From Vatican Insider:

As Padre Pio “loved the Church, with all its problems and its adversities,” and “did not destroy it with his tongue as it’s fashionable to do now,” so even today, in the presence of so many sinners, “some big ones,” those who love the Church “know how to fix things, yes, but always with forgiveness”: with these words, the Pope addressed, on the eve of the Vatican summit on sexual abuse, the faithful of Benevento whom he received in Saint Peter’s to reciprocate the pastoral visit made last year in Pietrelcina. On the contrary, Francis warned, “those who spend their lives accusing, accusing, and accusing are – I won’t say children , because the devil doesn’t have any – but they are the friends, cousins and relatives of the devil.”

Padre Pio “distinguished himself by his firm faith in God, his firm hope in heavenly realities, his generous dedication to the people and his fidelity to the Church which he always loved with all its problems and adversities,” said Jorge Mario Bergoglio in the audience to the 2,500 faithful from Benevento that preceded the general audience today. “He loved the Church with the many problems that the Church has, with so many adversities, with so many sinners. Because the Church is holy, she is the bride of Christ, but we, the children of the Church, are all sinners — some big ones — but he loved the Church as it was, he didn’t destroy it with his tongue, as it’s fashionable to do now. No, no! Love. The one who loves the Church knows how to forgive, because he knows that he himself is a sinner and needs God’s forgiveness. He knows how to fix things because the Lord wants to fix things well but always with forgiveness. One cannot live a whole life accusing, accusing, accusing the Church. Whom does the office of the accuser belong to? Who is he that the Bible calls the great accuser? I’m sorry, I did not understand… I cannot hear well… the devil! And those who spend their lives accusing, accusing, and accusing are – I won’t say children , because the devil doesn’t have any – but they are the friends, cousins and relatives of the devil. Well, when things are not right, one has to report the defects to correct, but when you report the defects, you make known the defects, you love the Church. Without love is something from the devil. St. Pio had both – he loved the Church with all its problems and adversities, with the sins of her children. Please don’t forget this!”

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Pray always for purity and love

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