Holy Mass for Religious Institutes Founded by Spanish People (6 November 1982)

On 6 November 1982, the Holy Father celebrated Holy Mass in Loyola, for Religious Institutes founded by Spanish people. In his homily, the Pope reflected on the work of Saint Ignatius Loyola, his Spiritual Exercises, as well as other Spanish religious institutes.

Dear brothers in the Episcopate,
dear brothers and sisters.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

1. I feel great joy in being able to come to Loyola, in the heart of this very dear Basque land, to demonstrate the Pope's love to each and every one of the children of this Church of Christ.

First of all, I greet the Pastor of the diocese and the other Bishops present. In my apostolic trip to Spain, the Bishops wanted this significant meeting to take place here with the Superiors General and Major Superiors of the Orders and religious Congregations of Spanish origin.

It was also a way of paying homage to a great son of this earth, of universal projection for his aspirations and achievements: Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The figure who most made this place known throughout the world, who gave it the most glory. A son of the Church who can well be looked at with joy and legitimate pride.

In this meeting-homage to the founder of the major religious order of the Church, the founders of the other religious families born in the Spanish lands are associated, and are represented here by their respective Superiors General. May the Pope's greetings reach all members of the same religious families.

What a broad horizon opens up before us, beyond these beautiful green mountains with their crosses and their Sanctuaries, if we think of the ecclesial panorama they offer us! We cannot make an endless list, but how can we not mention the Family of the sons and daughters of Saint Dominic, the Carmelite family of Saint Teresa of Jesus and Saint John of the Cross, the Barefoot Franciscan family reformed by Saint Peter of Alcántara, the Trinitarian one, the mercedaria, the hospital one, the Piarists' one, the Claretian one?

To these we must add the religious family of the Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament, of Saint Anna, the Company of Saint Teresa, the Servants of the Sacred Heart, the confraternity of the Elders, the Daughters of Jesus, the Servants of Mary, the Daughters of Mary Immaculate and many other Congregations no less deserving. All these represent a good part of the approximately ninety-five thousand members of the Spanish religious world, which are joined by the various Secular Institutes of Spanish origin.

How many sons and daughters of this Christian Basque land, noble and generous, can be counted among them! And how much they have brought to the good of the Church in many fields! I send my affectionate memories to them, and above all to those who work in Latin American countries, united with us through television.

A silent and specially exemplary fruit is the admirable Brother Garate, whom we hope to see soon on the glory of the altars, and whose tomb is here in Loyola, together with that of Dolores Sopeña.

2. In speaking of Saint Ignatius in Loyola, the cradle and place of his conversion, the "spiritual exercises" come spontaneously to mind, a much tested method of effective approach to God, and the Society of Jesus, extended throughout the world, which has reaped and continues to reap so many fruits for the cause of the Gospel.

He knew how to obey when, after being healed from his wounds, the voice of God knocked forcefully on his heart. He was sensitive to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, and therefore understood what solutions were necessary for the evils of his time. He was always obedient to the See of Peter, in whose hands he wanted to leave a suitable instrument for evangelization. To the point that he left this obedience as one of the characteristic traits of the charisma of his Company.

We have just listened to Saint Paul: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. . .; just as I strive to please everyone in everything, without seeking my own benefit but that of many, so that they may reach salvation" ( 1 Cor 11, 1; 10, 33).

We can put these words of the Apostle in the mouth of Saint Ignatius even today, centuries later. In fact, the charism of the Founders must remain in the communities to which they gave rise.

It must constitute the principle of life of each religious family at all times. For this reason the last Council rightly indicated: "The spirit and aims of the Founders, as well as healthy traditions, must be faithfully interpreted and observed, since all this constitutes the heritage of each Institute" (Perfectae Caritatis , 2).

Starting from this fidelity to its own particular vocation within the Church, lived in the spirit of updating in the present moment according to the rules established by the Council itself, each Institute will be able to carry out the various activities most congenial to its members. Thus it will be able to offer the Church its specific richness, harmoniously united in the love of Christ, for a more effective service in today's world.

3. Loyola is a call to faithfulness. Not only for the Society of Jesus but, indirectly, also for the other Institutes. I find myself here with the major Superiors who today govern many religious Orders and Congregations. I would like to urge you to exercise with generous dedication your functions of evangelical service of communion, of spiritual and apostolic animation, of discernment in fidelity and of coordination.

I know that in our times it is not easy to carry out your mission as Superiors. This is why I encourage you not to abdicate your duty and the exercise of authority; to exercise it with a profound sense of responsibility that you have before God and your brothers. Even with all understanding and brotherhood, do not give up practicing patient correction, when necessary, so that the lives of your brothers fulfill the purpose of religious consecration.

These indispensable difficulties of your mission are part of your vocational donation. Christ, whom you once chose as the best part, continues to make the words of the Gospel that we heard before ring in your ears: "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me" ( Lk 9, 23).

These words refer to every Christian and in particular to those who follow the religious vocation. Christ speaks of it in particular when he says: "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it" ( Lk 9, 24).

We cannot forget that the religious vocation comes, in its deepest root, from the evangelical hierarchy of priorities: "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, if he then loses or ruins himself?" ( Lk 9, 25).

Nor can we lose sight of the fact that religious life is also a vocation to a particular witness; and precisely in reference to this testimony we must understand the words of Christ: "Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed" ( Lk 9, 26). Beloved brothers and sisters: Christ wants to bear witness before the Father (cf. Mt 10, 32) in favor of each of you. Try to deserve it by offering "before men" a testimony worthy of your vocation.

4. This testimony of yours must be personal and also as Institutes: capable of offering valid models of life to the community of faithful who observe you.

