Pope's retreat reflects on the Gospel's 'raw' questions

Pope Francis and members of the Curia embarked Sunday on their annual Lenten retreat, which this year centers on the theme: “Le nude domande del vangelo” — “The raw questions of the Gospel.”

The March 6-10 reflections, led by Fr. Ermes Ronchi of the Servants of Mary, are centering on 10 key questions from the Gospel, including: "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?" (Mark 4:40) and “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" (John 8:10).   This is the third consecutive year the Pope has chosen to follow the Lenten spiritual exercises in a location outside of Rome, in order to foster the spiritual retreat and to avoid the temptation to continue working.

The five-day spiritual exercises are taking place at the Casa Divin Maestro retreat center in Ariccia, a city located some 16 miles outside of Rome.

The 2015 papal retreat, led by Fr. Bruno Secondin, Carmelite, was on the theme: “Servants and prophets of the living God.”