'Relatio Post-Disceptationem'
At 9:00, Friday morning, 12 October, in the presence of the Holy Father, after the Hour of Terce, the Eighteenth General Congregation took place. The President Delegate was Card. Bernard AGRE, Archbishop of Abidjan. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, S.J., Archbishop of Buenos Aires, gave the Report summing up the contributions of the Members of the Synod and listing ten questions for the small groups. The major points of the Report are published below.
Introduction
With Our Eyes Fixed On Christ
1. Presenting this report in the Synod Hall, I want to thank the Holy Father, who gave us the opportunity to voice our common concerns. Calling us to the Synod, he invited us to cross "the threshold of hope" together. He asked us to turn our eyes to the Gospel of Christ, or rather, to the Christ of the Gospel, in whom God's promises were definitively fulfilled. Because all the promises were fulfilled in Him, we have been given the gift of future glory, and, together with all the faithful of our Churches, we have been called to be men of hope speaking about hope.
Report
2. The report is to enumerate the main topics that should be studied to achieve the final consensus. For this reason, we have focused on subjects which refer to the central theme of the Synod: "The Bishop: Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Hope of the World".
3. We are also aware that the Synod process has to be accompanied by celebration and prayer to create the spiritual climate of our congregation or "common path" (Synodos). Finally, we hope that the Synod Fathers will find the key points of their contributions. The Report wishes to identify what were the converging points we should pray over and reflect on.
The Theological Identity Of The Bishop
4. "With you, I am a Christian; for you, I am Bishop" (Sermo 340,1): St Augustine's words repeated during the General Congregations, which made us realize that the Bishop is a man of the Church, part of the Church, the true Sponsa Christi, "Dei Verbum religiose audiens et fidenter proclamans" (Dei verbum, n. 1). The Church is the holy faithful People of God, that in its entirety "in credendo falli nequit" (Lumen gentium, n. 12). This Church shows itself to the world in the visible aspects, which are "martyria, leitourgia, diakonia" (witnessing, liturgy, service). For this reason, the Bishop, man of the Church, is called to have a sensus ecclesiae.
5. Several times we have listened to speakers presenting living images of the Bishop and of his ministry. They remind one of the way the Constitution on the Church Lumen gentium teaches doctrine. The Constitution depicts the nature of the Church with a series of images, drawn from Scripture and ecclesial tradition (cf. ibid., n. 6). We wish to repeat and evoke the images, which have come up in the Synod. They are the images of the shepherd, the fisherman, the attentive guardian, the father, the brother, the friend, the councillor, the servant, the teacher, the strong man, the sacramentum bonitatis, etc. They are images that show the Bishop to be a man of faith, a man of vision, a man of hope, a man of tenacity, a man of humility and a man of communion. The images convey the idea that to enter the apostolic succession means that one goes into the battle (agon) for the Gospel.
The Scheme Of The Report After The Discussion
6. In this particular moment of our history the peace and the unity of human coexistence are threatened. The Bishop, servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the hope of the world, facing this reality, hears the calling to be a man of peace, of reconciliation and of communion. There are two reasons for this and both can be found in the Working Document. It means recognizing that the concept of communion is, in the words of Communionis notio, "in corde autocognitionis Ecclesiae, quatenus ipsa est Mysterium unionis personalis uniuscuiusque hominis cum divina Trinitate et cum ceteris hominibus" (in the heart of the Church's self knowledge it is the mystery of the personal union of each man with the Trinity and with other human beings) (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Communionis notio, 28 May 1992, n. 3: AAS 85 [1993], 839). Communion is the existence of the Church. We meet this communion in the Word of God and in the Sacraments, especially in Baptism, which is the foundation of communion in the Church, and in the Eucharist, which is the source and the culmination of all Christian life. As stated in the Working Document, "The episcopal ministry is set in this ecclesiology of communion and mission which gives rise to an activity, a spirituality and a style of life, all of which are determined by communion" (Instrumentum laboris, n. 64). At the same time, we must follow the theme of the 10th Ordinary Synod of Bishops, which presents the bishop within the perspective of service to the Gospel for the hope of the world. Then, as we read in the Working Document, "In our times, unity is a sign of hope concerning peoples and human endeavours towards reconciliation for a better world. Unity is also a sign and credible witness of the authenticity of the Gospel . . . Such an understanding is a hope-filled sign for a world broken by divisions, opposing forces and conflicts. The Church's strength is her communion; her weakness is division and internal opposition" (Instrumentum laboris, n. 63).
