SHOW ALL THE VIGOR AND APPEAL OF CHRIST'S MESSAGE

VATICAN CITY, APR 13, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II received this morning the prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Bolivia who have just completed their "ad limina" visit.

In his address, the Pope emphasized that although there is great hope that priestly and religious vocations will increase in the country, it is necessary "to insist tirelessly on prayer to the 'Lord of the harvest'" so that He send more laborers.

The Holy Father said that it is necessary to take special care with "the formation of the candidates to the priesthood and the consecrated life; the shortage of calls to proclaim and give testimony to the Gospel never justifies not demanding due suitability for this crucial mission of the Church. As a result, a solid theological preparation and deep spirituality must be offered to them so that they understand and accept with joy the demands of the ministry and consecration, giving proof that they are capable of 'spending' their entire life for Christ."

"I invite you," he went on, "to continue to instill courage in your seminarians and priests, without being afraid of presenting and demanding unequivocally the requirements which the Church, inspired by the model of the Good Shepherd, asks of its ordered ministers. I think of the necessary priestly fraternity, without any form of antagonism, prejudice or discrimination; of the indispensable obedience and communion, without reticence, to the Bishop, to whom they must offer their entire availability with joy and generosity; of the sincere and effective appreciation of celibacy and of detachment from material goods."

The Pope expressed gratitude for the "contribution to the service of the Kingdom of God in Bolivia" of the numerous consecrated individuals. Also, he said, the presence of many committed lay people is "a sign of vitality. ... Your willingness to promote catechism or encourage community prayer meetings and the reading of the Word of God, deserves sincere recognition by the Shepherds who, in turn, will have to make a great effort to endow them with theological, liturgical and spiritual formation, appropriate of the duties to which they are assigned." The specific vocation of the laity "has a decisive importance in modern society, in which, as is happening in Bolivia, fast and profound transformations are taking place which require respect for ethical principles and the illumination of evangelical values in order that the temporal realities are ordered according to God."

"As in other parts of Latin America, in Bolivia you are worried about the proselytizing advance of the sects. ... However, the firmness of the faith and the complete trust in the strength of the truth itself to win hearts is a beautiful resource to inspire appropriate pastoral activities. One of them is precisely to proclaim incessantly Christ's message in a way understandable to all, ... and, at the same time, showing all its vigor and appeal."
After referring to "difficult moments in the country, due to a delicate social situation, with different conflicts and outbreaks of violence," the Holy Father affirmed: "With you I appeal to all Bolivian believers, based in the faith they profess and in the hope of Christ which encourages them, to become champions of a society free from selfish partisanship, from any form of violence or lack of respect for human rights, especially the right to life."

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