Vatican City, 17 November 2014 (VIS) –
The fruits of the labour of missionaries, attention to the family,
guidance of the young, care for AIDS sufferers and the need to
collaborate with political leaders for the common good are the
central points of the written discourse that Pope Francis handed to
the bishops of the Zambia Episcopal Conference whom he received in
audience this morning at the end of their five-yearly “ad Limina”
visit.
The Pope recalls the “rich deposit of
faith” brought to Zambia by missionary religious, remarking that
“despite the sometimes painful meeting of ancient ways with the new
hope that Christ the Lord brings to all cultures, the word of faith
took deep root”. The “plentiful spiritual harvest is evident in
the many Catholic-run clinics, hospitals and schools, and parishes
throughout Zambia, a wide diversity of lay ministries, and
substantial numbers of vocations to the priesthood in a society that
has been transformed by Christian values.
The great challenges that pastors face
in this moment relate in particular to the family, since, as the
prelates affirmed in their meeting with the Pontiff, “many,
especially the poor in their struggle for survival, are led astray by
empty promises in false teachings that seem to offer quick relief in
times of desperation”. Therefore, Francis urges the bishops,
alongside their priests, to form solid Christian families through
catechesis, who “will know, understand and love the truths of the
faith more deeply”, and “affirm Catholic couples in their desire
for fidelity in their conjugal life and in their yearning to provide
a stable spiritual home for their children”. He also urged them to
be close to the young “as they seek to establish and articulate
their identity in a disorienting age”. He adds, “Help them to
find their purpose in the challenge and joy of co-creation with God
that is the vocation to married life … or in the vocations to the
priesthood or religious life, which the Church has been given for the
salvation of souls”.
“In a special way, invite those who
have grown lukewarm and feel lost to return to the full practice of
the faith. As pastors of the flock, do not forget to seek out the
weakest members of Zambian society, among whom are the materially
poor and those afflicted with AIDS; for the great majority of the
poor have a special openness to the faith; they need God and we must
not fail to offer them His friendship, His blessing, His word, the
celebration of the Sacraments and a journey of growth and maturity in
the faith”.
“Never tire of being kind and firm
fathers to your priests, helping them resist materialism and the
standards of the world, while recognising their just needs. Continue
also to promote the treasure of religious life in your dioceses. …
In this challenging time after the death of President Sata, I invite
you to continue working with your political leaders for the common
good, deepening your prophetic witness in defence of the poor in
order to uplift the lives of the weak”, concludes Francis,
reminding the prelates that “the Church’s mission to evangelise
never ends: 'it is imperative to evangelise cultures in order to
inculturate the Gospel... Each culture and social group needs
purification and growth'”.
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