Christians are called to be revolutionaries, changing the world one heart at a time, Pope Francis said. "A Christian who is not a revolutionary today isn't a Christian," the pope said June 17 during a conference that quickly turned into a rally for evangelization and care of the poor. More than 10,000 people gathered at the Vatican -- most in the audience hall, but also in the parking lot outside -- to listen to Pope Francis kick off the annual Rome diocesan convention, a three-day gathering of priests, religious and laypeople to set pastoral priorities for the coming year. Speaking for 30 minutes without a prepared text, Pope Francis repeatedly called upon Rome's Catholics to take seriously their responsibility to bring God's love and the promise of salvation to the poor, the sad and the suffering. The revolution started 2,000 years ago by Jesus, who accepted death in order to save humanity, is the longest lasting revolution in history and the one with the greatest impact on the world because it focused not on territory or power, but on changing human hearts, the pope said.
Born during the turbulent era of the French Revolution, Saint Jeanne Jugan rose above hardship and a lack of formal schooling to become a profound vessel of Christ’s mercy. After losing her father at a young age and working through her youth as a kitchen maid and nurse, her life radically changed one freezing night when she encountered a blind, paralyzed elderly woman with nowhere to go. Jeanne carried the woman back to her own home, placed her in her own bed, and began a lifelong mission of radical hospitality. This act of profound love blossomed into the Little Sisters of the Poor , a thriving community dedicated to sheltering and honoring the destitute elderly. Despite later facing heavy trials—including being unjustly sidelined and stripped of her leadership by a controlling chaplain—Jeanne accepted her obscurity and exile with a joyful spirit, resting her complete trust in God's hidden providence until her death in 1879. In our daily lives, Saint Jeanne Jugan invites us to lo...