The Pope is with each one of you

18 march 2021

On Wednesday, March 17, we received a letter from Pope Francis dated March 12, which we publish here.
We express our deep gratitude to Pope Francis for this gesture of support, we assure our constant intercession for him.

Dear Br Luciano, Prior, and the brothers and sisters of the Monastic Community of Bose

As I have already done orally on 4 March during the audience given to the Pontifical Delegate ad nutum Sanctae Sedis and to the Prior on the eve of my apostolic trip to Iraq, I wish to express from the bottom of my heart my support and my closeness to you at this time of the difficult trial that you are undergoing in order to live faithfully according to your vocation.

I am well aware of how much the great difficulties that resulted in the apostolic visit and the issue of the singular Decree have unfortunately increased because of the prolonged delay that has occurred in executing the decisions of the Holy See that are contained there.
In this context, I feel it useful to repeat what I wrote in the letter sent on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the monastic Community, in which I invited you to “persevere in the original intuition” of a fraternal life in charity and of a testimony to seeking to live the Gospel radically in prayer, in work, and in hospitality. The ecumenical dimension that characterizes you and your active longing for Christian unity are a precious treasure, which the Church wants to preserve, watching that it be authentic and fruitful.

Do not allow yourselves to be disturbed by voices that aim to sow discord among you; the good of an authentic fraternal communion is to be preserved even when it comes at a high price! Similarly, faithfulness in such moments allows you to catch even better the voice of Him who call and who gives the strength to follow him.

The presence at your side of the Pontifical Delegate, Fr Amedeo Cencini, FdCC, and his work in agreement with the Cardinal Secretary of State is likewise a sign of my constant solicitude: do not feel yourselves abandoned in this rough stage of your journey! The Pope is with each one of you. May nothing and no one take away from the certainty of your vocation and its beauty or from trust in the future!

I invoke the Holy Spirit upon you, so that he may give you strength and courage as we continue on our Lenten journey towards the Passover of death and resurrection.

I entrust myself to your prayers and assure you of mine. With my blessing.

Francis