Vatican City, Nov 30, 2019 / 15:02 pm
Pope Francis on Saturday called for a "free and simple Church" which shares the Gospel without worrying about appearance or profit, but is motivated by an authentic encounter with Christ.
"I would like to tell you very simply: the joy of the Gospel comes from the encounter with Jesus," the pope said.
"When we meet the Lord, we are inundated by that love of which he alone is capable," he said. This love transforms our whole life, and "the need to announce it arises spontaneously, it becomes irrepressible."
Pope Francis spoke Saturday to participants in a Nov. 28-30 international meeting on "Evangelii Gaudium: The Church which goes forth."