Originally published at National Catholic Register
Archbishop Forte, who became a member of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in June, called the encyclical ‘extremely timely.’
A prominent Italian theologian and archbishop has called Pope Francis’ new encyclical on the Sacred Heart “the key to his entire pontificate” and “the inspiring motive of [his] whole ministry and magisterium.”
Archbishop Bruno Forte of Chieti-Vasto presented Dilexit Nos (“He Loved Us”) at a press conference at the Vatican on Oct. 24.
A prolific spiritual writer, Archbishop Forte, who became a member of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in June, called the encyclical “extremely timely” for its attention to “the centrality of God’s love in Jesus Christ” and to the “dramatic challenges of the present time.”
Pope Francis released Dilexit Nos on Thursday, calling for a renewed understanding of devotion to the Sacred Heart in the modern era and its many pressing challenges.
Archbishop Forte said Pope Francis’ magisterium is “far from being … restricted to social issues, as it has sometimes been clumsily understood,” and his message “to the entire human family
