Pope Francis: praying for evildoers is ‘Christian path to holiness’

February 20, 2017

Pope Francis visited Castelverde di Lunghezza, a suburb a dozen miles from the center of Rome, and made a pastoral visit to the Church of St. María Josefa of the Heart of Jesus, named after the Spanish foundress of the Servants of Jesus of Charity.

The Pope arrived at 3:30 on February 19 and met with various groups, including children, parents of the newly baptized, and the sick and elderly. He also heard four confessions.

During Mass, which began at 5:15, the Pope preached that the “Christian path to holiness” consists in praying for those who do evil.

The Pope asked those in the congregation not to cultivate resentments, but to “forgive from the heart.”

If God “is merciful, holy and perfect, we must be merciful, holy and perfect like him,” the Pope continued. He described prayer as “an antidote against hatred, against wars.”

 

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Further information:

• 2017.02.19 Pastoral Visit to the Parish of Santa Maria Josefa del Cuore di Gesù (YouTube Vatican)
• Visita pastorale alla Parrocchia romana di Santa Maria Josefa del Cuore di Gesù (Castelverde di Lunghezza), 19.02.2017 (Holy See Press Office)
• Pope: No revenge, pray for those who wrong you (Vatican Radio)