VATICAN - Pope Francis: "Supporting the missionary works of the universal Church is an expression of the encounter with Christ"

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - "Supporting the missionary and charitable works of the universal Church is a concrete expression" of the "authentic and personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ, whom we must proclaim as our hope always, everywhere and to everyone," said Pope Francis, referring to the bull "Spes non confudit" during a meeting with a group of Vietnamese benefactors living in the United States. "Many Catholics who immigrated to the United States from Vietnam are characterized by a strong faith that they brought with them," stressed the Pope. “I am sure that this faith inspires your desire to help Christian communities in countries far from your homeland.” The Pope, hoping that the visit of Vietnamese living in the United States to Rome and to the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul may renew them “in faith” and strengthen them “in charity,” recalled that since the time of the Apostles, “the members of the Body of Christ have supported one another with their means.”
“Your solidarity with the poor and those living on the margins of society,” added the Bishop of Rome, “is in line with the Lord’s command to care for the least among us; and as Saint Paul tells us, it is important that this care be done with a joyful heart, with a smile.” "May the Lord," the Pope concludes, "grant you to always offer your alms with a joyful spirit, and may your sacrifice bear fruit in the lives of your brothers and sisters, who may thus experience the merciful love of Christ." (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 19/12/2024)

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