Pope Francis met with a group of young people and said that, despite COVID-19 weakening many parishes, parish life is irreplaceable and essential for the faith journey.
The pope was addressing leaders of the young adult section of Italian Catholic Action, a parish-based programme of faith-building and social outreach.
The parish is “the normal environment where we learned to hear the Gospel, to know the Lord Jesus, to serve with gratuitousness, to pray in community, to share projects and initiatives, to feel part of God’s holy people,” Francis explained to the group.
Francis told the thousands of young people in attendance that he knows that in most cities and towns, the parish church is not the centre of religious and social life as it was when he was growing up. But “for our journey of faith and growth, the parish experience was and is important, irreplaceable.”
The pope said, the parish is the place to experience how “in the church we are all brothers and sisters through baptism; that we are all protagonists and responsible; that we have different gifts that are all for the good of the community; that life is vocation, following Jesus; and that faith is a gift to be given, a gift to witness.”
Pope Francis also invited those present to take an interest in social issues. He regrets that interest in changing the world has diminished in today’s younger generations due to individualistic thinking.
The Pope also urged participants not to reduce faith to only religious meetings because faith must also include a personal encounter with God.
“There is no longer the desire to have meetings, debates, assemblies…In one way, it’s a good thing, even for you. Catholic Action doesn’t have to be a Catholic “Session”, and the Church doesn’t move forward with meetings!”
“Fraternity in the church is founded on Christ, on his presence in us and among us,” the pope said. “Thanks to him we welcome each other, bear with each other — Christian love is built on bearing with each other — and forgive each other.”
Sources