At 11:30 this morning in the Consistory Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the members of the XIII Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, who were gathered in an assembly, guided by the theme The new evangelization for the transmission of the faith.
After the greetings had been offered to the Holy Father by His Excellency, Nikola Eterović, the General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, the Pope initiated a dialogue with the Bishops, instead of reading the speech which had been prepared for the meeting.
Here then, is the text of the prepared speech which the Holy Father intended to deliver:
Dear Brothers in the episcopate,
I greet you all most warmly, and thank in a special way Monsignor Nikola Eterović, General Secretary for the words which he has offered. Through you, my greeting is also extended to the particular Churches which are confided to your pastoral care. I am most grateful for the assistance offered to the Bishop of Rome by the office of the President of the Synod of Bishops, for the elaboration and implementation of the information that has emerged from the Thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly (held last October). Yours is a valuable service to the universal Church which necessitates availability, commitment and sacrifice ... even long journeys. My sincere thanks to all of you.
I would like to emphasize the importance of the theme of the last Ordinary General Assembly: The new evangelization for the transmission of the faith. There is a close connection between these two elements: the transmission of the Christian faith is the purpose of the new evangelization and all the evangelizing efforts of the Church exist for this purpose. The expression new evangelization therefore highlights the increasingly clear awareness that even in the countries of ancient Christian traditions, there is a need for the renewed proclamation of the Gospel, in order to guide all people to an encounter with Christ which truly transforms lives, and not merely a superficial change, indicated by routine. Such a conversion bears consequences for pastoral action too. As the Servant of God, Pope Paul VI observed: the conditions of society oblige us to re-examine the methods, to verify with every means of study how to present to the modern world the Christian message, in which alone, they may find the response to their questions and the strength to be committed to human solidarity (Address to the College of Cardinals, June 22, 1973). This same Pontiff, in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi, a rich text which has lost none of its relevance, reminded us of how the commitment to proclaim the gospel is without a doubt, a service rendered to the Christian community, and also to the whole of humanity (n. 1). I wish to encourage the entire ecclesial community to be evangelizers, and not to be afraid to go outside of yourself in order to announce the Gospel, confident above all in the merciful presence of God who guides us. Certainly, the techniques we use are important, but even the most sophisticated of techniques cannot replace the discreet but effective action of Him who is the principal agent of evangelization: the Holy Spirit (cf EN, 75). We should always allow ourselves to be guided by Him, even if this means that we are led along new pathways, we should allow ourselves to be transformed by Him because our announcement of the Gospel, using words, should always be accompanied by our simplicity of life, by a spirit of prayer, by charity toward everyone, especially the little ones and the poor, by humility and detachment from self and by holiness of life (cf EN, 76). Only in this way will our work be truly fruitful!
A few words about the Synod of Bishops. Certainly, it is one of the fruits of the Second Vatican Council. Thank God that over the last fifty years, we have witnessed the benefits of this enterprise, which in a permanent fashion, is at the service of the mission and the communion of the Church, as an expression of collegiality. I can also testify to its value on the basis of my own personal experience, having participated in various Synod Assemblies. Open to the grace of the Holy Spirit, the soul of the Church, we are confident that the Synod of Bishops knows the most efficacious way to facilitate even further the dialogue and collaboration needed among the Bishops and between them and the Bishop of Rome. Dear brothers, your meeting this week in Rome is focused on helping me to choose the theme of the next Ordinary General Assembly. Thank you for suggestions that you sent to the various institutions with which the General Synod Secretariat is currently corresponding: the Synods of the Oriental Catholic Churches sui iuris, the Episcopal Conferences, the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia and the leadership of the Union of Superiors General. I am certain that with discernment accompanied by prayer, this work will bear abundant fruit for the Church which, faithful to the Lord, wishes to announce Jesus Christ with renewed courage to men and women of our time. He is the way, the truth and the life (Jn 14: 6) for each and everyone.
Confiding your service to the Church to the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of the new Evangelization, I gladly impart the Apostolic Blessing to you, to your collaborators and to your particular Churches.
