VATICAN CITY - Despite the growth of secularism, increased
hostility toward Christianity and sinful behavior by some
church ministers, members of the Synod of Bishops said they
are optimistic about the future because of Christ's promise
of salvation.
Addressing a message to Catholics around the world Oct. 26,
synod members said they were certain God "will not fail to
look on our poverty in order to show the strength of his arm
in our days and to sustain us in the path of the new
evangelization."
Even if the world often resembles a "desert" for Christians,
"we must journey, taking with us what is essential: the
company of Jesus, the truth of his word, the eucharistic
bread which nourishes us," the fellowship of community and
the work of charity, the message said.
Pope Benedict XVI and the synod members - more than 260
cardinals, bishops and priests - along with priests,
religious and laymen and women serving as synod observers and
experts, began meeting at the Vatican Oct. 7 to discuss ways
to strengthen Catholics' faith and to encourage lapsed
Catholics to come back to church.
The synod members approved their "message to the people of
God" Oct. 26. They were to vote on proposals to make to Pope
Benedict, who will write an apostolic exhortation on the new
evangelization, and were to concelebrate the synod's closing
Mass Oct. 28.
While the message described forces hostile to the Christian
faith today, the synod members also said, "With humility we
must recognize that the poverty and weakness of Jesus'
disciples, especially of his ministers, weigh on the
credibility of the mission."
At the same time, they said, they also were "convinced that
the Lord's spirit is capable of renewing his church and
rendering her garment resplendent if we let him mould us."
"It is our duty, therefore, to conquer fear through faith,
humiliation through hope, indifference through love," the
message said.
At a news conference about the message, Philippine
Cardinal-designate Luis Tagle of Manila was asked how the
bishops could take the line of optimism when Catholics in
some parts of the world were leaving the church because of
the clerical abuse scandal.
The cardinal-designate said that "no one pretended there was
no problem. There was no such blindness in the synod hall,"
but the bishops "are believers" and the Catholic faith
teaches that with real conversion, God will help the church
and its ministers respond to "those really painful and
scandalizing moments in the church."
The message included special words of thanks and
encouragement for Catholics in different regions of the
world. It said synod members were grateful for the generous
charity and missionary work of North American Catholics, but
it also said Catholics in the United States and Canada "need
to recognize the many expressions" of their culture "which
are today far from the Gospel."
Addressing Catholics' involvement in political life, the
synod message insisted "politics requires a commitment of
selfless and sincere care for the common good by fully
respecting the dignity of the human person from conception to
its natural end, honoring the family founded on the marriage
of a man and a woman," and working to end "injustice,
inequality, discrimination, violence, racism, hunger and
war."
Looking at specific areas of church and social life, the
bishops first highlighted the role of the family, "where
women play a very special role," in teaching the faith.
The bishops promised greater efforts to strengthen and
accompany Catholic families, particularly through marriage
preparation and post-wedding programs.
While they condemned efforts to move away from a traditional
definition of marriage, they expressed particular concern for
divorced, separated or unmarried couples.
"To all of them we want to say that God's love does not
abandon anyone; that the church loves them, too; that the
church is a house that welcomes all; that they remain members
of the church even if they cannot receive sacramental
absolution and the Eucharist," it said.
In the message, the bishops offered thanks for the work of
priests, religious and deacons whose ministry is crucial for
the church. And they recognized the many men and women who
witness to Christ in the world, including other Christians
"with whom unity, unfortunately, is not yet full," but who
share baptism in Christ.
Synod members said they were "concerned, yes, but not
pessimistic" about the situation of young Catholics around
the world because while they often are under "the most
aggressive attacks" of secular culture, they have "deep
aspirations for authenticity, truth, freedom, generosity, to
which we are convinced that the adequate response is Christ."
While many synod members spoke during the meeting about the
importance of using social media and other new forms of
communication to spread the Christian message, it earned only
a brief mention in the 11-page message.
The new media, they said, are places where "consciences are
often formed, where people spend their time and live their
lives. It is a new opportunity for touching the human heart."
The bishops focused on two "expressions of the life of faith"
that they believed would be particularly helpful in
strengthening the church's outreach: a greater emphasis on
helping people learn the art of contemplation - the
"prayerful silence" that "can prevent the word of salvation
from being lost" amid the world's noise - and a greater
commitment to acts of charity and works of justice because
"it is Christ's face that shines in the face of the poor."