Pope Francis to issue apostolic exhortation on holiness, “Gaudete et exsultate”
Subtitled “on the call to holiness in the contemporary world”, the exhortation will be presented April 9 by Archbishop Angelo De Donatis, vicar general of the Diocese of Rome and archpriest of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran.
Pope Francis gestures during his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican April 4. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
Vatican City, Apr 5, 2018 / 10:07 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis will next week publish an apostolic exhortation on holiness titled Gaudete et exsultate, or “Rejoice and be glad”, the Vatican announced Thursday.
Subtitled “on the call to holiness in the contemporary world”, the exhortation will be presented April 9 by Archbishop Angelo De Donatis, vicar general of the Diocese of Rome and archpriest of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran.
Italian journalist Gianni Valente and Paola Bignardi, former president of Catholic Action Italy, will also speak at the presentation.
Gaudete et exsultate will be the third apostolic exhortation issued by Pope Francis. In 2016 he issued Amoris laetitia, on love in the family, and in 2013 Evangelii gaudium, on the proclamation of the Gospel in today’s world.
An apostolic exhortation is one form of the ordinary teaching authority of the Pope. Through an exhortation, the Pope conveys a message to faithful about a particular area relevant to living out the Catholic faith.
An apostolic exhortation is often written as a follow-up document to a Synod of Bishops, as was the case for Amoris laetitia.
Gaudete et exsultate follows just a little more than a month behind the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s March 1 letter to bishops on certain aspects of Christian salvation, Placuit Deo, which refers to the errors of Pelagianism and Gnosticism in helping to explain the threat of the errors Pope Francis has called “new Pelagianism” and “new Gnosticism.”
According to Placuit Deo, the new Pelagianism is an “individualism centered on the autonomous subject [which] tends to see the human person as a being whose sole fulfilment depends only on his or her own strength.”
The document cites a 2013 address of Pope Francis to explain that the new Gnosticism “presumes to liberate the human person from the body and from the material universe, in which traces of the provident hand of the Creator are no longer found, but only a reality deprived of meaning, foreign to the fundamental identity of the person, and easily manipulated by the interests of man.”
In his latest exhortation, Pope Francis will likely expound on these modern errors giving guidance on how to avoid them and how to achieve holiness in the modern age.
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Pope Francis meets with the United States bishops at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, D.C., Sept. 23, 2015. / L’Osservatore Romano.
Rome Newsroom, Nov 28, 2022 / 08:01 am (CNA).
Pope Francis has emphasized the difference between bishops’ conferences and bishops in a new interview with America Magazine.
“The bishops’ conference is there to bring together the bishops, to work together, to discuss issues, to make pastoral plans. But each bishop is a pastor,” the pope said in a lengthy interview conducted at his Vatican home on Nov. 22 and published Nov. 28.
“Let us not dissolve the power of the bishop by reducing it to the power of the bishops’ conference.”
The conversation with the Jesuit publication covered a wide range of topics, including the role of bishops, racism, polarization, sexual abuse, the Vatican-China deal, and whether he has any regrets from his time as pope.
In the interview, Pope Francis was told about a 2021 America Magazine survey that found that Catholics in the United States consider the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to be the least trustworthy out of the groups listed — 20% of U.S. Catholics surveyed found the USCCB to be “very trustworthy.”
Francis was asked: “How can the U.S. Catholic bishops regain the trust of American Catholics?”
“The question is good because it speaks about the bishops,” he responded. “But I think it is misleading to speak of the relationship between Catholics and the bishops’ conference. The bishops’ conference is not the pastor; the pastor is the bishop. So one runs the risk of diminishing the authority of the bishop when you look only to the bishops’ conference.”
“Jesus did not create bishops’ conferences,” he added. “Jesus created bishops, and each bishop is pastor of his people.”
The U.S. bishops met in Baltimore for their annual fall general assembly on Nov. 14-17. Katie Yoder
Pope Francis said the emphasis should be on whether a bishop has a good relationship with his people, not on administration.
He gave the example of Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas: “I do not know if he is conservative, or if he is progressive, if he is of the right or of the left, but he is a good pastor.”
In the U.S., the pope said, there are ‘some good bishops who are more on the right, some good bishops who are more on the left, but they are more bishops than ideologues; they are more pastors than ideologues. That is the key.”
“The grace of Jesus Christ is in the relationship between the bishop and his people, his diocese,” he said.
A bishops’ conference, instead, is an organization meant to “assist and unite.”
Pope Francis was also asked whether the USCCB should prioritize the fight against abortion over other issues.
To which he said: “this is a problem the bishops’ conference has to resolve within itself.”
The pope pointed out that the activity of a bishops’ conference is on the organizational level, and in history, conferences have at times gotten things wrong.
“In other words, let this be clear: A bishops’ conference has, ordinarily, to give its opinion on faith and traditions, but above all on diocesan administration and so on,” he said, again emphasizing the sacramental nature of the pastoral relationship of a bishop to his diocese and its people.