The latter needs the faithfulness of your Institutes to reflect their own faithfulness in it. She needs your gaze of ecclesial universality to keep herself open, resisting the impoverishing temptation to turn in on herself. She needs your broad brotherhood and capacity for hospitality to learn to be fraternal and welcoming to everyone. She needs your model of love, inside and outside your Institute, to overcome barriers of misunderstanding and hatred. She needs your example and your word of peace to overcome tensions and violence. She needs your model of dedication to the values ​​of the Kingdom of God, to avoid the dangers of practical and theoretical materialism that threaten her.

You can give an effective demonstration of this openness and availability with your inclusion in the communities of the local Churches. Taking great care to ensure that your religious exemption can never be a reason for disregarding diocesan and national pastoral plans.

Don't forget that your contribution in this field can be decisive for the revitalization of dioceses and Christian communities.

It will be if this Christian community of the Basque country, of Spain and beyond, can find in you a response of life. If to Christ's question: "But who do you say that I am?", you can respond as an echo of the Apostles: we are the extension of your presence in the present world, of the Christ of God (cf. Luke 9, 20).

5. This dual aspect of the imitation of Christ and of exemplification in today's world must be the coordinates of your religious institutes. To follow them, they must inculcate well-defined attitudes in their members.

In reality, the religious world lives immersed in societies and environments, whose human and religious values ​​it must appreciate and promote, because man and his dignity are the path of the Church and because the Gospel must penetrate every people and culture. But without confusion of plans or values. Consecrated people - as today's liturgy teaches us - know that their activity is not centered in temporal reality, nor in what is the province of the laity which they must leave to them. They must feel, above all, at the service of God and of his cause: "I will bless the Lord at all times, / his praise will always be in my mouth" ( Ps 33 [34], 2).

The ways of the religious world do not follow the calculations of men, they do not use the cult of power, wealth and pleasure as parameters. They know, however, that their strength is the grace of divine acceptance of their own dedication: "This poor man cries out and the Lord hears him" ( Ps 33 [34], 7).

This same poverty thus becomes openness to the divine, freedom of spirit, availability without limits.
Indicative signs in the ways of the world, religious people indicate the path towards God. For this reason, imploring prayer becomes an imperious necessity: "They cry out (the righteous) and the Lord hears them" ( Ps 33 [34], 18). In a world where the aspiration to transcendence is in danger, there is a need for those who dedicate themselves to praying, those who welcome those who pray, those who give a supplement of spirit to this world, those who make themselves available every day to God.

Above all, the religious world must maintain a constant aspiration for perfection. With renewed daily conversion to strengthen ourselves in this regard. What a capacity for elevation and humanization do the words-authentic program-of the Responsorial Psalm possess: “he stays away from evil and does good, / he seeks peace and pursues it” (Ps 33 [34], 15). It is a program for every Christian; much more for those who make a profession of dedicating themselves to good, to the God of love, peace and harmony.

You, dear Superiors, beloved men and women religious, are all called to live this splendid reality. That's a great lesson to learn in Ignatius of Loyola. For his children, for each Institute, for each religious man and woman.

That of absolute fidelity to God, to an ideal without frontiers, to man without distinction. Without denying, indeed deeply loving one's land and its genuine values, with full respect for those of others.

6. I cannot conclude this homily without addressing a particular word to the children of the Church in the Basque country, to whom I also speak in other meetings with the faithful of Spain.

You are a people rich in Christian, human and cultural values: your thousand-year-old language, your traditions and institutions, the firmness and sober character of your people, the noble and sweet feelings expressed in beautiful songs, the human and Christian dimension of the family , the exemplary dynamism of many missionaries, the profound faith of these people.

I know that you are experiencing difficult times, from a social and religious point of view. I know the effort of your local Churches, of the Bishops, of the priests, of the souls of special consecration and of the laity, to give a Christian orientation to your life with evangelization and catechesis. I heartily encourage you in this effort, and in what you accomplish in favor of the reconciliation of spirits. It is an essential dimension of Christian living, of Christ's first commandment which is love. A love that unites brothers and therefore does not allow barriers or distinctions. Because the Church, as the only People of God (cf. Lumen Gentium , 9) is and must always be a sign and sacrament of reconciliation in Christ. In him “there is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” ( Gal 3:28).

I can't help but think especially of you young people. Many have lived great ideals and created admirable works; in the past and in the present. They are the great majority. I would like to praise you and pay you this homage in the face of possible generalizations or unfair accusations. However, unfortunately, there are also those who allow themselves to be tempted by materialistic and violent ideologies.

I would like to tell them with affection and firmness - and my voice is that of someone who has personally suffered violence - to reflect on their path; not to let their generosity and altruism be exploited. Violence is not a means of construction; it offends God, it offends those who suffer it and those who practice it.

Once again I repeat that Christianity understands and recognizes the noble and just struggle for justice at all levels, but prohibits seeking solutions through the paths of hatred and death (cf. John Paul II, Homilia in urbe Drogheda habita , die 29 September 1979: Teachings of John Paul II , II,2 [1979] 422ff).

Beloved Christians of the Basque country: I wish to assure you that you have a place in my prayers and in my affection; that I make your joys and your sufferings mine. Look ahead, love nothing without God and maintain hope.

I would like the affectionate and friendly echo of my voice to remain in your cities, in your beautiful valleys and mountains, repeating to you: Guztioi nere agurrik beroena! Pakea zuei! Yes, my warmest greetings to all of you! Peace be with you!

May the Virgin Mary, in all the images with which she is venerated in this land, always accompany you. So be it.

© Copyright 1982 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

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