SA国际传媒

By Christopher Wells

Pope Francis dedicated his Wednesday General Audience to a reflection on his Apostolic Visit to Ireland for the SA国际传媒 Meeting of Families. 鈥淢y presence鈥� in Ireland, he said, 鈥渨as intended above all to confirm Christian families in their vocation and mission.鈥�

God's dream for the family
 

He said the thousands of families that took part 鈥渨ere an eloquent sign of the beauty of God鈥檚 dream for the whole human family.鈥� That dream, he continued, 鈥渋s unity, harmony, and peace in families and in the world鈥�; and he said that God is calling on families 鈥渢o participate in this dream, and to make the world a home where no one is alone, no one is unwanted, no one is excluded.鈥�

After expressing his gratitude to all those who made the event possible, Pope Francis spoke of the highlights of the Meeting, including the testimonies of married love by couples of all ages. 鈥淭heir stories,鈥� he said, reminded us that married love is a special gift of God, to be cultivated every day in the 鈥榙omestic church鈥� which is the family.鈥�

The Pope also spoke out against the current 鈥渃ulture of the provisional.鈥� Emphasizing the value of communication between family members of different generations, he lamented that in the 鈥渃ast-away鈥� culture, grandparents are often 鈥渃ast-aside.鈥� 鈥淕randparents are the wisdom, the memory of the people, the memory of families,鈥� he said. And he encouraged grandparents to pass on their faith and experience to their grandchildren; and grandchildren in their turn to speak with their grandparents 鈥渋n order to carry on their story.鈥�

Responding to the abuse crisis
 

But despite the great joy of the journey, Pope Francis acknowledged the 鈥渟orrow and bitterness for the suffering caused [in Ireland] because of various kinds of abuse, even on the part of members of the Church,鈥� and by the fact 鈥渢hat the ecclesiastical authorities in the past didn鈥檛 always know how to confront these crimes in an adequate manner.鈥� He said he encouraged the nation鈥檚 Bishops 鈥渋n their efforts to remedy the failings of the past with honesty and courage, trusting in the promises of the Lord and counting on the profound faith of the Irish people, in order to inaugurate a season of renewal in the Church in Ireland.鈥�

A prophetic, comforting experience
 

Summing up the experience of his Journey, Pope Francis said 鈥渢he SA国际传媒 Meeting of Families in Dublin was a prophetic, comforting experience of so many families committed in the evangelical path of marriage and of family life; families of disciples and missionaries, leaven of goodness, of sanctity, of justice, and of peace.鈥