At today’s closed-door meeting with young people from the Roman parish of the Sacro Cuore Basilica in Castro Pretorio, which Francis visited yesterday, he asked them to “cause a stir” on Church reform. “I also suffer,” Francis told them Iacopo Scaramuzzi
vatican city The Pope asked young people to “cause a stir” on Church reform during the course of a closed-door meeting held today with youth from the parish of the Basilica dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Castro Pretorio, near Rome’s termini railway station. Francis went on a four-hour visit of the parish yesterday afternoon. During today’s meeting Francis confided that he also felt “suffering” and invited those among them who were Christians who read the Bible and those of them who were Muslims and read the Koran to share their suffering and faith because there is one single God, one same God.

An article published in today’s issue of the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano says that “on the subject of Church reform,” the Pope invited the young people to “cause a stir” and take action, avoiding “attitudes that are too rigid.” Francis mentioned the example of a conference he held once with a group of young people who wanted to renew the Church: “they were all so serious … then, during mass, they all stood there with their hands glued together, looking rigid that at one point I thought I was talking to a set of statues, not people. And they said: “This is what we have to do…”. They had a recipe all ready. Poor things, they didn’t do very well. So taking things seriously doesn’t mean playing at being serious. It means joy, prayer, seeking the Lord, reading the Word of God, celebrating … This is Christian seriousness. If a young person never smiles and doesn’t cause a bit of a stir, he or she has grown old too quickly.”

L’Osservatore Romano writes that the Pope answered eight questions put to him by the group of young people who are taking part in missionary project of the Roman parish. In answer to a question on the temptation of losing hope, Francis said that unfortunately “disappointment is found in shops where there are sales on” and that along the journey of faith it is easy to come across “a swanky hotel” and stay put there “forever”: “So many people only get half way, with 40 or 50 year old men and women whose hearts are more prepared for a funeral that for a celebration,” Francis said. “But we have to bet on high ideals and always be eager” because a young person who is not eager, does not allow their heart to open up.” One boy asked Francis how he developed his love for God. The Pope said he felt “a bit unlucky in this sense” because he doesn’t feel he loves God as God should be loved: I love God as much as I am able to, but I am sure God loves me more, he loves me and this makes me happy.” In terms of vocation, the Pope said that the heart of each and every one of us is a street, where all sorts of things happen,” so it’s important that we realise when something important comes along. Pope Francis underlined that he prefers an “injured” Church to a “sick” and closed Church before going on to explain what it means to go against the tide: “The proposals that are made today are the fruit of consumerism and hedonism but wanting to live the Gospel, be with the poor and help one’s neighbours, this is going against the tide.” Finally, when asked how a wounded heart could once again open up, Francis offered the image of the Church as a “field hospital” and advised the following: “Don’t be afraid to give wounds a name,” because “wounds heal when there is frankness, tenderness and when we let love in.” “Those who are always clean are clean because they don’t walk.” “Those who walk get dirty, either physically or spiritually. They get dirty.” “But the Lord cleans all of us.”

Jorge Mario Bergoglio also met with 80 or so refugees, from the 400 that receive assistance and support from the parish of the Sacro Cuore Basilica. “I feel at home among you. Thank you. One can go on a visit and be all polite and follow protocol perfectly but there is no warmth,” the Argentinean Pope said. “There’s just one thing I’m missing: Mariana hasn’t given me any mate,” he joked, referring to the traditional Argentinean beverage that was offered to him. The Pope also took questions from some refugees. Regarding suffering he said: “When I think about my own personal story, I see so many good and bad things.” “No, the Pope doesn’t suffer … Does the Pope suffer or not? Yes or no?  We all suffer, don’t we? The Pope is a man like any other and has his own sufferings; but he also has good things” in his life. Francis then talked about the importance of sharing suffering: “It is important you do this when you meet. Those who are Christians with the Bible and those who are Muslims with the Koran, with the faith you have received from your fathers, a faith that will always help you move forward. Share your faith, because there is one single God, the same God.” Finally, the Pope talked about “hunger” and “thirst”: not just physical hunger and thirst, but spiritual, typical of those who had everything but had a hungry and thirsty heart: they were lacking one crucial thing: the ability to love; God was lacking; and when God is lacking, there is a great deal of hunger and a great deal of thirst.”

©   http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en   January 20, 2014