Addressing the Union of St. Catherine of Siena of the Missionaries of the School, Pope Francis encourages the Dominican sisters to continue their mission with openness anchored in holiness, preparation, and joy.
By Lisa Zengarini
Pope Francis held an audience on Saturday with participants in the XV General Elective Chapter of the Union of St. Catherine of Siena of the Missionaries of the School, marking their centenary of foundation.
The Dominican Congregation was founded in Italy in 1924 by Venerable Luigia Tincani and Dominican Father Ludovico Fanfani with the mission to spread the values of the Gospel even among those who are indifferent to faith and are outside the Church through the promotion of Christian humanism. The Congregation also founded the LUMSA University (Libera Università Maria Ss. Assunta), in Rome.
Addressing the sisters the Pope commended the Union’s chosen theme, “Understanding the present and walking with the Church to discern together the future of the Union” which, he noted, aligns with their foundress’ vision of promoting Christian humanism and addressing the spiritual needs of contemporary society.
He highlighted three fundamental attitudes underlying their mission: holiness, preparation, and affability.
Holiness is a spiritual joy
Pope Francis underscored holiness as a shared calling and the ultimate purpose of all Christians, though it often feels daunting or unattainable. Acknowledging the challenges, he reminded the sisters that holiness, “a spiritual joy” becomes achievable through God’s grace and is vital in today’s world, particularly for inspiring young people.
For consecrated women, holiness is expressed in their commitment to Christ through the evangelical counsels, sacramental life, daily listening to and meditation on the Word of God, prayer, and community life as the Dominican motto “contemplata aliis tradere” (“to hand on the fruits of contemplation”) teaches. These foundations, he stressed, must remain firm to ensure their apostolate is effective and spiritually fruitful.
“Holiness is joyful , holiness attracts, it is spiritual joy though it is not easy to find.”
Dialogue with everyone
The second attitude, preparation, was reframed by the Pope as a form of professionalism “not in a reductive sense of mere functional efficiency,” but rather “in the evangelical sense of dedication, lived through continuous study and deepening of one’s knowledge and skills, personal reflection, and fraternal sharing of the truths learned.”
Preparation, Pope Francis added, also involves “updating teaching and communication methods” to embrace all that is good in today’s social dynamics “with openness and dialogue with all.”
In this regard, the Pope insisted on the need to dialogue with everyone “except,” he stressed, “the devil”, who sows jealousies and discord in communities. .
Be messengers of affability and joy
Finally, Pope Francis urged the Dominican sisters to be “messengers of affability, which is a gift of the Spirit and joy, living every encounter with radiant gratitude for the other in their sacred uniqueness.”
Concluding he encouraged them to continue their mission with openness, courage, and readiness to renew themselves where necessary, anchored in holiness, preparation, and affability.
