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Skriven 2006-02-27 23:21:22 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service (Press Release)
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                The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                          Vatican Information Service.
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                               VIS-Press releases

TO BISHOPS OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: BE PEACEMAKERS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 24, 2006 (VIS) - "Blessed are the peacemakers." With these
words, Benedict XVI received in the Vatican this morning prelates from the
Bishops' Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who have just completed their
"ad limina" visit.

"Following the sad years of the recent war," said the Pope, "you as peacemakers
are called to reinforce communion and to disseminate mercy, understanding and
forgiveness in the name of Christ, both within the Christian communities and
throughout the complex social fabric of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"I well know that yours is not an easy mission, but I also know that you
maintain your gaze constantly fixed upon Christ, Who ... gave His disciples a
fundamental task that sums up all the others, that of loving. Love ... must not
simply follow earthly laws, ... but translate into that higher measure of
justice which is mercy." The Pope underlined the fact that, with this spirit,
the bishops "will easily be able to carry out the mission entrusted to you,
contributing to healing still-open wounds and to resolving contrasts and
divisions left over from past years."

Benedict XVI then went on to mention some of the problems facing the prelates
of Bosnia and Herzegovina, such as "the position of exiles, for whom I hope
appropriate agreements will be reached in respect of everyone's rights." He
also mentioned "the indispensable equality between citizens of various
religions, ... the urgent need for measures to meet the growing lack of work
for young people, and attenuating ominous tensions between ethnic groups."

The Holy Father reaffirmed the Holy See's closeness to Bosnia and Herzegovina,
a closeness confirmed, among other things, "by the recent appointment of a
resident nuncio, who will be able to maintain permanent contact with the
country's various requirements." He then went on to consider a number of
matters of concern to the bishops in their diocesan lives:

"First of all, it is important that every effort be made to increase the unity
of the flock of Christ, ... overcoming, if necessary, misunderstandings and
difficulties associated with events of the past. The Church everywhere pursues
a single objective, that of building the Kingdom of God in all lands and in the
hearts of all people. To the successors of the Apostles and to their
collaborators in the pastoral ministry is entrusted the mission of preserving
intact the heritage of the Lord, adhering faithfully to the doctrinal and
spiritual patrimony of the Church in her entirety."

"Blessed are the peacemakers," the Holy Father repeated. "As well as to the
Church's mission in the outside world, these words are also applicable to
internal relations among her members. The various ecclesiastical elements ...
are regulated by canonical norms that are an expression of a centuries-old
experience. ... It is up to the bishop, father of the community entrusted to
him by Christ, to discern what is appropriate to the building of the Church of
Christ. In this sense, the bishop is pontiff, a 'builder of bridges,' between
the various elements of the ecclesial community."

All this, Benedict XVI concluded, "constitutes a particularly important aspect
of episcopal ministry at this moment in history, as Bosnia and Herzegovina
resume the path of collaboration to build a future of social development and
peace."
AL/.../BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA VIS 060224 (560)

SUMMARY

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