VATICAN CITY, 11 OCT 2008 (VIS) - The Tenth General Congregation of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops was held this morning. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, archbishop of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Following are excerpts from the speeches given:
BISHOP JOSEPH VO DUC MINH, COADJUTOR OF NHA TRANG, VIETNAM. "The Church of Christ in Vietnam ... has led a life full of crosses. Through the high and low points of its history, like the Jews at the time of their exile, the Vietnamese Catholics understood that only the Word of God remains and never deceives. This Word ... has become a source of comfort and strength that gives a sense of security to all the members of the People of God and, at the same time, is the focal point that helps them to discover their future. The Word of God helps discover the true figure of Jesus Christ, Who incarnates the saving love of God, through the mystery of the Cross. Because of the painful experience lived by the Church of Christ in Vietnam, the Mystery of the Cross has become not only close to daily life, but also an essential element that reunites the People of God".
ARCHBISHOP STANISLAV ZVOLENSKY OF BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA. "In history we meet many men and women who have read Sacred Scripture in a way that led them to reorient their lives completely, to change their way of thinking and acting, or at least to find new reasons for their position of faith. The history of the Church is continually characterised by a return to the existential radicalism of Scripture. The sanctity of many Christians is a consequence of the sincere and often radical response to the call of the Word of God. ... By way of example we may use the Franciscan reading of the Bible, which we will undoubtedly find surprising if we look at it from the viewpoint of modern scientific criteria of interpretation or from the viewpoint of the faith such a reading has aroused. One of the characteristics of this reading was the 'sine glossa' principle which involved welcoming the Word of God as it is written in Sacred Scripture, without any academic commentary. According to St Francis, Divine Truth is not materialised in the words and phrases of the Bible, it is not always available to provide an answer to all problems. It can only be discovered in an integral and individual context, not concentrating on the textual material but on the action of God".
BISHOP ENRIQUE DIAZ DIAZ, AUXILIARY OF SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, MEXICO. "'Faithfulness to the Word of God exists when the first form of charity is realised in a respect for the rights of the human person and in defence of the oppressed and those who suffer'. The indigenous of our communities in Latin America are among those who suffer. ... In many places a relationship has begun to be established between the Word and autochthonous cultures. In a certain way, the Bible is very close to their beliefs and cosmogonies because of the rural culture they share. Creation, the concept of God, the meaning of Redemption and the Cross, life in community, offer many possibilities for encounter. Yet they are different cultures, a journey that has just begun and that must be continued with care so as not to condemn what we do not understand, so as to clarify and give worth to the revealed Word, to avoid destroying cultures and truly to incarnate the Gospel in our people. On the part of Catholics, little has been done to translate the Bible into indigenous languages and there has been little understanding of their culture and their concepts. Until the revealed Word becomes 'living word, written in their cultures and in their lives', it will be very difficult for it to reach and penetrate the heart and be incarnated in these peoples. As Church, we must proclaim this incultured 'Good News'".
BISHOP GEORG MULLER, SS.CC., PRELATE OF TRONDHEIM, NORWAY. "In a Church scattered among Christians of other Churches and ecclesial communities, the Synod underlines the importance of Scripture and of the Word of God. Biblical collaboration is an ample forum for ecumenism. Collaborating with the national biblical societies, for many years now we have been using an edition of the Bible that was not produced by us alone. At the same time, this communion is understood and seen in different ways. This has an important effect on the understanding of Christian doctrine and on its application in life. In an ever more secularised world, the Church must discover new ways to find a living spaces for the Word of God and to emphasise the positive experiences it brings. The Catholic Church in Scandinavia is a small minority. In our countries the faithful often find it difficult to reach ecclesial communities because of the great distances separating them from churches, the scattered towns, ... the linguistic and cultural differences. This situation of diaspora is the focus of our reflections, while in the past we compared ourselves to the great Churches in Europe. We are a minority in a secular society. But if we look at ourselves, we don't call ourselves the Church of the diaspora, since we are used to being few".
BISHOP GEORGE COSMAS ZUMAIRE LUNGU OF CHIPATA, PRESIDENT OF THE ZAMBIA EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE. "No one can deny the fact that there is an intimate bond between the proclaimed word and the Sacraments in the life and mission of the Church. ... Yet in some parts of the world, especially Africa, the reality is that most of our communities go without the celebration of the Eucharist for weeks, months and sometimes even for years unless Christians are willing to travel long distances to attend Mass. In this context, what about the old, the less able, the children, those who have to look after their fields protecting their crop away from the villages? ... Let the year of St. Paul bring about missionary consciousness that will motivate us into generous sharing of human and material resources in favour of spreading the Word of God. Dioceses should not feel that they are too poor to give or too rich to receive. Now is the time for the Synod Fathers to hear the cry of the poor and do something concrete about it".
BISHOP BEJOY NICEPHORUS D'CRUZE O.M.I. OF KHULNA, BANGLADESH. "The Prophets as men of the Word of God were defenders of the rights of the poor, orphans and widows. They spoke on their behalf. ... Bangladesh is a country where corruption, bribery and injustice are rampant. A small minority is becoming rich and the majority is becoming poorer. The Word of God calls us to justice and integrity in public life. The Church, a tiny minority, makes significant contribution in the areas of education, health and social services. In these areas, the Church has to live its solidarity with the poor and uphold justice for all, especially for the poor in the light of the Word of God. The Word of God invites us to inter-religious dialogue: According to Vatican Council II, the Church rejects nothing which is holy and true in these religions. They often reflect a ray of truth. Hence the Church enters into dialogue with them. In the majority Muslim country of Bangladesh, the minority Christian community has to live in peace and harmony and dialogue".