“And this cannot be delegated to the bishops’ conference,” he added. “The conference helps to organize meetings, and these are very important; but for a bishop, [being] pastor is most important.”
In the interview, Pope Francis also denounced polarization as “not Catholic,” and said the Catholic way of dealing with sin is “not puritanical” but puts saints and sinners together.
He also said in the U.S., where there is a Catholicism particular to that country, something he called “normal,” “you also have some ideological Catholic groups.”
Pope Francis arrives at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Sept. 23, 2015. CNA
On the topic of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis was asked about the apparent lack of transparency when it comes to accusations against bishops, compared with the handling of accusations against priests.
The pope called for “equal transparency” going forward, adding that “if there is less transparency, it is a mistake.”
To a question about Black Catholics, Francis said he is “aware of their suffering, that he loves them very much, and that they should resist and not walk away” from the Catholic Church.
“Racism is an intolerable sin against God,” he added. “The Church, the pastors and laypeople must continue fighting to eradicate it and for a more just world.”
Asked if he has any regrets, or if he would change anything he has done in nearly 10 years as pope, Francis said in English, as he laughed, that he would change “all! All!”
“However, I did what the Holy Spirit was telling me I had to do. And when I did not do it, I made a mistake,” he added.
On his seeming constant joyfulness, the pope said he is not “always like that,” except when he is with people.
“I would not say that I am happy because I am healthy, or because I eat well, or because I sleep well, or because I pray a great deal,” he explained. “I am happy because I feel happy, God makes me happy. I don’t have anything to blame on the Lord, not even when bad things happen to me. Nothing.”
He said the Lord has guided him through both good and difficult moments, “but there is always the assurance that one does not walk alone.”
“One has one’s faults,” he said, “also one’s sins; I go to confession every 15 days — I do not know, that is just how I am.”
Pope Francis meets with Argentine pilgrims on Feb. 9, 2024, ahead of the historic canonization of the county’s first female saint on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media
CNA Staff, Mar 8, 2024 / 05:00 am (CNA).
On the day before Inter… […]
Would rather wait for another pontiff to write an apostolic exhortation on holiness. In fact, the People of God could use one on holiness and wisdom. Pope Francis lack sufficient credibility since he is too judgmental toward traditional Catholics, indicating some lack of humility, and unwisely gives aid and comfort to enemies of the Church all too frequently. Developing a reputation for sowing confusion and not cleaning up after your own messes will make it hard for many of the faithful to not tune him out or otherwise willingly cite his words even if the content of the proposed apostolic exhortation proves laudable.
Is this document the result of a groundswell of demand by the faithful… because the words of Christ just don’t cut it?
One weakness of the post Vatican II media watching the Church now… period… is this idea that Popes should constantly write, travel or talk…or all three with Francis…because the media wants travel or books or great sayings.
And the recent Popes like the travel/author part….because it’s easier than cleaning house…admin work…you know…ruling. There is a thing called global administrative work…checking what can be done about pro abortion speakers at Catholic colleges…why are there night coed visitation rights at Catholic colleges while some Catholic colleges have sizable hookup rate percentages per the Newman Society website….are there lgbt clubs on campuses that affirm gay sex while the Holy Spirit condemns such in Romans 1:26-27. Popes should be cleaning house worldwide…not just Francis. St. John Paul II was writing TOB for months while sexual abuse was simultaneously taking place against children in some cases. Irony at its maximum. Benedict wrote too much on the saints. We have Catholic authors trying to make a living for their families to do that. When will we again have Popes who don’t turn the office into a writer in residence stint. There should be nothing untoward at any Catholic colleges if Popes we’re doing their essential job of ruling the worldwide Church a sufficient percent of each day. Frankly Benedict quit when the admin jobs had grown up to his ears while he was writing.
Given everything we have seen, read, and observed over the past five years, a reasonable forecast is that it will equate holiness with secular left-wing political shibboleths, including open borders, gun control, climate-change activism, the abolition of the death penalty and lifetime imprisonment, the socialism of central planners, the “positive aspects” of homosexuality and pan-sexual gender ideology, and the smashing of rigid, traditional “idols of truth”. Let us not forget that this pope is explicitly on record as declaring that Communists. In other words, we should prepare ourselves for yet another anti-magisterial “apostolic exhortation”.
Gaudete et Exultate in which he will likely decree that the new theological virtues are tolerance, diversity and inclusion. That the new cardinal virtues are accompaniment, flexibility, indifference and not judging.
Be glad and exult because Francis says there is no hell, or there is, but no one goes there, or they do, but not forever… Gay commitment rites and transgender rebaptisms – just as long as you don’t call it marriage…
So, Go therefore into all the world and build bridges, not walls.
I suppose that is why Pope Bergoglio chose the name of a 13th century saint named Francis of Assisi whose life of absolute poverty is so widely followed in the “new times” of today.
