Vatican City, 2014 (VIS) – The
bishops of Cote d'Ivoire were received by the Holy Father this
morning, at the end of their five-yearly “ad Limina” visit, and
the written discourse he handed to them emphasised the need for
dialogue and brotherhood among prelates and their priests, along with
the successful inculturation of faith.
“The fraternal communion that unites
the bishops of a nation around Christ is essential for the growth of
the Church as well as for the progress of society as as whole”, he
writes. “This is especially true in a country that has suffered
serious divisions and is in need of your witness and your firm
commitment to rebuilding fraternity. Let us not be robbed of the
ideal of brotherly love! By really being brothers, open to dialogue
and mutual trust, listening to all – even when there are
differences and contradictions – and making space for everyone,
especially the youngest among you, you will provide a new missionary
impulse and will truly transform society, so that it is more
consistent with the Gospel ideal”.
“Therefore”, he continued, “I can
only encourage you to take on the role that is yours in the task of
national reconciliation, setting aside any personal involvement in
political disputes at the expense of the common good. However, it is
important to maintain constructive relations with the authorities
within the country, as well as with the various components of
society, so as to spread the true evangelical spirit of dialogue and
collaboration. The role of the Church – which is valued and
listened to – can be crucial. … I urge you to continue in your
dialogue with Muslims, so as to discourage any drift towards violence
or any incorrect religious interpretation of the conflict you have
experienced”.
“Of course, you are not alone in
facing the enormous task of evangelisation and the conversion of
hearts: you have the support of the clergy, generous and motivated,
and whose numbers continue to grow”, he remarks. “However, to
avoid difficulties and shortcomings that some priests encounter, the
best approach is without doubt to ensure the quality of formation,
both initial and permanent, the encouragement of a priestly
fraternity that overcomes ethnic divisions and, in particular, the
closeness and attention that, like loving and caring fathers, you
must give to each one of them. Use, wherever possible, gentleness,
persuasion and encouragement to awaken pastoral zeal, rather than
immediate sanctions or severity. I urge you to visit your priests
often in order to listen to them and get to know them better. The
formation of a fraternal, united 'presbyterium' around the bishop is
necessary for a priest to remain attached to his own diocese and to
prioritise its needs, rather than giving in to the temptation to
leave it, to the detriment of the people of God who need his
ministry”.
The Pope offers warm thanks to the
consecrated persons for “the considerable task they take on, along
with laypersons working alongside them, in the sectors of education,
health and development. Their work is appreciated by all and is
absolutely indispensable in view of the intimate connection between
evangelisation and human development”: He also invites the bishops
to ensure their pastoral closeness to all the lay faithful, but
especially families, “who are more fragile nowadays, both on
account of the secularisation of Ivorian society and the movement of
the population and divisions caused by the conflict, as well as by
less morally demanding temptations that arise all around them”. The
Pontiff also draws attention to the elderly as, “despite the
traditional African mentality that reserves a special veneration for
them, many now find themselves alone and abandoned, due to the
'throwaway' culture that has appeared in your societies. However,
their participation is essential for the equilibrium of the people
and the education of the young”.
Francis concludes by expressing his joy
and gratitude for the great work of evangelisation that is being
carried out in Cote d'Ivoire. “However”, he warns, “faith
remains fragile and the wind does not blow in its favour. Often, as
the recent conflicts have unfortunately shown, ethnic particularism
overrides evangelical fraternity, and many baptised persons, tired or
disillusioned, drift away from the light of truth in search of easier
solutions, whereas others simply do not put the demands of faith into
practice in their lives. Undoubtedly the key for the future is found
partly in ensuring the Word of God is more deeply rooted in people's
hearts. It is certainly also necessary to enter into deeper dialogue
with cultural, religious and traditional reality in order to achieve
a true inculturation of our faith, unambiguously rejected what is
contrary to it while welcoming and nurturing what is good. I
therefore encourage you to continue ceaselessly in your work of
evangelisation. In this way, the Church in Cote d'Ivoire can face the
challenges of the future with serenity”.
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