"Draw others to the Church by the attraction of your witness"

On October 1, feast of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Pope Francis celebrated Mass with the "Council of Cardinals" convoked in Rome, and pointed to the best way to bring many others to the Church.

SUMMARY OF POPE'S HOMILY

(Source: Vatican Radio) 

The Pope noted that October 1st marks the Feast Day of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. He described her life as one filled with humility, which inevitably attracted others to follow her example. 

“Another spirit is present, that of a charity that suffers all, that pardons all, that does not boast, that is humble, that doesn’t seek itself. Someone could say—and there are some philosophers who think this way—that this is a humiliation of the majesty of man, of the greatness of man. This is sterile! The Church has wisely made this saint, humble, small, trusting in God, meek: she has made her the Patron of Missions.”  . . . 

"The strength of the Gospel is found in humility, in the humility of the child guided by the love and tenderness of the Father.

“The Church, Benedict XVI told us, does not grow through proselytism, it grows through attraction, through witness. And when the people see this witness of humility, of meekness, of mildness, they feel the need that the Prophet Zachariah spoke of: ‘We want to come with you.’ The people feel that need in the face of the witness of charity, of this humble charity, without bullying, not self-sufficient, but humble  . . . 

“Today, here in the Vatican, begins the meeting with the Cardinal consulters, who are concelebrating the Mass. Let us ask the Lord that our work today will make us all more humble, more meek, more patient, more trusting in God, so that the Church can give a beautiful witness to the people, and seeing the People of God, seeing the Church, they might feel the desire to come with us.”