Pope Francis met with civil authorities in Belgium, stressing that the country’s position at the heart of Europe meant their intention to build bridges. At this time, the Pope condemned the incident of sexual abuse by clergy, saying it was “disgraceful to the Church”.
(Vatican News Network)Pope Francis spent the whole day on September 27 in Belgium, the first meeting with civil authorities at Laeken Castle. He noted that Belgium is a bridge “between continental Europe and the British Isles, between areas where German and French are spoken, between southern Europe and northern Europe .” Although its area is small, this bridge “allows harmony to spread and disputes to recede. “
The Pope said that Europe must look to Belgium to remember its history of different people and cultures, of cathedrals and universities, but also of dark times of war, colonialism and betrayal. “Europe needs Belgium so that it can continue on the path of peace and brotherhood among the different peoples of Europe,” said the pope.
The Holy Father reminded the leaders present that “peace and harmony are never things that can be achieved once and for all,” but that they are “responsibilities and missions that must unrelenting efforts that require unparalleled care and patience. “
The role of the church
The Pope also emphasized the role of the Church in his speech to civil authorities. The Church “helps everyone to face challenges and problems without frivolous enthusiasm or terrible blackness, but with the assurance that the world, loved by God, will not fail. The world is always called to goodness and peace.”
At the same time, the Pope also said that, in advancing its mission, the Church must acknowledge the “vulnerability and shortcomings of its members” as well as the “contradictions of the heart” that have occurred throughout history.
In particular, the Pope pointed out that “the terrible case of child abuse is a tragedy for the Church. “He confirmed that the Church is eager to deal with this issue, “listening and accompanying those who have been hurt and implementing protective measures around the world”.
In addition, the Pope also mentioned the “forced adoption” that was popular in the middle of the 20th century. He pointed out that this approach is usually used with good intentions.
Regarding these and other evils that have occurred throughout history, the Pope prays that “the Church will always find strength in her to work above and not to follow the people, even in the context of cultural treatment of values derived from the Gospel. , from which “When false conclusions are drawn, leading to pain and rejection”, this is no exception.
Learn lessons from history
The Pope hopes that the leaders present will “look at Belgium, review its history” and learn a valuable lesson. He urged political leaders to strive for peace and to know “how to avoid the dangers, humiliations and absurdities of war”.
The Pope finally spoke on the subject of hope, noting that the motto of his visit is “moving forward with hope.” The Pope confirmed that the word “hope” in the motto is capitalized (Esperance), which simply shows that hope is not secondary, but “God’s grace that we carry in our hearts.”
“Therefore, I would like to leave this blessing with you and all those who live in Belgium: that you always ask for this grace of the Holy Spirit and that you receive it, so that you can move together forward with hope on the road of life and history.
Link URL: www.vaticannews.cn
#Pope #meets #Belgian #authorities #Europe #build #bridges #peace #Vatican #News
2024-09-27 12:18:43
