Post date: May 19, 2013 1:45:14 PM
Pope Francis leads Pentecost mass and the Regina Caeli prayer, warning theRoman Catholic Church against closing in on itself in a changing world
VATICAN (MAY 19, 2013) (CTV) - Pope Francis warned the Catholic Church to not close in on itself at a mass to mark Pentecost Sunday (May 19) attended by more than 200,000 people, urging the faithful to be open and present in a new and changing world.
"Newness always makes us a bit fearful, because we feel more secure if we have everything under control, if we are the ones who build, programme and plan our lives in accordance with our own ideas," Francis said during the mass in a packed St Peter's Square.He also said the Church should ask itself daily whether it is resisting new challenges or remained "barricaded in ancient structures".
"Do we have the courage to strike out along the new paths which God's newness sets before us or do we resist, barricaded in ancient structures which have lost their capacity for openness to what is new? It is good to ask these questions. It is good for us to ask ourselves these questions throughout the day," he said.
The Pentecostal mass marks the day the Church says the Holy Spirit descended on Christ's apostles, or disciples, and is regarded as the birthday of the Church.
Francis warned of the dangers of the Church becoming closed in on itself, warning against Gnosticism, referring to a second century movement in early Christianity whose adherents believed salvation came through secret knowledge or gnosis and which became regarded as a heresy.
"The Holy Spirit draws us into the mystery of the living God and saves us from the threat of a Church which is Gnostic and self-referential, closed in on herself, he impels us to open the doors and go forth to proclaim and bear witness to the good news of the Gospel," Francis said.
Later he toured the square in an open-top white vehicle, greeting cheering crowds and kissing young children.
Since his election in March as the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, Francis has been urging Church leaders to go out into their communities and help the poor and suffering, rather than focusing on internal politics.
Morale among the faithful has been hit by a widespread child sex abuse scandal involving Catholic priests and in-fighting and careerism in the Church governmentor curia.
The 76-year-old former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires has given clear signs he will bring a new broom to the crisis-hit papacy, favouring humility and simplicity over pomp and grandeur.
He has set up an advisory board of cardinals from around the world to help him reform a Vatican administration which has been held responsible for some of the mishaps and scandals that plagued the eight-year reign of his predecessor Benedict.