Vatican City, 28 March 2014 (VIS) –
The vitality of the Church in Madagascar despite the difficult
circumstances in which this country finds itself and the commitment
of the dioceses to human development were some of the central issues
in the message Pope Francis addressed to the bishops of the Episcopal
Conference of Madagascar at the end of their five-yearly “ad
limina” visit.
The Pope thanks the prelates for their
“courageous and tenacious work of evangelisation” and
acknowledged the serious socio-economic problems encountered in
Madagascar, mentioning at the same time that the bishops have urged
all of society to contribute to building a new future”. He
encouraged them to take their rightful place in the “task of
reconstruction, with respect for the rights and duties of each
person”. He writes, “It is important to maintain constructive
relationships with the authorities of your country. You must search
for unity, justice and peace to better serve your people, refusing
any involvement in political disputes at the expense of the common
good”.
“In this context, I wish to
acknowledge the invaluable commitment of your dioceses in social
work”, he continues. “Indeed, there is an intimate connection
between evangelisation and human development. ... I encourage you to
persevere in your attention to the poor and materially and
spiritually supporting those who devote themselves to them,
especially religious congregations, whom I thank with all my heart
for their dedication and for their authentic witness to Christ's love
for all men. I also invite you to call out without fear to all
Malagasy society, and especially its leaders, with regard to the
issue of poverty, which is largely due to corruption and lack of
attention to the common good”.
Education is field in which the Church
is very active in Madagascar. Therefore, the Pope asks the prelates
to do everything in their power to “ensure that the greatest number
of children, including those from the poorest families, have access
to education, since as a result of economic difficulties many parents
no longer have the economic means”. He also urges them to guarantee
a Christian presence in public schools, so that Christians occupied
in the field of education may “contribute to forming the Gospel and
human values in the young generations that will be the leaders of the
society to come”.
He goes on to mention that in their
message for the end of the Year of Faith the bishops complained of
the loss of the true “fihavanana”, a way of life typical of
Malgasy culture, which promotes harmony and solidarity, and in
relation to this he affirms that “the values that the Creator has
instilled in your culture must continue to be transmitted,
illuminated from within by the message of the Gospel. The dignity of
the human person and the culture of peace, dialogue and
reconciliation will find their place in society, leading to a better
future”.
The Pope praises the implementation in
dioceses throughout Madagascar of “an ambitious and very dynamic
programme of formation for life and love”, and emphasises that the
family “needs to be protected and defended so that it so that it
may offer society the service expected of it, that of providing men
and women capable of building a social fabric of peace and harmony”.
With regard to challenges in the field of interreligious dialogue, he
repeats that it is “urgent to develop, and also at times to
initiate, a lucid and constructive dialogue in order to maintain
peace between communities and to promote the common good”. He urges
the prelates “never to doubt the strength of the Gospel, nor its
ability to convert hearts to the resurrected Christ”, reiterating
that for this to happen, “it is necessary that Christians bear
daily witness to the faith they proclaim”, and for this witness to
be credible, “life must be consistent with faith”.
“This invitation”, he continues,
“is directed mainly at the clergy and consecrated persons. The
priesthood, like consecrated life, is not a means of social climbing,
but rather a service to God and to man”. Likewise, he remarks that
chastity and obedience are essential virtues for priests and
concludes, “The same applies with respect to temporal goods and
prudence in their management. Offering a poor example in this area is
particularly disastrous because of the scandal it causes, especially
before a population that lives in poverty”.
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