VATICAN - THE POPE TELLS DEHONIANS: BE READY TO FACE CHALLENGES OF OUR DAY AND TO UPGRADE YOUR APOSTOLATE IN THE AMBITS OF SPIRITUALITY, MISSION AD GENTES, SOCIAL WORK AND SPECIAL ATTENTION FOR CULTURE

Wednesday, 11 June 2003

Vatican City (Fides Service) – “As the theme of the Chapter suggests, you must be “Dehonians on mission: with open hearts and solidarity” ready to face the challenges of our day and to upgrade your apostolate in the ambits of spirituality, of mission ad gentes, your presence in social work and special attention for culture”. Pope John Paul II said this to members of the General Chapter of the Congregation of Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Dehonians) whom he received in audience on Tuesday 10 June in the Vatican.
The Pope recalled that the congregation is celebrating the Dehonian Year to mark the 125th anniversary of its foundation by Venerable Leone Dehon: “I hope this will inspire you to return to the roots with that “creative fidelity” which preserves unchanged your charisma characterised by constant contemplation of the Heart of Christ, conscious participation in his oblation of reparation and zealous dedication to spreading the Kingdom of the Lord in souls and in society.” The Pope then underlined the importance of the Dehonian mission: “in your work you are called to face the challenges of the present day, and you must surely realise that every human being has an authentic need to know and encounter God…Known is also your activity in the field of information and religious documentation. As you watch for the ‘signs of the times’, may your fidelity to the Catholic faith and the Magisterium of the Church never fail, so that you may render, also with your publications, an indispensable service to the truth, the first form of charity.” SL (Fides Service 11/6/2003 EM lines 19 Words: 269)


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