Skip to content

Pope Francis offers 5 commitments on the road to Christmas

Pope Francis proposed to the faithful 5 concrete commitments to live with intensity the remaining days of Advent 2022, and to prepare the heart for the birth of the Child Jesus through simple actions.

At the Angelus on December 12, 2021, and before the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the Pontiff asked the question: “What can I do concretely?

In the same vein, he called to ask himself: “These days, as we approach Christmas, how can I do my part?

In response, he encouraged us to make “a concrete commitment, even a small one, that fits our life situation” and carry it forward to prepare ourselves for this Christmas.

Along these lines, he listed 5 commitments that the faithful can make to live with faith and hope this time of joy for the arrival of the Child Jesus:

1. Calling a lonely person on the phone.

2. Visiting an elderly or sick person.

3. Do something to serve a poor person, a person in need.

4. To ask for forgiveness, to forgive, to clear up any conflict or to settle a debt.

5. To take up prayer again and approach the Lord’s forgiveness.

“Brothers and sisters, let us look for something concrete and do it! May the Virgin, in whose womb God became flesh, help us”, he prayed.

Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today

Share

Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican

Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter.

I agree that EWTN will keep me informed about news, faith stories and how to best support their work. You will never receive e-mails from us that you do not want to receive. You can unsubscribe any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy.

More news related to this article

7 ways to participate in day of prayer and fasting called for by Pope Francis

Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Holy Land, Pope Francis has called for a day of prayer

Dilexit Nos: 7 takeaways from Pope Francis’ new encyclical on the Sacred Heart

In his newly released encyclical, Dilexit Nos (“He Loved Us”), Pope Francis calls on Catholics worldwide to rediscover the love and compassion found in the heart of Jesus Christ.

Pope Francis prays for victims of train crash in India that killed 275 people

Pope Francis prays at his Wednesday audience in St. Peter’s Square on April 12, 2023.

Black smoke rises from Sistine Chapel as first conclave vote ends without new pope

Black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney Wednesday evening to the watchful eyes of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square as the first day of conclave voting concluded without a new pontiff.

‘It pains me to leave’: Pope Francis accepts resignation of Argentinian archbishop

The Holy See on Monday said Pope Francis had accepted the resignation of La Plata, Argentina Archbishop Gabriel Antonio Mestre, after the prelate had served in that role for less than a year.

Pope Leo XIV expresses his ‘profound sorrow’ over death of migrants in shipwreck off Yemen

In a new gesture of closeness to the victims of irregular migration, Pope Leo XIV expressed his “profound sorrow” for the sinking of a boat off the coast of Yemen in which at least 76 migrants on their way to Saudi Arabia died.

LIVE
FROM THE VATICAN

Be present live on EWTNVatican.com