Universal spirit

This is our spirit. And we show it by always opening wide the doors of our houses to people of all ideologies and all social conditions, without any distinctions, with our hearts and arms wide open to everyone. Our mission is not to judge. Instead, we have the duty to treat everyone as our brother or sister.

We exclude no soul from our friendship, and no one should approach the Work of God and go away empty. Everyone has to feel loved, understood, treated with affection. I love the most wretched person in the most forgotten corner of the world, even if what he is doing is wrong. And with God’s grace, I would give my life to save his soul.

What the essentials are

With the clear ideas that your formation provides, you will be able to recognise in each case what is essential, which is where we cannot make concessions. You will also be able to discern those things that some hold as immutable, but which are simply the product of specific eras or customs, and this discernment will help you to give way joyfully. And in matters that are even more open to differing opinions (which is almost everything), you will likewise give way, especially when the good of souls is at stake.

False compassion

I insist, however, that you don’t let yourselves be deceived by false compassion. Many who appear to be moved by a desire to pass on the truth, give way in matters which are inviolable. They say they are being understanding towards those who are in error, when what they are really doing is criticising the teaching of our Mother the Church, sometimes quite brutally and pitilessly. Don’t fail to be understanding towards them too, but at the same time defend the truth with moderation, calmly and firmly, even if some people accuse you of being polemical.