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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “I know how much you and the faithful of your country long for peace, and how patiently you are working for its restoration. Anchored in your faith and hope in Christ the Prince of Peace, may you always find in the Gospel the principles needed to shape your preaching and teaching, your judgements and actions.” This is what the Holy Father Benedict XVI told the Bishops of Sudan, whom he received in an audience on March 13, on the occasion of their Ad Limina Apostolorum visit.
The Pope reminded the bishops that if peace is to plant deep roots, concrete efforts must be made to diminish the factors contributing to unrest, particularly corruption, ethnic tensions, indifference and selfishness, recalling that “treaties and other agreements, indispensable building blocks in the peace process, will only bear fruit if they are inspired and accompanied by the exercise of mature and morally upright leadership. In fact, “the effects of violence may take many years to heal, yet the change of heart which is the indispensable condition for a just and lasting peace must even now be implored as a gift of God’s grace.” Benedict XVI then expressed his appreciation of the work being carried out by the Sudanese Bishops, towards “forgiveness, mutual acceptance and respect for commitments taken,” to advance fundamental human rights and in the application of an integral model of economic and human development, as well as their effort to assist poor people to live in dignity and self-respect, to help them find long-term work and to enable them to make their proper contribution to society.
The Holy Father then exhorted the Bishops to live an authentic “spirituality of communion” based on communion with the Lord: “you yourselves must be the first teachers and witnesses of our communion in faith and the love of Christ, sharing common initiatives, listening to your collaborators, helping priests, religious and faithful to accept and support one another as brothers and sisters, without distinction of race or ethnic group, in a generous exchange of gifts.”
The Pope especially encouraged them to strengthen Catholic education and to prepare the laity in bearing witness to Christ “in every aspect of family, social and political life,” overseeing the formation of catechists, who after parents are the “first link in the chain of handing down the precious treasure of the faith.”
Lastly, Benedict XVI mentioned the Sudanese Bishops' efforts to maintain healthy relationships with followers of Islam: “As you work to promote cooperation in practical initiatives, I would encourage you to stress the values that Christians share in common with Muslims as the basis for that 'dialogue of life' which is an essential first step towards genuine interreligious respect and understanding. The same openness and love should be shown to people belonging to the traditional religions. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 15/3/2010)
