NINETEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, OCT 16, 2001 (VIS) - At 9 this morning the Nineteenth General Congregation of the 10th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops began in the presence of the Holy Father and 237 synod fathers. The language group reports were read in this session. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal Bernard Agre, archbishop of Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

At the beginning of this General Congregation Cardinal Agre read an address in the name of all those present on the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of the Pope's election to the See of Peter.

This is an occasion, he said, "to congratulate you and to wish you, in the name of the entire Church, a happy anniversary, the twenty-third year of your pontifical election. ... (The) planet Earth has many faces, innumerable cultures make up your parish, your pastoral domain. Above all pilgrim of hope, artist of dialogue and of peace, you invite all your contemporaries to have the experience of God in work and serenity. ... With you, very Holy Father, under the light of the face of Christ, loved and contemplated, Jesus the fortune and the force of all humanity, joyful and in solidarity, we cast out our nets for what we hope will be a plentiful catch, benefitting the Church and the world. Happy anniversary, very Holy Father. Ad multos et faustissimos annos!"

Following are excerpts from four of the seven language group reports:

ENGLISH LANGUAGE GROUP B: ARCHBISHOP VERNON JAMES WEISGERBER OF WINNIPEG, CANADA. "The bishop's teaching role is most important in the contemporary world and he thereby becomes a witness of hope. Beginning in his cathedral, the bishop's preaching is followed up by a rich program of formation touching all levels of his collaborators. Special emphasis must be placed on continuous formation. ... Relations with his priests must be transparent; they are to be in his prayers and he must have their care and well-being high on his agenda. The bishop must also reach out to the religious priests in his diocese and integrate them into the diocesan presbyterate. Finally, the relationship with the clergy must motivate the bishop to ensure that all priests have financial security. ... The bishop's role in his diocese is strengthened when the offices of the Roman Curia show in their communications and in their actions that they understand the varying local conditions, otherwise they risk becoming obstacles to communion. To assist in this mutual understanding of the Church, the Synod itself requires attention. It should be adapted so that continuity and follow-up are ensured."

GERMAN LANGUAGE GROUP: BISHOP ALOIS KOTHGASSER, S.D.B., OF INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA. "The bishop must be father and friend of the priests. He must collaborate with the priests in a certain way, so that he can find in this the expression of unity of the Order (of priests). ... To promote the growth of priests, it is important above all to create a favorable climate of celibate priestly and religious vocations. Above all a clear theology of the priesthood is required, especially in the places of formation. In proclaiming and in teaching one clearly sees the specific vocation of the priest and his constitutional importance for the Church (differently from other ecclesial vocations). The pastoral vocation starts with pastoral work on matrimony and the family. The joy in service which the priests manifest, acts like a magnet in attracting young people. The bishop must however concern himself to see that the service of priests becomes much appreciated by the parishioners. ... The relations of the episcopal conferences and the patriarchal synods with the Pope may be underlined in a more effective way by bettering the true structures of the synod of bishops (not dealing with new structures, but bettering those that already exist). The bishops in an ecclesial province must be more intensely involved in the nomination of new bishops, in the sense of collegiality."

FRENCH LANGUAGE GROUP B: BISHOP GILLES CAZABON, O.M.I., OF SAINT-JEROME, CANADA. "Affective collegiality is of great value, but there is a need to show just as much attention to effective collegiality, which already has ways of being exercised in exchanges among the Churches. The Synod of Bishops must also become a better instrument of effective collegiality cum Petro et sub Petro. ... If it can be pertinent to ask ourselves about the collegiality lived in ecclesiastical provinces, our language group is surprised not to find any question referring to the episcopal conferences apart from several interventions in the Hall (which were) specifically reported. The language group restates its conviction that the episcopal conferences play an indispensable role in the Church as an instrument of collegiality. ... One cannot think of the diocesan curia without thinking of the Roman Curia which also touches us in daily matters. Both benefit from periodically assessing themselves in order to better respond to the needs of the Christian people. The commitment of the bishop in favor of justice and peace must be without ambiguity, at both the local and international level. Often, it is not a matter of an isolated action, but a concerted one with brother bishops or in partnership with the civil authorities and the non-governmental organizations. Inspired by Jesus, the bishop must, both in words and action, commit himself in favor of justice and peace."

SPANISH-PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE GROUP B: ARCHBISHOP RAMON OVIDIO PEREZ MORALES, ARCHBISHOP OF LOS TEQUES, VENEZUELA. "The bishop is called to sanctity, which is: following Christ as servant, seeking the fullness of Christian life, perfecting love. One must place this call in the context of the universal vocation of all Christians. ... He must translate this sanctity into a deep charity of pastoral love. ... The relationship of the bishop with the priests, deacons and persons of consecrated life: The bishop, father and brother of his priests and deacons, must look for ways and take initiatives to get closer to them in a friendly way; to wish them well and, in this light, to correct them with affection; to be interested in their life; to value them in an opportune way, so that they, like the faithful in general, feel this. He must take care of their permanent formation. ... The bishop must organize organic pastoral work which is open to all vocations (ministerial, consecrated, committed lay faithful). It is necessary to dedicate special attention to the pastoral care of children and to university pastoral work. ... Collegiality and communion among bishops and with the Successor of Peter: ... The responsibility of the bishops for the universal Church has, among its forms of expression, promoting the common faith and tradition, co-responsable collaboration in the fields of missionary activity, inculturation of the Gospel and cultural dialogue, in human promotion as in the defense of international peace and justice. Regarding the episcopal conferences, the need to have closer relations - not only functional ones - among its members has been emphasized. ... The bishop (is) the animator of life in the parish: ... The parish is not everything (think of the 'new Areopagi') and it is necessary to renew it, taking into account the process of urbanization and the need to take care of specific milieux (for instance that of the university). ... One must look for an adequate integration of movements in pastoral work as a whole."

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