To the prelates of Puerto Rico: the Church, by virtue of her mission, is not linked to any political system

Vatican City, 8 June 2015 (VIS) – The prelates of the Puerto Rican Episcopal Conference were received in audience by Pope Francis this morning, at the end of their “ad Limina” visit. In the written discourse he handed to the bishops, Francis recalls that one of the first dioceses of the American continent was founded on this Caribbean archipelago, and he invites them to be “heralds of the Gospel and custodians of the hopes of the people”, called to “continue inscribing the work of God in the local Churches, inspired by a spirit of ecclesial communion, ensuring that faith grows and the light of the truth shines in our days too”.

“Spend your energy not in divisions and conflicts, but rather in building and collaborating”, the Pope advises. “Be aware that the more intense your communion is, the more the mission is encouraged. Know how to keep a distance from any form of ideological or political trend that may lead you to waste time and your true zeal for the Kingdom of God. The Church, by virtue of her mission, is not linked to any political system, enabling her always to be a sign and safeguard of the transcendent nature of the human person”.

“The bishop is a model for his priests, and I encourage them always to seek spiritual renewal and to discover anew the joy of ministering to the flock within the great family of the Church”, Francis observes. “Before the upcoming Jubilee of Mercy, I urge first you and then your priests to be faithful servants of God's forgiveness, especially in the sacrament of Reconciliation, which allows God's love to be experienced in the flesh and offers every penitent the source of true inner peace”.

With reference to the task of the laity, the Pope reminds the bishops that “facilitating the sacramental life of the faithful and offering them an adequate continuing formation enables them to fulfil their mission”, and he expresses his hope that, “encouraged by the example of distinguished laypersons such as Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodriguez Santiago, model of commitment and apostolic service, or the venerable master Rafael Cordero y Molina, they may continue along the path of a joyful adherence to the Gospel, deepening the social doctrine of the Church and participating lucidly and serenely in the public debates regarding the society in which they live”.

The Pope also remarks that one of the initiatives that must be increasingly consolidated is that of the pastoral ministry of the family, “afflicted by serious social problems: the difficult economic situation, migration, domestic violence, unemployment, drug trafficking and corruption. These are issues that give rise to concern. Let me to draw your attention to the value and beauty of marriage. … The differences between man and women are not of the order of opposition or subordination, but rather communion and generation, always as the image and semblance of God. Without mutual commitment, neither of the two will be able to understand the other in depth. The sacrament of marriage is a sign of God's love for humanity and Christ's commitment to His Bride, the Church. Take care of this treasure, as one of the most important of the Latin American and Caribbean peoples”.

Tenth meeting of the Council of Cardinals

Vatican City, 8 June 2015 (VIS) – This morning, the Holy Father's tenth meeting with the Council of Cardinals began. The “Council of Nine” will continue its work until Wednesday 10 June.

Audience with the president of Argentina

Vatican City, 7 June 2015 (VIS) – This afternoon Pope Francis received the president of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, in private audience. The very cordial meeting lasted for more than an hour and a half and took place in the Pope's study next to the Paul VI Hall. The president once again expressed the affection and closeness of the Argentine people to the Pope and asked for his blessing for all their compatriots.

Following the meeting, in the adjacent hall, the Pope greeted the large delegation accompanying the president on her visit, which will continue tomorrow with their attendance at the Conference of the FAO, meetings with the Italian authorities and finally a visit to the EXPO in Milan.

President Fernandez de Kirchner gave the Pope a number of very meaningful gifts: a large painting of the blessed bishop and martyr Oscar Arnulfo Romero by the Argentine artist Eugenio Cuttica; a book by Alberto Methol Ferre, an author greatly admired by the Holy Father (“Los estados continentales y el Mercosur”); an edition of the famous national poem “Martin Fierro”, occasionally quoted by the Pope in his discourses; two bas-reliefs for the blind or partially-sighted, with the title in braille, depicting the Virgin of Lujan, and a portrait of the Pope; a basket of typical Argentine products and a volume on the architectural heritage of Argentina, published on the occasion of the Bicentenary.

The Pope's gift was a reproduction of a beautiful eleventh-century Russian icon representing the “Our Lady of Tenderness”.

This is the fifth time – including the inauguration of Francis' papacy and World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro – that the Argentine president has met with the Holy Father.

Angelus: those who are nourished by the bread of Christ cannot be indifferent to those without daily bread

Vatican City, 7 June 2015 (VIS) – At midday today – the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, or according to the better known Latin expression, Corpus Domini – the Pope appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.

Francis commented on the Gospel reading of this Sunday's liturgy, which narrates the institution of the Eucharist during the Last Supper, when Jesus, pronouncing the words, “Take; this is my body”, assigns to the bread a function “that is not solely that of simple physical nourishment, but rather that of being present in his Person in the midst of the community of believers”.

The Last Supper is “the point of arrival of all of Christ's life. It is not merely the anticipation of His sacrifice that will be fulfilled on the Cross, but also the synthesis of an existence offered for the salvation of all of humanity”. Therefore, “when we eat this bread, we are associated with Jesus' life, we enter into communion with Him, we undertake to achieve communion among ourselves, and to transform our life into a gift, especially to the poorest”.

“Today's Solemnity evokes this fraternal message, and urges us to welcome the invitation to conversion and to service, to love and to forgiveness. It inspires us to convert, with our life, into imitators of what we celebrate in the liturgy. Christ, Who nourishes us in the form of the consecrated bread and wine, is the same Whom we encounter in daily events. … He is in every human being, even the smallest and most defenceless. The Eucharist, the source of love for the life of the Church, is a school of charity and solidarity. Those who are nourished by the Bread of Christ cannot remain indifferent before those without daily bread. Today, we are aware, this is an increasingly serious problem”, Francis concluded.

Francis urges recognition of the rights of childhood

Vatican City, 8 June 2015 (VIS) – After praying the Angelus, the Pope recalled his recent visit to Sarajevo, a symbolic city that was for centuries known for the co-existence of peoples and religions, to the extent that it earned the name “Jerusalem of the West”, but in the recent past has transformed into a symbol of destruction and war. “A good process of reconciliation is now in process, and for this reason above all I went there: to encourage this path of peaceful co-existence between difference populations; a strenuous path, difficult but possible. And they are doing this well. I wish to again thank the authorities and citizens for their warm welcome, … the dear Catholic community, to whom I wished to take the affection of the universal Church, and in particular, all the faithful: Orthodox, Muslim, Jews and those of other religious minorities. I appreciated the commitment to collaboration and solidarity among these people who belong to different religions, inspiring everyone to carry forward the work of the spiritual and moral reconstruction of society. They work together as true brothers”.

The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus will be celebrated next Friday, and the Holy Father therefore invited all to think of Christ's immense love. World Day against Child Labour will be held on the same day. “Many children throughout the world do not have the freedom to play or to go to school, and end up being exploited as cheap labour”, he said. “I hope that the international community will commit itself diligently and constantly to promoting the active recognition of childhood rights”.