Text 1006, 86 rader
Skriven 2006-01-28 16:22:42 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
===================================================
Hello All!

                The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                          Vatican Information Service.
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                               VIS-Press releases

PROPHETIC SIGNS OF A HUMANITY FREED FROM RANCOR AND FEAR

VATICAN CITY, JAN 27, 2006 (VIS) - Today in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received
prelates from the Episcopal Conference of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
who have just concluded their "ad limina" visit.

In his address to them, the Pope recalled the "deep scars left in people's
memory," by the bloody conflicts that have lacerated the country over the last
few years, and praised Congolese bishops for calling on local leaders "to
demonstrate their responsibility and courage, so that people may live in peace
and security." The Pope encouraged the episcopal conference to "accompany the
progress currently being made."

The Holy Father made frequent reference to the post-Synodal Apostolic
Exhortation "Ecclesia in Africa," the tenth anniversary of which was celebrated
in 2005. "In calling that synodal assembly," said Benedict XVI, "John Paul II
wished to promote an organic form of pastoral solidarity for the African
continent, so that the Church can bring a credible message of faith, hope and
charity to all men and women of good will, and give a new missionary impulse to
particular Churches." He also recalled how certain dioceses are celebrating
their first centenary of evangelization, an anniversary that provides a good
occasion "to renew the apostolic enthusiasm of pastors and faithful," and for
"moral, spiritual and material reconstruction to unite communities into one
family, a sign of fraternity for your contemporaries."

The Holy Father continued his address to the bishops: "You have highlighted the
need to work for a profound evangelization of the faithful. The living and
vibrant ecclesiastical communities in all your dioceses well reflect this
'hands-on' evangelization which makes the faithful ever more mature in their
faith, in a spirit of evangelical fraternity that brings them to reflect
together on the various aspects of ecclesiastical life. These communities also
constitute a valuable bulwark against the onslaught of sects, which exploit the
credulity of the faithful and lead them astray by proposing a false vision of
salvation and of the Gospel, and loose morals."

Benedict XVI stressed the need for "the permanent formation of the leaders of
these communities, especially of catechists," and the importance that such
groups "not only welcome the Gospel of Christ, but that they bear witness to
Him before human beings. ... In these times, that are so important for the
important for the life of your country, the lay faithful must be reminded of
the urgent need to begin the renewal of the temporal world, calling them to
'bring to bear upon the social fabric an influence aimed at changing not only
ways of thinking but also the very structures of society, so that they will
better reflect God's plan for the human family'."

The Pope then expressed his appreciation for all the priests and male and
female religious who work on the African continent. "I am aware," he said, "of
the difficult conditions in which many of them exercise their mission," and
gave thanks for their "frequently heroic service." On this subject, he invited
the bishops to watch over "the excellence of the moral and spiritual life of
priests, particularly reminding them of the unique bond that ties the priest to
Christ, of which priestly celibacy, lived in perfect chastity, is an expression
of profundity and vitality."

The Pope encouraged the Congolese prelates to "continue to develop the bonds of
communion with your diocesan presbyterium," bearing in mind the fact that in
the country "long-term conflicts have sometimes had negative repercussions on
the unity of the presbyterium, favoring tribalism and power struggles, bringing
fateful consequences for the construction of the Body of Christ and confusion
to the faithful."

"I exhort you all to rediscover the deep-rooted fraternity that is particular
to priests," said the Holy Father, inviting the bishops to encourage priests
"to exercise fraternal charity, particularly by offering them certain forms of
communal life, in order to help them grow in sanctity and in faithfulness to
their vocation and mission, and in full communion with you bishops."

"At the end of our meeting," the Pope concluded, "I invite you to hope. For
more than a century the Good News has been announced in your land. ... May your
communities, supported by the witnesses to the faith in your country -
especially Blesseds Marie-Clementine Anuarite Nengapeta and Isidore Bakanja -
be prophetic signs of a humanity renewed in Christ, a humanity liberated from
rancor and fear!"
AL/DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC CONGO/... VIS 060127 (750)

SUMMARY

--- MPost/386 v1.21
 * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS New Orleans 1-504-897-6006 USR 33.6k (1:396/45)