Read the Gospel, always show people God’s love, pope tells police January 12, 2023By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News VATICAN CITY (CNS) — To understand the Gospel, its beauty and its power, people need to read it, Pope Francis said. “I invite you to rediscover the beauty and ever-new strength of the Gospel,” he told employees, directors and agents of the Inspectorate for Public Security at the Vatican, a special branch of the Italian police force. “The power of the Gospel. To understand the Gospel, it must be read,” he said in an audience with the group Jan. 12. Pope Francis asked the officers to let the Gospel message “enter incisively in your consciences and lives by courageously witnessing to God’s love in every environment, including the workplace.” The special branch of the Italian police provides for the pope’s security whenever he is outside Vatican City, and they provide security and law enforcement in St. Peter’s Square and the Vatican Museums’ entrance area, which are both Italian territory. The pope thanked them for their “generous commitment on the occasion of my travels in the city of Rome and on pastoral visits to Italy.” However, he added, “I am ashamed to trouble you so much, I would like to go alone … but thank you! It must be done.” The pope said the service they render “can be a sign of God’s closeness” to the people they encounter every day “and who await a gesture of kindness and welcome from you.” “This is a concrete way of being peacemakers, ‘artisans’ of peace,” by welcoming, listening to and helping people with kindness, he said. The world needs “people who work for peace not with fine words, but with deeds, carefully carrying out their duty in the service of the common good!” Read More Vatican News Pope encourages U.S. Catholic donors to act synodally, with love In ecumenical meetings, pope points to shared saints, shared mission Cardinal: Church must embark on ‘very serious process’ before considering Sodalitium’s dissolution God’s love also comes through people being kind to each other, Pope says Pope’s point man on travel inspired by the boss’s love for the poor Top Vatican official hopes Trump will promote peace, national unity Copyright © 2023 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Print
