Yesterday and today, the Holy Father has held a series of meetings in which he received the Bishops from the Federal Republic of Germany who are in Rome for their visit ad limina Apostolorum.
Dear confreres,
I am happy to be able to greet you here in the Vatican, on the occasion of your ad limina visit. The pilgrimage to the tomb of the Apostles is an important moment in the life of every Bishop. It signifies a renewal of the bond with the universal Church, which crosses the boundaries of space and time as God's people on a journey, faithfully continuing the heritage of faith through the centuries to all peoples. I sincerely thank the President of the German Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, for his courteous words of greeting. I express to all of you my gratitude, for you help me to continue the Ministry of Peter through your prayer and your work in your particular Churches. I thank you especially for the great support which the Church in Germany, through many charitable workers, is offering to men and women throughout the world.
We are currently living in exceptional times. Hundreds of millions of refugees have come to Europe or have set out in search of refuge from war and persecution. The Christian church and many individual citizens from your country are extending enormous help by accommodating these people, giving them assistance and human closeness. In the spirit of Christ, we wish to continue facing the struggle of responding to the great number who are in need. At the same time, we support all humanitarian initiatives to ensure that the living conditions in their countries of origin become more bearable.
Catholic communities in Germany are very different from east to west, but also from north to south. Everywhere, the Church is committed with professionalism in social and charitable activities and also in many activities in the field of education. We must ensure that these institutions are part of the Catholic profile; so that they may be counted as positive factors, not least of which on account of their contributions to societal life. On the other hand, particularly in regions which are traditionally Catholic, we note a sharp drop in the participation at Sunday Mass and in sacramental life. Whereas in the sixties, almost every faithful everywhere participated at every Sunday Mass, today, the rate of practice is often less than ten percent. Even less avail themselves of other Sacraments. The Sacrament of Penance is often absent. Fewer and fewer Catholics receive Confirmation or contract Catholic Marriages. The number of vocations to ministerial priesthood and to consecrated life is significantly diminished. Considering these facts, we can truly speak of an erosion of the Catholic faith in Germany.
What can we do? First of all, we need to overcome paralyzing resignation. Certainly, it is not possible for us to return to the realities of the good old days that existed before. We can however, allow ourselves to be inspired by the lives of the first Christians. It is enough to think about Priscilla and Aquilla, faithful companions of Saint Paul. As a married couple, the fact that they bore witness through convincing words (Acts 18:26), but above all through their lives, to the truth founded on the love of Christ for his Church, is truly worthy of faith. They opened their home for the proclamation of the gospel and drew strength for their mission from the Word of God. The example of these volunteers can give us cause for reflection, considering the tendency of a growing institutionalization. New structures are being opened, but in the end, the faithful are missing. It's a matter of a kind of new Pelagianism, which causes people to put their trust in administrative structures and perfect organizations. Excessive centralization, rather than helping, complicates the life of the Church and her missionary dynamic (cf Evangelii Gaudium, 32). The Church is not a closed system that always revolves around the same questions and concerns. The Church is alive, present to mankind in their realities; she knows their worries and she knows how to help them. She has a supple face, a body that moves, grows and experiences emotions: she is the body of Jesus Christ.
What is needed most of all is pastoral conversion, that is, to make all the structures of the Church become more mission-oriented, to make ordinary pastoral activity on every level more inclusive and open, to inspire in pastoral workers a constant desire to go forth and in this way to elicit a positive response from all those whom Jesus summons to friendship with himself (Evangelii Gaudium, 27). The conditions in society today are certainly not altogether favourable. A certain worldliness prevails. This worldliness deforms souls, suffocates the consciousness of reality: a worldly person lives in an artificial world, which he himself builds. He is surrounded as though by dark glass so as not to see outside. This certainly leads us, first of all, to prayer. Let us pray for the men and women of our cities, of our dioceses, and let us pray also for ourselves, that God will send us a ray of divine charity through our dark glass, touching hearts, so that they understand His message. We must be among people with the ardor of those who first received the Gospel. And whenever we make the effort to return to the source and to recover the original freshness of the Gospel, new avenues arise, new paths of creativity open up, with different forms of expression, more eloquent signs and words with new meaning for today’s world. Every form of authentic evangelization is always ‘new’ (Evangelii Gaudium, 11). Thus new ways and forms of catechesis can be found to help young people and families to experience a genuine and joyous rediscovery of the common faith of the Church.
In the context of the New Evangelization it is indispensable that the Bishop diligently carry out his task as teacher of the faith – of the faith transmitted and lived in communion with the universal Church – in the multiple fields of his pastoral ministry. As a solicitous father, the Bishop will support Theological Faculties helping professors to rediscover the great ecclesial importance of their mission. Fidelity to the Church and to the Magisterium does not contradict academic freedom, but exacts a humble attitude of service to God’s gifts. Sentire cum Ecclesia should distinguish, in a particular way, those that educate and form the new generations. Moreover, the presence of the Theological Faculties in State institutes of education is a great opportunity to advance a dialogue with society. Also, make good use of the Catholic University of Eichstatt with its Theological Faculty and its various scientific departments. Being the only Catholic University in your country, this Institute is of great value for the whole of Germany; therefore, an appropriate commitment of the whole Episcopal Conference would be desirable to reinforce its super-regional importance and to promote inter-disciplinary exchange on current and future questions according to the spirit of the Gospel.
