Pope Francis encourages religious to discern and be charitable

By Francesca Merlo

Pope Francis met on Monday with the leaders of four religious congregations, who are holding their General Chapters in Rome.

He held the audience with Chapter delegates 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 significance of discernment, highlighting that it is essential for every religious congregation and individual.

"Discernment is part of life, whether at momentous times involving major decisions or in our daily decisions about small, routine matters," said Pope Francis. "Discernment is demanding and requires listening to the Lord, to oneself, and to others. It is a process that calls for 'prayer, reflection, patient expectation, and, ultimately, courage and sacrifice'."

The Pope also highlighted the joy that comes from making good decisions, stressing that "making a good decision, a right decision, brings us much joy."

He urged those present to help young people understand that "being free means risking to embark on a particular path, with wisdom and prudence of course, but also with boldness and a spirit of renunciation, in order to grow and advance in self-giving, and thus to find happiness in loving others in accordance with God’s plan."

Formation

Turning to the topic of formation, Pope Francis acknowledged that this is a common and shared mission 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 the 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' of others."

Charity

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

He described the foundational 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 faces 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 to them, there is a reflection of God’s love," the Pope stressed, before encouraging them "to seek to fan into flame the spirit of gratuitousness and selfless love that marked the beginnings of your presence in the Church." 

This, he concluded, "is the source of light for our journey and the effective antidote for overcoming, in ourselves and all around us, the culture of excess, individualism, and social breakdown that sadly prevails in our time."