In New York Pope Francis is greeted by a crowd two rows deep on Fifth Avenue. "Suffering" and "shame" for cases of pedophilia. Reinforcing the memory of priests and religious original “calling” with "a spirit of gratitude" and "spirit of hard work." Do not measure the efficiency with "success" and "worldly comfort." Helping the poor, visiting the sick and the prisoners to find "another kind of rest." A "thank you" to the religious "strong women wrestlers." The memory for the dead in the accident to Mecca.

New York (AsiaNews) – Pope Farncis has called on priests and religious to continue to live their vocation in joy, even if in times of "tribulation"; experiencing gratitude for their encounter with Christ, without being suffocated by "worldly spirituality" efficiency  or  "comfort"; a special thanks for the women religious whom he described as "fighters" and his advice for them "not lose peace". These were the principal themes traced by Pope Francis in his homily at vespers celebrated in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York along with the priests, religious men and women.

The pontiff, who left Washington at 16 (local time), arrived in New York and then by helicopter flew to Manhattan. His arrival at the cathedral - in the popemobile – was flanked by a huge and enthusiastically noisy crowd that lined the central Fifth Avenue.

In his homily at vespers, the Pope primarily wanted to comfort the priests of the Church in America, among the hardest hit by the pedophilia scandal. After recalling some of the great saints of the past, engaged in the educational mission, he said: " I know that, as a presbyterate in the midst of God’s people, you suffered greatly in the not distant past by having to bear the shame of some of your brothers who harmed and scandalized the Church in the most vulnerable of her members…  In the words of the Book of Revelation, I know well that you “have come forth from the great tribulation” (Rev 7:14).  I accompany you at this time of pain and difficulty, and I thank God for your faithful service to his people "

To ensure their ongoing "joy" and "fidelity to Christ," the Pope firstly suggests they endeavor to hold on to  "the spirit of gratitude" for their calling. "Truly, we have received much, so many graces, so many blessings, and we rejoice in this.  It will do us good to think back on our lives with the grace of remembrance.  Remembrance of when we were first called, remembrance of the road travelled, remembrance of graces received… and, above all, remembrance of our encounter with Jesus Christ so often along the way.  Remembrance of the amazement which our encounter with Jesus Christ awakens in our hearts.  To seek the grace of remembrance so as to grow in the spirit of gratitude".

Secondly, the Pope advised a spirit of “hard work”: " Once we come to realize how much God has given us, a life of self-sacrifice, of working for him and for others, becomes a privileged way of responding to his great love".

This hard work is likely to be "dampened" by a "worldly spirituality" if we judge the "apostolic endeavors", "by the standards of efficiency, good management and outward success which govern the business world".

"The Cross - he said - shows us a different way of measuring success.  Ours is to plant the seeds: God sees to the fruits of our labors.  And if at times our efforts and works seem to fail and produce no fruit, we need to remember that we are followers of Jesus… and his life, humanly speaking, ended in failure, the failure of the cross".

"Another danger -he added - comes when we become jealous of our free time, when we think that surrounding ourselves with worldly comforts will help us serve better.  The problem with this reasoning is that it can blunt the power of God’s daily call to conversion, to encounter with him.  Slowly but surely, it diminishes our spirit of sacrifice, renunciation and hard work.  It also alienates people who suffer material poverty and are forced to make greater sacrifices than ourselves. "

And he stressed: " Closeness to the poor, the refugee, the immigrant, the sick, the exploited, the elderly living alone, prisoners and all God’s other poor, will teach us a different way of resting, one which is more Christian and generous".

Pope Francis expressed his strong appreciation for women religious: "In a special way I would like to express my esteem and gratitude to the religious women of the United States.  What would the Church be without you?  Women of strength, fighters, with that spirit of courage which puts you in the front lines in the proclamation of the Gospel.  To you, religious women, sisters and mothers of this people, I wish to say “thank you”, a big thank you…  and to tell you that I love you very much”.

Recent years have seen relations between the Vatican and some of the US women religious fraught with tensions. The US sisters have been accused of doctrinal problems for some feminists or pro-abortion and contraception positions, latter resolved with a commitment to greater dialogue between the Holy See and the women's institutions.

The Pope seems to hint vaguely at these difficulties, when he says that " I know that many of you are in the front lines in meeting the challenges of adapting to an evolving pastoral landscape.  Whatever difficulties and trials you face, I ask you, like Saint Peter, to be at peace and to respond to them as Christ did: he thanked the Father, took up his cross and looked forward! ".

Before praying Vespers, Pope Francis expressed a thought for the dead in the accident at Mecca, where because of a stampede during the hajj (pilgrimage) more than 700 people were killed and hundreds of pilgrims injured.

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