• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • Advertising
  • CR Radio
  • Printing
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
New saints are seen on a banner on the facade of St. Peter's Basilica before Pope Francis' celebration of Mass for the canonization of 10 new saints in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican May 15, 2022. Pictured are St. Giustino Maria Russolillo, Italian founder of the Society of Divine Vocations for men and the Vocationist Sisters, who lived 1891-1955; and St. Charles de Foucauld, a French priest and hermit, who was born in 1858 and killed in 1916. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Pope: Focus on the essential like St. Charles de Foucauld did

May 18, 2022
By Catholic News Service
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, Vatican, World News

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Catholic Church needs to strive continually to make sure it is focusing on the essentials of Christian faith — Jesus and charity — and not “get lost in so many secondary things,” Pope Francis said.

St. Charles de Foucauld, who was canonized May 15, is a great model to follow in placing the Lord and service to others at the center of one’s life and action, the pope said May 18 during a meeting with members of the Charles de Foucauld Spiritual Family Association.

The association brings together the Little Brothers of Jesus, the Little Sisters of Jesus and 18 other religious orders and associations for priests, religious and laypeople inspired by the French-born saint.

Pope Francis said he, too, was inspired by St. Charles de Foucauld’s life and writing.

“His spirituality did me so much good when I was studying theology, a time of maturation and also of crisis,” the pope said. He learned of the saint through Father Arturo Paoli, an Italian member of the Little Brothers of the Gospel, who lived and worked in Argentina and through the books — “which I used to read all the time” — of Father René Voillaume, founder of the Little Brothers of Jesus.

St. de Foucauld’s example “helped me so much to overcome crises and to find a way of Christian life that was simpler, less Pelagian, closer to the Lord,” the pope said. “I thank the saint and bear witness to this, because it did me so much good.”

Pope Francis asked members of the association, “like Brother Charles, to continue to imagine Jesus walking among the people, patiently carrying out hard work, living in the everyday life of a family and a city.”

“How happy the Lord is to see that we imitate him in the way of littleness, humility, sharing with the poor,” the pope said.

“The simple purity of the Gospel,” he said, is found in silence, prayer, adoration and service to others.

Following Jesus as St. de Foucauld did leads to “universality,” he said. “The new saint lived his Christianity as a brother to all, starting with the least.”

“He did not aim to convert others, but to live God’s gratuitous love, implementing ‘the apostolate of kindness'” and being a brother to every person, whatever their religion, the pope said.

Pope Francis thanked members of the association for continuing to “carry on this witness, which does so much good, especially at a time when there is a risk of closing ourselves up in particularisms, of increasing distances, of losing sight of our brothers and sisters. We see this unfortunately in the daily news.”

Click play below to listen to an interview with Sister Cathy Wright about the life and spirituality of St. Charles de Foucauld.

CatholicReview · May 1, 2022 | The life and spirituality of St. Charles de Foucauld

Read More Saints

RADIO INTERVIEW: God healed me through St. Titus Brandsma

Martyred nuns beatified in Poland

Pope to set date for canonizations at consistory

Saints’ lives prove God’s love for all, pope says at canonization Mass

Faith, fortitude, martyrdom, miracles: Pope will recognize 10 new saints

RADIO INTERVIEW: Saintly Moms: 25 Stories of Holiness

Copyright © 2022 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Catholic News Service

Catholic News Service is a leading agency for religious news. Its mission is to report fully, fairly and freely on the involvement of the church in the world today.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

Latest Local News

RADIO INTERVIEW: The state of the nation

Archbishop William Lori announces clergy appointments, including two new pastors

Father Roach, noted church historian and longtime pastor, will stay active in retirement

Father Simmons retiring as the oldest active priest in the archdiocese

Father Ruane, known for empowering laity, retiring as pastor of Howard County parish

Latest World News

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is sworn in as Supreme Court justice

San Antonio archbishop asks church to be in solidarity with migrants who died in truck

Missionaries of Charity kicked out of Nicaragua

Catholics need better understanding of the Mass, pope says

Supreme Court sides with coach in public school prayer case

Catholic Review Radio

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • RADIO INTERVIEW: The state of the nation
  • Pretzels, treats and reflections during a staycation (7 Quick Takes)
  • When life gives you lemons, serve ice cream cake
  • Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is sworn in as Supreme Court justice
  • What would the baby choose?
  • MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Elvis’
  • Archbishop William Lori announces clergy appointments, including two new pastors
  • Father Ruane, known for empowering laity, retiring as pastor of Howard County parish
  • Spotlighting four Archdiocese of Baltimore Distinctive Scholars

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2022 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED