SUMMARY:
- AUDIENCES
______________________________________
MAY
THE FACE OF CHURCH SHINE FORTH WITH CLARITY IN THE MIDST OF THE NOBLE
CHINESE PEOPLE
Vatican
City, 26 April 2012 (VIS) - The Commission for the Catholic Church in
China, established by Benedict XVI in 2007 to study questions of
major importance regarding the life of the Catholic Church in that
country, held its fifth meeting in the Vatican from 23 to 25 April.
At the end of the gathering the commission released a communique in
English and Chinese, the text of which is given below.
"With
deep spiritual closeness to all brothers and sisters in the faith
living in China, the Commission recognised the gifts of fidelity and
dedication which the Lord has given to His Church throughout the past
year.
"The
participants examined the theme of the formation of the lay faithful,
in view also of the “Year of Faith” which the Holy Father has
announced will be held from 11 October 2012 to 24 November 2013. The
words of the Gospel, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature
and in favour with God and man”, set out the task to which the
Catholic lay faithful in China are called.
"In
the first place, they must enter ever more deeply into the life of
the Church, nourished by doctrine, conscious of their being part of
the Catholic Church, and consistent with the requirements of life in
Christ, which necessitates hearing the word of God with faith. From
this perspective, a profound knowledge of the Catechism of the
Catholic Church will be a particularly important aid for them.
"In
the second place, lay Catholics are called to take part in civic life
and in the world of work, offering their own contribution with full
responsibility: by loving life and respecting it from conception
until natural death; by loving the family, promoting values which are
also proper to traditional Chinese culture; by loving their country
as honest citizens concerned for the common good. As an ancient
Chinese sage put it, “the way of great learning consists in
illustrating noble virtues, in renewing and staying close to people,
and in reaching the supreme good”.
"Thirdly,
the lay faithful in China must grow in grace before God and men, by
nourishing and perfecting their own spiritual life as active members
of the parish community and by involving themselves in the
apostolate, also with the help of associations and Church movements
which foster their ongoing formation.
"In
this regard, the Commission noted with joy that the proclamation of
the Gospel by Catholic communities, which are sometimes poor and
without material resources, encourages many adults to request baptism
every year. It was thus emphasised that the dioceses in China should
promote a serious catechumenate, adopt the rite of Christian
initiation of adults, and care for their formation after Baptism as
well. Pastors, both bishops and priests, should make every effort to
consolidate the lay faithful in their knowledge of the teachings of
Vatican Council II, and in particular of ecclesiology and the social
doctrine of the Church. Moreover, it will be useful to dedicate
special solicitude to the preparation of pastoral workers dedicated
to evangelisation, catechesis and works of charity. The integral
formation of lay Catholics, above all in those places where rapid
social evolution and significant economic development are occurring,
is part of a commitment to make the local Church vibrant and
thriving. Finally, an adequate response to the phenomenon of internal
migration and urbanisation is to be hoped for.
"Practical
indications, which the Holy See has proposed and will propose to the
universal Church for a fruitful celebration of the “Year of Faith”,
will undoubtedly be heeded with enthusiasm and with a creative spirit
also in China. These suggestions will stimulate the Catholic
community to find adequate initiatives to put into practice what Pope
Benedict XVI has written regarding the lay faithful and the family in
his Letter of 27 May 2007 to the Catholic Church in the People’s
Republic of China.
"The
lay faithful, therefore, are called to participate with apostolic
zeal in the evangelisation of the Chinese people. By virtue of their
Baptism and Confirmation, they receive from Christ the grace and the
task to build up the Church.
"In
the course of the meeting, attention then focused on the pastors, in
particular on bishops and priests who are detained or who are
suffering unjust limitations on the performance of their mission.
Admiration was expressed for the strength of their faith and for
their union with the Holy Father. They need the Church’s prayer in
a special way so as to face their difficulties with serenity and in
fidelity to Christ.
"The
Church needs good bishops. They are a gift of God to His people, for
the benefit of whom they exercise the office of teaching, sanctifying
and governing. They are also called to provide reasons for life and
hope to all whom they meet. They receive from Christ, through the
Church, their task and authority, which they exercise in union with
the Roman Pontiff and with all the bishops throughout the world.
"Concerning
the particular situation of the Church in China, it was noted that
the claim of the entities, called “One Association and One
Conference”, to place themselves above the bishops and to guide the
life of the ecclesial community, persists. In this regard, the
instructions given in the Letter of Pope Benedict XVI, remain current
and provide direction. It is important to observe them so that the
face of the Church may shine forth with clarity in the midst of the
noble Chinese people.
"This
clarity has been obfuscated by those clerics who have illegitimately
received episcopal ordination and by those illegitimate bishops who
have carried out acts of jurisdiction or who have administered the
Sacraments. In so doing, they usurp a power which the Church has not
conferred upon them. In recent days, some of them have participated
in episcopal ordinations which were authorised by the Church. The
behaviour of these bishops, in addition to aggravating their
canonical status, has disturbed the faithful and often has violated
the consciences of the priests and lay faithful who were involved.
"Furthermore,
this clarity has been obfuscated by legitimate bishops who have
participated in illegitimate episcopal ordinations. Many of these
bishops have since clarified their position and have requested
pardon; the Holy Father has benevolently forgiven them. Others,
however, who also took part in these illegitimate ordinations, have
not yet made this clarification, and thus are encouraged to do so as
soon as possible.
"The
participants in the plenary meeting follow these painful events with
attention and in a spirit of charity. Though they are aware of the
particular difficulties of the present situation, they recall that
evangelisation cannot be achieved by sacrificing essential elements
of the Catholic faith and discipline. Obedience to Christ and to the
Successor of Peter is the presupposition of every true renewal and
this applies to every category within the People of God. Lay people
themselves are sensitive to the clear ecclesial fidelity of their own
pastors.
"With
regard to priests, consecrated persons and seminarians, the
commission reflected once again on the importance of their formation,
rejoicing in the sincere and praiseworthy commitment to provide not
only suitable programmes of human, intellectual, spiritual and
pastoral formation for the seminarians, but also times of ongoing
formation for priests. In addition, appreciative mention was made of
the initiatives which are being undertaken by various female
religious institutes to coordinate formation activities for
consecrated persons.
"It
was noted, on the other hand, that the number of vocations to the
priestly and religious life has noticeably declined in recent years.
The challenges of the situation impel the faithful to invoke the Lord
of the harvest and to strengthen the awareness that each priest and
woman religious, faithful and luminous in their evangelical witness,
are the primary sign still capable of encouraging today’s young men
and women to follow Christ with undivided heart.
"Finally,
the Commission recalls that this upcoming 24 May, the liturgical
memorial of the “Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians” and the
Day of Prayer for the Church in China, will provide a particularly
auspicious opportunity for the entire Church to ask for energy and
consolation, mercy and courage, for the Catholic community in China".
AUDIENCES
Vatican
City, 26 April 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in
audience:
-
Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council
for Promoting New Evangelisation.
-
Archbishop Francois Bacque, apostolic nuncio.
-
Six prelates of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, on
their "ad limina" visit:
-
Archbishop John George Vianzy of Portland in Oregon.
-
Bishop-elect Liam Stephen Carey of Baker, accompanied by Bishop
William Stephen Skylstad, emeritus of Spokane and apostolic
administrator of Baker.
-
Bishop Michael Patrick Driscoll of Boise City.
-
Bishop Michael William Warfel of Great Falls-Billings.
-
Bishop George Leo Thomas of Helena.
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