7. This last expression, in particular, was repeated in their contributions. Therefore, following this inspiration, the present Report will draw on the contributions of the Members according to the following breakdown:
I — The Bishop in Communion with the Lord
II — The Bishop at the Service of Communion in the Universal Church
III — The Bishop at the Service of Communion in the Particular Church
IV — The Bishop at the Service of Communion in the World
I — The Bishop In Communion With The Lord
A Man Of Prayer
8. The strength of the Church is communion; her weakness is division. The bishop is obliged by communion to remain available for God conscious that he has been called to holiness and zeal. Only the bishop who is in communion with God can be at the service of hope. Only when he has penetrated the obscure and luminous cloud of the Trinitarian Mystery, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, can the bishop receive within himself the signs of his being, in the Church, father, brother and friend. The bishop is called to enter the mystery and so become capable of exercising his ministry and his charism: from the mystery comes his readiness for martyrdom. In the image of the bishop at prayer one finds that he must be a witness of prayer and holiness, witness of the time of salvation, the time of grace. In the celebration of the Eucharist, in prayer, reflection and silence, he worships and intercedes for his people. Feeling himself a sinner, he often turns to the Sacrament of Reconciliation; conscious of the marvellous deeds of the Lord in the course of history, he celebrates daily the praise of God in the Liturgy of the Hours.
Called To Holiness
9. The requirement of holiness for bishops has to be over and above the universal call to holiness of all members of the Church as taught in chapter 5 of the Constitution on the Church. The sacramentality of the episcopate is the place where one must go to find the chief reason for the pursuit of holiness. In virtue of this sacramentality, episcopal ordination is not just a juridical act, by which greater jurisdiction is conferred on a priest, but it is an act of Christ who, by giving the Spirit of the supreme priesthood, sanctifies the person ordained and grants the helping graces, which he needs for the realization of his mission and his duties. As a result, each Bishop reaches sanctity mainly in his ministry and by the exercise of his ministry.
10. Since, the threefold ministry that sacramental Ordination confers on the bishop includes the ministry (munus) of sanctifying, the exercise of the ministry cannot be limited to the administration of sacraments, but must also include his activity and his life. Every bishop must be the model of holy life since he is the master and witness of the pedagogy of holiness that John Paul II wrote about in the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio ineunte (cf. Novo Millennio ineunte, n. 31). Each bishop, if he reflects not just on the history of the Church but also on that of his own diocese, finds himself surrounded by a cloud of witnesses who show him the way. By his holy life which resembles a form of martyrdom (witness) offered to Christ, the bishop searches humbly for a mystical identification with the Good Shepherd, who gave his life for the sheep (cf. Jn 15,13) and wishes to make his own the words of Jesus: "pro eis ego sanctifico me ipsum" (I sanctify myself for them) (Jn 17,19). The bishop lives his life everywhere, under the gaze of the Lord who embraces the Cross, and so his holiness entails two passionate loves: a passionate love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a passionate love for the people in need of salvation. His way of living the goodness and the meekness of the Beatitudes will express these loves. The double love is rooted in his consciousness of being nothing and of being a sinner who has received the gift of the grace of election from the immense goodness of the Father.
Permanent Formation
11. Closely linked to the theme of holiness and the spiritual life is the need for permanent formation. If all the members of the Church need this, the bishops need this even more. One reason is the missionary ministry of the bishop (pontifex), who is called to build a bridge between the Gospel and the world. Even though the Congregations of the Holy See (Congregation for Bishops, Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples . . .), have fostered valid updating sessions, the meaning and the chief goals of this formation should be better defined so that it is not left up to the initiative of each bishop, but is supported by a variety of proposals and even institutionalized ones. As a Teacher of the faith, for example, the bishop needs permanent formation in dogmatic, moral, pastoral and spiritual theology.
Poor For The Kingdom
12. One of the characteristics mentioned often by the Synodal Fathers in relationship with the holiness of the bishop is his poverty. The bishop, a man who is poor in spirit, is the image of the poor Christ, imitating the poor Christ, trying to view things with the vision of Gospel poverty. His simplicity and austerity of life confer total freedom in the Lord. The Holy Father invited us to examine "our attitude towards earthly goods and their use ... to verify to what point in the Church the personal and community conversion has achieved effective evangelical poverty . . . to be poor at the service of the Gospel" (John Paul II, Homily for the opening Mass of the 10th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, 30 September 2001, nn. 3-4). With these words, John Paul II challenges us to follow the radicalism of the Gospel which calls blessed those who become poor for the Kingdom, accompanying Jesus in his poverty, living in communion with his brothers according to the apostolic form of life which we read about in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 4,32: "The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, as everything they owned was held in common").
