TO BISHOPS: STAND BESIDE THOSE WHO ARE MARGINALISED

Vatican City, 25 March 2012 (VIS) - At 6 p.m. today the Holy Father arrived at the cathedral of "Nuestra Senora de la Luz" in the city of Leon, where he celebrated Vespers with Mexican bishops and numerous other prelates from the episcopal conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean. On arrival the Pope was greeted by the cathedral chapter, then paused for a moment of private prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

Following a greeting by Archbishop Carlos Aguiar Retes of Tlalnepantla, president of the Mexican Episcopal Conference and of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM), the celebration of Vespers began. Extracts from the homily delivered by the Holy Father during the ceremony are given below.

"The Blessed Virgin ... has shown us Jesus and passed down to us the great things which God constantly does for humanity. ... A decisive sign of these great things is given to us in the reading just proclaimed at these Vespers. The people of Jerusalem and their leaders did not acknowledge Christ, yet, by condemning Him to death, they fulfilled the words of the prophets. Human evil and ignorance simply cannot thwart the divine plan of salvation and redemption. Evil is simply incapable of that. ... There is no reason, then, to give in to the despotism of evil".

"I have greatly looked forward to this meeting with you, the pastors of Christ’s pilgrim Church in Mexico and in the different countries of this great continent. I see this meeting as an occasion to turn our gaze together to Christ. ... Certainly your dioceses face a number of challenges and difficulties at the present moment. Yet, in the sure knowledge that the Lord is risen, we are able to move forward confidently, in the conviction that evil does not have the last word in human history, and that God is able to open up new horizons to a hope that does not disappoint".

"In you I see reflected the concerns of the flocks which you shepherd, and I am reminded of the assemblies of the Synod of Bishops, where the participants applaud after an intervention by someone who exercises his ministry in particularly troubling situations for the Church’s life and mission. That applause is a sign of deep faith in the Lord and fraternity in the apostolate, as well as gratitude and admiration for those who sow the Gospel amid thorns, some in the form of persecution, others in the form of social exclusion or contempt. Neither are concerns lacking, for want of means and human resources, or for limitations imposed on the freedom of the Church in carrying out her mission.

"The Successor of Peter shares these concerns and he is grateful for your patient and humble pastoral outreach. You are not alone. ... All of us are one in sufferings and in consolation. Know that you can count on a special place in the prayers of the one who has received from Christ the charge of confirming his brethren in faith. He now encourages you in your mission of making our Lord Jesus Christ ever better known, loved and followed in these lands, and he urges you not to let yourselves be intimidated by obstacles along the way".

"The initiatives planned for the Year of Faith must be aimed at guiding men and women to Christ; His grace will enable them to cast off the bonds of sin and slavery, and to progress along the path of authentic and responsible freedom. ... I encourage you to continue to share freely the treasures of the Gospel, so that they can become a powerful source of hope, freedom and salvation for everyone".

"Amid the challenges now facing us in our pastoral care and our preaching of the Gospel, it is essential to show great concern for your seminarians. ... No less fundamental is the need to remain close to your priests; they must never lack the understanding and encouragement of their bishop, nor, if necessary, his paternal admonition in response to improper attitudes. ... The same should be said for the different forms of consecrated life, whose charisms need to be gratefully esteemed and responsibly encouraged, in a way respectful of the gift received. Greater attention is due to the members of the lay faithful most engaged in the fields of catechesis, liturgical animation, charitable activity and social commitment. Their faith formation is critical if the Gospel is to become present and fruitful in contemporary society. It is not right for them to feel treated like second-class citizens in the Church, despite the committed work which they carry out in accordance with their proper vocation, and the great sacrifice which this dedication at times demands of them. In all of this, it is particularly important for pastors to ensure that a spirit of communion reigns among priests, religious and the lay faithful, and that sterile divisions, criticism and unhealthy mistrust are avoided".

"Stand beside those who are marginalised as the result of force, power or a prosperity which is blind to the poorest of the poor. The Church cannot separate the praise of God from service to others. The one God, our Father and Creator, has made us brothers and sisters: to be human is to be a brother and guardian to our neighbour. ... The Church must relive and make present what Jesus was: the Good Samaritan Who came from afar, entered our human history, lifted us up and sought to heal us".

Following the ceremony, Juan Manuel Oliva Ramirez, governor of the State of Guanajuato, handed the Pope a device with which he illuminated the new lighting system of the nearby Shrine of Christ the King.