Famine of hope

During last Sunday’s celebration of Pentecost in St Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis exhorted listeners not to give in to narcissism, victimhood and pessimism.

“When someone thinks this way,” the Pope said, “the one thing that certainly does not return is hope. …We are experiencing a famine of hope and we need to appreciate the gift of life, the gift that each of us is. ...We need the Holy Spirit, the gift of God who heals us of narcissism, victimhood and pessimism.”

He prayed that the Holy Spirit would grant Christians “the courage to go out of ourselves, to love and help each other, in order to become one family”.

Bishops want fundamental change

In a recent statement the Venezuelan bishops said the country was experiencing various serious problems:

“On the one hand, we share with the whole world the serious situation of the COVID-19 pandemic… but, on the other hand, we suffer the ravages of the serious economic, political, and social problems which are becoming more and more intense, generating suffering and uncertainty in the population.

“We will not get out of this crisis by eliminating those who think differently from us. The most urgent thing in view of the immense national, material and institutional catastrophe… is a moral action of great significance, an ethical awakening and a political-social agreement that will lead us towards the great common desire: a fundamental change…”.

Pope’s prayer for June

The Pope’s June prayer intention, disseminated by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer), is “that all those who suffer may find their way in life, allowing themselves to be touched by the heart of Jesus.”

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)

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