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Pope In Corsica: ‘Popular Piety Fosters Evangelization And Community’
Addressing the "Conference on Popular Piety in the Mediterranean" in Ajaccio, Pope Francis highlights the importance of these expressions of faith as a means of fostering evangelization in our increasingly secularized societies and communities. By Lisa Zengarini
Far from being an obsolete folkloristic expression, popular piety can be a powerful means for evangelization today, fostering community and belonging, Pope Francis said in his first speech during his Apostolic Journey to Corsica.
Speaking at the Palais des Congrès et d’Exposition of Ajaccio at the conclusion of the "Congress on Popular Piety in the Mediterranean", the Pope reiterated that the “active evangelizing power” of these expressions of faith should not be underestimated in our secularized societies, and called for a constructive dialogue between Christian and secular cultures.
Dialogue Between Christian And Secular Cultures
At the beginning of his speech, Pope Francis remembered how the Mediterranean, the “cradle of many highly developed civilizations”, has historically served as a crossroads for cultures, ideas, and legal and institutional frameworks that continue to influence the modern world, and is the place where the dialogue between God and humanity reached its culmination in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.
The Pope observed how for centuries, the Christian faith shaped the lives of peoples and their political institutions, though today people are becoming “increasingly indifferent” to God’s presence and His Word, “especially in European countries.”
This, however, should not lead to “hasty considerations and ideological judgements that, even in our day, would pit Christian culture and secular culture against one another”. Instead, the Pope remarked, “It is important to acknowledge a mutual openness between these two horizons”, also in consideration of the fact that non-believers or those who have distanced themselves from religious practice “are not strangers to the search for truth, justice and solidarity.”
“Even if they do not belong to any religion, they carry in their hearts a great thirst, a search for meaning, which leads them to ponder the mystery of life and to seek out core values for the common good,” he said.
The evangelizing and community-building power of popular piety
In this context, Pope Francis continued, “We can appreciate the beauty and importance of popular piety” which allows people—whether deeply devout or on the periphery of faith—to connect with their spiritual roots.
By expressing faith through simple gestures and a symbolic language rooted in the culture of the people, the Pope argued, “popular piety reveals God’s presence in the living flesh of history, strengthens the relationship with the Church and often becomes an occasion for encounter, cultural exchange and celebration.”
“Popular piety enables us to see how the faith, once received, becomes embodied in a culture and is constantly passed on, and as a result, it is an active evangelizing power which we must not underestimate: to do so would be to fail to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit.”
Need for Pastoral Discernment
However, Pope Francis also warned against the risks of reducing popular piety to mere external or folkloristic rituals devoid of deeper spiritual engagement, or even to superstition He therefore called for vigilance "through careful theological and pastoral discernment.”
The Positive Impact Of Popular Piety On Society
Pope Francis then touched on the positive impact of popular piety on society as a whole by fostering an “authentic” faith which is “not reduced to a private affair”, but committed to promoting “human development, social progress and care for creation.” Popular piety, he argued, strengthens the communal fabric of society and nurtures "constructive citizenship," enabling collaboration with secular, civil and political institutions “in the service of each person, beginning with the poor, for an integral human growth and the care of the environment.”
Promoting A “Healthy Secularity”
This constructive and respectful cooperation between civil and ecclesial authorities “for the benefit of the whole community”, he said, is an example of what the late Pope Benedict XVI called a “healthy secularity” that prevents the politicization of religion while ensuring that politics is informed by ethical and spiritual values.
Renewed Commitment To The Gospel And The Common Good
Bringing his speech to a close, Pope Francis encouraged the Catholic community in Corsica to continue cultivating its deep-rooted religious traditions and the existing dialogue between the Church and the civil and political institutions.
He also encouraged young Corsicans “to become even more actively involved in social, cultural and political life, inspired by solid ideals and a passion for the common good” and called on the Church’s Pastors and political leaders to remain “close to the people,” attentive to their needs and aspirations. "The pastor who does not have this closeness, even to history and culture, is simply 'Monsieur l’Abbé', he is not a pastor," he said.
Finally, Pope Francis expressed hope that the Congress on Popular Piety might inspire a renewed commitment to the Gospel and the common good, rooted in faith and service.
“It is my hope that this Congress on popular piety will help you to rediscover the roots of your faith and bear fruit in renewed commitment, in the Church and in civil society, at the service of the Gospel and the common good of all citizens.”
