From August 2-6, 2023, Pope Francis was in Portugal for the World Youth Day (WYD). It was an unforgettable time, filled with inspiring words and enthusiastic crowds. When the pope returned to the Vatican, he left behind an absolutely extraordinary wave of joy, faith and hope. But he also left behind some questions that require further investigation.
Everyone has a place in the Church
One of the issues to be explored is the pope’s insistence that the Church is for everyone, that everyone has a place in it. On the day of his arrival, during Vespers at the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Francis said, “On the boat of the Church, there has to be room for everyone: all the baptized are called on board to lower the nets, becoming personally involved in the preaching of the Gospel. Do not forget this word: everyone, everyone, everyone! Whenever I have to speak about opening apostolic perspectives, I am deeply touched by that Gospel passage in which the wedding feast of the son is ready, but people do not come. So, what does the Lord, the master of the feast, say? ‘Go out to the highways and byways and bring everyone, everyone: the sick, the healthy, young and old, the righteous and sinners. Everyone!’ Do not make the Church a customs station, selecting who can enter or not. All, with their past lives, their sins, as they are, before God, as they are, as in life. All people. Let us not have customs houses in the Church. Everyone!”[1]
The next day, in the welcoming ceremony held in Parque Eduardo VII, the pope insisted on the same idea: “Friends, I want to be clear with you, for you are allergic to falsity and empty words: in the Church, there is room for everyone. Everyone. In the Church, no one is left out or left over. There is room for everyone. Just the way we are. […] ‘Father, but I am a wretch, is there room for me?’ There is room for everyone! All together now, everyone, repeat with me in your own language: Everyone, everyone, everyone. I can’t hear you: again! Everyone. Everyone. Everyone.”[2] This article is reserved for paid subscribers. Please subscribe to continue reading this article
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