Rome Reports April 5 2018

Vatican to present new papal document on holiness in modern world on Monday

On Monday, the Vatican will present Pope Francis' fourth main document – the apostolic exhortation “Gaudete et Exsultate".

The document will involve the call to holiness in the modern world, a topic the pope has explained in this way.

POPE FRANCIS: “It means letting Christ work in our actions. That His thoughts may be our thoughts, His feelings our feelings, His choices our choices. This is holiness, doing as Christ did is Christian holiness.”

The coordinator of the Council of Cardinals explained a few months ago that this issue is a key area of reform – spreading awareness that the Church should not only engage priests, but rather everyone who has been baptised.

CARD. ÓSCAR ANDRÉS RODRÍGUEZ MARADIAGA, Archbishop of Tegucigalpa (Honduras) – “We're all called to holiness, and if we don't achieve this, if we don't listen to this calling, the reform is not working.”

The document will be the fourth of Pope Francis' papacy. His other documents were the agenda of his pontificate, Evangelii Gaudium, the Laudato si' encyclical on care for nature and mankind, and Amoris Laetitia on the family.