Pope visits Roman parish, distinguishes witness from proselytism

January 16, 2017

On the afternoon of January 15, Pope Francis made a pastoral visit to the Chiesa di Santa Maria a Setteville, a parish built in 1973 on the outskirts of Rome.

The Pope spent 10 minutes visiting Father Giuseppe Berardino, 50, who is confined to bed and no longer able to speak because of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The Pope administered the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

The Pope also heard four confessions and spoke met with various groups of parishioners. In response to question from a young person, he spoke of trials related to faith:

Sometimes, I think of how in some moments, faith dropped so much that I could not find it and I lived as if I had no faith. Then, one finds faith again. The ups and downs of life also shock us at first, and that moves you and makes you lose some faith, but then as time goes by you find it again, see? … There are dark days, days all [plunged in] darkness—even I have walked for days like that in my life as well. Only, be not afraid: pray and be patient, and then the Lord shows up, makes us grow in faith and makes you go forward.

In response to another question, the Pope distinguished proselytism from witness. The former, which he cautioned against, consists in saying to a nonbeliever, “You must believe this, because, because, because,” and “explaining all things.” Instead, he said, Christians should witness with their lives, and when nonbelievers—prompted by the Holy Spirit—ask questions, at that point Christians should offer explanations.

During his homily, the Pope also stressed the importance of witness. Reminding the parishioners that the apostles, too, were sinners, the Pope warned against gossip about others’ failings.

“The apostles were not gossipers: they did not speak ill of others, did not speak badly of each other,” he said. “In this they were good.” He said: “Do you want a perfect parish? Then, no gossip.”

 

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Further information:

• 2017.01.15 Pastoral visit to the Parish of Santa Maria a Setteville (YouTube Vatican)
• Visita pastorale alla Parrocchia romana di Santa Maria a Setteville, 15.01.2017 (Holy See Press Office)
• Pope Francis: visit to Santa Maria a Setteville parish (Vatican Radio)
• The Pope meets with members of the parish of Santa Maria a Setteville (Vatican press office)
• The Pope’s homily: being Christian means, above all, being a witness to Jesus (Vatican press office)