SE/TENTH CONGREGATION/... VIS 20081013 (1250)
Following are excerpts from the speeches given:
BISHOP JOSEPH VO DUC MINH, COADJUTOR OF NHA TRANG, VIETNAM. "The Church of Christ in Vietnam ... has led a life full of crosses. Through the high and low points of its history, like the Jews at the time of their exile, the Vietnamese Catholics understood that only the Word of God remains and never deceives. This Word ... has become a source of comfort and strength that gives a sense of security to all the members of the People of God and, at the same time, is the focal point that helps them to discover their future. The Word of God helps discover the true figure of Jesus Christ, Who incarnates the saving love of God, through the mystery of the Cross. Because of the painful experience lived by the Church of Christ in Vietnam, the Mystery of the Cross has become not only close to daily life, but also an essential element that reunites the People of God".
ARCHBISHOP STANISLAV ZVOLENSKY OF BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA. "In history we meet many men and women who have read Sacred Scripture in a way that led them to reorient their lives completely, to change their way of thinking and acting, or at least to find new reasons for their position of faith. The history of the Church is continually characterised by a return to the existential radicalism of Scripture. The sanctity of many Christians is a consequence of the sincere and often radical response to the call of the Word of God. ... By way of example we may use the Franciscan reading of the Bible, which we will undoubtedly find surprising if we look at it from the viewpoint of modern scientific criteria of interpretation or from the viewpoint of the faith such a reading has aroused. One of the characteristics of this reading was the 'sine glossa' principle which involved welcoming the Word of God as it is written in Sacred Scripture, without any academic commentary. According to St Francis, Divine Truth is not materialised in the words and phrases of the Bible, it is not always available to provide an answer to all problems. It can only be discovered in an integral and individual context, not concentrating on the textual material but on the action of God".
BISHOP ENRIQUE DIAZ DIAZ, AUXILIARY OF SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, MEXICO. "'Faithfulness to the Word of God exists when the first form of charity is realised in a respect for the rights of the human person and in defence of the oppressed and those who suffer'. The indigenous of our communities in Latin America are among those who suffer. ... In many places a relationship has begun to be established between the Word and autochthonous cultures. In a certain way, the Bible is very close to their beliefs and cosmogonies because of the rural culture they share. Creation, the concept of God, the meaning of Redemption and the Cross, life in community, offer many possibilities for encounter. Yet they are different cultures, a journey that has just begun and that must be continued with care so as not to condemn what we do not understand, so as to clarify and give worth to the revealed Word, to avoid destroying cultures and truly to incarnate the Gospel in our people. On the part of Catholics, little has been done to translate the Bible into indigenous languages and there has been little understanding of their culture and their concepts. Until the revealed Word becomes 'living word, written in their cultures and in their lives', it will be very difficult for it to reach and penetrate the heart and be incarnated in these peoples. As Church, we must proclaim this incultured 'Good News'".
BISHOP GEORG MULLER, SS.CC., PRELATE OF TRONDHEIM, NORWAY. "In a Church scattered among Christians of other Churches and ecclesial communities, the Synod underlines the importance of Scripture and of the Word of God. Biblical collaboration is an ample forum for ecumenism. Collaborating with the national biblical societies, for many years now we have been using an edition of the Bible that was not produced by us alone. At the same time, this communion is understood and seen in different ways. This has an important effect on the understanding of Christian doctrine and on its application in life. In an ever more secularised world, the Church must discover new ways to find a living spaces for the Word of God and to emphasise the positive experiences it brings. The Catholic Church in Scandinavia is a small minority. In our countries the faithful often find it difficult to reach ecclesial communities because of the great distances separating them from churches, the scattered towns, ... the linguistic and cultural differences. This situation of diaspora is the focus of our reflections, while in the past we compared ourselves to the great Churches in Europe. We are a minority in a secular society. But if we look at ourselves, we don't call ourselves the Church of the diaspora, since we are used to being few".
BISHOP GEORGE COSMAS ZUMAIRE LUNGU OF CHIPATA, PRESIDENT OF THE ZAMBIA EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE. "No one can deny the fact that there is an intimate bond between the proclaimed word and the Sacraments in the life and mission of the Church. ... Yet in some parts of the world, especially Africa, the reality is that most of our communities go without the celebration of the Eucharist for weeks, months and sometimes even for years unless Christians are willing to travel long distances to attend Mass. In this context, what about the old, the less able, the children, those who have to look after their fields protecting their crop away from the villages? ... Let the year of St. Paul bring about missionary consciousness that will motivate us into generous sharing of human and material resources in favour of spreading the Word of God. Dioceses should not feel that they are too poor to give or too rich to receive. Now is the time for the Synod Fathers to hear the cry of the poor and do something concrete about it".
BISHOP BEJOY NICEPHORUS D'CRUZE O.M.I. OF KHULNA, BANGLADESH. "The Prophets as men of the Word of God were defenders of the rights of the poor, orphans and widows. They spoke on their behalf. ... Bangladesh is a country where corruption, bribery and injustice are rampant. A small minority is becoming rich and the majority is becoming poorer. The Word of God calls us to justice and integrity in public life. The Church, a tiny minority, makes significant contribution in the areas of education, health and social services. In these areas, the Church has to live its solidarity with the poor and uphold justice for all, especially for the poor in the light of the Word of God. The Word of God invites us to inter-religious dialogue: According to Vatican Council II, the Church rejects nothing which is holy and true in these religions. They often reflect a ray of truth. Hence the Church enters into dialogue with them. In the majority Muslim country of Bangladesh, the minority Christian community has to live in peace and harmony and dialogue".
SE/TENTH CONGREGATION/... VIS 20081013 (1250)
No comments:
Post a Comment