Let us pray for our parishes, that they not be simple offices, but that animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.

Pope Francis – September 2017

Parishes must be in contact with homes, with people’s lives, with the life of society.
They have to be houses where the door is always open so as to go forth toward others.
And it is important that this going-forth follows a clear proposal of faith.
The doors must be opened so that Jesus can go out with all of the joy of his message.
Let us pray for our parishes, that they not be simple offices, but that animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.

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PRESS RELEASE

Pope Francis and his vision of churches: “Open doors and outward focus”

In the The Pope Video for September from the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, Francis calls for parishes at the service of the mission.

Vatican. Sept. 1, 2017 — From the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis has spoken emphatically about the role of parishes in the life of our communities. Already at the Synod on the Family in 2015, he declared that “a Church with closed doors betrays herself and her mission, and, instead of being a bridge, becomes a roadblock.”

“The Church”, he’s said, “must have her “doors wide open to whoever knocks in search of help and support.” Parishes must be “in contact with the homes and the lives of its people.” In this month’s Pope Video, Francis stresses the valuable role of parishes in going out to the streets, at the service of the faithful and of the needy.
The September intention is “That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.”

According to the Pontifical Yearbook, there are more than 221,000 parishes across the globe, where community life can be experienced and where the faithful can gather for liturgy, to learn the teachings of Christ, and to organize charity and fraternal service.

“This month, we want to clearly express the value parishes have in the mission, especially for the most needy,” said Jesuit Father Frédéric Fornos, international director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and its youth branch, the Eucharistic Youth Movement. “The parish is a place to encounter Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, who invites us to be a part of his mission. The parish can be a fount of missionary dynamism that brings salt and light to the world. The Gospel was born on the pathways of encountering others. We cannot simply wait for people to come to our parishes. This missionary dynamic is essential.”

Parishes, Missionaries, Chartiy, House, Transmission of the Faith, Solidarity, Mission, Service