Turning our regard therefore to the parish communities, in which, for most people, the faith is experienced and lived, the sacramental life should be particularly close to the Bishop’s heart. I would like to stress only two points: Confession and the Eucharist. The approaching Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy offers the opportunity to have the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation rediscovered. Confession is the place where one receives the gift of God’s forgiveness and mercy. In Confession the transformation of every single faithful and the reform of the Church begins. I trust that greater attention will be given to this Sacrament, so important for a spiritual renewal in the diocesan and parish pastoral plans during the Holy Year and also afterwards. It is necessary, moreover, to provide evidence of the profound connection between the Eucharist and the Priesthood. Pastoral plans that do not attribute proper importance to priests in their ministry of governing, teaching and sanctifying with regard to the structure and the sacramental life of the Church, on the basis of experience, are destined to failure. The precious collaboration of the lay faithful, especially where vocations are lacking, cannot become a surrogate of the priestly ministry or make it seem, in fact, a simple option. There is no Eucharist without a priest. And vocational pastoral ministry begins with the ardent desire in the hearts of the faithful to have priests. Finally, a task of the Bishop, which is never sufficiently appreciated, is personal commitment to life. The Church must never tire of being the advocate of life and she must not take steps backwards in the proclamation that human life must be protected unconditionally from the moment of conception to natural death. We can make no compromises here, without ourselves becoming guilty of the throwaway culture which is already unfortunately widespread. How great are the wounds that our society must suffer because of the discarding of the weakest and the most vulnerable – unborn life as well as the elderly and the sick! In the end all of us will suffer the painful consequences.
Dear fellow brothers, I hope that your meetings with the Roman Curia in these days will illumine the way for your particular Churches in the coming years, helping you to rediscover ever better your great spiritual and pastoral patrimony. Thus you will be able to trustingly continue your appreciated work in the mission of the universal Church. I ask you to continue to pray for me, so that with God’s help I can carry out my Petrine ministry. Likewise, I entrust you to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Blesseds and Saints of your land. I willingly impart my heartfelt Apostolic Blessing to you and to the faithful of your dioceses.
Address of His Holiness, Pope Francis
to Bishops from the Federal Republic of Germany
Dear confreres,
I am happy to be able to greet you here in the Vatican, on the occasion of your ad limina visit. The pilgrimage to the tomb of the Apostles is an important moment in the life of every Bishop. It signifies a renewal of the bond with the universal Church, which crosses the boundaries of space and time as God's people on a journey, faithfully continuing the heritage of faith through the centuries to all peoples. I sincerely thank the President of the German Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, for his courteous words of greeting. I express to all of you my gratitude, for you help me to continue the Ministry of Peter through your prayer and your work in your particular Churches. I thank you especially for the great support which the Church in Germany, through many charitable workers, is offering to men and women throughout the world.
We are currently living in exceptional times. Hundreds of millions of refugees have come to Europe or have set out in search of refuge from war and persecution. The Christian church and many individual citizens from your country are extending enormous help by accommodating these people, giving them assistance and human closeness. In the spirit of Christ, we wish to continue facing the struggle of responding to the great number who are in need. At the same time, we support all humanitarian initiatives to ensure that the living conditions in their countries of origin become more bearable.
Catholic communities in Germany are very different from east to west, but also from north to south. Everywhere, the Church is committed with professionalism in social and charitable activities and also in many activities in the field of education. We must ensure that these institutions are part of the Catholic profile; so that they may be counted as positive factors, not least of which on account of their contributions to societal life. On the other hand, particularly in regions which are traditionally Catholic, we note a sharp drop in the participation at Sunday Mass and in sacramental life. Whereas in the sixties, almost every faithful everywhere participated at every Sunday Mass, today, the rate of practice is often less than ten percent. Even less avail themselves of other Sacraments. The Sacrament of Penance is often absent. Fewer and fewer Catholics receive Confirmation or contract Catholic Marriages. The number of vocations to ministerial priesthood and to consecrated life is significantly diminished. Considering these facts, we can truly speak of an erosion of the Catholic faith in Germany.
