WE HAVE ENTERED A NEW ERA .... A NEW ERA!! I will share from time to time, videos that speaks to my heart as I come across them ..Hope you and I can contemplate their meaning for us today ...
Monday, October 20, 2014
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Seven facts you didn't know about Paul VI
1575
Published on Oct 18, 2014
Published on Oct 18, 2014
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He will be beaitified this Sunday in St. Peter's Square.
Cardinal Montini was worried during the conclave, knowing full well what was waiting for for him. During his 15 years as Pope, he fearlessly confronted the challenges of his time through 7 surprising gestures. ---
ROME REPORTS, www.romereports.com, is an independent international TV News Agency based in Rome covering the activity of the Pope, the life of the Vatican and current social, cultural and religious debates. Reporting on the Catholic Church requires proximity to the source, in-depth knowledge of the Institution, and a high standard of creativity and technical excellence.
As few broadcasters have a permanent correspondent in Rome, ROME REPORTS is geared to inform the public and meet the needs of television broadcasting companies around the world through daily news packages, weekly newsprograms and documentaries.
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He will be beaitified this Sunday in St. Peter's Square.
Cardinal Montini was worried during the conclave, knowing full well what was waiting for for him. During his 15 years as Pope, he fearlessly confronted the challenges of his time through 7 surprising gestures. ---
ROME REPORTS, www.romereports.com, is an independent international TV News Agency based in Rome covering the activity of the Pope, the life of the Vatican and current social, cultural and religious debates. Reporting on the Catholic Church requires proximity to the source, in-depth knowledge of the Institution, and a high standard of creativity and technical excellence.
As few broadcasters have a permanent correspondent in Rome, ROME REPORTS is geared to inform the public and meet the needs of television broadcasting companies around the world through daily news packages, weekly newsprograms and documentaries.
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FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/RomeReportsENG
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Monday, October 13, 2014
Pope at Santa Marta: Holy law is not an end in itself
Holy law is not an end in itself 1550
2014-10-13 Vatican Radio
(Vatican
Radio) Be open to God's surprises, not closed to the signs of the
times and remember holy law is not an end in itself. This was Pope
Francis’ message this morning at Mass at Casa Santa Marta. Commenting on
the words of Jesus to the Doctors of the Law, the Pope urged the
faithful not to cling to their own ideas, but to walk with the Lord,
always finding new things.Jesus speaks of the Doctors of the Law who demand a sign and describes them as an "evil generation". Basing himself on this Gospel passage Pope Francis spoke about the "God of surprises”. He said these doctors repeatedly ask Jesus for a sign, and He replies that they are not able to "see the signs of the times":
"Why were these Doctors of the Law unable to understand the signs of the times? Why did they demand an extraordinary sign (which Jesus later gave to them), why they did not understand? First of all, because they were closed. They were closed within their system, they had perfectly systemized the law, it was a masterpiece. Every Jews knew what they could do and what they could not do, how far they could go. It was all systemized. And they were safe there".
They believed that Jesus did “strange things”: "He went about with sinners, ate with tax collectors." The Pope noted that they "did not like” Jesus, he “was dangerous; doctrine was in danger, the doctrine of the law”, which the theologians had formulated over the centuries. Pope Francis said that while they had "done this out of love, to be faithful to God", they had become “closed", they had "simply forgotten history. They had forgotten that God is the God of the Law, but He is also the God of surprises". On the other hand, said Francis, "God has often reserved surprises for His people" like when He saved them "from slavery in Egypt":
"They did not understand that God is the God of surprises, that God is always new; He never denies himself, never says that what He said was wrong, never, but He always surprises us. They did not understand this and they closed themselves within that system that was created with the best of intentions and asked Jesus: 'But, give us a sign'. And they did not understand the many signs that Jesus did give them and which indicated that the time was ripe. Closure! Second, they had forgotten that they were a people on a journey. On a path! And when we set out on a journey, when we are on our path, we always encounter new things, things we did not know".
And, he added, "a path is not absolute in itself," it is a path towards "the ultimate manifestation of the Lord. Life is a journey toward the fullness of Jesus Christ, when He will come again". This generation "seeks a sign", but the Lord says, " but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah", that is "the sign of the Resurrection, the glory, of that eschatology towards “which we are journeying".
