Fort-de-France (Agenzia Fides) – The Bishops of the Antilles Bishops' Conference have issued a Message to all the priests of the region at the close of their Plenary Assembly in Fort-de-France on the island of Martinique (see Fides 11/5/2009). In the Message, the Bishops remind the priests to celebration of the Year of the Priest proclaimed by the Holy Father in honor of the 150th anniversary of the death of the Holy Cure of Ars, Patron of Priests, who the Bishops say “he was a priest who was present to his people. He visited them, taught them and reconciled them.” The Year of the Priest will begin on June 19, feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and will conclude one year later, on the same day, with a World Meeting of Priests in Rome.
They later explain some of the material that will be provided by the Congregation for the Clergy and will be made available to priests, so they can better live this Year of the Priest. Among them is a collection of texts from the Holy Father for reflection on themes essential to the priestly life and mission in the world and a Directory for Confessors and Spiritual Directors. In addition, the Congregation for the Clergy in dialogue with Diocesan Bishops and Superiors of Religious Institutes will promote and coordinate pastoral initiatives to help the people appreciate the mission of priests in the Church and help priests appreciate the need for continuing formation.
The Prelates inform the priests of the region that these texts, along with Sacred Scripture, “especially Jesus’ teaching to his Disciples, Paul’s Pastoral Letters and the Letter to the Hebrews, together with the above mentioned sources of spirituality will provide material for gatherings of priests for study and retreat, for spiritual reading and reflection and for priestly renewal.”
The Bishops observe that “the Year of the Priest should challenge the entire Presbyterate of the Antilles Episcopal Conference to renew their commitment to the ministry of vocation recruitment for the priesthood, to the care for vocations to the priesthood.” In addition, they say “let us not forget that vocations are nurtured on the Word of God and the Eucharist.”
They conclude their Message by thanking the priests of the region for their collaboration in building the Kingdom, “by sanctifying, teaching and shepherding.” (RG) (Agenzia Fides 18/05/2009)