Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Luanda (Agenzia Fides) – “We are invited to live this year as a year of grace, a year in which each of our hearts is called to conversion, to a more intense living of the Gospel in our lives, a credible testimony of the Christian faith. For this to take place, we entrust ourselves to the means that the Church places at our disposition. Among them are the indulgences that can be obtained by visiting a church dedicated to Saint Paul, the Cathedral, or other places of worship indicated by the Bishop of the Diocese, with a prayerful spirit. The necessary conditions are confession, communion, the recitation of the Creed, prayers for the Holy Father’s intentions, and the practice of charity,” the Bishops of Angola, Sao Tome and Principe wrote in a Pastoral Statement issued upon the inauguration of the Year of Saint Paul.
In the Statement, a copy of which was sent to Agenzia Fides, it says that the Year of St. Paul is also an opportunity to review the Pastoral Plan of the CEAST (The Bishops’ Conference of Angola, Sao Tome and Principe), begun in 2005 and set to conclude in 2010. The motto of the Pastoral Plan is “Put out into the deep” (Lk 5:4). “It is an invitation to deepen in our faith, which will be impossible without the joyful proclamation of Christ’s Paschal Mystery, Christ who has died and who is risen. This announcement should come forth from the people who have had a profound encounter with Christ, as did Paul of Tarsus, becoming builders of a community based upon the law of love,” the document reads.
“Saint Paul, the communicator par excellence, leads us to turn our attention to the media available to the CEAST in proclaiming the Good News,” the Bishops continue. “In Angola, there is ‘Radio Ecclesia’ and the magazine ‘O Apostolado,’ diocesan and parish bulletins, and in Sao Tome and Principe, ‘Radio Jubilar.’ These deserve our support in order to achieve the purpose for which they were formed.”
“Just days ago, the Conference for Catholic Radios ended in Rome, an event promoted by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, which highlighted the great importance of the radio in evangelizing,” the statement recalled. “Aware of this fact, we Bishops reaffirm our support for Radio Ecclesia, its directors and workers, acknowledging their contribution to the evangelization effort and to affirming freedom and justice in Angola. We hope that one day, the programs on Radio Ecclesia can each all the people of Angola.”
Lastly, the Bishops recalled the fact that “in Angola, Parliamentary elections are approaching, set to take place on September 5. It is an event that is worthy of our attention, because of the importance it has in the life of our nation. Saint Paul reminds us of the importance of each person taking up his responsibility as a citizen (Rm. 12:2-13).” (LM) (Agenzia Fides 15/7/2008)
