Cardinal DiNardo pointed out that the Pope is encouraging this pursuit of holiness through the challenges of daily life.
"The Holy Father describes how holiness comes through the daily struggles each of us face. In the ordinary course of each day, the Pope reminds us, 'We need to recognize and combat our aggressive and selfish inclinations, and not let them take root.'"
Other American bishops, like Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, and Bishop Joseph Bambera of Scranton, have also stressed the importance of undertaking practical holiness through ordinary events.
Archbishop Gomez, in his April 10 column at The Angelus, called Gaudete et exsultate "a beautiful and practical reflection on the meaning of our Christian lives."
"All of us, every baptized Catholic, need to understand how important we are, what our lives mean in the eyes of God, in the light of his beautiful plan for creation. The meaning of our lives is to be saints, to be holy," the Los Angeles archbishop wrote.
"Pope Francis also wants us to know that holiness is personal, but it does not isolate us from others," he added.
In the Arlington Catholic Herald, Bishop Burbidge wrote that the pursuit of holiness is a constant battle against the false promises of sin, which must be counteracted with a renewed commitment to prayer and the sacraments. He also said Catholics must foster works of mercy, joy, and community.
Pope Francis, he said, "invites all of us to examine and discern the concrete 'risks, challenges and opportunities' which we experience as we attempt to answer the call to holiness. He confidently and joyfully reflects on the places in our everyday lives where this call to holiness is tested, including our families, communities, Church, and use of digital media."
Bishop Bambera agreed, adding that Pope Francis is encouraging Catholics to share compassion with the most vulnerable.
"The Holy Father calls all of us to bear witness to God in our everyday lives and in all that we do, in particular by treating everyone we encounter with dignity and respect, especially the most vulnerable and those in need of our compassion and assistance – the unborn, the poor and destitute, migrants and refugees," he said in an April 10 statement.