BISHOPS OF GUINEA CONAKRY CONCLUDE "AD LIMINA" VISIT

VATICAN CITY, FEB 15, 2003 (VIS) - The Pope today also welcomed prelates from Guinea (Conakry) and spoke to them of the importance of pastoral ministries for young people and the family, of interreligious dialogue and of the challenges they fact with the presence of sects in their country.

John Paul II remarked that the small number of Catholics in Guinea, despite adverse conditions, "have kept a lively awareness that they are the leaven of the Gospel." Echoing the reports presented by the bishops, the Pope noted that there are "many obstacles in welcoming the faith, including the situation of dire poverty of the population, the difficulty of proclaiming the Gospel message in a context marked by the predominance of other religious traditions and the problems faced in reaching communities geographically isolated."
He lauded the work of missionaries in particular and of the Church in general and asked the prelates to pursue the path they have undertaken, especially "in calling Christians to commit themselves ever more to the political life of the country and in helping them, through an adequate doctrinal formation, to join in a coherent manner their Christian faith and their civic responsibilities."

The Holy Father highlighted the importance of the pastoral programs that form the diverse agents of evangelization "so they may assume their irreplaceable role in the Church and in society. This has been made necessary because of the offensive undertaken by sects who take advantage of the situation of the misery and the credulity of the faithful to turn them away from the Church and the liberating word of the Gospel."

He then turned his attention to the family, underscoring that "the breakup of the family and its foundations today in Guinea, even affects social cohesion. ... It is essential to encourage Catholics to preserve and promote the fundamental values of the family," and to "hold in high consideration the dignity of Christian marriage." He stressed the dangers caused by polygamy on the institution of Christian marriage, saying "the Church must clearly and tirelessly teach the truth about marriage and the family as God established them."

Pope John Paul encouraged the bishops to dedicate great time and attention to priests, their "closest collaborators," as well as to the country's young people so that they may take their rightful place "in transforming society."

The Pope then noted that "the encounters with believers of other religions, especially with Muslims, are a daily experience of Christians in Guinea, a country where Islam is the majority religion. At a time when suspicions, temptations to turn in on oneself or the refusal to meet can constitute serious obstacles to the social stability and religious freedom of persons, it is important to pursue dialogue of life between Christians and Muslims, so that they will be ever audacious witnesses of God, good and merciful, in mutual respect."

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