Pope Francis in the Philippines (2 page)

in
society
.
It
is
in
the
family
that
children
are
trained
in
sound
values
,
high
ideals
and
genuine
concern
for
others
.
But
like
all
God
’
s
gifts
,
the
family
can
also
be
disfigured
and
destroyed
.
It
needs
our
support
.
We
know
how
difficult
it
is
for
our
democracies
today
to
preserve
and
defend
such
basic
human
values
as
respect
for
the
inviolable
dignity
of
each
human
person
,
respect
for
the
rights
of
conscience
and
religious
freedom
,
and
respect
for
the
inalienable
right
to
life
,
beginning
with
that
of
the
unborn
and
extending
to
that
of
the
elderly
and
infirm
.
For
this
reason
,
families
and
local
communities
must
be
encouraged
and
assisted
in
their
efforts
to
transmit
to
our
young
the
values
and
the
vision
which
can
help
bring
about
a
culture
of
integrity
–
one
which
honors
goodness
,
truthfulness
,
fidelity
and
solidarity
as
the
firm
foundation
and
the
moral
glue
which
holds
society
together
.
Mr
President
,
distinguished
authorities
,
dear
friends
:
As
I
begin
my
visit
to
this
country
,
I
cannot
fail
to
mention
the
Philippines
’
important
role
in
fostering
understanding
and
cooperation
among
the
countries
of
Asia
.
I
would
also
mention
the
oft
-
neglected
yet
real
contribution
of
Filipinos
of
the
diaspora
to
the
life
and
welfare
of
the
societies
in
which
they
live
.
It
is
precisely
in
the
light
of
the
rich
cultural
and
religious
heritage
of
which
your
country
is
proud
that
I
leave
you
with
a
challenge
and
a
word
of
prayerful
encouragement
.
May
the
deepest
spiritual
values
of
the
Filipino
people
continue
to
find
expression
in
your
efforts
to
provide
your
fellow
citizens
with
an
integral
human
development
.
In
this
way
,
each
person
will
be
able
to
fulfill
his
or
her
potential
,
and
thus
contribute
wisely
and
well
to
the
future
of
this
country
.
I
am
confident
that
the
praiseworthy
efforts
to
promote
dialogue
and
cooperation
between
the
followers
of
the
different
religions
will
prove
fruitful
in
the
pursuit
of
this
noble
goal
.
In
a
particular
way
,
I
express
my
trust
that
the
progress
made
in
bringing
peace
to
the
south
of
the
country
will
result
in
just
solutions
in
accord
with
the
nation
’
s
founding
principles
and
respectful
of
the
inalienable
rights
of
all
,
including
the
indigenous
peoples
and
religious
minorities
.
Upon
all
of
you
,
and
upon
all
the
men
,
women
and
children
of
this
beloved
nation
,
I
cordially
invoke
God
’
s
abundant
blessings
.

“
Do
you
love
me
?…
Tend
my
sheep
” (
John
21:15-17).
Jesus
’
words
to
Peter
in
today
’
s
Gospel
are
the
first
words
I
speak
to
you
,
dear
brother
bishops
and
priests
,
men
and
women
religious
,
and
young
seminarians
.
These
words
remind
us
of
something
essential
.
All
pastoral
ministry
is
born
of
love
.
All
consecrated
life
is
a
sign
of
Christ
’
s
reconciling
love
.
Like
Saint
Therese
,
in
the
variety
of
our
vocations
,
each
of
us
is
called
,
in
some
way
,
to
be
love
in
the
heart
of
the
Church
.
I
greet
all
of
you
with
great
affection
.
And
I
ask
you
to
bring
my
affection
to
all
your
elderly
and
infirm
brothers
and
sisters
,
and
to
all
those
who
cannot
join
us
today
.
As
the
Church
in
the
Philippines
looks
to
the
fifth
centenary
of
its
evangelization
,
we
feel
gratitude
for
the
legacy
left
by
so
many
bishops
,
priests
and
religious
of
past
generations
.
They
labored
not
only
to
preach
the
Gospel
and
build
up
the
Church
in
this
country
,
but
also
to
forge
a
society
inspired
by
the
Gospel
message
of
charity
,
forgiveness
and
solidarity
in
the
service
of
the
common
good
.
Today
you
carry
on
that
work
of
love
.
Like
them
,
you
are
called
to
build
bridges
,
to
pasture
Christ
’
s
flock
,
and
to
prepare
fresh
paths
for
the
Gospel
in
Asia
at
the
dawn
of
a
new
age
.
“
The
love
of
Christ
impels
us
” (2
Cor
5:14).
In
today
’
s
first
reading
Saint
Paul
tells
us
that
the
love
we
are
called
to
proclaim
is
a
reconciling
love
,
flowing
from
the
heart
of
the
crucified
Savior
.
We
are
called
to
be
“
ambassadors
for
Christ
” (2
Cor
5:20).
Ours
is
a
ministry
of
reconciliation
.
We
proclaim
the
Good
News
of
God
’
s
infinite
love
,
mercy
and
compassion
.
We
proclaim
the
joy
of
the
Gospel
.
For
the
Gospel
is
the
promise
of
God
’
s
grace
,
which
alone
can
bring
wholeness
and
healing
to
our
broken
world
.
It
can
inspire
the
building
of
a
truly
just
and
redeemed
social
order
.
To
be
an
ambassador
for
Christ
means
above
all
to
invite
everyone
to
a
renewed
personal
encounter
with
the
Lord
Jesus
(
Evangelii
Gaudium
, 3).
This
invitation
must
be
at
the
core
of
your
commemoration
of
the
evangelization
of
the
Philippines
.
But
the
Gospel
is
also
a
summons
to
conversion
,
to
an
examination
of
our
consciences
,
as
individuals
and
as
a
people
.
As
the
Bishops
of
the
Philippines
have
rightly
taught
,
the
Church
in
the
Philippines
is
called
to
acknowledge
and
combat
the
causes
of
the
deeply
rooted
inequality
and
injustice
which
mar
the
face
of
Filipino
society
,
plainly
contradicting
the
teaching
of
Christ
.
The
Gospel
calls
individual
Christians
to
live
lives
of
honesty
,
integrity
and
concern
for
the
common
good
.
But
it
also
calls
Christian
communities
to
create
“
circles
of
integrity
”,
networks
of
solidarity
which
can
expand
to
embrace
and
transform
society
by
their
prophetic
witness
.
As
ambassadors
for
Christ
,
we
,
bishops
,
priests
and
religious
,
ought
to
be
the
first
to
welcome
his
reconciling
grace
into
our
hearts
.
Saint
Paul
makes
clear
what
this
means
.
It
means
rejecting
worldly
perspectives
and
seeing
all
things
anew
in
the
light
of
Christ
.
It
means
being
the
first
to
examine
our
consciences
,
to
acknowledge
our
failings
and
sins
,
and
to
embrace
the
path
of
constant
conversion
.
How
can
we
proclaim
the
newness
and
liberating
power
of
the
Cross
to
others
,
if
we
ourselves
refuse
to
allow
the
word
of
God
to
shake
our
complacency
,
our
fear
of
change
,
our
petty
compromises
with
the
ways
of
this
world
,
our
“
spiritual
worldliness
” (
cf
.
Evangelii
Gaudium
, 93)?