The document is a poem praising the beauty and enduring nature of the Catholic Church over its 2000 year history. It describes how the Church has survived trials and tribulations but has never faded or weakened. It highlights the Church's role in inspiring art, music, architecture, and spiritual guidance for believers over the centuries. The poem expresses that through the Church, believers are able to reflect the image of God and find guidance to eternal life.

1. LOVE THE CHURCH
How beautiful you are , my mother !
By Brother Pierre- Marie Delfieux
Article published in Italian in reviewing Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem Sources Vives No. 93
I’ve been taught that you have twenty
centuries and I see that you
are twenty years. Everything you
lived, worn, suffered for two
millennia already, do you neither withered
or worn . According to the promise
you was sent by That one
even you who founded the
powers of evil have nothing
have against you!
u have triumphed thousand
pitfalls endured
setbacks and torments,
supported calumnies
indifference and persecution.
But nothing has ever been
stop you, kill you or you fade.
You took shots , but
God has healed. You had your
wrongs, but were you
forgiven. You have known
moments of hesitation , of
weakness, mediocrity, but
thou hast finally all
exceeded. Thou hast walked without
get tired . You held without
break . And you lasted without
old. You are the Church of Christ
!
Here you are also beautiful , despite the
weight of years , or rather the
through time , that
first day when the bridegroom is
up for you , so you
sanctify you by the washing
bath water with the word
accompanies it. You remember :
He wanted to introduce yourself
person to Him all
splendor, without spot
or wrinkle , or any such thing , but
holy , beautiful and immaculate. and
you always kept in your
eyes the reflection of divine grace
and this flash future already
imbued with eternity. as you
was beautiful , the day you
release of its open side !

2. Daylight Easter
radiant joy of the morning
Pentecost, still light
your face . I see you again,
Bride of Christ Church
holy in thy beauty
first , bridal and
mother , so alive that
' Spring of Galilee. the
Christ clothed thee
garments of salvation , He has you
draped in the mantle of
justice , as a young
husband gets a tiara and
as a bride adorns herself with
her jewelry. And led by
the hand of the living God , you have
never aged but only
experienced youth
successive . Forever,
subsidiary , bridal and mother .
I 'll see you standing at the prow
first missions
apostolic . I see you
silent and dignified, not avoiding
Point shots under the
thrust of persecution,
arising out of the catacombs.
I see you all you erecting
right in front of invasions
and making all these
"Barbarians" of the son .
e 'll see you through
not a cheerful
Middle Ages and the
Renaissance at a more
severe aridity and schisms
the madness of wars
religion. I see your eyes
misted with tears emerging
mists
obscurantism of
the Inquisition, the Crusades,
anathemas of
temptations of theocracy
time and revolutions.
You've cried and weep
have washed you.
Beyond the philosophies
falsely informed and
temporal messianism of
all sides, the secularization

3. illusory and ideologies
Atheists , you transparais . in the
roll heresies you want the
course. At the crossroads of false
you keep track road . in
abysses you do slip
not . Sometimes tired , often
injured , how touching
then in your humility , you're
always shifts . By the grace
One who made for you that
everything is grace , there you are without
constantly rejuvenated and strengthened .
As further embellished .
So you're that one that goes
desert like a column
of cloud , leaning on her
Beloved. You're wife
the Lamb who inspired him to
follow wherever He goes, sure
the promise that even if the
sheep came by impossible
" Wander " , she would
never lost. Because no
can you pull more of its
hand , much less the
Father's hand.
I see you again , here's fifteen
centuries of spring
traversing deserts
Judah Scete , Nitrian of
Cappadocia. and populating
throughout the world,
Mediterranean first,
then European , and soon
whole earth , hermitages of
laures and monasteries, all
more prayerful , more collected and
more beautiful than the
other .
I see you drawing up here
oratories, chapels there ,
Besides churches, further
basilicas , making all
arise signs of beauty
praise his name.
I hear your voice , powerful and
calm , sometimes as gentle as a
murmur , sometimes closes as
rock- speaking world
thirsting for love and truth,
across the floor of the Fathers and

4. theologians,
T
J
E3 LOVE THE CHURCH 2/2
confessors and doctors,
preachers and
mystics. I mean beauty
liturgical songs that
for two thousand years you do
tirelessly to mount
God, the Gregorian
Byzantine , Syriac to
the Ambrosian , from Ethiopia to
Anglican , what the
Renaissance , the classical age
and modern times , a
pole of the world wallows and
east to west , add
their music daily
and their voice , by uniting to
the angels !
How beautiful you are , my Mother,
with all your children prepared
round about the table as
olive plants ! You're
with your beautiful crown
saints and saints, your arms
loaded with sheaves
newborns, dressed in white !
And at your feet , the crowd all
the faithful and all
repented , apostles,
evangelists, virgins, ascetics ,
martyrs , holy women ,
pastors, young couple , lay
and dedicated , sheltered under the
Coat your mercy,
informed of your word of truth,
comforted by your wisdom and
illuminated joy of the seven
sacraments. They carry
the bread of their stronger than you
given to make
live . You make them a body
brave march towards
God.
oi who exorcises ,
forgive , and bellies
healed, you spread of
we ugliness of evil. you who
flashings , bless , institues ,
devoted and united, you go to

5. our souls the splendor of
grace. You illuminate our
faces and make up
the joy of our hearts,
making us the son of
Light and children
Day . You are the Mother of the people
God .
Will he world some
more beautiful than this thing
that for twenty centuries you
Inspired , provoked , shaped and
built? Will he world
more beautiful than architecture
that thy Romanesque churches
and your cathedrals
Gothic , sculpture more
resplendent painting more
bright frescoes better
worked tapestries better
embroidered illuminations better
plotted, as thou hast
all raised to the glory of
Christ , the Virgin , angels
and saints?
more beautiful call
of God , and shalt say .
The most beautiful music
sacred music, and thou
sing . The most beautiful
clothes are liturgical and
monastic and you doors .
The most beautiful feelings
are inspired by the Gospel and
thou convey . It is you who
we give it all. this is
you thus learn to
men and women of this
world, the elderly and the
children, to transcend the
beauty, the opacity of the material
and the weight of the term , for
as a springboard to
Spirit and eternity.
How beautiful you are , my Mother,
when you guide our steps to
paths of peace you
Insiders us the secrets of
prayer that you push us
live in justice ,
hope and purity ! that
you're beautiful when you we

6. remember that God is our
Father, and, looking well ,
you as our Mother, to
openly, to his son
Jesus Christ , we
reflect together
the same image , which reflects
something already on earth
the glory of the Lord.
For now, I know , I
still see as a
mirror. But when it comes
day of face to face , I
behold in all your
splendor. I can already hear the
song of angels saying
his wife was made for Him
beautiful . And I see you in the
brightness of the New Day ,
Woman who has the sun
coat, with the moon under
and a foot ring
twelve stars on her head ;
down from heaven from
God, resplendent
divine glory as beautiful
a bride adorned for
her Bridegroom . In the dawn of
eternal wedding !
It was then that we
will turn all together,
all together united in you,
to the fullness of love
Whoever wants to be while
all to drink , drunk with joy,
to the Source of Life.