Pope concludes Year of Consecrated Life with call to encounter, wonder, gratitude

February 03, 2016

Calling upon consecrated persons to live lives characterized by gratitude, wonder, and an encounter with the Lord and others, Pope Francis concluded the Year of Consecrated Life with Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on February 2.

Since 1997, February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, has also been observed as the World Day of Consecrated Life.

“May the Lord Jesus, through the maternal intercession of Mary … increase in each of us the desire of encounter, the custody of wonder, and the joy of gratitude,” Pope Francis preached during his homily. “Then others will be attracted by His light and will be able to meet the Father’s mercy.”

At the conclusion of Mass, Pope Francis said:

Today the Lord continues to call you with that love with which you were called. Do not forget, do not forget that beauty, that wonder of the first call. And then continue to work. How beautiful it is to continue! There is always something to do. The most important thing is to pray.

 

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Further information:

• Holy Mass with Consecrated Persons - 2016.02.02 (YouTube Vatican)
• Santa Messa celebrata dal Santo Padre Francesco per la Giornata della Vita Consacrata, 02.02.2016 (Holy See Press Office)
• ‘Don’t forget your vocation,’ Pope tells religious (Vatican Radio)
• Pope closes Year of Consecrated Life, calls religious to make courageous choices (Vatican Radio)
• Background: World Day of Consecrated Life (CWN, 2/2/12)