II — The Bishop At The Service Of Communion In The Universal Church
Solicitude For The Entire Church
13. Many stated that the vocation of the bishop cum Petro et sub Petro has a universal dimension that transcends the limitations of the particular church. The openness of his ministry towards the whole Church is laid down as the primary condition of a member of the College of Bishops. In fact, each bishop inasmuch as he is a member of the Episcopal College and legitimate successor of the Apostles is obliged "by Christ's institution and command to be solicitous for the whole Church, and this solicitude, though it is not exercised by an act of jurisdiction, contributes greatly to the advantage of the universal Church. And this also is important, that by governing well their own church as a portion of the universal Church, they themselves are effectively contributing to the welfare of the whole Mystical Body, which is also the body of the churches" (Lumen gentium, n. 23). In fact, there is a relationship of mutual interiority between the particular churches and the universal church, as taught by Vatican Council II (cf. idem; John Paul II, Speech to the Roman Curia., 20 December 1990, n. 9: AAS 83 [1991], 745-747). This unity is rooted not only in the Eucharist but also in the Episcopate because, by the will of Christ, both are realities that are essentially linked together. Therefore, the bishop is at the service of the universal church in truth and charity. Docile to the Holy Spirit who in building the Church brings about the unity and the diversity, the bishop should be aware of the dimensions of this multifaceted harmony: The Holy Spirit himself is harmony. The bishop realizes his vocation by preferring unity to conflict. The awareness of this communion with the universal Church impels each bishop to have concern for all the Churches with an habitual attitude of solicitude and solidarity, which began during the first apostolic tradition, recalled by the collection for the poor of Jerusalem.
Missionary Openness Of The Bishop
14. The bishops, as members of the Episcopal College, are consecrated not only for a diocese, but also for the salvation of all men (cf. Ad gentes, n. 38). This doctrine, taught by Vatican Council II, should remind each bishop to be aware of the missionary nature of his pastoral ministry. All pastoral activity in one's diocese should be motivated by a missionary spirit, concerned with inciting, promoting and directing works of evangelization, in order to keep alive the missionary zeal of the faithful, hoping that this will translate into missionary vocations. No less great is the need to support missionary activity with economic cooperation. The particular church has to promote such fundamental values as recognizing others, respecting cultural differences and allowing a healthy interaction between the various cultures. The plurality of cultures of our cities and of our society, especially as a consequence of international migrations, establishes new and unseen "missionary situations" and constitutes a new missionary challenge. Certain questions concerning the relationships between diocesan Bishops and the original missionary religious congregations in the diocese have emerged. They require further study. A particular Church grows by recognizing the contribution it has received from the congregations of consecrated life; such recognition and gratitude can be a way of keeping alive the missionary dimension.
The Principle Of Communion
15. In terms of communion with the universal Church, the bishop needs to increase and nurture communion with the Vicar of Christ and with the close collaborators that form the Roman Curia. Certain interventions by the Synod Fathers referred to this. It was pointed out that today the Heads of the offices of the Roman Curia come from dioceses throughout the world. They express the catholicity of the Church and of ecclesial communion. We would like to take this occasion to thank the Heads of the Congregations and their collaborators who, in the service of the Holy See, work in favour of all the particular Churches. In the same way, the fraternal dimension of communion is a necessity of Patriarchal Synods and in a distinct way of Episcopal Conferences. In this reality, the affectus collegialis (collegial affection) has a concrete application, which is "the heart of collaboration between bishops on the regional, national and international levels" (Synodus Episcoporum [1985], Final Report Ecclesia sub Verbo Dei, II, C, 4). This calling to fraternal communion between bishops transcends mere convenience, since it deals with the sacramental dimension of the episcopal ministry. It has also been suggested that the activities of the Episcopal Conferences would benefit from the renewed exercise of their functions by Metropolitans within their ecclesiastical provinces.
