{"id":14836,"date":"2016-06-29T09:15:00","date_gmt":"2016-06-29T09:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/prayer-is-the-way-out-of-a-closed-heart-and-mind-pope-francis-says-69520\/"},"modified":"2016-06-29T09:15:00","modified_gmt":"2016-06-29T09:15:00","slug":"prayer-is-the-way-out-of-a-closed-heart-and-mind-pope-francis-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/06\/prayer-is-the-way-out-of-a-closed-heart-and-mind-pope-francis-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Prayer is the ‘way out’ of a closed heart and mind, Pope Francis says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/p>\n

Vatican City, Jun 29, 2016 \/ 03:15 am (CNA\/Europa Press<\/a>).- On Wednesday Pope Francis gave 25 new archbishops the pallium, encouraging them to remain strong in prayer, which he said helps in staying open to God\u2019s surprises, rather than closing in on oneself.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrayer enables grace to open a way out from closure to openness, from fear to courage, from sadness to joy. And we can add: from division to unity,\u201d Pope Francis said June 29, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.<\/p>\n

He pointed to the \u201cclear contrast\u201d between opening and closing in the day\u2019s readings, beginning with three examples of \u201cclosing\u201d found in the first reading from Acts.<\/p>\n

The first appears when Peter is locked in prison, then the community gathers behind \u201cclosed doors,\u201d and finally Peter knocks at the \u201cclosed door\u201d of a woman named Mary, the mother of John called Mark, after being set free.<\/p>\n

In each of these moments, \u201cprayer appears as the main way out,\u201d the Pope said, explaining that it\u2019s \u201ca way out for the community, which risks closing in on itself out of persecution and fear.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a way out for Peter, \u201cwho at the very beginning of the mission given him by the Lord, is cast into prison by Herod and risks execution,\u201d Francis said, noting how the Christian community had prayed for Peter while he was in prison. As a result, the Lord sends an angel to free him.<\/p>\n

Prayer, \u201cas humble entrustment to God and his holy will, is always the way out of our becoming \u2018closed\u2019 as individuals and as a community,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Pope Francis spoke to pilgrims gathered inside St. Peter\u2019s Basilica for his Mass celebrating the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, patrons of the city of Rome. During the ceremony, he blessed the pallium to be bestowed on the 25 new metropolitan archbishops who were present, all appointed throughout the previous year.<\/p>\n

The pallium is a white wool vestment, adorned with six black silk crosses. Dating back to at least the fifth century, the wearing of the pallium by the Pope and metropolitan archbishops symbolizes authority as well as unity with the Holy See.<\/p>\n

The title of \u201cmetropolitan bishop\u201d refers to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis, namely, the primary city of an ecclesiastical province or regional capital.<\/p>\n

Traditionally the Pope bestows the stole to the new archbishops June 29 each year. The rite is a sign of communion with the See of Peter. It also serves as a symbol of the metropolitan archbishop\u2019s jurisdiction in his own diocese as well as the other particular dioceses within his ecclesiastical province.<\/p>\n

However, as a sign of \u201csynodality\u201d with local Churches, Pope Francis decided in 2015 that new metropolitan archbishops will officially be imposed with the pallium in their home diocese, rather than the Vatican.<\/p>\n

So while the new archbishops still journey to Rome to receive the pallium during the liturgy with the Pope, the official imposition ceremony is in their home diocese, allowing more faithful and bishops in dioceses under the archbishop\u2019s jurisdiction to attend the event.<\/p>\n

In his homily, Pope Francis also pointed St. Paul and his experience of liberation in finding \u201ca way out of his own impending execution.\u201d In addition to praising God for giving him the strength to evangelize, Paul speaks of \u201ca much greater opening\u201d to eternal life, \u201cwhich awaits him at the end of his earthly race.\u201d<\/p>\n

By contemplating this passage, \u201cwe can see the whole life of the Apostle in terms of \u2018going out\u2019 in service to the Gospel,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Francis then turned to Peter\u2019s confession of faith and the mission entrusted to him by Jesus. Jesus, he said, \u201cshows us that the life of Simon, the fishermen of Galilee \u2013 like the life of each of us \u2013 opens, opens up fully, when it receives from God the Father the grace of faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

By responding to Jesus\u2019 call, Simon Peter sets out on \u201ca long and difficult journey,\u201d but one \u201cthat will lead him to go out of himself, leaving all his human supports behind, especially his pride tinged with courage and generous selflessness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Francis noted how Jesus had prayed that Peter\u2019s faith would not fail, and how he looked on Peter with compassion after the apostle had denied him.<\/p>\n

At that moment, \u201cSimon Peter was set free from the prison of his selfish pride and fear, and overcame the temptation of closing his heart to Jesus\u2019s call to follow him along the way of the cross,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Pope then turned to the scene in Acts when Peter, after having been set free, knocks on the door of Mary. The servant Rhoda, although joyful in recognizing Peter\u2019s voice, doesn\u2019t let him in, but instead runs to tell her mistress.<\/p>\n

Pope Francis said that the account, \u201cwhich can seem comical, makes us perceive the climate of fear that led the Christian community to stay behind closed doors, but also closed to God\u2019s surprises.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis detail speaks to us of a constant temptation for the Church, that of closing in on herself in the face of danger,\u201d he said, but noted that \u201cthe small openings through which God can work\u201d are also visible, and can be seen by how many in the house \u201chad gathered and were praying.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before concluding his homily, Pope Francis offered a special greeting the delegation sent by \u201cthe beloved\u201d Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, led by His Eminence Methodios, Metropolitan of Boston.<\/p>\n

Among the 25 new metropolitan archbishops to receive the pallium from Pope Francis was one American, Archbishop Bernard Anthony Hebda, who oversees the diocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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Vatican City, Jun 29, 2016 \/ 03:15 am (CNA\/Europa Press).- On Wednesday Pope Francis gave 25 new archbishops the pallium, encouraging them to remain strong in prayer, which he said helps in staying open to God’s surprises, rather than closing in …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-vatican"],"yoast_head":"\nPrayer is the 'way out' of a closed heart and mind, Pope Francis says<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Vatican City, Jun 29, 2016 \/ 03:15 am (CNA\/Europa Press).- On Wednesday Pope Francis gave 25 new archbishops the pallium, encouraging them to remain strong in prayer, which he said helps in staying open to God’s surprises, rather than closing in ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, 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