Pope Francis repeated, these doctors "were closed in on themselves, not open to the God of Surprises, they did not know the path nor this eschatology". So, when before the Sanhedrin Jesus claims to be the Son of God, "they tore their clothes", they were shocked saying that He had blasphemed. "The sign that Jesus gives to them - he said - was a blasphemy". And for this reason "Jesus says: an evil generation”.
Pope Francis added, "they failed to understand that the law they guarded and loved" was a pedagogy towards Jesus Christ. "If the law does not lead to Jesus Christ - he said – if it does not bring us closer to Jesus Christ, it is dead. And Jesus rebuked them for this closure, for not being able to read the signs of the times, for not being open to the God of surprises”.
"And this should make us think: am I attached to my things, my ideas, [are they] closed? Or am I open to God's surprises? Am I at a standstill or am I on a journey? Do I believe in Jesus Christ - in Jesus, in what he did: He died, rose again and the story ended there - Do I think that the journey continues towards maturity, toward the manifestation of the glory of the Lord? Am I able to understand the signs of the times and be faithful to the voice of the Lord that is manifested in them? We should ask ourselves these questions today and ask the Lord for a heart that loves the law - because the law belongs to God – but which also loves God’s surprises and the ability to understand that this holy law is not an end in itself".
Pope Francis concluded, this "journey” is a pedagogy "that leads us to Jesus Christ, the final encounter, where there will be this great sign of the Son of man.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Canadian bishops share results of Extraordinary Synod consultation
Canadian bishops share results of Extraordinary Synod consultation
http://bcc.rcav.org/canadian/4244-canadian-bishops-share-results-of-extraordinary-synod-consultation
1530
The faithful know Bible teachings, but not Vatican documents, one bishop saysBy Deborah Gyapong
Italian Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, general secretary of the Synod of Bishops, leaves a meeting of cardinals in the synod hall at the Vatican in this Feb. 20 file photo. Cardinal Baldisseri will help oversee the proceedings during the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 5-19. CNS photo / Paul Haring.
BEAUPRE, Que. (CCN)
Canada's bishops meeting in plenary here Sept. 15-19 heard differing perspectives from four dioceses on the working document, or Instrumentum Laboris, for the upcoming Synod on the Family.
Representing a rural francophone diocese, Moncton Bishop Valery Vienneau said when he was asked how the synod's Instrumentum Laboris would be read in his diocese, he thought, "it would be quite easy to do because the document will not be read by the people in my diocese, or even by most of the clergy in my diocese."
However even among those who didn't read the document, the upcoming synod has aroused a level of interest, he said.
Most people in his diocese would like to find in the document and the synod "an openness, a change of attitude, and a genuine note of hope," he said. "Those aspirations are inspired and supported by the way of doing things by our new Pope Francis."
"People expect changes in way things are presented and will be disappointed if things don't change," he said, noting serious changes are expected, not the status quo.
"The document recognizes clearly the reality of the non-reception of a large number of faithful of Catholic teachings on marriage and the family," Vienneau said. "This is unheard of in an official document of the Church: a recognition of a genuine gap between teachings of the Church and the reception of the faithful."
Though the faithful know Biblical teachings, they do not know Vatican documents or about natural law, he said.
Among the pending questions for his people: the role of the "genders," the possibility of same-sex marriage, the fact of people living together outside marriage, he said. "People have many opinions, but they are not too concerned about our positions."
"The faithful are more and more allergic to a Church that would intrude in their private lives or exclude those living in irregular situations," he said, noting the gap between the teachings of the Church and the experience in the lives of the faithful exists even among the more committed.
The document talks about "accompanying people who feel excluded, or marginalized in the church," and echoes the call of Pope Francis, in Evangelii Gaudium that calls for the Church to be "the open home of the Father, where there is a place for everyone in his or her difficult life."
"We don't want to simply condemn the culture and present what we already have been presenting," he said. "We have to find new way to present our teaching."
Keewatin-Le Pas Archbishop Murray Chatlain, representing a diocese with a large Aboriginal population said he could not speak concerning all Aboriginal people, but about the Dene and Cree of the western prairies and the north.
"For Aboriginal people, family is everything," he said. "It's not just one piece of you; it's everything about you, way beyond the nuclear family."
Everything is about relationships, including the way people name each other in terms of their relationship to each other, even if it is not exactly biological, he said.
Archbishop Chatlain acknowledged there has been a breakdown in Aboriginal culture and family units, noting it is not uncommon to meet 27-year old grandmothers. Fewer and fewer are coming to ask for marriage and most resist formal marriage preparation, he said.
