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| VISITA "AD
LIMINA APOSTOLORUM" DEI PRESULI DELLA CONFERENZA EPISCOPALE
DELLE FILIPPINE, 09.10.2003 |
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Your Eminence,
Dear Brother Bishops,
1. On the occasion of your visit ad Limina Apostolorum I warmly
welcome you, the Filipino Bishops from the Provinces of Caceres,
Capiz, Cebu, Jaro and Palo. You are the second of three groups who
are making this solemn pilgrimage to the city of the Apostles Peter
and Paul. It is my fervent prayer that your time together with "the
Successor of Peter" and those who assist him in his pastoral
ministry will be a source of renewed zeal and strength for you when
you return to your respective local Churches. I am especially pleased
to greet Cardinal Vidal, and I thank him for the sentiments he conveyed
on behalf of the Bishops, clergy, religious and faithful of your
Dioceses.
As I mentioned to the first group of Bishops from the Philippines,
the significant ecclesial events of the Second Plenary Council held
in 1991 and the more recent National Pastoral Consultation on Church
Renewal have had positive lasting effects in the lives of Filipino
Catholics. The Plenary Council stressed the need for three fundamental
pastoral initiatives: becoming a Church of the poor, developing
into a community of disciples of the Lord, and engaging in renewed
integral evangelization. Indeed, the challenge of fully implementing
this threefold plan continues to breathe new life into the Filipino
Church and Filipino society at large. Having already developed the
theme of the Church of the poor in my comments to the first group
of Bishops, I now focus my attention on the second priority: becoming
a true community of disciples of the Lord.
2. The National Pastoral Consultation describes the Church in the
Philippines as "the community of disciples who firmly believe
in the Lord Jesus and who joyfully live in harmony and solidarity
with one another, with creation and with God" (Vision-Mission
Statement of the Church in the Philippines). This brings to mind
the teaching of Jesus in the Gospel of John, when he explains that
being a disciple of the Lord is not a whimsical decision but is
instead a serious, loving response to a personal invitation: "You
did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should
bear fruit and that your fruit should abide. This I command you,
to love one another" (Jn 15:16,17). The manner in which the
disciples express their love is one of the many topics that you
and your Brother Bishops sought to address, clearly teaching that
to become a true follower of Christ requires "integral faith
formation". In fact, it is only through this authentic discipleship,
based on loving solidarity, that the Philippines can begin to resolve
the worrisome dichotomy between faith and life which plagues so
many modern societies.
3. In my Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Asia I mentioned
the pride which Asians take in their religious and cultural values
of love of silence, contemplation, simplicity and harmony, to name
but a few. "All of this indicates an innate spiritual insight
and moral wisdom in the Asian soul" (No. 6). This "spiritual
insight" is clearly witnessed in the deep religious sentiments
of the Filipino people and is fertile ground in which to nurture
the disposition that leads every Christian to a more authentic discipleship.
Your Pastoral Letter on spirituality explains that it is Christ-centered
commitment which defines your people as pilgrims on the way to their
true home. Regular attendance at Sunday Mass, active participation
in parish activities and feasts, impressive Marian devotions and
the large number of national shrines in your country are but a few
examples of the rich Christian heritage which constitutes an integral
part of your country’s life and culture. Notwithstanding these
positive aspects, there still exist certain contradictions among
Christians and in Filipino society at large. These incongruities
can only be rectified by your being fully opened to Christ’s
spirit, going into the world and transforming it into a culture
of justice and peace (cf. Apostolicam Actuositatem, 4).
4. Fulfilling these noble aims necessitates a commitment on your
part to prepare the lay faithful to be true disciples for the world.
It is the Pastors of local Churches who ensure that the laity has
at its disposal programs of spirituality and catechesis to prepare
it for this mission. I am encouraged to see the many ways in which
the Church in the Philippines strives to fulfill this responsibility.
