Dear Editor, I had the privilege of attending, along with many tens of thousands of eager pilgrims, Pope Francis’ Audience on September 25 in St Peter’s Square. The focus of Pope Francis catechesis was the unity of the Church. Unity in faith, in hope, in charity, in the sacraments and the ministry, are “like the pillars that support and hold together the single great edifice of the Church. Wherever we go, even in the smallest parish, in the furthest corners of this Earth, there is the One Church; we are at home, we are with our family, we are brothers and sisters. And this is a great gift from God! The Church is One for all. There is not one Church for Europeans, one for Africans, one for Americans, one for Asians, one for those who live in Oceania, but she is the same everywhere. And the Church is just like a family: the members may be far away, spread around the world, but the strong bonds that unite us all hold firm regardless of the distance”. What a beautiful picture the Holy Father paints for us. I was very affected by the genuine feeling behind the words and as we hear so much about economic green shoots I can’t but feel we are observing the spiritual shoots of a reinvigorated Church. The Holy Father brings to all his encounters the very same ingredients he believes are vital for unity “humility, gentleness, magnanimity and love”.
Yours etc.,
Declan Barry,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.