Most couples live together and if they do marry, there can be a negative perception that "Now I own you," afterwards, he said.
In some, not all, of our Aboriginal communities, "addictions are calling on the shots on just about everything, wreaking havoc with other social structures," destroying families, causing violence, poverty, lack of attention to good parenting and other problems, he said.
Aboriginal men are struggling in their roles as men. Many lack literacy, or are unable to read well, and "more and more young men are at home babysitting while their common-law woman is making the money," he said.
Aboriginal communities are also affected by the "dramatically lopsided" ratio of 20 teenagers to every elder, he said. This strengthens the role of grandparents, who provide a sense of "stability and continuity." The elderly are not sent off to old folks' homes in a hurry, he said, but a grandchild might be sent to live with them. Adoption is common. A childless couple might be given a child to raise by their brother or sister, he said.
Catholic teachings can offer a sense of the man's role and "what it means to be a good father, and husband," he said. The Church can also help young people learn to communicate with each other better.
"Our Catholic understanding of the holiness of marriage us something our people really need to hear," he said. "Another strength is that we continue to pray with and for the Aboriginal families," noting they receive many requests for prayer and this has a powerful effect.
Quebec Auxiliary Bishop Denis Grondin described the document as a "laborious instrument," and noted the words "Resurrection," "Salvation," and "Redemption," never appear.
While "God" is mentioned 51 times, the "Holy Spirit" and "Jesus" eight times each, he said.
Bishop Grondin said in the past there were whole generations that "wanted to follow the Lord," but French families no longer have this simple vision.
Many are experiencing a sense of failure and are not sure they want to continue "risking to love," he said. "How can the French family be reached by the hope faith in Christ offers?"
Though francophones have tried to save their culture through preserving the French language, the culture that forms them is no longer Catholic but postmodern and North American, characterized by consumerism and secularism, he said.
Instead of the French language or Catholicism, social media and texting are more likely to bring people together. Aside from that, each person falls back on his or her own family.
"There's a desire to maintain one's pride in spite of personal failures or the precariousness of the family," he said. "There's a crisis of hope and confidence in the French world, and our high suicide rates remind us of this."
Bishop Grondin pointed to changes in vocabulary even among good Catholics who refer to their "partner" instead of their wife or husband. Though there seems to be a nostalgia for old-fashioned family life, it is no longer linked to a unanimous traditional model, he said.
Natural law is seen as a religious doctrine and "in that respect it is discredited," he said. "Tolerance is absolutized; freedom of the subject has been absolutized."
"Polls overtake reason, what is philosophical is, quickly branded as ideological, and not scientific," he said. There is not only a crisis of faith, but a "crisis of trust," he said.
Hamilton Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Miehm addressed document from the perspective of a largely urban, multi-ethnic diocese.
Immigration has swelled the diocese's Catholic population, most recently from countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, the Indian subcontinent, Africa and Latin America, he said. These immigrants tend to be "more traditional in morality and more family-focused than Canadians of longer pedigree," he said.
At the same time the number of Catholics has nearly doubled, the number of marriages has "dropped by half," he said. "This is a big, big drop."
The message has not got out on the sacredness and sacramentality of marriage, he said.
Hamilton was very committed to the consultation process and received a good response, with 35% of respondents under age 45.
However, the language of the questionnaire was "so dense and so theological, many of our people had trouble answering the questions," he said.
The bishop said the Church has failed to communicate the rich, profound teachings on marriage and family. Even where the teachings are understood, however, there are "different levels of acceptance."
Respondents seem to largely reject or hold a questioning or challenging stance towards the teachings around artificial birth control, divorce and remarriage and on homosexuality, he said
Among younger people there is no knowledge of the expectation they should be married in church, he said.
"You can only prepare people for marriage once they show up at our rectory door," he said. "More and more they are showing up less and less."
The "social tsunami" of gay marriage reveals that "one gay or lesbian friend or family member trumps everything the Church has to say on this issue," he said.
What the Episcopal Conference may perceive as balance is not perceived that way, he said. "They see it as a rigid, narrow-minded focus." There is much work to be done in communicating the Church's focus, but "for a lot of those young people the ship has sailed on this particular issue."
The divorce and remarriage question remains a "challenge we continue to struggle with," in the diocese, "how to balance our Lord's teaching on marriage with sad reality of those whose marriages have failed."
