VATICAN CITY, 29 JAN 2009 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, the Holy Father received prelates from the Conference of Catholic Bishops of the Russian Federation, who have recently completed their "ad limina" visit.
The Pope praised the bishops' efforts "towards the inculturation of the faith", and expressed his appreciation "for your commitment to re-launching participation in the liturgy and the Sacraments, to catechesis, to the formation of priests, and to the preparation of a mature and responsible laity capable of becoming an evangelical ferment in families and in civil society".
He encouraged the prelates not to lose heart in the face of difficulties or when "the results you obtain from your pastoral work do not seem to reflect the effort you have put in. Rather", he went on, "nourish - in yourselves and in your collaborators - an authentic spirit of faith, with the evangelical awareness that Jesus Christ will not fail to make your ministry fruitful with the grace of His Spirit".
"With constant care and attention, continue to promote and tend vocations to the priestly and religious life. ... Support priests and religious in their permanent doctrinal and spiritual formation. ... Look to the formation of consecrated people and the spiritual development of the lay faithful, that they may come to consider their lives as a response to a universal call to sanctity, which must find expression in coherent evangelical witness in all the circumstances of daily life".
Benedict XVI highlighted the need for "a renewed commitment to dialogue with our Orthodox brothers and sisters". This dialogue, "despite the progress that has been made, still encounters certain difficulties", he said. In this context he reiterated his best wishes to the newly-elected patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Kirill, "for the delicate ecclesial task with which he has been entrusted".
"It is important that Christians unite to face the great cultural and ethical challenges of the present moment, which concern the dignity and the inalienable rights of the person, the defence of life at all stages, the protection of the family, and other pressing economic and social questions".
The Holy Father concluded his remarks to the prelates with an expression of his "profound gratitude for all the good you do, undertaking your episcopal ministry with complete fidelity to the Magisterium. ... My thanks also go to the priests, religious and lay people who collaborate with you in the service of Christ and His Gospel".
AL/.../RUSSIAN FEDERATION VIS 20090129 (420)
The Pope praised the bishops' efforts "towards the inculturation of the faith", and expressed his appreciation "for your commitment to re-launching participation in the liturgy and the Sacraments, to catechesis, to the formation of priests, and to the preparation of a mature and responsible laity capable of becoming an evangelical ferment in families and in civil society".
He encouraged the prelates not to lose heart in the face of difficulties or when "the results you obtain from your pastoral work do not seem to reflect the effort you have put in. Rather", he went on, "nourish - in yourselves and in your collaborators - an authentic spirit of faith, with the evangelical awareness that Jesus Christ will not fail to make your ministry fruitful with the grace of His Spirit".
"With constant care and attention, continue to promote and tend vocations to the priestly and religious life. ... Support priests and religious in their permanent doctrinal and spiritual formation. ... Look to the formation of consecrated people and the spiritual development of the lay faithful, that they may come to consider their lives as a response to a universal call to sanctity, which must find expression in coherent evangelical witness in all the circumstances of daily life".
Benedict XVI highlighted the need for "a renewed commitment to dialogue with our Orthodox brothers and sisters". This dialogue, "despite the progress that has been made, still encounters certain difficulties", he said. In this context he reiterated his best wishes to the newly-elected patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Kirill, "for the delicate ecclesial task with which he has been entrusted".
"It is important that Christians unite to face the great cultural and ethical challenges of the present moment, which concern the dignity and the inalienable rights of the person, the defence of life at all stages, the protection of the family, and other pressing economic and social questions".
The Holy Father concluded his remarks to the prelates with an expression of his "profound gratitude for all the good you do, undertaking your episcopal ministry with complete fidelity to the Magisterium. ... My thanks also go to the priests, religious and lay people who collaborate with you in the service of Christ and His Gospel".
AL/.../RUSSIAN FEDERATION VIS 20090129 (420)
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