Saving souls remains the mission of faith, Pope says
June 29, 2009
As he joined with 34 newly appointed metropolitan archbishops and a delegation of Orthodox prelates in celebrating the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, Pope Benedict XVI reminded the congregation in St. Peter's basilica that-- as St. Peter said at the beginning of his first epistle-- the aim of faith is the salvation of souls. This aim does not suggest an individual approach, the Holy Father pointed out; St. Peter encourages Christians to be zealous in spreading the faith. However, a lack of concern for souls is deadly, the Pope continued:
It is still true that lack of care for souls, the impoverishment of man’s inner self not only destroys the individual, but threatens the destiny of humanity as a whole. Without the restoration of souls, without recovery from within, there can be no salvation for humanity.The Catholic faith is not a series of propositions but an active involvement with God and with others, the Pope said. "Faith must not remain theory; it must be life." During the June 29 ceremony the Pope imposed the pallium on the 34 metropolitan archbishops appointed during the past year. He emphasized, in his homily, that the pallium is a sign of pastoral care and of unity with the Holy See. The Pontiff reminded the new archbishops that the term "bishop" is nearly indistinguishable from the word "shepherd," and that close similarity underlines the need for the bishop to guide his flock.
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