16. Several bishops appealed to the "principle of subsidiarity". Furthermore, some have raised a question about the result of the study, recommended by the Extraordinary Synod of 1985, about the degree in which this principle can be applied in the Church (ibid. II, C, 8, c). The way the question was expressed in this Synod shows that the Fathers are aware that this is a question that has not been resolved. In fact, Pius XII, Paul VI and, last of all, John Paul II (cf. John Paul II, Speech to the Roman Curia, 28 June 1986: AAS [1987], 198), referring to the specific hierarchical structure of the Church, existing by the will of Christ, exclude a univocal application of the principle of subsidiarity to the Church, which would work in exactly the same way the principle works in the world of sociology. It is clear that, since the residential Bishop has ordinary, proper and immediate jurisdiction required for the exercise of his pastoral office, there must also be a specific area of autonomous exercise, recognized and protected by universal legislation (cf. Christus Dominus, n. 8; CIC c. 381; CCEO c. 178). The authority of the diocesan Bishop coexists with the supreme authority of the Pope, which is also episcopal, ordinary and immediate over all the churches and over all pastors and faithful (cf. Pastor aeternus, n. 3: DS 3060 and 3064). The relationship between these two powers cannot be resolved automatically by appealing to the principle of subsidiarity, but rather to the principle of communion, which has been mentioned in the Synod.
17. It was pointed out that a concrete way for the Bishop to foster the communion of the universal Church is to embrace his vocation as promoter of ecumenical dialogue. The scandal of division is a negative sign of hope. The ecumenical issue is one of the greatest challenges of the beginning of the new millennium and a central point of the pastoral work of the bishop. A great deal can be done now, while we walk towards the full communion around the table of the Lord. First of all, one should be attentive to ecumenism in daily life; examining one's attitudes of charity, welcome and cooperation. One must add the reception of the valid results of the ecumenical dialogue. No one can lose sight of the ecumenical formation not only of the lay faithful and priests but, first and foremost, of our bishops. Above all we must be united in prayer for unity, like the Apostles together with Mary in order to achieve a new Pentecost. In addition, the internal life of the Catholic Church must be a transparent witness of unity in her different spiritual, liturgical and disciplinary traditions. The Synod Fathers paid special attention to the Eastern Churches, with their rich venerable and ancient traditions, among which the Patriarchate has pride of place. What was stressed by the Synod Fathers of the Eastern Catholic Churches is the serious and important phenomenon of the emigration of their faithful. There is a need to organize a new pastoral order, which would foster the spiritual good of the faithful in situations of diaspora.
The Synod Of Bishops
18. As regards the Synod of Bishops, one can say that there is a consensus on the validity of this institution as an instrument of episcopal collegiality and as expression of communion of Bishops with the Supreme Pontiff. On the other hand, the suggestions of some speakers on the eventual need for a revision of the way the Synod is held, should be tackled elsewhere. They require adequate preparation, since it seems that an in-depth discussion on this theme exceeds the limits of this Synod. Some interventions proposed holding meetings with the Holy Father and the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences to deal with common pastoral issues. You may recall that already the Extraordinary General Assemblies, envisaged by the Ordo Synodi constitute a synodal form of this type of meeting. Therefore, one could reflect on the eventual possibility of convening these assemblies more frequently in the future to deal with well defined themes and to inform the Holy Father about pastoral situations emerging in the world.
III — The Bishop At The Service Of Communion In The Particular Church
Teacher Of Prayer
19. The Bishop, being part of the People of God, also holds a sacramental presence in the midst of his People whom he guides with a paternal heart. The bishop is a man who is available to his people, who knows his flock. His closeness to his people inspires understanding and compassion, he prays with his people and in the way his people prays. He teaches them the form of prayer and he governs the prayer of his faithful. In this he presents himself as a true Liturgist taking care of the dignity of the celebration and making sure it is faithful to the rites of the Church, watching out to see that there are no abuses. In this area one can highlight the importance of popular piety in which deep humanism and firm Christianity are expressed, and with deep values: "It manifests a thirst for God which only the simple and the poor can know. It makes people capable of generosity and sacrifice even to the point of heroism, when it is a question of manifesting belief. It involves an acute awareness of profound attributes of God: fatherhood, providence, loving and constant presence. It engenders interior attitudes rarely observed to the same degree elsewhere: patience, the sense of the cross in daily life, detachment, openness to others, devotion" (Paul VI, Evangelii nuntiandi, n. 48).
Teacher Of The Faith
20. The Fathers have developed the paragraphs of the Working Document dedicated to the episcopal ministry at the service of the Gospel (cf. Instrumentum laboris, nn. 100-110). The rite of the imposition of the Book of the Gospel, done for bishops during their Episcopal Ordination, symbolizes both our personal submission to the Gospel as well as our ministry to be carried out, even to the shedding of blood, under the Word of God, usque ad effusionem sanguinis, sub Verbo Dei. It is a matter of being "gentle and courageous proclaimers of the Gospel". This same rite reminds us that we too are consecrated "to God and to the Word of his grace" (Acts 20,32), as we read the account of the farewell of the Apostle Paul at Miletus. For this reason every bishop has the duty to give plenty of time, in his spiritual life, to prayer, meditation and to lectio divina.
