Remembering Saint Cabrini, a native of this land, the Pope goes with his thoughts to the experience of his own family emigrating to Argentina.
The Pontiff then recalls that it was in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano that a great saint was born: Francesca Xavier Cabrini, founder in Codogno of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and proclaimed Patroness of Migrants. Francis states:
“I am a child of migrants; Argentina has become home to many and many migrant families, mostly Italians, and St. Cabrini and the Cabrinians are an important presence in Buenos Aires. Today, I want to express to you my admiration and gratitude for this woman, who – together with Bishop Scalabrini – is a witness to the Church’s closeness to migrants: her charism is more relevant than ever!
“We are somewhat related”: the Pope recalls Fr. Pozzoli and his Lodi. And then he adds that the Gospel is witnessed by the holiness of life:
“The world changes, but Christ does not, and neither does his Gospel. The future of the Church lies in going to the essentials, going to the sources and from there beginning to walk.” Evangelization is another aspect the Pope dwells on in his address. Recalling again the figures of Father Pozzoli and especially St. Cabrini, he affirmed that “evangelization is essentially done through holiness of life, witnessing to love in deeds and in truth.” In the face of the changing world, “there is a need to seek new ways, new methods, new languages,” he observes. The highroad, however, remains the same: that of witness, of a life shaped by the Gospel. The Pope concludes by exhorting the Lodi community “to continue the journey, faithful to our roots and open to the world, with the wisdom and patience of farmers and the creativity of artisans; committed,” he concludes, “to caring for the poor and caring for the land God has entrusted to us.
Here is the link to the Holy Father’s address to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, held in the Clementine Hall on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017on the occasion of the first centenary of the death of St. Frances Cabrini .
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/it/speeches/2017/december/documents/papa-francesco_20171209_centenario-francesca-cabrini.html
https://www.ncronline.org/earthbeat/faith/10-year-mark-pope-francis-seen-global-leader-environment