Call To A Holy Life
Pope Pius took strong stands against hedonism, which in his view, had influenced many faithful, and called for a return to a heroic virtuous life, which means a renunciation of average mediocrity. As a norm, all Christians are called to perfection. With their sacrifices and suffering, they must continue and complete the sufferings of Christ. Mystici Corporis, and thus participate in the great mystery of salvation. The Church needs saints in today’s world, especially among the lay people. The Holy Eucharist with Christ in God should be the centre of life.
The worldwide monthly prayer requests of Pope Pius XII allowed lay people to participate in the pastoral concerns of the Holy Father through the apostleship of prayer. These prayers reflected his real concerns and created a universal prayerful community. They reflected again Mystici Corporis that all Christians are true and full members of the Church. A fervent call to heroic life was promulgated to the Sodalities of Mary, whose solemn vows included such efforts towards perfect Christian life.
Pope Pius XII wanted the life of priests to be a mirror of Christ’s love. The Cross is the tool of salvation and not a flight into social action He warned of mistaken tributes to contemporary thinking. Instead, the priest must communicate Jesus Christ as living reality and enunciate clear goals of sanctity. He explained his high appreciation of voluntary virginity for the sake of Christ in terms of apostolic zeal and contemplative prayer.
Read more about this topic: Late Years Of Pope Pius XII, Pope Pius XII and Lay People
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“... the most extreme conditions require the most extreme response, and for some individuals, the call to that response is vitality itself.... The integrity and self-esteem gained from winning the battle against extremity are the richest treasures in my life.”
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