21. The munus docendi (duty of teaching) of the bishop has been seen as having a priority and as the munus (gift-duty) which is pre-eminent among the main duties of the Bishop (cf. Lumen gentium, n. 25). He is a public witness of the faith. The bishop exercises his magisterial role within the episcopal body and in hierarchical communion with the Head of the College and with the other members. The exercise of this munus has been stated in its many and different aspects. The bishop is the one who preserves with love the Word of God and defends it with courage, who proclaims and bears witness to the Word which saves. It has also been stated that the bishop is the first catechist in his particular church and that, consequently, he also has the duty to prepare valid collaborators, promoting and taking care of the doctrinal formation of his seminarians and priests, of his catechists, of the religious men and women and of the lay faithful. What should not be neglected, as mentioned in the working document (Instrumentum laboris, n. 106) is the task of giving theologians "encouragement and support which might help them to conduct their work in faithfulness to Divine Tradition and to be attentive to the urgent questions of the present time". With this is connected the other duty of the bishop to promote the establishment of schools, to ensure the excellence and to exercise right and proper vigilance over academic and non academic centres of study existing in the territory of the Diocese, such as the Theological Faculties, the Universities and Catholic schools.
22. It was strongly stressed that the bishop by the grace of Holy Orders has been made capable of expressing an authentic judgment on matters of faith and morals. To repeat here an expression of Vatican Council II, Bishops are "authentic doctors, that is endowed with the authority of Christ, who preach to the people entrusted to them the faith to be believed and to be applied in moral life" (Lumen gentium, n. 25). It is a matter of recognising the consonance of someone's teaching with Baptismal faith, ut non evacuetur crux Christi (lest the Cross of Christ be emptied of its power) (I Cor 1,17). This task of vital preaching and of faithfully safeguarding the depositum fidei (the deposit of faith) is rooted in the sacramental grace which has placed the bishop in apostolic succession and given him the serious duty of maintaining the Church in her note of apostolicity. Therefore, the bishop is called to safeguard and promote the Tradition, which means communicating the one Gospel and the one faith in the course of all generations to the end of time, with integral and pure fidelity to the apostolic origins, and also with the courage to draw from this Gospel and from this same faith the light and strength to respond to new questions which have emerged in the social, economic, political, scientific and technological fields, especially within the field of bioethics.
Father Of The Poor
23. The bishop's fidelity to the Gospel and his love for the spirit of poverty lead him to a special option in favour of the poor who are at the central core of the Good News of Jesus. The bishop walks with them. The bishop cannot forget that on the day of his episcopal consecration, he was questioned on his intention to take care of the poor. With the passage of time, he should learn to see people as Jesus saw them. He is father and brother of the poor in his diocese. His "contemplative intuition" and his pastoral charity lead him to discover the new faces which "the widow, the orphan and the stranger" of the Scriptures have taken in modern life. The bishop knows that Jesus was God's compassion for the poor and for this reason enters the life of the poor.
The Bishop And His Priests
24. Another theme that came up is the special attention, which the bishop must give to the priests of his presbyterium who are his immediate collaborators as participants in the ministerial priesthood, which the bishop has in its fullness. They look to the bishop for a witness of kindness. In confidential dialogue he deals kindly with them, he encourages them and keeps them from tending towards mediocrity. He is father and brother of the priests of his diocese. Priests need kindness and self-giving on the part of the bishop. The Council of the presbyterium, the deans and the archpriests express the dimension of communion of the Bishop with his presbyterium.
25. The bishop must pay particular attention to the seminary and the seminarians. A diocese must show affection, attention and care to the seminary as well as supporting it above all with prayer. Vocations need silent intercessors with the "Lord of the Harvest". Only prayer can make people aware of the serious problem of vocations to the priesthood and only prayer allows the voice of the Lord, who calls, to be heard. Similar concern must be shown to care for vocations to a life of special consecration and to missionary life, as the Pope reminded us again in Novo Millennio ineunte (n. 46). The Synod Fathers call for a widespread and capillary vocational pastoral activity, which involves parishes, education and family centres, promoting in-depth reflection on the essential values of life and on life itself as a vocation. Even in this work, the bishop is the servant of the Gospel of hope, since it is a matter of helping man to discover in his personal history the good and paternal presence of God, who is the Father to whom all can dedicate themselves.
