VATICAN CITY - Bishops, called to give "a genuine missionary impulse" to their diocesan communities

Monday, 22 September 2014

VATICAN

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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - "The church needs shepherds of souls – bishops – who are servants, and, "who know how to kneel down in front of others to wash their feet. Pastors close to the people, meek fathers and brothers, patient and merciful; who love poverty ... You are called to constantly monitor the flock entrusted to you, to keep them united and faithful to the Gospel and to the Church. Seek to give a genuine missionary impulse to your diocesan communities, so that they might grow more and more with new members... Be close to your priests, love the poor". This is what Pope Francis said to the recently appointed Bishops who he met on Saturday, September 20, at the end of the training seminar under the auspices of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, who were accompanied by the Prefect of the Congregation, Cardinal Fernando Filoni.
The Pope pointed out that "there is now the urgent need for a missionary conversion... that concerns every Christian and every parish, but is one that shepherds are called to live and to witness in the first", this is why he urged the Bishops to guide their lives and episcopal ministry "as a service to the People of God".
He also had special words for the Bishops who were not able to take part in the sessions for several reasons: "To all I send a fraternal greeting and blessing. How I wish, for example that the Chinese Bishops ordained in recent years were present at the meeting today! At heart, though, I hope that day is not far off! I wish to assure them not only my and our solidarity, but also that of the Episcopate world". Looking forward to the upcoming extraordinary synod assembly on the family, Pope Francis stressed that families are the foundation of the work of evangelization, with their educational mission and with the active participation in the life of the parish community. "I encourage you to promote the pastoral care of families" he said, "so that families, accompanied and formed in the faith, might always give their best contribution to the life of the Church and of society". (SL) (Agenzia Fides 22/09/2014)