Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “It is important that the memorable appeal “Family, become what you are!”, made by John Paul II in the Familiaris consortio, reaches all families!”. This appeal was repeated on Sunday 2 July by Pope Benedict XVI in his reflection before the midday Angelus prayer when he mentioned the 5th World Meeting of Families next weekend in Valencia, Spain. On the occasion of the 1st World Meeting for Families held in Rome in 1994, the international Year of the Family, “beloved John Paul II wrote a long, impassioned meditation on the family in the form of a Letter addressed to the families of the world”.
The theme of the meeting in Valencia is the handing on of the faith in the family. “This commitment - the Pope said - inspired the motto of my apostolic visit to that city: "Family: live and hand on the faith!".” Then the Holy Father said “the first urgency today for believers in Christ is precisely to renew the faith of adults so they are able to communicate it to the new generations” and that the path of Christian initiation of the children “may be a good opportunity for parents to draw closer to the Church and learn more about the beauty and truth of the Gospel”. In the rite of Baptism the father or Godfather lights a candle from the Easter candle, symbol of the Risen Christ and then addressing the other members of the family the priest says: "Help your child to be illuminated by Christ and also live as a child of the light". “That gesture, which contains the whole sense of handing on of faith in the family, to be authentic - the Pope said -, must preceded and accompanied by the commitment of the parents to deepen their knowledge of the faith, reviving its flame with prayer and regular practice of the Sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist”. He then called on those present to pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary “for the good outcome of this major Meeting in Valencia, and for the families of the world, that they may be authentic communities of love and life, where the flame of the faith is handed on from one generation to the next”.
After the Angelus, the Holy Father made another appeal for peace in the Middle East: “I follow with growing concern events in Iraq and in the Holy Land. Faced on the one side with blind violence which commits atrocious massacres and on the other the crisis threatens to become worse being every day more dramatic there is need of justice, serious and credible commitment for peace: which sad to say are not visible. This is why I call on all to unite in confident and persevering prayer that the Lord may enlighten hearts and that non one may shirk the duty to build peaceful co-existence, recognising every person, of whatever people, as a brother or sister.” The Pope then mentioned a Summit of Religious Leaders organised by the Inter-religious Council of Russia, taking place in Moscow 3 to 5 July, attended also by a Delegation of the Catholic Church: “The significant gathering of many members of the world religions indicates a common desire to promote dialogue among civilisations and the search for more just and peaceful world order. I hope sincere efforts on all sides will help identify areas for effective collaboration in reciprocal respect and understanding to face present day challenges”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 3/7/2006 - righe 39, parole 582)