The Bishop And Consecrated Persons
26. Vita Consecrata spoke of the importance, which consecrated life has in the episcopal ministry. Before that, the document Mutuae relations indicated the paths and ways of integrating consecrated persons into diocesan life. Consecrated life enriches our particular churches, showing forth the gifts of sanctity and catholicity. Through many of their works and their presence in places where man is taken care of in institutions such as schools and hospitals, etc., consecrated persons make the Church present in the world of health, education and of the growth and maturity of the human person. However, the bishop must take care of this gift of the Spirit for the life of the Church, not just for its apostolic and functional activity, but he should appreciate the consecration of a baptized person, which by itself enriches the Church. The church is grateful to consecrated life for its witness and work, which is often done in a hidden and tireless way. The bishop should be ready to accept and promote all forms of consecrated life so that consecrated life may play an important role in the pastoral life of the diocese. The bishop should stay close to diocesan congregations, which labour under many handicaps and need his support and affection.
The Bishop And The Lay Faithful
27. The Bishop should consider the laity as the major part of the Church who also have a missionary vocation as the result of their baptism and deserve the support of the bishop. The lay faithful need to be accompanied and receive help to avoid falling into passivity and the laity should be formed according to the potential of each one. The lay faithful receives his or her call to the apostolate from the sacrament of Baptism and Confirmation, which, together with the Eucharist, give the grace of the missionary vocation. However, this apostolate must always be practised in communion with the Bishop. One must not lose sight of the importance of the organised lay apostolate. Movements also enrich the Church and need the service of discernment of the charisms, which belongs to the Bishop. Special mention was made of the Bishop's concern for the family, "the domestic church", and for young people, who need certainties, witnesses of life and a great deal of goodness.
The Parish
28. The pastoral visit to the parishes offers the bishop a special opportunity for the bishop to meet the faithful. The parish today still continues to be the fundamental nucleus of the daily life of the diocese. For this reason, the closeness of the Bishop and his meeting with the parish priest, with the lay faithful of the different institutions and with all the People of God re-animates and fosters life in the diocese and draws them to closer union with the Shepherd. For the Bishop to be able to exercise this role, he must be present in the diocese.
The Diocesan Curia
29. For the support of his pastoral work, an important item is his choice of his closest collaborators and the organization of his diocesan Curia, as an organ that serves ecclesial communion and should not just be an administrative instrument, but fundamentally be a living expression of his pastoral charity, where the Bishop shares his community life with his close collaborators. Some fathers mentioned the importance of ecclesiastical tribunals.
Pastoral Diocesan Plan
30. As an expression of diocesan communion, some stressed the importance of a diocesan pastoral plan, which directs the prayer and. the collaboration of the particular church to definite goals and objectives. In this way one can multiply potential contributions, and also parallel or overlapping pastoral work is avoided. One of the main requisites for the Bishop who wishes to draw up a pastoral plan is to listen to the problems and needs of the People of God and to consider the possibility of a diocesan synod as a place to live an experience of communion.
Inculturation
31. Exercising his ministry as magister fidei and doctor veritatis, the Bishop also contributes towards the inculturation process, referred to in the interventions of the Synod Fathers. The following expression of the Holy Father was repeated: "A faith which does not become culture is a faith which has not been fully received, not fully thought through and faithfully lived out" (John Paul II, Letter to the Pontifical Council for Culture, 20 May 1982). We know that this process does not consist simply in an exterior adaptation, but as was said in the Synod of 1985 and quoted by John Paul II (cf. Redemptoris Missio, n. 52: AAS 83 [1991]), it means an intimate transformation of the authentic temporal values of a culture by their being integrated into Christianity and by Christianity's taking root in many cultures. In any case, the Bishop will always have to bear in mind two fundamental principles which guide this inculturation process: harmony with the Gospel and communion with the universal church (cf. ibid., n. 54).
Pastoral Work In Culture
32. Inculturation in the Gospel is linked to pastoral work in the world of culture, which takes into account both modern and post-modern cultures, autochthonous cultures and new cultural movements; in other words, everything which forms new and old 'areopagi' for evangelization. In fact, it is obvious that pastoral work in culture is decisive for carrying out the "new evangelisation" which appears to be so necessary to sow the seeds of hope in order to make the civilisation of love develop. The generous and sincere efforts of inculturation of the Gospel, performed by missionaries, priests, religious and laity, demonstrate the need for fraternal direction and presence on the part of the Bishop, the Episcopal Conferences and the Holy See.
