This. I don’t know what to say other than that I am scheduled to arrive in Rome the day this is supposed to happen.
I’m pretty sure my Italian is better than this.
Here’s a google version, because I have far better things to do.
A Church that wants to walk together always needs to reconcile. Forgiveness is the fundamental implementation of the Church, because it summarizes its nature and mission. It would be reductive, however, to think of the Church only as an administrator and dispenser of sacramental forgiveness. Pope Francis has taught us that it is also necessary to ask for it, calling sins by name, feeling pain and even shame, because we are all sinners in need of mercy: of that mercy of God who never tires of loving and forgiving. Forgiveness, then, is like a resurrection, it allows those who have fallen to get up again, those who fear having compromised everything, to start again. Confessing to have sinned is the condition for a new beginning.
At the end of the spiritual retreat (September 30-October 1) of all the participants in the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the Penitential Liturgy wants to arrange the synodal work towards the beginning of a new way of being Church.
In St. Peter’s Basilica, the penitential celebration, presided over by Pope Francis, includes a time to listen to three testimonies of people who have suffered sin: the sin of abuse; the sin of war; the sin of indifference in the face of the drama present in the growing phenomenon of all migrations.
Subsequently, we will proceed with the confession of some sins. It is not a matter of denouncing the sin of others, but of recognizing oneself as part of those who by omission or action become the cause of suffering, responsible for the evil suffered by innocent and defenseless people. Whoever expresses the request for forgiveness will do so on behalf of all the baptized. In particular, the following will be confessed:
• sin against peace
• sin against creation, against indigenous peoples, against migrants,
• sin of abuse
• sin against women, the family, young people
• sin of doctrine used as stones to be thrown
• sin against poverty
• Sin against synodality / lack of listening, communion and participation of all
At the end of this confession of sins, the Holy Father will address, on behalf of all the faithful, the request for forgiveness to God and to the sisters and brothers of all humanity.
The penitential celebration, organized jointly by the General Secretariat of the Synod and the Diocese of Rome in collaboration with the Union of Major Superiors (USG) and the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), is open to all, especially young people, and can be followed on the Vatican Media which will ensure its live broadcast.
The liturgy turns the interior gaze of the Church to the faces of the new generations. In fact, it will be the young people present in the Basilica who will receive the sign that the future of the Church is theirs, and that the request for forgiveness is the first step towards a credibility of faith and mission that must be re-established.
Note that this is organized in part or whole by two organizations, women religious UISG and USG, superior probably mostly women.
My good friend Fr. Jason Charron, a Ukrainian Catholic priest in the Pittsburg area asked if I would let you know about this. It is my pleasure to do so.
As this project progresses, the Enemy will probably screw around with my life in annoying ways… which always happens. This time there was interference in starting this up because I had to deal with a new washer and dryer. Something else will probably come up as soon as I post this.
