Pope Francis: “The Church is a mother, not a baby sitter”

In the homily he said, among other things, the phrase which has become famous: “The Church is a mother, not a baby sitter.” I particularly remember by heart some penetrating thoughts: “The strength of baptism gives us the courage to go and proclaim the Gospel, even as lay people, such as those who were dispersed from Jerusalem … Unfortunately, we consider the grace of being Christians in too closed a manner, we are closed in by our anxieties … Sometimes we think: “I am baptized, I made my first communion and confirmation, I got married in the Church, I have a good profession, I am a Christian lawyer or a doctor, I can sleep peacefully” … It is not enough, the Church is a mother, it is not a babysitter that puts you to bed, not a sleeping Church… Where is the power of the Holy Spirit? Being a Christian is a grace that moves us to emerge from ourselves, to go with the power of the Holy Spirit, to proclaim Jesus Christ with our lives, through testimony and words.”

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