After 15 years working in the marriage tribunal, Bishop Miehm said much work needs to be done to dispel the myths of the annulment process that continue even in the internet age. People think it takes too long for a "decree of nullity," that it costs too much, and the Church does not have the moral authority to make these judgments.
Divorced and remarried Catholics either present themselves for Communion, or drift away to another denomination where they feel more welcome, or leave the Church community altogether, he said.
http://bcc.rcav.org/canadian/4244-canadian-bishops-share-results-of-extraordinary-synod-consultation
1530
The faithful know Bible teachings, but not Vatican documents, one bishop saysBy Deborah Gyapong
Italian Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, general secretary of the Synod of Bishops, leaves a meeting of cardinals in the synod hall at the Vatican in this Feb. 20 file photo. Cardinal Baldisseri will help oversee the proceedings during the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 5-19. CNS photo / Paul Haring.BEAUPRE, Que. (CCN)
Canada's bishops meeting in plenary here Sept. 15-19 heard differing perspectives from four dioceses on the working document, or Instrumentum Laboris, for the upcoming Synod on the Family.
Representing a rural francophone diocese, Moncton Bishop Valery Vienneau said when he was asked how the synod's Instrumentum Laboris would be read in his diocese, he thought, "it would be quite easy to do because the document will not be read by the people in my diocese, or even by most of the clergy in my diocese."
However even among those who didn't read the document, the upcoming synod has aroused a level of interest, he said.
Most people in his diocese would like to find in the document and the synod "an openness, a change of attitude, and a genuine note of hope," he said. "Those aspirations are inspired and supported by the way of doing things by our new Pope Francis."
"People expect changes in way things are presented and will be disappointed if things don't change," he said, noting serious changes are expected, not the status quo.
"The document recognizes clearly the reality of the non-reception of a large number of faithful of Catholic teachings on marriage and the family," Vienneau said. "This is unheard of in an official document of the Church: a recognition of a genuine gap between teachings of the Church and the reception of the faithful."
Though the faithful know Biblical teachings, they do not know Vatican documents or about natural law, he said.
Among the pending questions for his people: the role of the "genders," the possibility of same-sex marriage, the fact of people living together outside marriage, he said. "People have many opinions, but they are not too concerned about our positions."
"The faithful are more and more allergic to a Church that would intrude in their private lives or exclude those living in irregular situations," he said, noting the gap between the teachings of the Church and the experience in the lives of the faithful exists even among the more committed.
The document talks about "accompanying people who feel excluded, or marginalized in the church," and echoes the call of Pope Francis, in Evangelii Gaudium that calls for the Church to be "the open home of the Father, where there is a place for everyone in his or her difficult life."
"We don't want to simply condemn the culture and present what we already have been presenting," he said. "We have to find new way to present our teaching."
Keewatin-Le Pas Archbishop Murray Chatlain, representing a diocese with a large Aboriginal population said he could not speak concerning all Aboriginal people, but about the Dene and Cree of the western prairies and the north.
"For Aboriginal people, family is everything," he said. "It's not just one piece of you; it's everything about you, way beyond the nuclear family."
Everything is about relationships, including the way people name each other in terms of their relationship to each other, even if it is not exactly biological, he said.
Archbishop Chatlain acknowledged there has been a breakdown in Aboriginal culture and family units, noting it is not uncommon to meet 27-year old grandmothers. Fewer and fewer are coming to ask for marriage and most resist formal marriage preparation, he said.
Most couples live together and if they do marry, there can be a negative perception that "Now I own you," afterwards, he said.
In some, not all, of our Aboriginal communities, "addictions are calling on the shots on just about everything, wreaking havoc with other social structures," destroying families, causing violence, poverty, lack of attention to good parenting and other problems, he said.
Aboriginal men are struggling in their roles as men. Many lack literacy, or are unable to read well, and "more and more young men are at home babysitting while their common-law woman is making the money," he said.
Aboriginal communities are also affected by the "dramatically lopsided" ratio of 20 teenagers to every elder, he said. This strengthens the role of grandparents, who provide a sense of "stability and continuity." The elderly are not sent off to old folks' homes in a hurry, he said, but a grandchild might be sent to live with them. Adoption is common. A childless couple might be given a child to raise by their brother or sister, he said.
Catholic teachings can offer a sense of the man's role and "what it means to be a good father, and husband," he said. The Church can also help young people learn to communicate with each other better.
"Our Catholic understanding of the holiness of marriage us something our people really need to hear," he said. "Another strength is that we continue to pray with and for the Aboriginal families," noting they receive many requests for prayer and this has a powerful effect.
