Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today we begin a new cycle of catechesis, dedicated to an urgent and decisive theme for Christian life: the passion for evangelisation, that is, apostolic zeal. It is a vital dimension for the Church: the community of Jesus’ disciples is in fact born apostolic, born missionary, not proselytizing. And from the start we have to distinguish: being missionary, being apostolic, evangelizing, is not the same as proselytizing, they have nothing to do with one another… Read more »

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Before beginning this catechesis, I would like us to join with those here beside us who are paying their respects to Benedict XVI, and to turn my thoughts to him, a great master of catechesis. His acute and gentle thought was not self-referential, but ecclesial, because he always wanted to accompany us in the encounter with Jesus… Read more »

Catechesis. Christmas with St Francis de Sales

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and again, Merry Christmas!

The liturgical season invites us to pause and reflect on the mystery of Christmas. And since today – today – marks the fourth centenary of the death of St Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, we can take a cue from some of his thoughts… Read more »

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning, and welcome!

Let us continue – we are concluding – the catechesis on discernment. Anyone who has been following these catecheses until now might think: what a complicated practice discernment is! In reality, it is life that is complicated and, if we do not learn how to read it, as complicated as it is, we risk wasting our lives, using strategies that end up disheartening us… Read more »

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

We are now entering the final phase of this journey of catechesis on discernment. We started out from the example of Saint Ignatius of Loyola; we then considered the elements of discernment, namely, prayer, self-knowledge, desire and the “book of life”; we focused on desolation and consolation, which form its “matter”; and then we reached the confirmation of the choice made… Read more »

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

In the process of discernment, it is also important to remain attentive to the stage that immediately follows the decision taken, in order to either catch the signs that confirm it or those that disprove it. I have to make a decision, [so] I make the discernment, pro or con, my feelings, I pray… then this process ends and I make the decision and then comes that part where we have to be careful, see… Read more »

Għeżież ħuti, l-għodwa t-tajba!

Inkomplu bir-riflessjoni tagħna fuq id-dixxerniment, u b’mod partikulari fuq l-esperjenza spiritwali msejħa “konsolazzjoni”, li dwarha tkellimna l-Erbgħa li għaddiet, u nistaqsu: kif nagħrfu liema hi l-vera konsolazzjoni? Hija mistoqsija importanti ħafna għal dixxerniment tajjeb, biex ma niġux imqarrqa fit-tiftixa tal-ġid veru tagħna.

Nistgħu nsibu xi kriterji f’silta mill-Eżerċizzi spiritwali ta’ Sant’Injazju ta’ Loyola… Read more »

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

Today, let us resume the catecheses on the theme of discernment. We have seen how important it is to read what stirs within us, so as not to make hasty decisions, spurred by the emotion of the moment, only to regret them when it is too late. That is, to read what happens and then make decisions… Read more »

Catechesis – The Apostolic Journey to the Kingdom of Bahrein

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

It’s a bit cold, isn’t it? But it’s beautiful.

Before beginning to speak about what I have prepared, I would like to draw attention to these two children who have come up here. They did not ask permission. They did not say, “I am afraid”… Read more »