Holy Spirit can help Christians be 'artisans' of unity, pope says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Most people claim they want unity, but usually they mean they want others to unite around their own point of view, which gives rise to conflict, Pope Francis said.

“We all want unity, we all desire it from the depths of our heart,” the pope said, “and yet it is so difficult to attain that even within marriage and the family union and concord are among the most difficult things to achieve and even harder to maintain.”

At his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square Oct. 9, Pope Francis continued his series of audience talks about the work of the Holy Spirit in the church and in the world.

Pope Francis receives a hug from a child after his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Oct. 9, 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

The pope also urged everyone to recite the rosary every day during October, the month dedicated to the rosary, entrusting themselves, their worries and the world to Mary.

“To her, caring mother, we entrust the suffering and the desire for peace of the populations experiencing the folly of war, particularly beleaguered Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Myanmar and Sudan,” the pope said.

In his main audience talk, Pope Francis said that in the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit “ensures the universality and the unity of the church” by pushing the disciples to go out and proclaim Christ to the world and by showing them how many of their differences could remain as long as they were united in faith.

The Acts of the Apostles describes what is now known as the Council of Jerusalem, a meeting of the disciples to figure out how “to ensure that the universality achieved does not compromise the unity of the church,” specifically when deciding which obligations of Jewish law needed to be followed by people who converted from paganism.

“The Holy Spirit does not always create unity suddenly, with miraculous and decisive actions, as at Pentecost,” the pope said. In most cases, the Holy Spirit proceeds “with discreet work, respecting human time and differences, passing through people and institutions, prayer and confrontation.”

Today, he said, the Catholic Church would describe the Holy Spirit as working in “a synodal manner,” listening, discussing and praying for guidance.

“The unity of the church is the unity between people and is not achieved on the drawing board, but in life,” the pope said.

Reclaiming for the church the unity created by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost “is achieved when one makes the effort to put God, not oneself, at the center,” Pope Francis said. “Christian unity is built in this way too: not waiting for others to reach us where we are but moving together toward Christ.”

Greeting pilgrims and visitors from Brazil and Portugal, the pope said, “I hope that each of you will be an artisan of unity wherever you are, but especially in your families. And if you encounter trouble, remember that you can always count on the help of the Holy Spirit.”