to the Pope, the pact is “to ensure that everyone has access to a quality education consonant with the dignity of the human person and our common vocation to fraternity.” “May we be sustained by the conviction that education bears within itself a seed of hope: the hope of peace and justice; the hope of beauty and goodness; the hope of social harmony,” the Pope said in his message. “We must move forward, all of us together, each as we are, but always looking ahead to the building of a civilization of harmony and unity, in which there will be no room for the terrible pandemic of the throw-away culture.” Joining him at the virtual relaunch of the education pact were the Director-General of the Paris-based United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay, representatives of the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education, and representatives of a few Italian universities.  In his message, the Pope drew attention to the adverse effects of the Covid-19 crisis on educational systems worldwide. Online educational platforms, he noted, have brought to light a marked disparity in educational and technological opportunities, forcing some ten million children to leave school, apart from the already over 250 million school-age children excluded from all educational activities.

Hope grounded in solidarity

In this situation, the Pope called for a new cultural and development model that respects and protects human dignity, while creating a global interdependence to bring communities and peoples together to care for our common home and to foster peace. “Education,” the Pope said, “is meant to be transformative.” It should present a hope that can shatter the determinism and fatalism of the selfishness of the strong. It should shatter the conformism of the weak and the ideology of the utopians as the only way forward. To educate is always an act of hope, the Pope said, adding, it should open up new horizons in which hospitality, intergenerational solidarity and the value of transcendence give birth to a new culture. This hope should be grounded in solidarity, the Pope stressed, saying the education process should help respond to today’s challenges and problems and find solutions to the needs of every generation. This will help contribute to the flourishing of humanity now and in the future.

Education against selfishness, indifference

The Pope pointed out that “education is a natural antidote to the individualistic culture that at times degenerates into a true cult of the self and the primacy of indifference.”  The commitment of every level of society, he said, is needed for “a renewed kind of education that is not tempted to look the other way and thus favour grave social injustices, violations of rights, terrible forms of poverty and the waste of human lives.” The global educational pact calls for an integral process that responds to young people’s loneliness and uncertainty that generate depression, addiction, aggressiveness, verbal hatred and bullying. The pact addresses issues such as violence, the abuse of minors, the phenomenon of child marriage and child soldiers, the tragedy of children sold into slavery, as well as the “senseless and heartless exploitation” of the planet, leading to a grave environmental and climatic crisis.

Working together for the future

According to the Pope, amid the present health crisis and its effects, everyone should subscribe to a global pact on education for and with future generations. “This calls for a commitment on the part of families, communities, schools, universities, institutions, religions, governments and the entire human family to the training of mature men and women.” “The value of our educational practices,” the Pope said, “will be measured not simply by the results of standardized tests, but by the ability to affect the heart of society and to help give birth to a new culture.” The Holy Father said he believes “a different world is possible”, and this calls for the involvement of “every aspect of our humanity, both as individuals and in our communities.” He thus appealed to men and women of culture, science and sport, artists and media professionals in every part of the world to join in supporting this compact and promoting the values of care for others, peace, justice, goodness, beauty, acceptance and fraternity with their own testimony and efforts. Pope Francis concluded his video message summarising in 8 points how the Global Compact on Education intends to ensure “everyone has access to a quality education consonant with the dignity of the human person and our common vocation to fraternity.”

 Vatican news

 Le Pape propose un nouveau modèle éducatif mondial

 El Papa pide unirse al Pacto Educativo Global y "dar vuelta" el modo de desarrollo

 Wortlaut: Franziskus lanciert einen globalen Pakt für Bildung und Erziehung

 [AR - DE - EN - ES - FR - IT - PT]