This is apparent not only in the educational opportunities offered
by so many Dioceses but also in the various lay organizations and
in the small faith communities and movements which are thriving
in your country. Although these groups may seem quite diverse at
first glance, in fact "they all come together in an all-inclusive
and profound convergence when viewed from the perspective of their
common purpose" (Christifideles Laici, 29). This is especially
the case when such groups are actively involved in parish life and
maintain a relationship of open and affectionate communication with
one another, their parish priests and their Bishops. As Christ teaches
"By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have
love for one another" (Jn 13:34).
5. One of the major contributions the Church can make in guaranteeing
a solid preparation of the laity is to ensure that seminaries and
religious houses are training future priests to be dedicated disciples
of the Word and Sacrament. It is a complex process that begins with
the proper selection of candidates. In this regard, I recommend
that you and your priests actively search for good, pious and well-balanced
young men for the priesthood and challenge them to be not afraid
" to put out into the deep" for a catch of inestimable
value (cf. Novo Millennio Ineunte, 1).
Once a candidate is selected, the process of preparing him to be
a good and holy priest begins. This demands that "the spiritual
formation and doctrinal instruction of the students in a seminary
be harmoniously blended" (Codex Iuris Canonici, c. 244) and
supervised by well-trained formators. We can speak here of the diverse
types of formation: human formation, which assists the candidate
to live and internalize priestly virtues, especially those of simplicity,
chastity, prudence, patience and obedience; intellectual formation,
which emphasizes an in-depth study of philosophy and theology, at
all times maintaining fidelity to the teachings of the Magisterium;
pastoral formation, which enables the candidate to apply theological
principles to pastoral praxis; and spiritual formation, which stresses
the essential need for regular celebration of the sacraments, especially
the Sacrament of penance, together with private and devotional prayer
and frequent visits with a spiritual director (cf. Pastores Dabo
Vobis, 43-59, Codex Iuris Canonici, c. 246 ). Any course of priestly
formation which offers these elements will indeed produce ministers
who will joyously "struggle to be faithful to the Lord and
to serve his flock unswervingly" (Pastores Dabo Vobis, 82).
6. The National Pastoral Council discussed at great length the need
to support and assist priests in their ministry and resolved to
"seek creative ways of ongoing formation" for the clergy
(Proceedings and Addresses of the NPCCR, January 2001, p. 59). This
may be likened to the continuing renewal of "spirit and mind"
that Saint Paul writes about in his Letter to the Ephesians (cf.
4:23-24). As in the case of the formation of seminarians, priestly
formation demands a "harmoniously blended" approach which
at all times promotes the priestly virtues of charity, prayer, chastity
and faithful celebration of the liturgy, practices unappreciated
or even rejected by modern culture and its media.
Today’s clergy must be careful not to adopt the secular view
of the priesthood as a "profession", a "career"
and a means of earning a living. Rather, the clergy must see the
priesthood as a vocation to selfless, loving service, embracing
wholeheartedly the "esteemed gift of celibacy" and all
that this involves. Here I wish to emphasize that celibacy is to
be regarded as an integral part of the priest’s exterior and
interior life, and not just as a long-standing ideal which is to
be respected (cf. Presbyterorum Ordinis, 16). Sadly, the lifestyle
of some clergy has been a countersign to the spirit of the evangelical
counsels which should be a part of the spirituality of every priest.
The scandalous behavior of a few has undermined the credibility
of many. I wish you to know that I am aware of the sensitive way
in which you have attempted to address this issue, and I encourage
you not to lose hope. True discipleship calls for love, compassion
and at times strict discipline in order to serve the common good.
Always be just and always be merciful.
7. Dear Brothers, as you prepare for your return home I leave you
with these reflections, knowing that you will continue to guide
your people effectively on the lifelong pilgrimage of true discipleship.
Take consolation in the fact that you are not alone on this journey,
as our beloved Mother Mary, the Morning Star that lights up our
lives and banishes the darkness of night accompanies you, ushering
you and your faithful into the new dawn (cf. Pastoral Letter on
Filipino Spirituality). As a pledge of joy and peace in her Son,
the Santo Niño, I impart my Apostolic Blessing. |
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