VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 198
DATE 10-11-2015

Summary:
- Francis to workers in Prato: fight the cancer of corruption and the
exploitation of labour
- Francis to the National Ecclesial Congress: the traits of Christian humanism
- Episcopal ordination in the Basilica of St. John Lateran: the Kingdom of God
is built with patience
- Clarifications from Fr. Federico Lombardi

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 Francis to workers in Prato: fight the cancer of corruption and the
exploitation of labour
 Vatican City, 10 November 2015 (VIS) - Pope Francis arrived shortly before 8
a.m. at the Lungobisenzio Stadium in the Italian city of Prato, the first brief
stop in his visit to the Tuscany region. From there, he transferred the
cathedral square where he was awaited by thousands of faithful, some of whom
had
spent the night there to be able to greet the Pope. Many of them were workers,
to whom he addressed a discourse on the dignity of work, in which he condemned
exploitation. He also referred to the members of the Chinese community resident
in the city who died last year in a fire in a textile factory where they worked
and lived illegally.
 Francis affirmed that he was passing through the city as part of a larger
pilgrimage: "It is little, but at least the intention is there", and remarked
that he would like to spend longer in this "city of Mary". He began by quoting
the biblical passage on the liberation of Israel, when the Lord asked the Jews
to celebrate the Passover with "girded loins".
 "To 'gird the loins', to wear the cloak belted at the waist, meant being
ready,
preparing oneself to leave, to go out to be on one's way", he said, explaining
that today this means being ready "to share the joy of having met the Lord and
also the toil of walking His path. We are required to go out towards the men
and
women of our time. Going out, certainly, means taking risks, but there is no
faith without risk. A faith that thinks of itself and is closed in on itself is
not faithful to the invitation of the Lord, Who asks His people to take the
initiative and to commit themselves fearlessly. Confronted with the often
vertiginous transformations of recent years, there is the danger of succumbing
to the whirlwind of events, losing the courage to seek out the way. ... But the
Lord, Who wishes to reach those who do not yet love Him, spurs us on. ... He
asks
the Church, His bride, to walk today's rough paths, to accompany those who have
lost their way and to pitch tents of hope, to welcome those who are wounded and
expect nothing more from life".
 "For a disciple of Jesus, no closeness can turn into distance. Rather, there
exist none who are too far away, only neighbours to be reached", affirmed
Francis, thanking the citizens of Prato for their continuing efforts to
integrate all people and to resist the throwaway culture of indifference. "In
times distinguished by uncertainty and fear, your initiatives in favour of the
weakest and families, that you are also committed to adopting, are
praiseworthy.
As you seek the best concrete solutions for inclusion, do not be discouraged by
difficulties. Do not resign yourselves when faced with what appear to be
difficult situations of coexistence; always be encouraged by the wish to
establish genuine "neighbourly pacts".
 Finally, the Holy Father recalled that St. Paul invited Christians to wear a
particular armour, that of God. "We must gird ourselves with truth. Nothing
good
can be based on lies or the lack of transparency. Always seeking and choosing
the truth is not easy; however it is a vital decision, that must profoundly
mark
the existence of each person and of society, so that it may be more just and
more honest. The sacred nature of every human being requires respect, welcome
and dignified work for all. Dignified work! If I may, I would like to remember
the five men and two women, Chinese nationals, who died two years ago as a
result of a fire in the industrial zone of Prato. They lived and slept inside
the same industrial building where they worked: in one area, a small dormitory
had been fashioned in cardboard and plasterboard, with bunk beds to make use of
the height of the structure. It is a tragedy of exploitation and of inhumane
conditions of life. And this is not dignified work! The life of every community
demands that we fight the cancer of corruption all the way; the cancer of the
exploitation of human beings and labour, and the poison of illegality. Among us
and along with others, we must never tire of fighting for truth and justice".

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 Francis to the National Ecclesial Congress: the traits of Christian humanism
 Vatican City, 10 November 2015 (VIS) - Following his brief visit to Prato, the
Pope travelled by helicopter to Florence, where he was received by the cardinal
archbishop Giuseppe Betori, and by the other civil and religious authorities.
He
transferred by car to the Baptistery dedicated to St. John the Baptist in the
square before the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, and paused a moment
before
the painting "The White Crucifixion", currently on display in the "Divine
Beauty" exhibition in Palazzo Strozzi. From there, he proceeded to Santa Maria
del Fiore on foot to meet with the participants in the Fifth National Ecclesial
Congress, dedicated this year to the theme "In Jesus Christ, the new humanism".
In the cathedral, where the 2,500 participants were gathered, he was greeted by
Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI)
and archbishop of Genoa, along with Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia of Turin and
Bishop Nunzio Galantino, secretary of the CEI.
 The Pope gave an address focusing on the theme of the Congress, extensive
extracts of which are published below, in which he spoke about the features of
Christian humanism and the temptations to which the Church is exposed.
 "We can speak about humanism only by starting from the centrality of Jesus,
discovering in Him the features of the authentic face of man. And the
contemplation of the face of the dead and risen Jesus that recomposes our
humanity, fragmented as it may be by the hardships of life, or marked by sin.
We
must not domesticate the power of the face of Christ. The face is the image of
His transcendence. ... I do not wish here to draw an abstract image of the 'new
humanism', a certain idea of man, but to present with simplicity some features
of Christian humanism, which is that of the sentiments, the mind of Jesus
Christ. These are not abstract temporary sensations but rather represent the
warm interior force that makes us able to live and to make decisions":
 "The first sentiment is humility. ... The obsession with preserving one's own
glory and 'dignity', one's own influence, must not form part of our sentiments.
We must seek God's glory, that does not coincide with ours. God's glory that
shines in the humility of the stable in Bethlehem or in the dishonour of
Christ's cross always surprises us".
 "Another sentiment is selflessness. '... The humanity of the Christian is
always
outward-looking. ... Please, let us avoid 'remaining shut up within structures
which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh
judges, within habits that make us feel safe'. Our duty is to make this world a
better place, and to fight. Our faith is revolutionary because of the
inspiration that comes from the Holy Spirit".
 "Another of Jesus Christ's sentiments is beatitude. The Christian is blessed.
...
In the Beatitudes, the Lord shows us the path. By taking it, we human beings
can
arrive at the most authentically human and divine happiness. ... For the great
saints, beatitude is about humiliation and poverty. But also in the most humble
of our people there is much of this beatitude: it is that of he who knows the
richness of solidarity, of sharing also the little he possesses. ... The
beatitudes we read in the Gospel begin with a blessing and end with a promise
of
consolation. They introduce us to a path of possible greatness, that of the
spirit, and when the spirit is ready all the rest comes by itself".
 "Humility, selflessness, beatitude ... they also say something to the Italian
Church that today meets to walk together, setting an example of synodality.
These features tell us that we must not be obsessed with power, even when this
assumes the appearance of a useful or functional power in the social image of
the Church. If the Church does not assume Jesus' mind, she is disorientated and
loses her way. A Church with these three features - humility, selflessness and
beatitude - is a Church that recognises the action of the Lord in the world, in
culture, in the daily life of the people. I have said this more than once, and
I
will repeat it again today to you: 'I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting
and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is
unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security'".

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 * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)