Pope Francis welcomed around 1,500 pilgrims from the Diocese of Alessandria, a province in northern Italy where Pope Pius V was born, and children regarding to receive the sacrament from the Diocese of Spoleto Norcia in central Italy at the Paul VI Chapel on Saturday (17/09/22).
Joey Kariveli, Vatican City
The Pope said that today’s challenge is to engage in truth-seeking in the daily life of the Church and Christian communities.
On Saturday (17/09/22), Pope Francis was addressing around 1,500 people, including pilgrims from the Diocese of Alessandria, a province in northern Italy where Pope Saint Pius V was born, and children preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation from the Diocese of Spoleto Norcia in central Italy.
Referring to the 450th death anniversary of Saint Pius, who died on May 1, 1572, the Pope said that during his ecclesiastical reign of only 6 years, he faced many pastoral and ecclesiastical challenges and that he was a church reformer.
The Pope exhorted that to be seekers of truth comes first in the teachings of Saint Pius V.
The Pope said that this search would not be possible without personal and social discernment starting from the Word of God. The Pope exhorted that when this search for truth is realized with discernment, it enables a society to grow in a profound knowledge of Jesus Christ, and thus the truth becomes the basis of social life. The Pope also highlighted the importance given by Saint Pius V to prayer, Visishiya and Kontanamaskara.
Addressing the children who are preparing to receive the sacrament of anointing, the Pope said that this sacrament is beautiful because it gives them an opportunity to relive the experience of the first disciples of Jesus.
