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NEW BEATITUDES

THE CHRISTIAN’S IDENTITY CARD
WE ARE FRANCIS

By Brother Patrick

In the Gospel of Matthew, we read:

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:1-12).”

In November 2016, Pope Francis (1936-2025) visited Sweden as part of his missionary outreach to Christians from other traditions. According to census records, the number of Roman Catholics in Sweden is small, approximately 115,000 souls or one percent of the country’s population. But local bishops believe that the number is much higher due to immigration by Chaldean Catholics from Iraq and other parts of Asia and the Middle East. At the conclusion of his ecumenical journey, Pope Francis celebrated Holy Mass on the Solemnity of All Saints. He preached about Saint Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373) and Saint Elizabeth Hesselblad (1870-1957), who worked tirelessly for Christian unity during their lifetimes.

The Holy Father proclaimed that the Beatitudes from the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount serve as an identity card for anyone who professes the Christian faith. The pope said that these troubled times require a new energy and a new commitment among all Christians all around the world. And he offered a list of New Beatitudes for today’s missionary disciples.

The New Beatitudes of Pope Francis

Blessed are those who remain faithful
while enduring evils inflicted upon them by others,
and forgive them from the heart.

Blessed are those who look
into the eyes of the abandoned and the marginalized,
and show them friendship.

Blessed are those who see God in every person,
and strive to help others discover him.

Blessed are those who protect and care for our common home.

Blessed are those who renounce their own comfort
in order to serve others.

Blessed are those who pray and work
for full communion among all Christians around the world.

Pope Francis said that disciples who practice these new beatitudes are truly “messengers of God’s mercy and tenderness” in a world torn apart by bigotry, climate change, inequality, terrorism, violence, and war. Needless to say, it is not easy to forgive, sacrifice, remain faithful, welcome the stranger, or work for unity during an era of deep division both at home and abroad. But as disciples, this is our vocation: to grow in prayer, fellowship, and service among both friends and adversaries; to live the Gospel and share God’s love in our offices, parishes, and neighborhoods; to labor with humility in the Lord’s vineyard for peace, truth, and justice in our hearts, homes, and hometowns.

In spiritual communion with Pope Francis, and with our brothers and sisters in every nation and every culture, we pray now with these new beatitudes. We pray for the courage and perseverance to integrate them into our faith and our good works in thought, word, and deed. We pray for those we love and for those we find so difficult to love. And we pray with the words of Saint Francis of Assisi, who said: “This is our vocation: to heal wounds, to bind what is broken, and to bring home those who are lost.”

Glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us! Saint Clare of Assisi, pray for us! Our Lady of the Angels, pray for us! Pope Francis, pray for us!

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THE ASSISI PROJECT
A FELLOWSHIP OF FRANCISCANS IN SPIRIT
INTERCESSORY PRAYER MINISTRY

Members of the Assisi Project, ranging in age from 18 to 102, pray each and every day for all who ask for our prayers. If you would like our fellowship to pray for you or your special intention, please contact Brother Patrick at brpatrick@assisiproject.com. In communion with Pope Leo XIV and in solidarity with people of faith and goodwill everywhere, we also pray for peace, truth, and justice. In addition, we pray for all migrants and refugees; for the courage to speak truth to power; and for the poor, the persecuted, and the unjustly imprisoned. Please join us in prayer by clicking the link below! Thank you for your prayers! May God bless you! May the Risen Lord give you peace!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brother Patrick Garvey is co-founder and spiritual director of the Assisi Project. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine, Saint John Seminary, and the Catholic University of America. He is a writer, spiritual director, retreat leader, and university lecturer. He also serves as an Associate Minister in the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport in Massachusetts. On October 3, 2023, the Feast of the Transitus of Saint Francis of Assisi, Brother Patrick was consecrated as a diocesan hermit by Bishop Mark O’Connell, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Boston. For more information about the Assisi Project and our ministries with adults of all ages and backgrounds, please contact Brother Patrick at brpatrick@assisiproject.com.

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ABOUT US

Founded in 2007, the Assisi Project is a Fellowship of Franciscans in Spirit with friends and followers throughout the world. We are dedicated to helping Christian believers of all ages more faithfully live the Gospel of Christ in the spirit of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi. We are also dedicated to promoting a devotion to Pope Francis (1936-2025) as a patron of peace, mercy, and fraternity in our sick and suffering world.

The Assisi Project is a non-profit, tax exempt charitable organization. Please support our ministry via Pay Pal (see link below) or mail a tax-deductible donation to the Assisi Project, Post Office Box 3158, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01931-3158. The Assisi Project Podcast is produced by the Assisi Project, Inc. Copyright 2025. All rights reserved. May the Lord give you peace!

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In Memory of Reverend Jose Ferreira