Pope Francis speaks to Bangladesh's bishops: Full text
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| Pope Francis in Dhaka.- AP |
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis spoke to several bishops
of Bangladesh on Friday at the Archbishop of Dhaka's residence during his
Apostolic Journey to Bangladesh.
Please find below the official English translation of
the Pope's prepared speech:
Dhaka, Home for Retired Priests
Friday, 1 December 2017
Your Eminence,
Dear Brother Bishops,
How good it is for us to be together! I thank Cardinal
Patrick [D’Rozario] for his words of introduction, which presented the varied
spiritual and pastoral works of the Church in Bangladesh. I particularly
appreciated his reference to the farsighted Pastoral Plan of 1985, which laid
out the evangelical principles and priorities that have guided the life and
mission of the ecclesial community in this young nation. My own
experience of Aparecida, which launched the continental mission in South
America, has convinced me of the fruitfulness of such plans, which engage the
entire people of God in an ongoing process of discernment and action.
The reality of communion was at the heart of the Pastoral
Plan, and it continues to inspire the missionary zeal that distinguishes the
Church in Bangladesh. Your own episcopal leadership has traditionally
been marked by a spirit of collegiality and mutual support. This
spirit of affective collegiality is shared by your priests, and through them,
has spread to the parishes, communities and manifold apostolates of your local
Churches. It finds expression in the seriousness with which you, in your
dioceses, engage in pastoral visitations and demonstrate practical concern for
the welfare of your people. I ask you to persevere in this ministry of
presence, which can only strengthen the bonds of communion uniting you to your
priests, who are your brothers, sons and co-workers in the Lord’s vineyard, and
to the men and women religious who make so crucial a contribution to Catholic
life in this country.
At the same time, I would ask you to show ever greater
pastoral closeness to the lay faithful. There is a need to promote their
effective participation in the life of your particular Churches, not least
through the canonical structures that provide for their voices to be heard and
their experiences acknowledged. Recognize and value the charisms of lay
men and women, and encourage them to put their gifts at the service of the
Church and of society as a whole. I think here of the many dedicated
catechists in this country, whose apostolate is essential for the growth of the
faith and for the Christian formation of the next generation. They are
true missionaries and leaders of prayer, especially in the more remote
areas. Be concerned for their spiritual needs and for their continuing
education in the faith.
In these months of preparation for the next assembly of the
Synod of Bishops, all of us are challenged to think about how best to share
with our young people the joy, the truth and the beauty of our faith.
Bangladesh has been blessed with vocations to the priesthood and the religious
life; it is important to ensure that candidates be well-prepared to communicate
the richness of the faith to others, particularly to their own
contemporaries. In a spirit of communion that bridges the generations,
help them to take up with joy and enthusiasm the work others have begun,
knowing that they themselves will one day be called to pass it on in turn.
An impressive outreach of the Church in Bangladesh is
directed to assisting families and, in a specific way, working for the
advancement of women. The people of this country are known for their love
of family, their sense of hospitality, the respect they show to parents and
grandparents, and the care they give to the aged, the infirm and the vulnerable.
These values are confirmed and elevated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A
special word of gratitude is due to all those who work quietly to support
Christian families in their mission of bearing daily witness to the Lord’s
reconciling love and in making known its redemptive power. As Ecclesia in
Asia pointed out, “the family is not simply the object of the Church’s pastoral
care; it is one of the Church’s most effective agents of evangelization” (No.
46).
A significant goal set out in the Pastoral Plan, and one
that has indeed proved prophetic, is the option for the poor. The
Catholic community in Bangladesh can be proud of its history of service to the
poor, especially in remote areas and tribal communities; it continues this
outreach daily through its educational apostolates, its hospitals, clinics and
health centres, and the variety of its organized charitable works. Yet,
especially in light of the present refugee crisis, we see how much more needs
to be done! The inspiration for your works of assistance to the needy
must always be that pastoral charity which is quick to recognize human
woundedness and to respond with generosity, one person at a time. By
working to create a “culture of mercy” (cf. Misericordia et Misera, 20), your
local Churches demonstrate their option for the poor, reinforce their
proclamation of the Father’s infinite mercy, and contribute in no small measure
to the integral development of their homeland.
An important part of my pastoral visit to Bangladesh is the
interreligious and ecumenical encounter that will take place immediately
following our meeting. Yours is a nation where ethnic diversity is
mirrored in a diversity of religious traditions. The Church’s commitment
to pursuing interreligious understanding through seminars and educational
programmes, as well as through personal contacts and invitations, contributes
to the spread of good will and harmony. Work unremittingly to build
bridges and to foster dialogue, for these efforts not only facilitate
communication between different religious groups, but also awaken the spiritual
energies needed for the work of nationbuilding in unity, justice and
peace. When religious leaders speak out with one voice against the
violence that parades as religion and seek to replace the culture of conflict
with the culture of encounter, they draw from the deepest spiritual roots of
their various traditions. They also provide an inestimable service to the
future of their countries and our world by educating the young in the way of justice,
“helping them along the path to maturity, and teaching them to respond to the
incendiary logic of evil by patiently working for the growth of goodness”
(Address to the International Peace Conference, Al-Azhar, Cairo, 28 April
2017).
Dear brother bishops, I am grateful to the Lord for these
moments of conversation and fraternal sharing. I am also happy that this
Apostolic Journey, which has brought me to Bangladesh, has enabled me to
witness the vitality and missionary fervour of the Church in this country.
In offering up the joys and difficulties of your local communities to the Lord,
let us together ask for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit, to grant us “the
courage to proclaim the newness of the Gospel with boldness – parrhesía – in
every time and place, even when it meets with opposition” (Evangelii Gaudium,
259). May the priests, religious, consecrated men and women, and the lay
faithful entrusted to your pastoral care, find ever renewed strength in their
efforts to be “evangelizers who proclaim the good news not only with words, but
above all by a life transfigured by God’s presence” (ibid.). To all of
you, with great affection, I impart my Apostolic Blessing. I ask you,
please, not to forget to pray for me.
