Vatican City, 11 October 2014 (VIS) –
This morning in St. Peter's Basilica, a Holy Mass was celebrated to
give thanks for the canonisation of the Canadian saints Francois de
Laval and Marie de l'Incarnation. In his homily, the Holy Father
spoke about missionaries who, like the new saints, “in docility to
the Holy Spirit, have the courage to live the Gospel”.
“Missionaries have received this
call: they have gone out to call everyone, in the highways and byways
of the world”, he continued. “In this way they have done immense
good for the Church, for once the Church stops moving, once she
becomes closed in on herself, she falls ill, she can be corrupted,
whether by sins or by that false knowledge cut off from God which is
worldly secularism. Missionaries have turned their gaze to Christ
crucified … they have been able to live in poverty and abundance,
in plenty and hunger”.
The Pope gave two pieces of advice to
Canadian pilgrims. “Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word
of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate
their faith”, and “Recall those earlier days when, after you had
been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings. Do not
abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. You need
only endurance”.
Pope Francis concluded by mentioning
the many Canadian missionaries, so that “this memory does not lead
us to abandon frankness and courage”. He added, “the devil is
envious and cannot tolerate that a land can be so rich in
missionaries”, and asked for prayers for Quebec, so that it may
“return to the path of fruitfulness, to give many missionaries to
the world” and so that the new Canadian saints “may help us as
intercessors”.
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