Pope Francis praises the vow of poverty in religious life as a bond that builds communion, as he greets the Canoness Sisters of the Holy Spirit in Saxony.
By Devin Watkins
Pope Francis met Thursday with the Canoness Sisters of the Holy Spirit in Saxony, which were founded in Rome by Blessed Guy de Montpellier.
The audience comes after the Pope extended the title “Blessed” to the 12th century French religious on May 18, 2024, calling him a “humble and modest servant” of the poor.
Speaking to the Canoness Sisters on Thursday, the Pope recalled their mission to “devote themselves primarily to the care and service of the poor.”
Blessed Guy de Montpellier, he said, began his Rule for the community in the name of the Holy Trinity and sought to respond to the reform of religious life called for by Pope Innocent III.
“It is fascinating to see how God’s plan matures in the ‘kitchen’ of the heart,” said the Pope, “and how the flavors and colors gradually permeate the rules of life, eventually spreading their fragrance throughout the Church.”
Evangelical poverty that creates communion
Pope Francis highlighted the importance of communion, poverty, and service, as well as the connection between them.
The Canoness Sisters make a vow of poverty that requires them to live without anything of their own.
This vow, noted the Pope, goes beyond the modern understanding of a rigorously sober and detached life.
“It means recognizing that we are guests in the house of the Trinity, which welcomes us and shares its dwelling with the poor we are called to serve.”
The vow of poverty connects closely with communion, he said, adding that it involves a “total gift of ourselves to God through our brothers and sisters, without reservation.”
“Without holding back anything ‘of our own’ in the hidden chambers of worldly securities—whether tucked away in our cells, pockets, or, worse, in our hearts,” said the Pope. “Only in this freedom can we embark on a shared project that becomes an eschatological sign of the journey toward the eternal dwelling places to which God calls us.”
Servants who welcome the poor in charity
In conclusion, Pope Francis invited the Canoness Sisters of the Holy Spirit in Saxony to work to make their hearts and communities living temples of the Trinity.
Religious life, he said, “is a journey toward God, moved by the Holy Spirit, in which we become followers of Christ the Redeemer—who ‘came not to be served but to serve’—and teachers of life, if we can make ourselves small and servants of all, welcoming the poor and offering them the comfort of our charity.”