The Bishop And The Means Of Social Communication
33. The communications media have a special role in the proclamation of the Gospel and inculturation. The world of communication is ambiguous. However, we have the possibility to use these instruments to promote the truth of the Gospel and spread the message of hope and faith, which the world needs. We need to develop in each diocese a pastoral plan for communication, encouraging the creativity and competence of the lay faithful. In fact, it is not enough to guarantee the orthodoxy of a message, but one must also be concerned that it can be heard and received. This also implies setting up workshops and seminars for formation in communication in our seminaries, in our religious houses and in the programmes for permanent formation of priests, of religious and lay faithful. With a Synod considering the mission of the Bishop in proclaiming the Gospel for the Hope in the World, it is important for us not to fail as messengers and communicators.
IV— The Bishop At The Service Of Communion In The World
Missionary activity
34. The Church is the "little flock" which continuously goes out in missionary activity; and the bishop, as a man of the Church, also goes out to proclaim Jesus Christ in the world. He is a "traveller" and expresses himself with eloquent gestures. He does not let himself be imprisoned by a Church that may be paralysed by its own internal tensions. He embodies the closeness of the Church to the people of our time, in the radicalism of the witness of Jesus Christ. Some interventions referred to the prophetic role of the bishop, to the demands of 'parresia' (boldness in speaking out). Going out to proclaim Jesus Christ, the bishop as pontifex is responsible in times of conflict for the mission, it has to be a bridge building peace. In his prophetic role the bishop also proclaims the revelation of Jesus Christ in a time like ours, marked by a crisis of values, where values are lacking or where negative values are defended. Even within the Church itself, we find processes of secularisation at work. With the keenness of a shepherd who goes out to look for his lost sheep and what is not of his flock, the bishop exposes false anthropologies, he sets free values tainted by false ideologies and he knows how to distinguish the primary truth: that the Word has "come in human nature" (1 Jn 4,2), avoiding the human reduction that transforms it into a Gnostic or Neo-pelagian vision of the world.
The Bishop, Worker For Justice And Peace
35. In this area of missionary activity the Synod fathers pointed out the bishop as a prophet of justice. Nowadays the war of the powerful against the weak has created an abyss between the rich and the poor. The poor are legion. Before an unjust economic system with strong structural inequalities, the situation of the marginalized is worse. Today substantial groups of people suffer hunger. The poor, the young and the refugees are victims of this "new order". Women in many places are looked down upon and are the object of a new hedonist culture. The Bishop must never tire of preaching the social doctrine which comes from the Gospel and which the Church has made explicit since the times of the early Fathers. Social doctrine is capable of sowing hope, because it gathers us brothers and sisters in divine sonship and makes us realise that there is no hope for the rich unless there is hope for the poor.
The Bishop, Promoter Of Dialogue
36. Several bishops noted that they foster communion among non-Catholics with their ministry, by respecting their beliefs, their traditions as something beneficial, even when these oppose Christianity or are in conflict with each other. In this regard, what stands out is the fundamental importance of promoting inter-religious dialogue. Some Fathers have mentioned the need for insisting on developing better relations with Islam.
The Bishop, Proclaimer Of Hope
37. The missionary activity of the Bishop for the world generates hope. It was said that the current world offers a picture of desperation, since a totally immanent culture puts aside any transcendent hope. The marginalized, disappointed by their leaders, turn to God; they confide in His shepherds, they put their hope in the Church. Also here the apostolic spirit of the Bishop appears, a true Liturgist of hope, who receives from God as much as he hopes for since without hope all the pastoral action of the Bishop would be sterile. The bishop must proclaim to the world God in Christ, a God with a human face, a "God with us", because the certainty of his faith creates hope in others.
Conclusion
38. "With you, I am a Christian and for you, I am Bishop". We would like to end this report with the same words by Saint Augustine. In their reflections and prayers, the Fathers need to think about the image of the Bishop which the Church needs in order to accomplish its mission at the beginning of the third millennium: man of God on his journey with his people, man of communion and missionary activity, man of hope, servant of the Gospel for the hope of the world. We know that the whole world eagerly desires this "hope, which will not let us down" (Rm 5,5). For this reason the Bishop can only preach hope which stems from the Cross of Christ: Ave crux spes unica.
