Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Madrid (Fides Service) - “I am the bread of Life (Jn 6,35). Living the Eucharist": is the title of a new pastoral plan drafted by the Catholic Bishops of Spain for 2006-2010. The Bishops present the Eucharist as the central theme in order to “vivify Christian life from the heart because when we enter the mystery of the Eucharist we enter the heart of God, as Benedict XVII reminds us in his teaching”. The Bishops propose as a commitment for the next five years to live the Eucharist “with greater interiority”. They say they are convinced that "from the Eucharist is born the power to transform the world and culture, because it is Epiphany of communion, place for the People of God to encounter Christ, who died and is Risen, source of life and hope”. Among the main emerging questions the Bishops underline: “inadequate handing on of the faith to the young generations; disorientation affecting many priests, religious and lay people; decrease in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life; impoverished liturgical and sacramental life of no few Christian communities; appearance of new forms of theological and ecclesial dissent, scarce public presence of Catholics”.
The document has three parts focussing on three basic dimensions of Christian life: confession and transmission of the faith; sacramental celebration of Jesus Christ; service of charity: “from the mystery of faith to the sharing of faith”; “from the Eucharistic celebration to lived hope”; “from Eucharistic communion to service of charity”. Each part proposes concrete actions and is developed as follows: illumination by the Eucharist, reflection on the relative ambits and relation with the main pastoral activity proposed for the period.
Part one dwells on aspects in relation to the Church’s missionary activity: catechesis, education, theological pastoral shaping of culture, social communications. Part two dwells on priests, consecrated persons, lay people, families, in other words the People of God. Part three deals with the subject of social work and fraternal charity in the field of pastoral for migrants and ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue. Two major church events will mark the beginning and end of this period: the 5th World Meeting for Families in Valencia July 2006, and a Eucharistic Congress in 2010 to mark the end of the first decade of the millennium which will “mirror and launch towards the future the initiatives of this five year period”. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 2/5/2006; righe 31, parole 416)
