Operate with a sense of belonging and not as “spectators”
«A “service to service”… a collaboration that helps local Churches to announce the Good News, to walk together and to be a living presence of the Lord» in Italy and in the world. This is how Leo XIV defined the work of the employees of the Italian Episcopal Conference, received in audience this morning, Saturday 2 May, together with their families, in the Blessing Hall. Here is his speech.
In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
peace be with you!
Good morning everyone and welcome!
I greet you cordially and thank you for the precious service you carry out at the Italian Episcopal Conference and the bodies connected to it. I greet the President, His Eminence Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the General Secretary, the Directors of the Offices and Services, and each of you.
Yours is a delicate commitment, the importance of which is underlined in the Preamble of the Statute of the CEI: «The Italian Episcopal Conference – we read – (…) is an authentic and authoritative sign of communion of the particular Churches that are in Italy; constitutes a legitimate and qualified representation of the people of God living in the country; promotes the concerted action of the Italian Episcopate, in special harmony with the Successor of Peter, Bishop of Rome and Primate of Italy” (Statute of the Italian Episcopal ConferencePreamble, 3).
Thank you, therefore, for what you do, at all levels, from the best known to the most hidden and everyday ones. And here I would like to recall how important it is, for every institution, to be faithful to one’s own task, to the most ordinary commitments: a practice followed with attention, a well-prepared meeting, the patience of a moment of prolonged listening, the dedication in responding to a request, the order and care of the environments themselves. They are simple things, but useful for the good of all and great before God. In the life of the Church nothing is small if done with faith, with love and with a spirit of communion.
In light of all this, I would like to pause to reflect with you on some aspects of your commitment that I consider important.
First of all, its nature service. The various offices in which you operate are not structures in themselves, but instruments with which you help the Bishops and Churches in Italy, so that the threads of communion are firmly established and the fabric of the ecclesial fabric is compact, rich in the Gospel and fruitful with gestures of proximity. It is a task of great responsibility: yours, in fact, is a “service to service”, a work that supports other work, a commitment that makes the contribution of many possible, a collaboration that helps local Churches to announce the Good News, to walk together and to be a living presence of the Lord, in this country and in the world. What you do – even the most technical, administrative or organizational activities – is part of the mission of the entire great family of God. In the Church, in fact, serving is not simply carrying out a function, but actively participating, as members, in the life of a body whose head is the Lord. The center, therefore, is never us, our offices, our programs, but it is Him, and every activity finds meaning when it helps, even in a humble and hidden way, to meet and unite with Him.
This brings us to the second point of our reflection, which concerns themembership. The Bride of Christ, in fact, cannot be served as spectators, but only with the love of those who know they belong to her, in a bond of faith and communion which is first of all a gift of grace, a gift of God. I therefore invite you to live your daily occupations inserted in a mystery, in a history and in a project that precedes and surpasses you (see FrancisExhortation. ap. Evangelii gaudium111). The places in which you carry out your daily tasks are the first space in which you are called to let the Gospel take shape, promoting unity and peace, with patience and humility, in mutual care and custody. And this awareness must shape your way of perceiving yourself, of speaking, of listening, of correcting, of supporting, permeating work environments and determining true evangelical lifestyles.
However, I would like to add a final reflection, because service and belonging are inseparable from a third fundamental dimension of the life of the people of God: mission. The Church exists to proclaim Christ, building bridges, establishing bonds, offering welcome and help to anyone who needs support, listening, love, and you participate in this mandate.
We live in an era of profound changes, in the family, in school, in work, in communication, in social participation, in the transmission of faith, even in Italy. In this context, the Lord asks us not to close ourselves in and not to be afraid, but rather to spend ourselves generously so that the Gospel can reach and enlighten every woman and every man today too, with their efforts, questions and hopes (see Second Vatican CouncilPast. Const. Gaudium et spes1), so that all “may be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tm 2, 4).
Dear brothers and sisters, thank you for what you do! May the Lord bless you and your work, your families, the people who are dear to you, especially children, the elderly, the sick and those who are going through moments of fatigue. We entrust the Italian Episcopal Conference, the Churches in Italy and the journey of all the people of God to the Virgin Mary, to Saint Francis of Assisi and to Saint Catherine of Siena. Thank you!
