Francis, the first Jesuit pope, urged Claretians to be bold and courageous.
“I hope, dear brothers, that this Chapter that you are about to conclude will help you to focus on the essential: Jesus, to place your security in Him and only in Him who is all good, the supreme good, the true security,” he said.
“I believe that this could be one of the best fruits of this pandemic that has called into question so many of our false securities.”
“I also hope that the Chapter has led you to focus on the essential elements that define consecrated life today: consecration, which values the relationship with God; fraternal life in community, which gives priority to an authentic relationship with our brothers; and mission, which leads you to go out, to become less self-centered in order to go out to meet others, especially the poor, to bring Jesus to them.”
The Vatican issued a definitive version of Pope Francis’ address on Sept. 10. In it, the pope emphasized the importance of maintaining a sense of humor in consecrated life.
“Please do not lose your sense of humor,” he urged the Claretians. “Know how to laugh in community, know how to make jokes, and laugh at the jokes told by others. Do not lose your sense of humor. A sense of humor is a grace of joy, and joy is a dimension of holiness.”
This report was updated at 03:21 a.m. MDT on Sept. 10, 2021, with a quotation from the definitive version of Pope Francis’ address.
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