BISHOPS OF TOGO WELCOMED BY HOLY FATHER

VATICAN CITY, JUL 2, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning welcomed the bishops of Togo, in Rome on their "ad limina" visit, and said he "rejoiced in the vitality of the Church" in their country, adding that a clear sign of this was the recent creation of three new dioceses. He also recalled that evangelization in Togo began just over a century ago.

Highlighting the need for "mutual communion" among pastors and "a true solidarity" among dioceses, the Pope said: "It is the Church's duty to contribute to the common good, with all men of good will, so that the dignity and legitimate rights of every person are always better respected."

He asked the bishops to convey his greetings to their priests, men and women religious, and the laity, especially catechists.

"May your priests," he said, speaking French, "take Christ - who came to serve, not to be served - as a model of apostolic life. May their ministry, whose joys and hopes, fatigue and difficulties, I know well, be a generous and disinterested service of the Church's mission to all men! ...In moments of temptation and discouragement, it is thanks to a solid spiritual life ... that they will find the strength to live generously the commitments they took the day of their ordination."

Of religious, the Pope said: "More than in their way of doing, it is in their way of being that men and women religious must keep baptized persons aware of the duty to respond with holiness of life to the love which God lavishes upon them."

He asked Togo's bishops to be "fathers who are attentive to the needs (of catechists) and to give them the moral and material help which they require," as well as solid doctrinal formation.

"Lay people also must acquire a solid formation," Pope John Paul went on. "Esoteric groups or sects too often profit from ignorance in the domain of religion in order to attract believers who are not well-rooted in their faith."

Turning to "the serious questions which concern Christian marriage and family life" and which challenge the Church today, the Pope said: "The unity of the couple is an exigency of life which respects God's plan such as it was revealed from the very beginning. It is also a sign of the equal personal dignity of women and men." He added that, for those persons who wish to be baptized, "but who live in matrimonial situations which do not allow them to receive Baptism, the Church must show constant spiritual assistance. I greatly encourage you to welcome these people with a great pastoral concern and to remain attentive to their needs, to allow them to progress on the difficult path of accepting the Gospel message in its entirety."

John Paul II made closing remarks on the importance of "a true inculturation" of the Christian message in their culture, as well as the need to continue the dialogue with others faiths, especially with Muslims and with those of the traditional religion.

He also praised the "social works serving the least favored peoples, without distinction of origin or religion," works which became necessary because of the "numerous forms of poverty touching your populations."

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