THE CHURCH IN GERMANY: GIVE WITNESS TO THE GOSPEL OF LIFE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 18, 1999 (VIS) - This morning the Pope addressed the second group of prelates from the German Episcopal Conference who have just completed their "ad limina" visit.

In his talk, the Holy Father affirmed: "As 'vicar of Christ's love,' I have recently considered it my duty to resolve the discord that has arisen, both between you and within the Churches entrusted to you, attempting to harmonize once again the individual voices 'in the one great symphony for life' to which the Catholic Church must remain faithful at all times and in all places. I ask the Lord to ensure that the Church in Germany clearly and unanimously gives witness to the Gospel of Life."

"Perhaps," he continued, "Providence entrusted me with the chair of Peter that I may be, on the threshold of the Third Millennium, a passionate 'advocate of life.' In fact, I myself was forced to experience during my youth how, during a particularly dark chapter in the history of this tormented century, human life was trodden underfoot and systematically annihilated, not far from my native city of Wadowice."

Speaking of episcopal ministry, the Pope recalled that, as pastors, "we must jointly transmit that which we ourselves have received. It is not a question (of using) our own words, however learned they may be, because it is not ourselves that we preach, rather (we preach) the revealed truth which must be transmitted faithfully and in union with other members of the college of pastors."

John Paul II indicated that in a climate of widespread religious individualism, some members of the Church "take upon themselves the right of choosing, in matters of faith, the teachings that they feel are admissible and those that must be rejected. Yet the truths of the faith constitute an organic whole which does not admit such arbitrary discrimination. Whoever indulges in such practices cannot consider himself as coherent with the faith he professes."

Making reference to the office of sanctification, the exercise of which is the duty of bishops, the Pope made particular mention of the sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist. After recalling the necessity of baptizing children soon after birth, he highlighted the importance that this sacrament "be seen above all as a free gift from God the Father to the child." Furthermore, "we cannot speak of spiritual renewal of the diocese without going back to the Eucharist."

"The lack of priests and their uneven distribution on the one hand and, on the other, the worrying drop in the numbers who regularly attend Sunday Mass, constitute a challenge which your Church must face."

The parish community must be "a Eucharistic community. As such it must be guided by an ordained priest who, through his sacred authority and the consequent non-transferable responsibility, offers the Eucharistic sacrifice 'in persona Christi'."

"The fact that religious and lay people authorized by you, preside over the Sunday service of the Word may be praiseworthy in emergency situations, but in the long term it cannot be seen as satisfactory."

The Pope closed his talk by recalling the problem of aging priests and the lack of vocations, and encouraged the German prelates to be closer to priests and seminarians.

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