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Skriven 2006-05-10 06:52:32 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service (Press Release)
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Hello All!

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

TRADITION IS THE HISTORY OF THE SPIRIT ACTING IN THE CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, MAY 3, 2006 (VIS) - Pope Benedict XVI dedicated the catechesis of
this Wednesday's general audience to the Apostolic Tradition, a theme of "great
relevance in the life of the Church". The audience in St. Peter's Square
numbered 52,000 people.

"The Vatican Council affirms that the Tradition is 'apostolic', above all in
its origins", explained the pope, "God ... willed to reveal it so that the
salvation of souls may be integrally transmitted to all generations ... For
this, Christ, in Whom the will of God is completed, sent the apostles to preach
... the Gospel as a source of all truth and moral law".

The apostles, "heads of an eschatological Israel were twelve, as were the
tribes of the chosen people", and this number "not only expresses the
continuation of the holy race, the twelve tribes of Israel, but also the
universal destiny of its ministry".

"The community, born from the pronouncement of the Gospel by those who were
first with the Lord ... can rely on the leadership of the twelve, as did those
who little by little united themselves with the successors in the ministry of
the Word and service toward the community. Nevertheless, one feels compelled to
transmit to others the 'Good News' of the Lord's presence".

"The Tradition", continued the Holy Father, "is the living Gospel pronounced in
its integrity by the apostles ... through their work the faith was communicated
to others and has arrived to us, until the end of the world. The Tradition is
... the history of the Spirit, working in the life of the Church through the
apostles and their successors, in faithful continuity with the original
experience".

Citing the Gospel of St. Matthew, Pope Benedict XVI explained that the
apostolic mandate "implies a pastoral service ('make disciples of all
nations'), a liturgical service ('baptizing them'), and a prophetic service
("teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you') guaranteeing
closeness to the Lord until the end of the ages ('I am with you always until
the end of time')".

"Thanks to the apostolic ministry," he concluded, "Christ Himself comes to one
who is called to the faith, overcoming the distance of the ages and offering
Himself, living and working, today in the Church and the world".
AG/APOSTOLIC TRADITION/...VIS 060503 (390)

SUMMARY

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