This morning, the Vatican released Pope Francis’s fourth encyclical, Dilexit nos (He Loved Us). The document was presented at the Vatican Press Office by Monsignor Bruno Forte, Archbishop of Chieti-Vasto and Sister Antonella Fraccaro, General Superior of the Disciples of the Gospel. The release date for the document was previously announced earlier this week.
The document comes four years after Pope Francis released Fratelli tutti and focuses on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and its transformative power in our lives.
Because of Jesus, “we have come to know and believe in the love that God has for us” (1 Jn 4:16).
As an encyclical, Dilexit nos is a pastoral letter from Pope Francis that is meant to guide and direct the Church. It contains authoritative teachings and it is hoped that all Catholics will welcome it with reverence and an openness to applying its teachings to their own lives and circumstances. In addition, it is a way for Pope Francis to offer his own judgment on concrete issues based upon the teachings of the Church. As Catholics, we are called to respect those judgements and to wrestle with them as part of our own individual formation of conscience, recognizing that they were given to us by the successor of St. Peter. At a time when our world is full of turmoil and often seems to roil with hatred, this document is certainly much needed and greatly anticipated by many within the Church.
In the deepest fibre of our being, we were made to love and to be loved.
You can access the official English translation of Dilexit nos here.
Image: “Vatican” (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by ecv5
Ariane Sroubek is a writer, school psychologist and mother to two children here on earth. Prior to converting to Catholicism, she completed undergraduate studies in Bible and Theology at Gordon College in Wenham, MA. She then went on to obtain her doctorate in School and Child Clinical Psychology. Ariane’s writing is inspired by her faith, daily life experiences and education. More of her work can be found at medium.com/@sroubek.ariane and at https://mysustaininggrace.com.
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