Francis stressed that the approach to religious life must be through the charism of the founders and the Word of God.

Newsroom (14/11/2022 10:55 AM, Gaudium Press) The Vatican News website reports on the words Francis addressed to the Claretianum Institute of Theology of Consecrated Life on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its foundation. The Pope acknowledged the contribution of Claretian missionaries to religious families through spiritual accompaniment.

After praising the Claretian contribution to the history of the Church, Francis said that consecrated life cannot “be discouraged by the lack of vocations or by aging. Those who let themselves be taken by pessimism put faith aside, because “it is the Lord of history who sustains us and invites us to fidelity and fruitfulness.

The Pontiff invited to deepen the charism of the founders and the conception of religious life through the Word of God: “The more we approach religious life through the Word of God and the history and creativity of the Founders, the more we are able to live the future with hope. Religious life can only be understood by what the Spirit does in each of the people called. There are those who focus too much on the external (the structures, the activities…) and lose sight of the superabundance of grace that exists in persons and communities.””

Francis also invited to care for community life, to live multiculturality as a way of fraternity and mission, and to promote the encounter between generations in consecrated life, in the Church and in society.

Compiled by Angelica Vecchiato