| Vatican City (Fides Service) - This morning, addressing participants at the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Laity Pope John Paul II said: “Having closed the cycle of assemblies dedicated to the Sacraments of Christian initiation, with this plenary you start to reflect on the parish a theme which will keep you occupied for the next few years. The first stage consists in helping the faithful to rediscover the authentic image of the parish, “expression most immediate and visible” of the Church which “lives among her sons and daughters” (Christifideles laici, 26).”
“The parish is the vital cell of the laity’s participation in the building and mission of the Church in the world and the natural place for it - the Pope said -. It is a presence which calls every person to reflect on the ultimate meaning of life; it is an open door so that everyone may take the path to salvation. In a word the parish is the place par excellence for the proclamation of Christ and education in the faith. This is why it must renew itself to become "community of communities", capable of effective missionary activity.”
At the beginning of his address the Pope mentioned some of the many initiatives followed by the Pontifical Council for the Laity: Meeting for Catholics of Eastern Europe, last year in Kiev; attention for closer collaboration among associations, communities and movements; first steps of the section "Church and Sport", opened recently; an International Youth Forum on University Pastoral; preparations for the 20th World Youth Day in Germany in August 2005.
At the end of his address the Pope said he hoped that reflection on the parish, “will help everyone to be more keenly aware that the parish community is a place where we encounter Christ and our brothers and sisters”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 25/11/2004 - Righe 23; Parole 295)
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