After the greetings had been offered to the Holy Father by His Excellency, Nikola Eterović, the General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, the Pope initiated a dialogue with the Bishops, instead of reading the speech which had been prepared for the meeting.
Here then, is the text of the prepared speech which the Holy Father intended to deliver:
Discourse of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the meeting with the members of the XIII Ordinary Council
of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops
Dear Brothers in the episcopate,
I greet you all most warmly, and thank in a special way Monsignor Nikola Eterović, General Secretary for the words which he has offered. Through you, my greeting is also extended to the particular Churches which are confided to your pastoral care. I am most grateful for the assistance offered to the Bishop of Rome by the office of the President of the Synod of Bishops, for the elaboration and implementation of the information that has emerged from the Thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly (held last October). Yours is a valuable service to the universal Church which necessitates availability, commitment and sacrifice ... even long journeys. My sincere thanks to all of you.
I would like to emphasize the importance of the theme of the last Ordinary General Assembly: The new evangelization for the transmission of the faith. There is a close connection between these two elements: the transmission of the Christian faith is the purpose of the new evangelization and all the evangelizing efforts of the Church exist for this purpose. The expression new evangelization therefore highlights the increasingly clear awareness that even in the countries of ancient Christian traditions, there is a need for the renewed proclamation of the Gospel, in order to guide all people to an encounter with Christ which truly transforms lives, and not merely a superficial change, indicated by routine. Such a conversion bears consequences for pastoral action too. As the Servant of God, Pope Paul VI observed: the conditions of society oblige us to re-examine the methods, to verify with every means of study how to present to the modern world the Christian message, in which alone, they may find the response to their questions and the strength to be committed to human solidarity (Address to the College of Cardinals, June 22, 1973). This same Pontiff, in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi, a rich text which has lost none of its relevance, reminded us of how the commitment to proclaim the gospel is without a doubt, a service rendered to the Christian community, and also to the whole of humanity (n. 1). I wish to encourage the entire ecclesial community to be evangelizers, and not to be afraid to go outside of yourself in order to announce the Gospel, confident above all in the merciful presence of God who guides us. Certainly, the techniques we use are important, but even the most sophisticated of techniques cannot replace the discreet but effective action of Him who is the principal agent of evangelization: the Holy Spirit (cf EN, 75). We should always allow ourselves to be guided by Him, even if this means that we are led along new pathways, we should allow ourselves to be transformed by Him because our announcement of the Gospel, using words, should always be accompanied by our simplicity of life, by a spirit of prayer, by charity toward everyone, especially the little ones and the poor, by humility and detachment from self and by holiness of life (cf EN, 76). Only in this way will our work be truly fruitful!
A few words about the Synod of Bishops. Certainly, it is one of the fruits of the Second Vatican Council. Thank God that over the last fifty years, we have witnessed the benefits of this enterprise, which in a permanent fashion, is at the service of the mission and the communion of the Church, as an expression of collegiality. I can also testify to its value on the basis of my own personal experience, having participated in various Synod Assemblies. Open to the grace of the Holy Spirit, the soul of the Church, we are confident that the Synod of Bishops knows the most efficacious way to facilitate even further the dialogue and collaboration needed among the Bishops and between them and the Bishop of Rome. Dear brothers, your meeting this week in Rome is focused on helping me to choose the theme of the next Ordinary General Assembly. Thank you for suggestions that you sent to the various institutions with which the General Synod Secretariat is currently corresponding: the Synods of the Oriental Catholic Churches sui iuris, the Episcopal Conferences, the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia and the leadership of the Union of Superiors General. I am certain that with discernment accompanied by prayer, this work will bear abundant fruit for the Church which, faithful to the Lord, wishes to announce Jesus Christ with renewed courage to men and women of our time. He is the way, the truth and the life (Jn 14: 6) for each and everyone.
Confiding your service to the Church to the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of the new Evangelization, I gladly impart the Apostolic Blessing to you, to your collaborators and to your particular Churches.
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