Pope explains meaning behind his first encyclical

July 8, 2013 (Romereports.com) During his Sunday Angelus prayer and following his special Mass with seminarians and novices,  Pope Francis reflected upon the role of ordained ministers as successors of the disciples, whom Jesus sent to the world as missionaries and witnesses to this message.

POPE FRANCIS
“He forms immediately a community of disciples, which is a missionary community. Right from the start, He trains them for the mission, to go on a mission. Beware, however! The purpose is not to socialize, to spend time together – no, the purpose is to proclaim the Kingdom of God, and this is urgent! There is no time to waste in small talk, no need to wait for the consent of all – there is need only of going out and proclaim.

After the prayer to Our Lady, Pope Francis also gave a little insight on the genesis of his recently published first encyclical, 'Lumen Fidei.'

POPE FRANCIS
“As you know, two days ago the encyclical letter on the subject of faith, entitled Lumen Fidei, 'The light of faith' was published. For the Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI had started this Encyclical, which follows on from those about charity and hope. I picked up this project and I finished it. I offer it with joy to the People of God: in fact, especially today, we need to go to the essentials of the Christian faith, to deepen it, and to measure current issues by it. But I think that this encyclical, at least in some parts, can also be useful to those who are searching for God and for the meaning of life.”

At the end of his speech, the Pope also took some time to greet all the pilgrims in St. Peter's square, in particular those preparing to travel to Brazil for WYD 2013.

Related: The Pope's New Encylical Lumen Fidei: The Basics