FIFTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, OCT 4, 1999 (VIS) - In the presence of Pope John Paul and 159 synod fathers, Cardinal Paul Poupard, president delegate on duty, called the fifth general congregation to order at 5 p.m.

Following are excerpts from a number of the speeches given this evening:

FR. JOSEPH TOBIN, C.Ss.R, SUPERIOR GENERAL OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE MOST HOLY REDEEMER. "Moral theology is a gift to the mission of the Church, insofar as it shows that the moral life of the Christian can, indeed, be good news. To explain how moral theology can be a gift for the present moment in Europe, it is necessary to recognize the elements that characterize this moment and then indicate the type of moral theology that responds to the challenges of this situation. Two cultural trends seem especially noteworthy: the tendency towards the privatization of religious experience at the expense of its public proclamation, and a widespread acceptance that morality is equivalent with the civil law, which is to the detriment of the necessary ethical grounding for all positive law. Yet even these trends bear seeds of hope. A personally motivated religion is better than one of mere conformity; respect for positive civil laws is to be preferred to social anarchy. ... The first crucial element is the need for a moral theology that takes seriously the question of God and the image of God that underlies moral reflection."

ARCHBISHOP ELIAS YANES ALVAREZ OF ZARAGOZA, SPAIN. "In order to achieve the 'new evangelization' in Europe, the Church must ensure the presence of the mystery of the love of God, manifested in Jesus Christ. She must do this with full faith in the divine revelation, announcing Jesus Christ, Son of God made man, as 'the Way, the Truth and Life.' Christ therefore appears before man, in the Church, as a source of hope. However, in order to be credible, the evangelizers must preach the Gospel truth with love and humility to those whom they want to evangelize. We cannot show that 'God is love' without evangelizing with love."

ARCHBISHOP GABINO DIAZ MERCHAN OF OVIEDO, SPAIN. "A characteristic of some peoples of Europe, and for that matter of the Spanish people, is an aggressive attitude towards the ecclesiastical institution and the clergy: This conditions our efforts towards new evangelization. Many Christians are suspicious of the Church when she proposes principles of faith or morality, making new evangelization more difficult. ... The Church in Spain was excessively linked with political power and other powers of this world over the centuries. ... Acknowledging the faults and errors of the Church in the past is a factor that exercises positive influence on many who doubt her sincerity. ... I suggest the following: Helping baptized Christians to encounter personal faith and to make a deeper commitment to conversion to God and communion in the Church; Favoring the formation of Christian communities in full communion with the Church; ... Developing the apostolic consciousness of the Christian laity, so that they may be the major protagonists of the new evangelization of secular society; ... Not confusing new evangelization with formulas of new Christianity or paternalism and arrogance in society."

ARCHBISHOP LOUIS-MARIE BILLE OF LYON, FRANCE. "As the educators of faith, We must look upon reality correctly and not ignore the considerable difficulties with which we are faced, difficulties coming from parents and from children or youths. Let me recall some basic ideas: Education and education to faith are a concern of the entire Church, not only of specialists. This education requires a great sense of openness. Young people cannot become free unless they have a calling to understanding. We must take into account those who are already preparing youth to receive the Gospel."

FR. TIMOTHY RADCLIFFE, O.P., MASTER OF THE ORDER OF FRIARS PREACHERS. "The crisis of authority within the Church is merely a symptom of a wider crisis of authority in our European culture. Any external authority which tells me what I should believe or do is suspect. ... We proclaim our faith with confidence, but our witness will often not have authority. ... The Church must appeal to the minds of men and women, to make sense of their experience. But this will not be enough, for our society is marked by a crisis of confidence in reason too. ... The Church will only have authority if we share the journeys of people, be touched by their disappointments, their questions, and doubts. Often we speak about people: women, the poor, the immigrants, the divorced,those who have abortions, prisoners, people with AIDS, homosexuals, drug addicts. But our words for Christ will not have authority unless we give authority to their experience, learn their language, accept their gifts."

ARCHBISHOP ENNIO ANTONELLI, EMERITUS OF PERUGIA-CITTA DELLA PIEVE, ITALY. "For the new evangelization of Europe, the understanding of the Church as the living body and sacrament of Christ in history must be renewed. This entails a living experience of the Church as mystery, communion and mission, spreading spirituality analogous to that found in new communities and new ecclesial movements. This community and missionary spirituality bears witness of a love full of hope, it answers the anguish ... of Europeans faced with suffering and death and it offers a better quality of life than the society of well-being is able to."

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