VATICAN CITY, SEP 6, 2001 (VIS) - This morning at Castelgandolfo John Paul II received the participants of the International Congress of the Confederation of the Canons Regular of St. Augustine, who have reflected on the theme "Participation of the laity in our charism."
"You are," the Pope said, "the continuators of a spirituality able to speak to the mind and heart of the men of today in search of spiritual models which are truly inspiring. While I congratulate your vitality with joy, I exhort you to persevere in the commitment of offering to those you meet in your apostolate a continual announcing of the Gospel, translated into the daily witness of faithfulness to your charism."
The Holy Father reminded the religious that in their Rule "everything is centered upon Christ, everything is directed towards Christ, the sublime interior Teacher. ... From this flows the particular emphasis given by St. Augustine to the value of contemplation and to its close connection with community life. ... This requires an unceasing effort of meditating on the Gospel and putting it into practice, living in community an authentic fraternal charity, sincere and generous, the fruit and at the same time the means of advancing on the interior contemplative journey."
Referring to the theme of the congress, John Paul II affirmed: "You offer a community experience in which the laity assume their specific ecclesial role with responsible participation. ... All this," he concluded, "creates the conditions for an effective service to evangelization."
AC;...;...;ST. AUGUSTINE CANONS;VIS;20010906;Word: 260;
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