JOHN PAUL II INAUGURATES SYNOD OF BISHOPS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 30, 2001 (VIS) - At 9:30 this morning, in St. Peter's Basilica, the Pope presided over the solemn Eucharistic celebration with the synodal fathers, for the inauguration of the 10th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will be held from September 30 to October 27, on the theme: "The Bishop: Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Hope of the World."

At the beginning of his homily, John Paul II recalled the "very symbolic gesture" with which he inaugurated the Great Jubilee: crossing the threshold of the Holy Door with the Book of Gospels in his hands. "In it," he said, "in some way, we can find the entire content of the synod we are inaugurating today."

John Paul II emphasized that the evangelical beatitude of poverty proposed in today's liturgy "is a precious message for the synodal assembly. ... We are asked to verify to what point in the Church the personal and community conversion has achieved an effective evangelical poverty."

As bishops, the Pope continued, we are called to be "prophets that underline with courage the social sins tied to consumerism, to hedonism, to an economy that produces an unacceptable gap between luxury and misery. ... In every age, the Church has shown solidarity with the least, and has had Shepherd saints who sided, like intrepid apostles of charity, with the poor.

"But for the Shepherds' Word to be credible," the Pope added, "they must give proof of a conduct detached from private interests and attentive towards the weaker ones. They must give an example to the community entrusted to them, teaching and supporting that ensemble of principles of solidarity and social justice that make up the social doctrine of the Church."

The Pope concluded his homily encouraging the bishops with the words "'Duc in altum - Put out into the deep'. ... As arduous and tiring a mission as this may be, we must not become discouraged. With Peter and with the first disciples we too trustingly renew our sincere profession of faith: Lord, 'at Your Word I will let down the nets!' At Your Word, O Christ, we wish to serve Your Gospel for the hope of the world!"

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