VATICAN - Benedict XVI address the Bishops of Hong Kong and Macau: “Christ is also for China a Teacher, Pastor and loving Redeemer. The Church must never allow this good news to remain unspoken. ”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “ The Lord has given every man and woman the right to hear the proclamation that Jesus Christ “loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20). Corresponding to this right is the duty to evangelise: “For I preach the Gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16; cf Rom 10:14). All of the Church’s activities are oriented towards evangelisation and may not be separated from the commitment to assist everyone to encounter Christ in faith, which is the primary aim of evangelisation”. Pope Benedict XVI said this in his address to the Catholic Bishops of Hong Kong and Macau, received in audience on June 27in the Vatican for their five yearly ad limina visit.
Underlining that today the Church carries out her mission in a context of globalisation, the Pope recalled that to counter the negative aspects of this cultural phenomenon - " fragmentation and individualism dominated by secularism which pushes the transcendent and the sense of the sacred to the margins and eclipses the very source of harmony and unity of the universe" what is needed is " a solid formation and call for concentrated efforts aimed at supporting the spiritual and moral ethos of your people.". Pope Benedict XVI urged the Bishops of Hong Kong e Macao “ to give special attention to young priests confronted with new pastoral challenges arising from the task of evangelising a society as complex as today’s…. Your pastoral solicitude should embrace especially all consecrated men and women, called to render visible in the Church and in the world, the characteristic traits of Jesus, chaste, poor and obedient.”.
The Holy Father mentioned the noteworthy contribution offered to society by Catholic schools “ to the intellectual, spiritual and moral formation of the new generations”, and are therefore chosen by many parents and not only Catholic parents. Hence “ the great importance of being close to students and to their families, watching over the formation of the young in the light of Gospel teaching and following closely the spiritual needs of all who form part of the school community”. Today Catholic schools in these two dioceses, after having made such an important contribution to the cultural development of the people, today face new difficulties, but the Holy Father assured them of his closeness and encouragement “ this important service will never fall by the wayside.”.
The Pope encouraged Church Movements and new communities, urging the Bishops to I exhort you to support the movements with great love because they are one of the most important new realities fostered by the Spirit in the Church in order to put into practice the Second Vatican Council” assuring his prayers that movements themselves will make every effort to harmonise their activities with the pastoral and spiritual programmes of the Dioceses.”.
Towards the end of his address the Pontiff congratulated the Bishops of Hong Kong and Macao for the many achievements in the communities and dioceses and “ I encourage you to even greater commitment in the search for adequate means of presenting the Christian message of love in a more comprehensible way to the world in which you live.”. The Pope said: “ I also encourage your Dioceses to continue your contribution to the life of the Church in mainland China, both by offering personnel for formation purposes and by supporting initiatives in the field of human promotion and assistance. In this regard I cannot but recognise the invaluable service which the charitable organisation Caritas of both Dioceses has offered to the needy with such generosity and professionalism. We must never forget however that Christ is also for China a Teacher, Pastor and loving Redeemer. The Church must never allow this good news to remain unspoken. ”.
Pope Benedict closed his address with the following words: “ I hope and pray to the Lord that the day will soon come when your Brother Bishops from mainland China come to Rome on pilgrimage to the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul, as a sign of communion with the Successor of Peter and the Universal Church. I willingly avail myself of the occasion to send to the Catholic community of China and to all the people of that vast country the assurance of my prayers and my affection.”.(S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 30/6/2008)