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Cardinal Parolin: ‘In Corsica, The Pope Will Call For Prayer And Responsibility’
Speaking to Vatican News, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin describes Pope Francis’ 47th Apostolic Journey to Corsica on Sunday as a journey in the footsteps of Christian tradition, testimony, and encounter, during which he will reaffirm that the Mediterranean must not become a cemetery for migrants. By Massimiliano Menichetti
Final preparations are underway in Ajaccio, which on Sunday will embrace the Successor of Peter, the first Pope to visit the French island at the heart of the Mediterranean.
The bishop of the Corsican city, Cardinal François Bustillo, emphasized that Pope Francis’ presence “is not a privilege but a responsibility.” It will be a brief visit of about twelve hours, but very intense, marked by the beauty and liveliness of popular religiosity, the themes of encounter, hospitality, and care for creation.
Ahead of the Pope's 47th Apostolic Journey abroad, the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who will accompany the Holy Father on this journey, spoke to Vatican News about how the local community can translate what he calls “responsibility” into concrete actions for the future, both spiritually and socially.
Q. This Apostolic Journey takes place during Advent and on the eve of the opening of the Holy Year 2025. Therefore, it can be seen in light of Saint Paul’s instructions to Titus to “live soberly and justly and godly in this world, looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ... These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority. (2:12-15).
We know how important dialogue is for Pope Francis—“the culture of encounter”—in seeking greater unity and harmony among communities, Churches, believers, countries, and nations… for which the Lord Jesus offered His life: “so they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me.” (John 17:23).
And how important popular devotion is to him! These two guiding principles are the foundation of the conference, and it is on these two points that it aims to bear fruit.
Let me recall—regarding popular devotion—what the Holy Father writes in the chapter on proclaiming the Gospel in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (nos. 122-126). He tells us that popular piety is a powerful force for evangelization, hiding a deep faith expressed more symbolically than rationally but still with profound theological content.
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Pope Encourages Artists To Build Peace And Hope Through Art
Pope Francis meets with artists and organizers of the 2024 Christmas Concert in the Vatican and encourages them to use their talent and artistry to promote fraternity and reconciliation to build peace and hope in a broken world. By Lisa Zengarini
Pope Francis on Saturday received in audience the artists who will perform this evening in the 32nd Christmas Concert in the Vatican.
The event has been organized every year since 1993 for charitable purposes bringing together internationally renowned musicians from across the world.
Also present in this year's concert are the winners from this year's Christmas Contest organized by the Pontifical Foundation Gravissimum Educationis which invited young artists to compete for a chance to perform at the Christmas Concert.
The proceeds of the performance will go this year to support the Salesian Missions.
Music's Extraordinary Ability To Create Unity
Thanking the artists and the organizers of the event, Pope Francis reflected on peace and hope, the underpinning themes of the concert, to which, he said, artists “have much to offer” through their creativity and artistry.
Recalling the biblical image of Jesus' birth in a "silent night" when angels proclaimed peace to the world, the Pope highlighted the profound role of music and art as universal languages that can touch the human heart, create unity, and foster communion. “Music speaks directly to the human heart in a unique way, “ he said.
“Music possesses an extraordinary ability to create unity and to foster communion.”
Be “Angels Of Peace”
He therefore encouraged artists to act as “angels of peace”, investing their talents and artistry in promoting that “culture of fraternity and reconciliation our world today needs more than ever.”
Pope Francis then focused on hope, which is the central theme chosen for this year’s concert in line with the theme of the upcoming Jubilee Year.
Hope If A Gift Of God
He reminded the audience that hope “is first and foremost a gift from God”, rooted in faith and sustained by acts of charity. While hope must grow from communion with the Lord, the Pope said, it also requires tangible expressions of love “thus filling the present with meaning and opening up new horizons towards the future.”
Building Hope With Young People For A Better World
Bringing these two themes together, Pope Francis described peace and hope as the “two vocal lines” of a song that artists are invited to make heard throughout the globe ”so that future generations can inherit a better and more peaceful world.” In this regard, he noted that the presence on stage of the selected participants in the Christmas Contest “is the sign of a wholesome and healthy covenant between generations.”
Pope Francis concluded his address by remarking that bothe the the Church and the world need artists’ talents, creative ideals, generosity and “passion for justice and fraternity.”
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Pope to Methodists: Reconciliation Is A ‘Task Of The Heart’
Pope Francis greets a delegation of the World Methodist Council, and encourages ecumenical efforts ahead of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. By Devin Watkins
Pope Francis met on Monday with several members of the World Methodist Council, an association of around 80 Churches throughout the world which represent some 80 million faithful.
