VATICAN CITY, SEP 24, 2007 (VIS) - Late this morning, the Holy Father met with prelates of the Ukrainian Episcopal Conference who have just completed their "ad limina" visit. Apart from the bishops of Latin rite, also present at the audience were the bishops of Greek-Catholic rite.
In his talk to them, the Pope highlighted the prelates' efforts "to proclaim and bear witness to the Gospel in the dear land of Ukraine, sometimes encountering no small number of difficulties but always supported by the awareness that Christ guides His flock with a sure hand, the flock that He Himself entrusted to your hands as His ministers."
"In the variety of her rites and her historical traditions, the One Catholic Church in every corner of the earth announces and bears witness to the One Jesus Christ, the Word of salvation for all men and for all of man. It is for this reason that the effectiveness of all our pastoral and apostolic projects depends, above all, on faithfulness to Christ.
"We pastors," the Pope added, "just like all the faithful, are called to experience an intimate and constant familiarity with Him in prayer and in meekly listening to His Word. This is the only road to follow in order to become signs of His love and instruments of His peace and harmony, in all fields of life."
"Animated by this spirit," the Holy Father told the prelates, "it is not difficult for you ... to intensify cordial cooperation between Latin bishops and Greek-Catholic bishops, for the good of the entire Christian people. Thus you have the opportunity to coordinate your pastoral plans and your apostolic activities, always offering testimony of that ecclesial communion which is also an indispensable condition for ecumenical dialogue with our brethren in the Orthodox and other Churches."
The Holy Father suggested to the Latin and Greek-Catholic bishops that they meet at least once a year, reaching "agreement between yourselves in order to make pastoral activity ever more harmonious and effective. I am convinced that fraternal cooperation between pastors will be an encouragement and a stimulus for all the faithful to grow in unity and apostolic enthusiasm, and that it will also favor fruitful ecumenical dialogue."
AL/.../UKRAINE VIS 20070924 (380)
In his talk to them, the Pope highlighted the prelates' efforts "to proclaim and bear witness to the Gospel in the dear land of Ukraine, sometimes encountering no small number of difficulties but always supported by the awareness that Christ guides His flock with a sure hand, the flock that He Himself entrusted to your hands as His ministers."
"In the variety of her rites and her historical traditions, the One Catholic Church in every corner of the earth announces and bears witness to the One Jesus Christ, the Word of salvation for all men and for all of man. It is for this reason that the effectiveness of all our pastoral and apostolic projects depends, above all, on faithfulness to Christ.
"We pastors," the Pope added, "just like all the faithful, are called to experience an intimate and constant familiarity with Him in prayer and in meekly listening to His Word. This is the only road to follow in order to become signs of His love and instruments of His peace and harmony, in all fields of life."
"Animated by this spirit," the Holy Father told the prelates, "it is not difficult for you ... to intensify cordial cooperation between Latin bishops and Greek-Catholic bishops, for the good of the entire Christian people. Thus you have the opportunity to coordinate your pastoral plans and your apostolic activities, always offering testimony of that ecclesial communion which is also an indispensable condition for ecumenical dialogue with our brethren in the Orthodox and other Churches."
The Holy Father suggested to the Latin and Greek-Catholic bishops that they meet at least once a year, reaching "agreement between yourselves in order to make pastoral activity ever more harmonious and effective. I am convinced that fraternal cooperation between pastors will be an encouragement and a stimulus for all the faithful to grow in unity and apostolic enthusiasm, and that it will also favor fruitful ecumenical dialogue."
AL/.../UKRAINE VIS 20070924 (380)
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