VATICAN - Pope Benedict XVI addresses Bishops of Mozambique: “Try to ensure that missionary proclamation has first place in your priorities and tell those who have the grace of being Christians that they must help accomplish this task”

Vatican City (Fides Service) - “ Try to ensure that missionary proclamation has first place in your priorities and tell those who have the grace of being Christians that they must help accomplish this task”, Pope Benedict XVI said in his address to the Catholic Bishops of Mozambique whom he received in audience for their ad limina visit on Saturday May 26.
After sending “warm greetings to all the people of God in Mozambique”, the Holy Father assured them of his prayers that the Holy Spirit, through the example and ministry of the Bishops might “accomplish a new Pentecost” and “renew the face of the earth” in the beloved land of Mozambique. The Pope then recalled the responsibilities of Bishops: “you are responsible for the announcement of the Word of God in the regions entrusted to you; responsible for the celebration of the liturgy, formation to prayer, preparations for the sacraments that they may be worthily administered to the Christian people; responsible for the organic unity of the diocese, its institutions of assistance, formation and apostolate”.
There is need of the bishop's testimony and presence “in every community in his diocese ” and in particular he must be close to the priests “who must be visited or received, listened to, guided and encouraged”, Pope Benedict XVI underlined: “With them you have an enormous task to accomplish, naturally in communion with the Holy Spirit who works in your hearts: the first evangelisation of more than half the population of Mozambique… Strive at least to see that missionary endeavour has first place among your priorities and tell those who have received the grace of being Christians that they must help accomplish this task. Church movements and new communities are a providential tool for new missionary impulse; welcome and promote them in your dioceses because the Holy Spirit uses them to reawaken and strengthen the faith in hearts and to proclaim the joy of believing in Jesus Christ.”
The Pope then recalled the importance of deepening the faith with every available means (catechesis for young people and adults, meetings, liturgies, inculturation) because this is the only way to respond to the influence of religious sects, religious indifferent, materialism and neo-paganism. “On the contrary a profound and committed faith will renew the behaviour of persons in their socio-professional life and consequently the tissue of society. In this way Christians help fight injustices, improve the living conditions of people and groups most in need, educate to uprightness in customs, tolerance, forgiveness and reconciliation”. It is the Bishop's task to inspire and sustain this important work always safeguarding the Church's freedom in her prophetic mission, “maintaining clearly the distinction between the pastoral mission and the mission advanced by political programmes and powers”.
Stressing that collaboration among apostolic workers is indispensable, the Pope urged the bishops to give attention to on-going formation for the clergy - theological and pastoral updating and a regular spiritual life -, to prepare future priests well, “to invest in pastoral of vocations to the priesthood and to the religious life, giving it new impulse and co-ordination at the diocesan and national level”, never to neglect sound basic formation for aspirants to the consecrated life, to have care of catechists since “great and praiseworthy is their generous and disinterested dedication, but they need adequate formation and special support to shoulder their responsibility to bear witness to the faith in front of the cultural evolution of their own brothers and sisters if they are to guide them with the example of a holy life”.
Among the other fields of pastoral care and challenges the Pope mentioned: religious instruction for children adolescents, students and young people; formation of authentic Christian families who accept the model, demands and graces of Christian marriage, by means of “dynamic family pastoral and sound foundations, with the support of family associations co-ordinated at the diocesan and national level”; assistance for the poor, the sick, the marginalised; the invasion of sects; development of social communications, etc. “I am certain - the Pope concluded - that all these challenges can be met thanks to the faith and determination with which you are filled, through the Holy Spirit who never refuses his help to those who seek it and who seek to do the will of God”. At the end of his address the Pope said: “In the strong bond which unites you with the Successor of Peter, safeguard and intensify collegial unity and activity among yourselves. Share your experiences, interpret together the signs of the times relative to the needs of your people, moved always by a spirit of fidelity to the Church. This unity among you bishops will be the centre and the root of perfect ecclesial communion which gathers all in Christ ”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 28/5/2007; righe 57, parole 818)