VATICAN CITY, SEP 23, 2006 (VIS) - This morning, Benedict XVI received prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Chad, who have just completed their five-yearly "ad limina" visit. In his French-language talk to them, the Pope reminded the bishops how, "in the image of Christ the Good Shepherd," they have been sent "to be missionaries of the Good News," and he encouraged them to continue this task "with faithfulness and courage."
"Through the proclamation of the Gospel," he said, "guide your communities to the meeting with the Lord, helping them to bear witness to their hope and contributing to the foundation of a more just society based on universal reconciliation and unity. The regular participation of the faithful in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, will give them the strength to follow Christ, and thus they will feel the need to share with their brothers and sisters their joy at meeting the Lord."
The Pope then went on to refer to priests and to their "difficult but gratifying mission of announcing the Gospel and serving the people of God." He highlighted how "friendship with Christ requires a constant and joyful search for communion of thought, will and action with Him, in humble and faithful obedience," and he prompted the bishops to concern themselves "with the spiritual life of priests, encouraging them to remain faithful to the rule of priestly life, which will help them to conform their lives to the call they received from the Lord."
"Among the pastoral challenges you are facing," he continued, "is that of proclaiming the integral truth of marriage and the family. It is, in fact, of primordial importance to show how the institution of marriage contributes to the real development of people and of society, and ensures the true dignity, equality and freedom of men and women, as well as the human and spiritual development of children."
In this context, "the solid formation of young people will favor the renewal of the pastoral care of families and will contribute to overcoming the social, cultural and economic difficulties which are, for many faithful, an obstacle to Christian marriage. May the young people of your country, while preserving the essential values of the African family, welcome into their lives the beauty and grandeur of Christian marriage which, in its uniqueness, comprehends the faithful and indissoluble love of the spouses."
"Charity work, the display of love to others rooted in the love of God, has an important place in the pastoral activities of your dioceses," the Holy Father observed. And he expressed his gratitude to the male and female religious involved in this field, affirming that, "while they promote true solidarity with the needy without distinction, they must not forget the specifically ecclesial nature of their activities, and must reinforce their awareness of being credible witnesses of Christ."
"Strengthening fraternity between the different communities of which the nation is composed is an objective requiring everyone's commitment," he said, "so as to protect the country from confrontations that lead to new outbreaks of violence. Recognizing the dignity of each individual, the identity of each human and religious group, and their freedom to practice their religion, is part of the shared values of peace and justice which everyone must promote, and is a field in which the leaders of society must play a leading role."
The Holy Father concluded his talk by expressing his joy for the fact that in Chad "relations between Christians and Muslims are generally good, above all thanks to the search for greater reciprocal understanding. I encourage you, then, to continue this collaboration in a spirit of sincere dialogue and mutual respect."
AL/.../CHAD VIS 20060925 (620)
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