Pope Francis conducts Boxing Day Sermon at Fernbrook Resort Freelton

Pope Francis conducts Boxing Day Sermon at Fernbrook Resort Freelton

Since the papacy was instituted close to two thousand years ago the sitting Pope has made a Boxing Day tradition of visiting leper filled islands, truckstops and trailer parks to deliver a homily.

This year Pope Francis visited Fernbrook Resort in Freelton, Ontario. And, after greeting the tiny nation’s ruler, the Lord Mayor Doc Ballard, the Pope issued a scathing sermon that brought under fire the dog-ruled nation’s staunch anti-feline policies, it’s framing of North Korea in the recent SONY hack scandal and the culture of gossip which is a custom at the resort.

Pope Francis’ message particularly emphasized the importance of avoiding all forms of gossip and slander.

“It’s so rotten, gossip. At the beginning, it seems to be something enjoyable and fun, like a piece of candy. But at the end, it fills the heart with bitterness and also poisons us,” Pope Francis said.

“I tell you the truth,” he preached to the capacity crowd that overflowed into the jacuzzi area, “I am convinced that if each one of us would purposely avoid gossip, at the end, we would become a saint! It’s a beautiful path!”

“Do we want to become saints? Yes or no?” the Pope queried, “and do we want to live attached to gossip as a habit?” he continued, “Yes or no? No? Okay, so we are in agreement! No gossip!”

From here Pope Francis touched on the Fifth Commandment, “Do not kill,” and went on to add, “but I say to you: that even words can kill.”

Explained the Pope. “When it is said that someone has the tongue of a serpent it means that their words kill. Therefore, not only must one not make a physical attempt on the life of another, but one must not even pour on them the poison of anger and hit them with slander, nor speak ill of them. And here we arrive at gossip. Gossip can also kill, because it kills the reputation of the person,” stressed the Holy Father.

The Pope then summarized, “From all of this, one understands that more than disciplinary observance and exterior conduct is important. Just as important is intention and what lies in the human heart, where our good or bad actions originate.

“Good and honest behavior,” he said, does not come merely from “juridical norms.”

Pope Francis then led the crowds in the traditional Trailer Park prayer for protection from tornadoes, black flies and rental increases before he greeted the various pilgrim groups present with a “Go Leafs!” and wishing everyone “lots of Boxing day bargains.”

When the Lord Mayor of Fernbrook was asked for a comment on Pope Francis’ sermon Doc Ballard yapped, “Hell, I got no worries, don’t you know that All Dogs go to Heaven.”