The title of this Apostolic Exhortation is beyond ironic in the mouth of a pipe who praises the destruction of the Church’s “idols of truth” and claims that the divine commandments of Jesus on the indissolubility of marriage and exceptionless negative moral norms are merely “ideals” that are impossible as a practical matter:
“11 beati estis cum maledixerint vobis et persecuti vos fuerint et dixerint omne malum adversum vos mentientes propter me 12 gaudete et exultate quoniam merces vestra copiosa est in caelis sic enim persecuti sunt prophetas qui fuerunt ante vos. (Mt. 5:11-12)
What’s the under/over on whether Francis’ main themes of holiness will be dialogue, accompanying, openness, love for migrants, climate change, etc., blah, blah, blah. The Church is being destroyed from within and Francis is leading the charge.
I can hardly wait! 🙂
Sounds like the pope has been reading the Opus Dei 101 documents. He’s run out of ramblings and he’s channeling modern saints now.
Who wrote it?
What has Tucho been up to?
Would rather wait for another pontiff to write an apostolic exhortation on holiness. In fact, the People of God could use one on holiness and wisdom. Pope Francis lack sufficient credibility since he is too judgmental toward traditional Catholics, indicating some lack of humility, and unwisely gives aid and comfort to enemies of the Church all too frequently. Developing a reputation for sowing confusion and not cleaning up after your own messes will make it hard for many of the faithful to not tune him out or otherwise willingly cite his words even if the content of the proposed apostolic exhortation proves laudable.
Is this document the result of a groundswell of demand by the faithful… because the words of Christ just don’t cut it?
One weakness of the post Vatican II media watching the Church now… period… is this idea that Popes should constantly write, travel or talk…or all three with Francis…because the media wants travel or books or great sayings.
And the recent Popes like the travel/author part….because it’s easier than cleaning house…admin work…you know…ruling. There is a thing called global administrative work…checking what can be done about pro abortion speakers at Catholic colleges…why are there night coed visitation rights at Catholic colleges while some Catholic colleges have sizable hookup rate percentages per the Newman Society website….are there lgbt clubs on campuses that affirm gay sex while the Holy Spirit condemns such in Romans 1:26-27. Popes should be cleaning house worldwide…not just Francis. St. John Paul II was writing TOB for months while sexual abuse was simultaneously taking place against children in some cases. Irony at its maximum. Benedict wrote too much on the saints. We have Catholic authors trying to make a living for their families to do that. When will we again have Popes who don’t turn the office into a writer in residence stint. There should be nothing untoward at any Catholic colleges if Popes we’re doing their essential job of ruling the worldwide Church a sufficient percent of each day. Frankly Benedict quit when the admin jobs had grown up to his ears while he was writing.
Betting it will be a mixed bag, fine on fundamentals, questionable with respect to contemporary application.
Given everything we have seen, read, and observed over the past five years, a reasonable forecast is that it will equate holiness with secular left-wing political shibboleths, including open borders, gun control, climate-change activism, the abolition of the death penalty and lifetime imprisonment, the socialism of central planners, the “positive aspects” of homosexuality and pan-sexual gender ideology, and the smashing of rigid, traditional “idols of truth”. Let us not forget that this pope is explicitly on record as declaring that Communists. In other words, we should prepare ourselves for yet another anti-magisterial “apostolic exhortation”.
I think you’re right
Let us not forget that this pope is explicitly on record as declaring that Communists are closet Christians.
Gaudete et Exultate in which he will likely decree that the new theological virtues are tolerance, diversity and inclusion. That the new cardinal virtues are accompaniment, flexibility, indifference and not judging.
Be glad and exult because Francis says there is no hell, or there is, but no one goes there, or they do, but not forever… Gay commitment rites and transgender rebaptisms – just as long as you don’t call it marriage…
So, Go therefore into all the world and build bridges, not walls.
Perhaps he would care to “exhort” confrere James Martin “SJ” to cease exhorting sodomy?
Credence spent poorly is not easily regained.
New times call for fresh ways of being holy.
I suppose that is why Pope Bergoglio chose the name of a 13th century saint named Francis of Assisi whose life of absolute poverty is so widely followed in the “new times” of today.
The title of this Apostolic Exhortation is beyond ironic in the mouth of a pipe who praises the destruction of the Church’s “idols of truth” and claims that the divine commandments of Jesus on the indissolubility of marriage and exceptionless negative moral norms are merely “ideals” that are impossible as a practical matter:
“11 beati estis cum maledixerint vobis et persecuti vos fuerint et dixerint omne malum adversum vos mentientes propter me 12 gaudete et exultate quoniam merces vestra copiosa est in caelis sic enim persecuti sunt prophetas qui fuerunt ante vos. (Mt. 5:11-12)
What’s the under/over on whether Francis’ main themes of holiness will be dialogue, accompanying, openness, love for migrants, climate change, etc., blah, blah, blah. The Church is being destroyed from within and Francis is leading the charge.