39. The cross is the mystery of life and death. The gift of life came to us from the Cross. The Bishop who proclaims the Gospel as the hope of the world is the one who proclaims the victory of life over death and in the light of the Risen One repeats the "credo vitam aeternam": it is the article which concludes the Creed. Some Synod Fathers asked us to examine ourselves to see whether, in our preaching, in the cultural contexts taken over by the values of this world and of the present time, we give the right place to the proclamation of the "novissimi" (the last things) and of eternal life, as the object of Christian hope. The Church in which we are bishops is the pilgrim Church on earth. During our Synod, we are speaking about our ministry at this stage of the history of salvation, asking how we can be credible and valid ministers of the Gospel for the hope of the world. When, at the end of the Synod, we will be back home in our particular churches, we will celebrate with the whole Church the merits and glory of All Saints. In this Assembly, the Holy Mother of God, quoadusque advenerit dies Domini, tamquam signum certae spei et solatii peregrinanti Populo Dei praelucet (Lumen gentium, n. 68) (Until the day of the Lord comes, she shines forth as a sign of sure hope and of consolation for the People of God on its pilgrim way). Mary is the greatest witness of Christian hope, She is the Mother of hope. Under Her maternal protection, we ask Her to teach us how to make this journey of hope; this journey opens us to the joy of proclamation, for the meeting with Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Questions For The Work Groups
After the discussion with the interventions in the Hall, certain questions might be useful for the dialogue in the Work Groups.
1. On the ministry of the bishop as teacher of faith and doctor of truth, we ask the Groups to reflect on the points of the doctrine of the faith and other features which, today, the Bishop must insist on teaching in his ministry in the particular church.
2. Since the bishop must be the master of spiritual life for the members of his diocese, we ask what initiatives must he take in order to accomplish his mission. As a fundamental condition for this ministry is the fact that the bishop leads his flock by his example. We ask what are the specific guidelines for the bishop to live in holiness. Please examine the relationship between the ministry and the sanctification of the Bishop. Explain how the spirituality of the bishop is rooted in the sacramental grace of the episcopal ordination.
3. Please describe how the bishop must act in his relationship with his priests and with his church. Attention should be given to the absolute priority of this relationship of the bishop with his generous and needed collaborators. Describe the practical consequences of the bishop's availability and accessibility. Possible initiatives to reinforce the ties of communion between the bishop and the priests.
4. How can the bishop promote a vocational ministry by presenting life itself as a vocation? How can this pastoral ministry present in a concrete way the specific vocation to the priesthood? The relationship between the bishop and his future priests and seminarians, preparing for the priesthood, should be described. Give some important ideas on the formation of seminarians, especially deal with the contribution of the bishop.
5. How can affective collegiality be encouraged, and particularly, the bond of communion between bishops as successors of the Apostles and the Successor of Peter? What initiatives can be taken to reinforce the bonds of charity, so that this communion may be manifested better to all, believers and non-believers, throughout the world?
6. Can Bishops' meetings in the ecclesiastical province, if held more frequently, be a means for a better and more concrete realization of the collegiality pertaining to evangelization? Can they contribute to dealing with the pastoral problems of the faithful who live in a specific territory?
7. How can the Bishop encourage everyone with respect to the life in the parish as a centre of church life to which the faithful should refer in their apostolic and spiritual activities, as individuals or associations?
8. How can the Diocesan Curia be organized to be an expression of the pastoral charity of the Bishop and to be a faithful instrument to govern the diocese and a place of participation and co-responsibility for the works of sanctification and the apostolate? The importance of the administration and the Tribunals within the Curia must also be taken into account.
9. What concrete options should the bishop take before his particular church and within it, to witness to authentic poverty? How may he realize the authentic image of a Bishop who is free of any attachments on account of the Kingdom? What are the difficulties, which must be overcome to reach this goal and which prevent the practice of the evangelical beatitude of poverty? How may he be the defender of the widow, of the orphan and of the stranger in today's meaning of these terms?
10. When we face the concrete reality of inculturation at a time when the sociological conditions of our cities change so rapidly and radically, we must pay attention to the way cities are moving toward becoming a plurality of religions, ethnic groups and cultures, and to the pastoral consequences of this reality for the bishop of the third millennium. In this regard we should think of the evolution of cities with immense growth (megalopolis)? [Original text: Latin]
© L'Osservatore Romano, Editorial and Management Offices, Via del Pellegrino, 00120, Vatican City, Europe, Telephone 39/6/698.99.390.
This item 4460 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org
