蜜桃交友

By Francesca Merlo

Pope Francis opened his message to Consecrated Virgins by describing their vocations as 鈥渁 sign of hope鈥� which points "to the fidelity of the Father鈥�. Even today, the Pope said, He awakens 鈥渢he desire to be consecrated to the Lord in virginity鈥� in the hearts of some women.

Pope Francis continued by saying that, accompanied by their Bishops, Consecrated Virgins have become 鈥渋ncreasingly conscious of the distinctive nature鈥� of their consecrated life. 鈥淭he gift of your vocation finds expression within the symphonic unity of the Church, which is built up when she can see in you women capable of living the gift of sisterhood鈥�, said the Pope.

鈥淒o not extinguish the prophetic nature of your vocation鈥�, continued Pope Francis. 鈥淵ou have been called by God鈥檚 mercy to make your lives a reflection of the face of the Church, the Bride of Christ鈥�, he added.

The Pope then recalled that the Homily proposed for the Rite of Consecration 鈥渆xhorts you to 鈥楲ove everyone, especially those in need鈥欌��. 鈥淵our virginal consecration helps the Church to love the poor, to discern forms of material and spiritual poverty, to help those who are weak and vulnerable, those suffering from physical and mental illness, the young and the elderly, and all those in danger of being marginalized or discarded鈥�, he explained.

鈥淏别 women of mercy, experts in humanity鈥�, urged the Pope, adding, 鈥渨omen who believe in the 鈥榬evolutionary nature of love and tenderness鈥欌��.

Pope Francis continued, saying the pandemic is teaching us that the time has come to eliminate inequalities. He urged Consecrated Virgins not to close their eyes to what is happening around us, nor to flee from it, but rather to allow themselves to be disturbed by it. 鈥淏别 present and sensitive to pain and suffering鈥�, he said.

The Pope urged Consecrated Virgins to be 鈥渁 sign of the spousal love uniting Christ to the Church, virgin and mother, sister and friend of all鈥�.  

鈥淏y your gentleness weave a web of authentic relationships that can help to make the neighbourhoods of our cities less lonely and anonymous. Be forthright, capable of parrhesia, but avoid the temptation to chatter and gossip. Have the wisdom, the resourcefulness, and the authority of charity, in order to stand up to arrogance and to prevent abuses of power鈥�.

The Pope concluded by blessing each Consecrated Virgin, as well as 鈥渁ll those women preparing to receive this consecration, and all those who will receive it in the future鈥�.

A Consecrated Virgin is a never-married woman who dedicates her perpetual virginity to God and is set aside as a sacred person who belongs to Christ in the Catholic Church. The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life estimates there are more than 5,000 consecrated virgins on all five continents 鈥渋n very diverse geographic areas and cultural contexts.鈥