Quebec Auxiliary Bishop Denis Grondin described the document as a "laborious instrument," and noted the words "Resurrection," "Salvation," and "Redemption," never appear.
While "God" is mentioned 51 times, the "Holy Spirit" and "Jesus" eight times each, he said.
Bishop Grondin said in the past there were whole generations that "wanted to follow the Lord," but French families no longer have this simple vision.
Many are experiencing a sense of failure and are not sure they want to continue "risking to love," he said. "How can the French family be reached by the hope faith in Christ offers?"
Though francophones have tried to save their culture through preserving the French language, the culture that forms them is no longer Catholic but postmodern and North American, characterized by consumerism and secularism, he said.
Instead of the French language or Catholicism, social media and texting are more likely to bring people together. Aside from that, each person falls back on his or her own family.
"There's a desire to maintain one's pride in spite of personal failures or the precariousness of the family," he said. "There's a crisis of hope and confidence in the French world, and our high suicide rates remind us of this."
Bishop Grondin pointed to changes in vocabulary even among good Catholics who refer to their "partner" instead of their wife or husband. Though there seems to be a nostalgia for old-fashioned family life, it is no longer linked to a unanimous traditional model, he said.
Natural law is seen as a religious doctrine and "in that respect it is discredited," he said. "Tolerance is absolutized; freedom of the subject has been absolutized."
"Polls overtake reason, what is philosophical is, quickly branded as ideological, and not scientific," he said. There is not only a crisis of faith, but a "crisis of trust," he said.
Hamilton Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Miehm addressed document from the perspective of a largely urban, multi-ethnic diocese.
Immigration has swelled the diocese's Catholic population, most recently from countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, the Indian subcontinent, Africa and Latin America, he said. These immigrants tend to be "more traditional in morality and more family-focused than Canadians of longer pedigree," he said.
At the same time the number of Catholics has nearly doubled, the number of marriages has "dropped by half," he said. "This is a big, big drop."
The message has not got out on the sacredness and sacramentality of marriage, he said.
Hamilton was very committed to the consultation process and received a good response, with 35% of respondents under age 45.
However, the language of the questionnaire was "so dense and so theological, many of our people had trouble answering the questions," he said.
The bishop said the Church has failed to communicate the rich, profound teachings on marriage and family. Even where the teachings are understood, however, there are "different levels of acceptance."
Respondents seem to largely reject or hold a questioning or challenging stance towards the teachings around artificial birth control, divorce and remarriage and on homosexuality, he said
Among younger people there is no knowledge of the expectation they should be married in church, he said.
"You can only prepare people for marriage once they show up at our rectory door," he said. "More and more they are showing up less and less."
The "social tsunami" of gay marriage reveals that "one gay or lesbian friend or family member trumps everything the Church has to say on this issue," he said.
What the Episcopal Conference may perceive as balance is not perceived that way, he said. "They see it as a rigid, narrow-minded focus." There is much work to be done in communicating the Church's focus, but "for a lot of those young people the ship has sailed on this particular issue."
The divorce and remarriage question remains a "challenge we continue to struggle with," in the diocese, "how to balance our Lord's teaching on marriage with sad reality of those whose marriages have failed."
After 15 years working in the marriage tribunal, Bishop Miehm said much work needs to be done to dispel the myths of the annulment process that continue even in the internet age. People think it takes too long for a "decree of nullity," that it costs too much, and the Church does not have the moral authority to make these judgments.
Divorced and remarried Catholics either present themselves for Communion, or drift away to another denomination where they feel more welcome, or leave the Church community altogether, he said.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Archbishop Christian Lépine - Witness
see video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ARJwJIyhRw#t=1560
When Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte reached the retirement age of 75, few observers could have predicted his successor as Archbishop of Montreal.
The Pope's choice to lead Canada's second largest diocese was Bishop +
Christian Lépine, announced just six months after his ordination as
bishop. The community quickly embraced its new shepherd, who was born in
Montreal and served as the director of the Archdiocese of Montreal's
Grand Séminaire, among his many pastoral appointments. He is a born
teacher, and loves transmitting the faith with a clear, understandable
language. In this Witness interview, viewers will meet the young, joyful
and articulate new leader of this historic archdiocese.
When Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte reached the retirement age of 75, few observers could have predicted his successor as Archbishop of Montreal.
