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Skriven 2007-05-08 07:53:18 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service (Press Release)
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                               VIS-Press releases

FEMALE RELIGIOUS: THE PRIORITY IS INTIMACY WITH CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, MAY 7, 2007 (VIS) - At midday today, the Pope received
participants in the plenary assembly of the International Union of Superiors
General, a body that represents 794 families of female religious on five
continents. The plenary is being held over these days and has as its theme:
"Challenged to weave a new spirituality which generates hope and life for all."

The Holy Father indicated how all superiors general must "animate and promote
... a mystical and prophetic form of consecrated life, one strongly committed
to realizing the Kingdom of God. These are the 'strings' with which the Lord
moves you to 'weave' today the living fabric of a productive service to the
Church and an eloquent evangelical testimony that is 'ever old and ever new'
because it remains faithful to the radical nature of the Gospel and is
courageously incarnated in contemporary life, especially where the greatest
human and spiritual poverty exists."

"Only from this union with God," the Holy Father said, "does the 'prophetic'
role of your mission arise and find nourishment," a mission "that consists in
announcing the kingdom of heaven, so indispensable for all times and all
societies."

Benedict XVI encouraged the religious not to give in "to the temptation to
abandon your intimacy with your celestial Spouse, letting yourselves be
excessively drawn by the interests and problems of daily life. The Founders of
your institutes managed to become 'prophetic pioneers' in the Church because,
... following Jesus' example, they strove to communicate with concrete words
and gestures the love of God through total giving of self, always maintaining
their gaze and hearts fixed upon Him."

"May your primary concern be to help your consoeurs to seek ... Christ and to
put themselves generously at the service of the Gospel. Do not lose heart and
dedicate every possible effort to the human, cultural and spiritual formation
of the people entrusted to your care, that they may be capable of responding to
modern cultural and social challenges. Be the first to set the example in
shunning comforts, luxuries and convenience to accomplish your mission."

The Holy Father also called upon the religious "to share the wealth of your
charisms with those who are committed to the one mission of the Church, which
is to build the Kingdom. To this end, establish serene and cordial
collaboration with priests, the lay faithful and especially families, in order
to meet the suffering, needs, material poverty, and above all the spiritual
poverty of so many of our contemporaries. Cultivate, moreover, sincere
communion and close collaboration with bishops, who are primarily responsible
for evangelization in the particular Churches."
AC/.../SUPERIORS GENERALVIS 070507 (450)

SUMMARY

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