Take up spiritual weapons, Cardinal Parolin tells Swiss Guard, Vatican police

September 09, 2016

On the occasion of the Jubilee of the Pontifical Swiss Guard and the Gendarmerie-- part of the extraordinary jubilee year of mercy-- Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, celebrated Mass on September 8 in St. Peter’s Basilica.

During his homily, the prelate encouraged the members of the Swiss Guard to turn to the “secret arsenal” of spiritual weapons: “the Eucharistic bread and wine, a few words life, a small rosary, and the holy door.”

Such weapons, he said, though “apparently weak,” are able to overcome “any human cunning and every obstacle.”

 

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Further information:

• Jubilee of the Pontifical Swiss Guard and the Gendarmerie 2016.09.08 (YouTube Vatican)
• Arsenale segreto (L’Osservatore Romano, p. 7)