VATICAN CITY, NOV 30, 20004 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received 4,000 priests and seminarians of the Legionaries of Christ and members of the "Regnum Christi" movement on the 60th anniversary of the priestly ordination of their founder and superior general, Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado.
The Holy Father said that this "happy circumstance" of their founder's anniversary "invites us to recall the gifts that he has received from the Lord in these 60 years of priestly ministry and at the same time it is an occasion to highlight the commitments that you have taken on as Legionaries of Christ at the service of the Gospel."
"In particular today, coming to see the Successor of Peter, you want to renew the commitment of your total fidelity to the Church and to him who providence wanted as its pastor."
John Paul II underscored that in order to carry out the "difficult mission" of proclaiming the Gospel "it is necessary to cultivate constant intimacy with Christ, striving to follow and imitate Him docilely. This will make you always ready to respond to the most genuine and profound expectations of the men and women of our time."
"May the Year of the Eucharist, which began in October," he concluded, "be a promising occasion to grow in love for the Eucharist, source and summit of all of Christian life. ... Stay close to the Eucharist! Faithful to the charism that characterizes you, continue in your evangelizing mission, while nourishing yourselves with Christ and being fearless witnesses."
AC/LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST/... VIS 20041130 (260)
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