The Face of Mercy / Daniel Conway

Pope: Share experiences of prayer, learning and action

As a grandfather, I confess that I was delighted to hear Pope Francis urging young people to listen to their grandparents—and older people in general. The pope himself celebrated his 80th birthday last year and is, perhaps more than ever, conscious of his “senior status.”

According to Pope Francis, older people “have the wisdom of life,” and are eager to share their experiences and insights—if only someone will listen.

Thus, the pope said to the young people he was meeting with—members of an Italian Catholic lay association called Azione Cattolica Italiana (Catholic Action of Italy)—“I would like to give you a task: Speak to your grandparents, ask them questions. They have the memory of history, the experience of living, and this is a great gift for you that will help you in your life journey.”

Of course, listening and sharing are two-way streets. We who are older need to listen to young people and to understand their hopes and aspirations, the pope said. We are not simply to be dispensers of wisdom who tell young people what to do and how to think. No, we are called to be fellow travelers or sojourners on the journey of life who never stop learning along the way.

Azione Cattolica Italiana was established in Italy by St. Pope Pius X in 1905 as a nonpolitical lay organization under the direct control of bishops. The movement had its beginnings in the latter part of the 19th century, when people proactively took measures to counteract the anticlericalism running rampant, especially throughout Europe. Catholic Action of Italy is probably the most active Catholic Action group still around today.

“Young Catholics can be a force for joy and peace,” Pope Francis said during his meeting with members of Catholic Action of Italy.

“Proclaiming to all the love and tenderness of Jesus, you become Apostles of the joy of the Gospel. And joy is contagious,” he said.

Reflecting on the Nativity of Jesus Christ, the Holy Father said: “The birth of Jesus is announced as a great joy, originating from the discovery that God loves us and, through the birth of Jesus, made himself close to us to save us. We are beloved by God. What a wonderful thing!

“When we are a little sad, when it seems that everything is going wrong, when a friend disappoints us—or rather, when we disappoint ourselves—let us think ‘God loves me,’ ‘God never abandons me,’ ” the pope said.

He said that God is always faithful, and never ceases to love us even when we stray.

“This is why in the heart of a Christian there is always joy,” the pope said. “And joy multiplies when shared!”

In his encouragement of Catholic Action, Pope Francis is continuing the work of his predecessors. St. Pope John Paul II entrusted the members of this movement with three “commissions.” He called these “contemplation, communion and mission,” which he saw as variations on the traditional Catholic Action themes of prayer, learning and action.

In 2008, the 140th anniversary of the worldwide Catholic Action movement, Pope Benedict XVI said:

“Is it not perhaps possible, even today to make your lives a testimony of communion with the Lord, one that becomes a real masterpiece of saintliness? Is that not the goal of your association? This will be possible if Catholic Action continues to remain faithful to its own profound roots of faith, nourished by full adhesion to the word of God, by unconditional love for the Church, by judicious participation in civic life, and by a constant commitment to education. Respond generously to this call to sanctity!”

Prayer, learning and action—in whatever forms are most appropriate for young people and their elders—today are what Pope Francis earnestly recommends.

Prayer keeps us connected with the God of mercy, who loves us and who makes all good things possible. Learning keeps our minds and hearts open to the truth, which is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ who is Love incarnate. Action moves us beyond our comfort zones into new, often uncharted territories where we can share the love of Christ with others—especially the poor and the marginalized.

We grandparents and older Catholics have a responsibility to share our experiences with prayer, learning and action with the young Church. When we do, we too can be “a force for joy and peace.”

“May the Lord bless this project!” Pope Francis said.
  

(Daniel Conway is a member of The Criterion’s editorial committee.) †