In his address, the Pope thanked God that Catholics and Methodists have overcome our estrangement and sought to dialogue “in reciprocal knowledge, understanding, and love” for the past 60 years.
“Opening ourselves to one another has brought us closer and made us realize that reconciliation is a task of the heart,” he said. “When the Heart of the Lord Jesus touches our hearts, He transforms us.”
Pope Francis invited Methodists and Catholics to seek to unite our “differing minds and wills” under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
“This is a journey that takes time,” he said, “but we must continue along that path, always focused on the Heart of Christ, because it is from that Heart that we learn to relate well to one another and to serve God’s kingdom.”
The Pope went on to recall that 2025 marks the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, the Council of Nicaea, which united Christians around the Nicene Creed, or profession of faith.
He noted that Methodists and Catholics profess the same faith in Christ and thus bear the same responsibility of “offering signs of hope that bear witness to God’s presence in the world.”
In conclusion, Pope Francis thanked the theologians and pastors who have served on the International Joint Commission for Dialogue between the World Methodist Council and the Catholic Church.
“Dear Sister and dear Brothers, I express heartfelt thanks for your visit,” he said. “Let us remain united in prayer. Happy Christmas!”
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Pope To Bankers: 'Invest In Hope Not In Speculation And War'
Pope Francis addresses Italian Banking Institutes and reminds them of the ethical dimension of banking, challenging the financial sector to invest in development, not exploitation and war. By Lisa Zengarini
Pope Francis has again warned against financial speculation that prioritizes profit over people, resulting in exploitation and social inequalities. “When finance tramples on people, fuels inequalities, and distances itself from the life of territories, it betrays its purpose” and “becomes uncivilized economy”, he said.
The Pope was addressing delegations of some Italian Banking Institutes whom he received in audience on Monday.
The Ethical Responsibilities Of Finance
In his remarks the Pope reflected on the ethical responsibilities of finance and its impact on society, emphasizing its potential for fostering inclusion and sustainability while cautioning against its detachment from human needs.
Drawing on historical examples, he highlighted how the Church has long contributed to socially conscious banking initiatives, such as the Monti di Pietà established in Italy the 15th century to provide credit to those who could not afford it, and the cooperative credit systems created in the late 19th-century inspired by Pope Leo XIII's social Encyclical Rerum Novarum. The intent of these initiatives, he noted, “has always been to give opportunities to those who otherwise would have none”, showing that finance can help social well-being.
Negative Modern-Time Banking Practices Prioritizing Profit
The Pope opposed these ethical financial practices to some banking practices of our time which instead prioritize profit over people’s needs, fostering "uncivilized" economic behaviour.
He cited multinational companies relocating to exploit cheaper labour, usurious practices benefiting the already privileged and neglecting those in need, and some financial systems collecting funds in one place to invest them elsewhere with the sole aim of increasing their gains.
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Pope Francis Pleads For Peace In The World
Renewing his urgent appeal for peace in the world, Pope Francis launches his plea from the French island of Corsica. By Linda Bordoni
"From this island of the Mediterranean, we raise a plea for peace: peace for all the lands that face this sea, especially for the Holy Land where Mary gave birth to Jesus," said Pope Francis before the recitation of the Angelus Prayer on Sunday.
“Peace for the Holy Land where Mary gave birth to Jesus.”
Addressing the bishops, clergy and religious of the French island of Corsica where he is spending the day to participate in a Conference, celebrate Holy Mass and meet with the faithful, the Pope raised his urgent and tireless plea for the war-torn countries of the globe.
"Peace for Palestine, for Israel, for Lebanon, for Syria, for the entire Middle East! Peace in tormented Myanmar,” he prayed.
Ukraine And Russia
And raising his prayers to “the Holy Mother of God" for "the long-awaited peace for the Ukrainian people and the Russian people,” he said: "They are brothers, cousins. Let them come to an understanding! War is always a defeat. Peace to the whole world!"
“War is always a defeat. Peace to the whole world!”
Prayers For Victims Of Cyclone Chido
The Pope also asked for prayers for the victims of a cyclone that struck the Mayotte archipelago in the past hours.
“I am spiritually close to those who have been affected by this tragedy,” he said.
At least 11 people were killed overnight on Saturday after a cyclone slammed into Mayotte, the most intense storm to hit the French Indian Ocean archipelago north of Madagascar in nearly a century.
Cyclone Chido swept through Mayotte bringing winds of more than 200 kph and damaging makeshift housing, government buildings and a hospital.
