Francisco receives presidents and leaders of university pastoral care in an audience that will conclude a two-day conference “Toward a Polyhedral Vision” of Institutions. The Pope’s recommendation: “Appreciate differences, follow carefully and act with courage in the university community, who want big dreams. Young people must dream, aspire and do everything possible to dream in the proportions of Christ.” “The Holy Spirit, the ‘Great Hidden One’ in the Church.”
Andrea Collette – Vatican News
Pope Francis received a group of 200 people in the Consistory Hall at the Vatican this Friday (24) morning. University Pastoral Conference in Catholic Universities. An initiative of the Dicastery for Culture and Education concluded a two-day meeting of clergy and bishops.
The presence of the delegation in the Apostolic Palace “transmits the echo of the voices” of students, teachers and the entire university community, said the Pontiff, which “still embraces many young people who represent the right to study. Privileges such as the poor and refugees are inaccessible”.
Delving deeper into the theme of the conference and the pontiff’s own speech, Francis commented that he appreciated this, “towards a multilateral vision”. A versatile film, used from the beginning of his pontificate, he said that pastoral ministry should follow a polyhedron model, “allowing its song to resonate in different ways in people’s lives, like a melody capable of expressing itself with different timbres” . From this point of view, Francisco suggested developing three approaches when serving companies: Appreciate the differences, Follow carefully This is Act with courage.
Appreciate the differences
“The polyhedron is not an easy geometric figure”, Pope explained, “it sometimes has an irregular quality like reality”: but this complexity is “the basis of its beauty”. With a polyhedral vision, Francisco said, “Practice to catch the eyes and “Appreciate the differences” Quartz is made of crystals, minerals that are the result of a long geological process:
Follow carefully
This “patient, welcoming and creative” style encourages another approach of remembering God, recommended by the Pope, with the university community, especially young people, without being afraid to assume these truths, to carefully evaluate each story:
“The Lord teaches us exactly this art of observation: He who created the world from the darkness of chaos and raised it from the night of death, begins by observing what is there and teaches us to create better beings. The most fragile and imperfect of them. So, every day you face the creative challenges that face you, people, cultures, situations, Affections and thoughts are very different and sometimes problematic, do not be discouraged; be careful in them, not looking for immediate results, but, by joining closely with the young and praying for them, with the firm hope that miracles will flourish, but they do not blossom from unity: they flourish precisely from differences, they their prosperity.”
A closeness was expressed by the gesture made by some conference participants who contributed financially “so that those with less opportunities can also participate in the gathering,” and “with that modesty of Christian almsgiving,” the pontiff commented. In other words, when a Christian donates, it is gentle, without offending and without announcing to everyone: “Keep that greatness of spirit when you donate, but be humble in the way you do it. It is very beautiful”.
Be brave
In this way, the Pope encourages to act boldly, Instilling “the joy of the Gospel in the university environment”. Yes For this “exciting but demanding adventure”: “The worst thing for an educator is not to take risks. When you don’t take risks, there is no productivity: it is a rule”, warns the Pope. It takes courage not to like embellishments, but to get straight to the point:
“This is the courage of the first disciples, this is the virtue of the ‘poor in spirit’ (Mt 5:3), of those who need mercy, who fearlessly plead for grace, and love in their indifference. Big dreams, big dreams: young people to dream and to do everything you can dream. Want, aspire to the proportions of Christ: the height, breadth and depth of his love (cf. Eph 3,17-19). You always develop the bold faith of believers in your life and ministry. And who gives us the courage to go forward? The Holy Spirit, the ‘Greater’ in the Church. But it is He who gives us strength and courage: we must ask the Spirit to give us this courage.
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