Pope Francis encourages religious to discern and be charitable

By Francesca Merlo

Pope Francis met on Monday with the leaders of four religious congregations, which are holding their general chapters in Rome.

He held an audience with delegates from the Chapter of the Dominican Missionary Sisters of Saint Sixtus, the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary Most Holy in the Temple and the Society of Divine Vocations (Vocationist Fathers).

The Pope expressed his gratitude for their dedication and service to the Church.

Discernment

The Holy Father began with a reflection on the importance of discernment, emphasizing that it is essential for every religious congregation and for every individual.

“Discernment is part of life, whether in important moments involving major decisions or in our daily decisions on simple, routine matters,” Pope Francis said. “Discernment is demanding and requires listening to the Lord, to oneself and to others. It is a process that requires ‘prayer, reflection, patient waiting and, ultimately, courage and sacrifice.’”

The Pope also highlighted the joy that comes from making good decisions, stressing that “making a good decision, a just decision, brings us great joy.”

He urged those present to help young people understand that “being free means risking embarking on a particular path, with wisdom and prudence of course, but also with audacity and a spirit of renunciation, to grow and advance in the gift of self, and thus find happiness in loving others according to God’s plan.”

Training

Addressing the theme of formation, Pope Francis recognized that it is a common mission shared among religious congregations.

He described religious life as a “path of growth in holiness that embraces the whole of existence” and encouraged the religious present to persevere in prayer, sacramental life and relationship with Christ.

The Pope added that “only those who are humble enough to realize that they are constantly in formation can hope to become good formators for others.”

Charity

Finally, Pope Francis spoke about his third and final point: charity.

He described the founding role of charity in the missions of these religious congregations and reminded the superiors that their founders, such as Saint Madeleine-Sophie Barat and Venerable Maria Antonia Lalia, saw the face of the poor as a sign from God for their mission.

“Jesus speaks to us through our brothers and sisters in need; in every gift we give them there is a reflection of God’s love,” the Pope stressed, before encouraging them to “seek to revive the spirit of gratuity and selfless love that marked the beginnings of your presence in the Church.”

“This,” he concludes, “is the source of light for our journey and the effective antidote to overcome, in ourselves and all around us, the culture of excess, individualism and social disintegration that unfortunately prevails in our time.”