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Aid Continues To Reach Syrian Christian Communities
Michel Constantin, regional director for CNEWA-Pontifical Mission for Lebanon, Syria and Egypt, is in contact with partners in Syria regarding the situation on the ground, and provides an update on the status of the Christian community. By Laura Ieraci, CNEWA
Humanitarian aid and pastoral support continue to reach Christian communities in Syria, despite the recent upheaval in the country, said Michel Constantin, regional director for CNEWA-Pontifical Mission for Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt.
In a status report dated 10 December, Mr. Constantin said his team communicated with partners in the local Church, who “have all confirmed that the situation remains stable with the rebels.”
The Christian community in Syria initially reacted to the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad on 8 December with mixed feelings, but is now hopeful the situation will improve, said Mr. Constantin.
He said church officials were "assured... that the new authority on the ground will be committed to providing all protection to all citizens, and especially the Christians,” who have communities in the majority of Syria’s large urban centers.
Church officials were also told “the current chaotic acts will be controlled soon to prevent the thieves and gangs from benefitting from the situation,” he reported.
Syria’s three patriarchs spoke out about the situation, issuing a call to “unify efforts” and “stand by their people.”
Patriarchs John X of Antioch and All the East, Aphrem II Karim of the Syriac Orthodox Church, and Joseph Absi of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church highlighted “the importance of preserving the Christian presence and upholding the values of citizenship and coexistence,” according to a report in The Orthodox Times on 11 December.
Mr. Constantin described the “new status quo” in Syria since the fall of the Assad regime as “a fragile balance” among three groups. These include the rebels, who control about 65 percent of the Syrian territory, including major cities, the Kurds, who control about 30 percent of Syrian territory in the northern and eastern regions, and another rebel group along the southern border, where the Druze minority lives, which Israel crossed earlier this week to create a nine-mile buffer zone along the border.
“The real challenge now is to really follow the peace process” and the successful implementation of a transitional government, said Mr. Constantin.
On 10 December, the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (H.T.S.) appointed a new prime minister, Mohammed al Bashir, to head the Syrian Transitional Government.
The appointment, made without consultation of the national council, “could be a sign of a new direction in Syria based on a new military control of the political authority,” said Mr. Constantin, underlining the role of the international community in placing “more pressures” for a peaceful transition. The militant group “has never hidden its religious affiliation and its political roots” as a branch of Al Qaeda, he added.
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Pope To Nuncio To Russia: War Is A Serious Wound Inflicted On Human Family
Pope Francis sends a letter to the Apostolic Nuncio to Russia nearly a month after the war in Ukraine passed the 1,000 day mark, and laments the suffering inflicted on innocent people while calling on his representative to foster diplomatic efforts to seek peace. By Salvatore Cernuzio
Pope Francis has again taken up pen and paper—as he did on November 19 with his letter to the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine—to write a letter to his representative in the Russian Federation, Archbishop Giovanni d’Aniello.
In his letter, the Pope expressed his continued sorrow for the prolonged war in Ukraine that represents a “serious wound inflicted on the human family.
“I trust that the humanitarian efforts directed toward the most vulnerable may pave the way for renewed diplomatic efforts, necessary to halt the progression of the conflict and to achieve the long-awaited peace.”
Close To Those Who Suffer
November 19 marked one thousand days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Nearly three years of bombings, killings, injuries, and imprisonments have left hundreds of thousands of people dead and a flood of tears shed by broken families.
Since the start of the war, Pope Francis has sought to operate under the principle of “equi-closeness” toward those who suffer. This principle is proper to the Pope, shepherd of the universal Church, and characterizes Vatican diplomacy.
Cry Of Pain
Pope Francis said he seeks to act as “interpreter” of the pain “of the tens of thousands of mothers, fathers, and children who mourn their loved ones fallen in war or are anguished over those missing, taken prisoner, or injured, whether they be military or civilian.”
“Their cry rises to God, invoking peace instead of war, dialogue instead of the roar of weapons, solidarity instead of self-interest, because one can never kill in the name of God.”
Rebuilding Peace
“The painful and prolonged duration of this war urgently challenges us, calling us to the duty of reflecting together on how to alleviate the sufferings of those affected and to rebuild peace,” the Pope wrote. His letter was signed on December 12 ahead of Christmas but was released on Saturday, December 14.
“We are all bound by a mutual responsibility, in the spirit of true human fraternity,” he added, reiterating his personal concern for the “reports of suffering caused by the conflict in that region.”
