蜜桃交友

By Christopher Wells

Greeting members of Manos Unidas (“United Hands”) on the 65th anniversary of the group’s foundation, Pope Francis recognized the “sensitivity and fortitude proper to the feminine genius” that marks their work of promoting progress in developing countries. 

The Holy Father noted that Manos Unidas (the “Catholic Committee for the Campaign against World Hunger”) arose as a response of the women of Catholic Action in Spain to an appeal from the FAO in 1959 to feed the “hunger for bread, culture, and God that a large part of humanity suffers from”.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, ‘Woman’ par excellence

In his reflection on the work of Manos Unidas, and “the sensitivity and fortitude proper to the feminine genius” with which they undertake it, the Pope’s thoughts turned to the Blessed Virgin Mary – because, he said, “the Virgin Mary is ‘Woman’ par excellence”.

Mary, he explained, “is the fully realized model of our humanity, through whom, by God’s grace, we can all contribute to the betterment of the world.” Pope Francis acknowledged that this is aim of Manos Unidos, undertaken with the “characteristic intuition and reality” of the mothers, daughters, and wives that comprise the group.

A Christian vision of the human person

The organization’s specific mission of fighting hunger, underdevelopment, and lack of education, carried out “with the compassion and tenacity that characterize the female spirit”, he continued, “is only possible with a Christian vision of the human being, based on the Gospel and the Social Doctrine of the Church”.

Pope Francis concluded his message by encouraging the members of Manos Unidas to continue their “beautiful mission of voluntary service and assistance, while inviting them to take part in the upcoming Jubilee year as “pilgrims of hope” with their contribution “to the material improvement, moral progress, and spiritual development of the most fragile and needy”.

Building a civilization of love

Finally, the Holy Father added his best wishes during Advent, with the hope that the season of anticipation of God’s promises “might help us all achieve a spiritual renewal in order to contribute to the longed-for building of the civilization of love”.