What can we do? First of all, we need to overcome paralyzing resignation. Certainly, it is not possible for us to return to the realities of the good old days that existed before. We can however, allow ourselves to be inspired by the lives of the first Christians. It is enough to think about Priscilla and Aquilla, faithful companions of Saint Paul. As a married couple, the fact that they bore witness through convincing words (Acts 18:26), but above all through their lives, to the truth founded on the love of Christ for his Church, is truly worthy of faith. They opened their home for the proclamation of the gospel and drew strength for their mission from the Word of God. The example of these volunteers can give us cause for reflection, considering the tendency of a growing institutionalization. New structures are being opened, but in the end, the faithful are missing. It's a matter of a kind of new Pelagianism, which causes people to put their trust in administrative structures and perfect organizations. Excessive centralization, rather than helping, complicates the life of the Church and her missionary dynamic (cf Evangelii Gaudium, 32). The Church is not a closed system that always revolves around the same questions and concerns. The Church is alive, present to mankind in their realities; she knows their worries and she knows how to help them. She has a supple face, a body that moves, grows and experiences emotions: she is the body of Jesus Christ.
What is needed most of all is pastoral conversion, that is, to make all the structures of the Church become more mission-oriented, to make ordinary pastoral activity on every level more inclusive and open, to inspire in pastoral workers a constant desire to go forth and in this way to elicit a positive response from all those whom Jesus summons to friendship with himself (Evangelii Gaudium, 27). The conditions in society today are certainly not altogether favourable. A certain worldliness prevails. This worldliness deforms souls, suffocates the consciousness of reality: a worldly person lives in an artificial world, which he himself builds. He is surrounded as though by dark glass so as not to see outside. This certainly leads us, first of all, to prayer. Let us pray for the men and women of our cities, of our dioceses, and let us pray also for ourselves, that God will send us a ray of divine charity through our dark glass, touching hearts, so that they understand His message. We must be among people with the ardor of those who first received the Gospel. And whenever we make the effort to return to the source and to recover the original freshness of the Gospel, new avenues arise, new paths of creativity open up, with different forms of expression, more eloquent signs and words with new meaning for today’s world. Every form of authentic evangelization is always ‘new’ (Evangelii Gaudium, 11). Thus new ways and forms of catechesis can be found to help young people and families to experience a genuine and joyous rediscovery of the common faith of the Church.
In the context of the New Evangelization it is indispensable that the Bishop diligently carry out his task as teacher of the faith – of the faith transmitted and lived in communion with the universal Church – in the multiple fields of his pastoral ministry. As a solicitous father, the Bishop will support Theological Faculties helping professors to rediscover the great ecclesial importance of their mission. Fidelity to the Church and to the Magisterium does not contradict academic freedom, but exacts a humble attitude of service to God’s gifts. Sentire cum Ecclesia should distinguish, in a particular way, those that educate and form the new generations. Moreover, the presence of the Theological Faculties in State institutes of education is a great opportunity to advance a dialogue with society. Also, make good use of the Catholic University of Eichstatt with its Theological Faculty and its various scientific departments. Being the only Catholic University in your country, this Institute is of great value for the whole of Germany; therefore, an appropriate commitment of the whole Episcopal Conference would be desirable to reinforce its super-regional importance and to promote inter-disciplinary exchange on current and future questions according to the spirit of the Gospel.
Turning our regard therefore to the parish communities, in which, for most people, the faith is experienced and lived, the sacramental life should be particularly close to the Bishop’s heart. I would like to stress only two points: Confession and the Eucharist. The approaching Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy offers the opportunity to have the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation rediscovered. Confession is the place where one receives the gift of God’s forgiveness and mercy. In Confession the transformation of every single faithful and the reform of the Church begins. I trust that greater attention will be given to this Sacrament, so important for a spiritual renewal in the diocesan and parish pastoral plans during the Holy Year and also afterwards. It is necessary, moreover, to provide evidence of the profound connection between the Eucharist and the Priesthood. Pastoral plans that do not attribute proper importance to priests in their ministry of governing, teaching and sanctifying with regard to the structure and the sacramental life of the Church, on the basis of experience, are destined to failure. The precious collaboration of the lay faithful, especially where vocations are lacking, cannot become a surrogate of the priestly ministry or make it seem, in fact, a simple option. There is no Eucharist without a priest. And vocational pastoral ministry begins with the ardent desire in the hearts of the faithful to have priests. Finally, a task of the Bishop, which is never sufficiently appreciated, is personal commitment to life. The Church must never tire of being the advocate of life and she must not take steps backwards in the proclamation that human life must be protected unconditionally from the moment of conception to natural death. We can make no compromises here, without ourselves becoming guilty of the throwaway culture which is already unfortunately widespread. How great are the wounds that our society must suffer because of the discarding of the weakest and the most vulnerable – unborn life as well as the elderly and the sick! In the end all of us will suffer the painful consequences.
Dear fellow brothers, I hope that your meetings with the Roman Curia in these days will illumine the way for your particular Churches in the coming years, helping you to rediscover ever better your great spiritual and pastoral patrimony. Thus you will be able to trustingly continue your appreciated work in the mission of the universal Church. I ask you to continue to pray for me, so that with God’s help I can carry out my Petrine ministry. Likewise, I entrust you to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Blesseds and Saints of your land. I willingly impart my heartfelt Apostolic Blessing to you and to the faithful of your dioceses.
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