Pope to the Movement Teams of Our Lady: be young with wings and roots

Jane Nogara – Vatican News

This Saturday morning (06) Pope Francis received the young women of the Catholic Movement “Equipes de Nossa Senhora” in audience at the Vatican. The Pope began by saying: “You wanted to hear from my lips that Holy Mother Church loves and counts on each one of you. And so it is! The Church loves what Jesus loved.” And he said that he would like to reflect a little on the three words that make up the name of the group: team, Our Lady and young people.

Team

“Do you have the experience of team, group – said the Pontiff -. This is a gift, not a given! To be part of a community, of a family of families that transmits a lived faith is a great gift! No one can say: ‘I save myself alone’. We are all in relationship, to learn to form a team. God wanted to enter into this dynamic of relationships and draws us to himself in community, giving our life a full sense of identity and belonging”.

The Pope recalled that although there are abuses, lies and betrayals, the problem is not to defend oneself from others, but the concern must be to defend the victims. “In this time of the virtual and the consequent solitude in which many of your contemporaries allow themselves to fall, you have chosen to grow as a team. Move forward, build bridges, play as a team!”

Our Lady

The second component is Our Lady. “As we read in the Preamble to the Statutes, – he said – you are young people who ‘are characterized by a strong devotion to Our Lady, with the consequent desire to, by following her example and placing themselves under her maternal protection, understand the privileged place of Mary, in the Mystery of Christ and Salvation’. And so it is!”

“I encourage all of you to live in a daily consecration to the Virgin Mary and she will help you to grow as a team, sharing the gifts received in a spirit of dialogue and mutual acceptance”. Recalling World Youth Day 2023, the Pope said:

“Here, among you, there are several young Portuguese people! Getting up to serve, going out to care for others and for creation: these are typical values ​​of young people. I urge everyone to practice them as they prepare for WYD Lisbon”.

Young people

Then when talking about the third word: the young people Francis stated:

Francis reminded everyone to ask themselves: “how are my wings? Does my gaze turn downwards, do I bend over myself, or do I know how to look up, towards the horizon? Do dreams, projects, great desires abound in my heart, or do lamentations, negative thoughts, judgments and prejudices abound?” And referring to the roots: “how are my roots? Do I think the world starts with me or do I feel part of a great river that has come a long way? If I am fortunate enough to still have grandparents, how do I relate to them? Do I talk to them? Do I know how to hear them? Do I sometimes ask them to tell me something important about their life? Do I value your wisdom?”

Finally, the Holy Father greeted the adults, couples and assistant priests who were present:

“For the young people present you are witnesses, with humility and simplicity. Witnesses of love for Christ and the Church, witnesses of listening and dialogue, witnesses of selfless and generous service, witnesses of prayer”.