The Pope's choice to lead Canada's second largest diocese was Bishop +
Christian Lépine, announced just six months after his ordination as
bishop. The community quickly embraced its new shepherd, who was born in
Montreal and served as the director of the Archdiocese of Montreal's
Grand Séminaire, among his many pastoral appointments. He is a born
teacher, and loves transmitting the faith with a clear, understandable
language. In this Witness interview, viewers will meet the young, joyful
and articulate new leader of this historic archdiocese.
‘We have to judge acts’: Vatican’s Cardinal Burke dismantles ‘Who am I to judge?’
1483Cardinal Raymond Burke, head of the Vatican’s highest court – the Apostolic Signatura – has given a lengthy televised interview in which he decisively rectifies the false notions about Pope Francis’ “Who am I to judge” quote that has been used frequently to suggest a change in Church teaching on the matter of homosexuality.
Host Thomas McKenna of Catholic Action Insight questioned Cardinal Burke about instances where people must make judgments in light of Pope Francis’ “Who am I to judge” phrase.
“We have to judge acts, we have to,” Cardinal Burke replied. “All day long we make judgments with regards to certain acts; this is what the natural law is: to choose good and to avoid evil.”
ALL this video is very informative and ...\
Remarks begin at 32:00.
“That kind of judgment is a part, but the acts themselves we have to judge, we couldn’t live a good and moral life otherwise,” he added.
McKenna followed up by noting that it would be wrong to interpret the pope’s phrase to indicate support for homosexual “marriage,” and Burke agreed.
The cardinal then addressed the hot button topic of tolerance and intolerance at the heart of the debate.
“I’m not intolerant of people of same-sex attraction,” he said. “I have great compassion for them and especially in our society today where many young people are led into the same-sex activity where they might not have been in the past because of complete relaxation of morals and a corruption.”
“I have great compassion for them but that compassion means that I want them to know the truth to avoid sinful acts for the sake of their own good for their own salvation and so you try to help the person,” he added. “Now that today isn’t well received by an aggressive homosexual agenda but that doesn’t mean that it’s not the right approach to take.”
For Cardinal Burke the approach is not only theoretical but also practical. He related that after a confirmation Mass a mother approached him angrily accusing him of calling her daughter evil. When he asked to what she was referring she spoke of columns he wrote in the diocesan paper about the traditional definition of marriage. Her daughter, she said, was “married” to another woman.
Cardinal Burke relates his response to the angry mother: “’No’, I said, ‘the acts which your daughter is committing are evil. Your daughter is not evil, but she needs to come to understand the truth about her situation.’”
The head of the Apostolic Signatura said there is much misunderstanding about the matter today “and sadly it leads to a lot of good people not doing what they should do, to help someone who is suffering in this condition.”
Monday, August 25, 2014
Christ calls everyone to holiness
1448
Commentary of the day :
Pope Francis
General Audience of 02/10/2013 (trans. © copyright Libreria Editrice Vaticana)
Christ calls everyone to holiness
In the Creed, after professing: “I believe in one Church”, we add the adjective “holy”; we affirm the sanctity of the Church, and this is a characteristic that has been present from the beginning in the consciousness of early Christians, who were simply called “the holy people” (cf. Acts 9,13, 32, 41; Rom 8,27; 1 Cor 6,1), because they were certain that it is the action of God, the Holy Spirit that sanctifies the Church.
But in what sense is the Church holy if we see that the historical Church, on her long journey through the centuries, has had so many difficulties, problems, dark moments? How can a Church consisting of human beings, of sinners, be holy? Sinful men, sinful women, sinful priests, sinful sisters, sinful bishops, sinful cardinals, a sinful pope? Everyone. How can such a Church be holy?
To respond to this question I would like to be led by a passage from the Letter of St Paul to the Christians of Ephesus. The Apostle, taking as an example family relationships, states that “Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her” (5,25-26). Christ loved the Church, by giving himself on the Cross.
And this means that the Church is holy because she comes from God who is holy, he is faithful to her and does not abandon her to the power of death and of evil (cf. Mt 16,18).
She is holy because Jesus Christ, the Holy One of God (cf. Mk 1,24), is indissolubly united to her (cf. Mt 28,20); She is holy because she is guided by the Holy Spirit who purifies, transforms, renews.
She is not holy by her own merits, but because God makes her holy, it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit and of his gifts. It is not we who make her holy. It is God, the Holy Spirit, who in his love makes the Church holy.
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