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Zayed Award Committee: Candidates Are ‘Apostles Of Hope’ In Wounded World
Following their audience with Pope Francis, members of the judging committee for the 2025 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity share their belief in the importance of recognizing the extraordinary efforts people make to foster peace and fraternity. By Devin Watkins
“Pope Francis is deeply concerned with the state of the world and the hunger of millions who are malnourished and searching for food in rubbish heaps, while the world spends massive amounts of money on manufacturing arms.”
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, shared the Pope’s concern for the welfare of the poor, during a press conference held on Saturday.
The six members of the judging committee for the 2025 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity met with reporters at the offices of the Dicastery for Communication (our parent organization) soon after their audience with Pope Francis.
Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, noted that this marked the 20th papal audience for groups linked to the Document on Human Fraternity, which Pope Francis signed in 2019 with Sheikh Ahmad Muhammad Al-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar.
Each encounter with the Pope, he said, has offered him personal encouragement in his efforts to promote the values of human fraternity. “Our desire to continue on this path is always renewed when we meet with Pope Francis,” added Judge Abdelsalam.
The task of the judging committee, said Cardinal Peter Turkson, is to draw on the Pope’s message of hope and fraternity and consider around 100 candidates for the Zayed Award who express humanity’s desire for peace in a particular way in their own lives.
“As the Jubilee of Hope begins,” said the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academies of Science and Social Sciences, “we must remember not to be inundated by the throwaway culture and the darkness that surrounds us.”
Cardinal Turkson said the candidates could be called “Apostles of Hope,” who are trying to foster a message of fraternity in their own small and large ways.
According to Patricia Scotland, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity allows the world to focus on people who are striving to lift the human spirit.
The award, she added, helps everyone recognize that peace “is not just a hope but a human reality and that people are working to achieve it.”
Macky Sall, former President of Senegal, acknowledged that our world is filled with selfishness, strife, and conflict.
Pope Francis, he said, offers instead a message of “hope and wisdom,” and encourages others to work for a world of peace.
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New Members Of Vatican Youth Advisory Body Begin 5-Year Journey
Twenty young people meet in Rome to take on their roles as the new cohort of the International Youth Advisory Body for a week which Pope Francis capped off with his personal encouragement for their work. By Devin Watkins
“On our journey of life, we sometimes find that we don’t get the guidance we need, but if we just read Christus vivit, we will find our course.”
That’s the advice from Selestino Mupfigo, a young man from Zimbabwe who is now a member of the International Youth Advisory Body (IYAB), which is overseen by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.
The Final Document of the 2018 Synod on Young People asked the Dicastery to spearhead the initiative to support their Youth Office.
This marks the second group of young people to participate in the IYAB, after the first group completed their five-year term in 2023.
Finding a roadmap for life as young Christians
Speaking to Vatican News at the end of their first meeting in Rome, Mr.
Mupfigo praised Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Christus vivit, which drew on the Final Document of the 2018 Synod, calling it a roadmap for the lives of young Catholics.
He said the meeting in Rome has set the newly-composed advisory body on a productive course, since they were able to develop friendships that will aid their work over the next five years.
“We focused on our dreams and experiences from our own realities and how we can bring them together to have one mission that we can work on together as a body,” he said.
Mr. Mupfigo expressed his hopes that his four years of ministry with young people in Zimbabwe will help inform the IYAB’s work to advise the Holy Father and the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia on issues regarding youth.
Composed of 20 young people appointed in October, this second IYAB cohort hails from various parts of the globe, and several belong to international movements, associations, and communities.
Discovering God In Daily Life And Society
Jiun Lee, a young woman from South Korea, highlighted the synodal methodology used by the Advisory Body.
“What we do is bring experiences from our own lives, and we share that with the Dicastery,” she told Vatican News. “We also use the Conversation in the Spirit method to explore our experiences from 20 different countries.”
Speaking about her own experience as a member of the Catholic minority in South Korea, Ms. Lee said she has always felt called to actively ask herself: “Where is God for me? How is He involved in my life?”
She has found answers in her interactions and ministry with other young people as part of Bible-study groups.
“Through those experiences, I discover how God is at work in us as individuals, as groups, and as a society,” she said.
Pope’s Encouragement To Be Courageous Youth
Pope Francis met on Friday morning with the members of the International Youth Advisory Body to encourage them at the beginning of their journey together.
“Before we met the Pope we were very nervous,” Ms. Lee admitted. “But when we met him, he welcomed us so warmly and told us to be courageous. We received a very good energy from the Pope this morning.”
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Monday, December 16th 2024 at 3:05PM
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