Pope Benedict XVI to Indonesian bishops: Church called to follow Her Divine Master
Promoting inter-religious dialogue, continuing and intensifying work toward the common
good under the guidance and inspiration of the Gospel: these were some of the tasks
to which Pope Benedict XVI encouraged the bishops of Indonesia on Friday in remarks
to them at the end of their ad limina visits.
Please find, below, the full
text and audio of Pope Benedict XVI's remarks:
Dear Brother Bishops,
I
am pleased to offer you a warm fraternal welcome on the occasion of your visit ad
Limina Apostolorum, a privileged opportunity to give thanks to God for the gift of
communion that exists in the one Church of Christ, and a moment to deepen our bonds
of unity in the apostolic faith. I wish to thank Bishop Situmorang for his kind words
offered on your behalf and in the name of those entrusted to your pastoral care.
My cordial greetings also go to the priests, the men and women religious, and laity
whom you shepherd. Please assure them of my prayers for their sanctification and
well-being.
Christ’s message of salvation, forgiveness and love has been preached
in your country for centuries. Indeed, the missionary impulse remains essential to
the Church’s life, and finds expression not only in the preaching of the Gospel, but
also in the witness of Christian charity (cf. Ad Gentes, 2). In this regard, I appreciate
the intense efforts made by numerous individuals and agencies in the name of the Church
to bring the tender compassion of God to many members of Indonesian society. This
is the hallmark of every movement, action and expression of the Church, in all of
her sacramental, charitable, educational and social endeavors, so that in everything
her members may strive to make the Triune God known and loved through Jesus Christ.
This will not only contribute to the spiritual vitality of the Church as she grows
in confidence through humble yet courageous witness; it will also strengthen Indonesian
society by promoting those values that your fellow citizens hold dear: tolerance,
unity and justice for all citizens. Appropriately, Indonesia’s constitution guarantees
the fundamental human right of freedom to practice one’s religion. The freedom to
live and preach the Gospel can never be taken for granted and must always be justly
and patiently upheld. Nor is religious freedom merely a right to be free from outside
constraints. It is also a right to be authentically and fully Catholic, to practice
the faith, to build up the Church and to contribute to the common good, proclaiming
the Gospel as Good News for all, and inviting everyone to intimacy with the God of
mercy and compassion made manifest in Jesus Christ.
A significant amount
of the charitable and educational work within your Dioceses is done under the aegis
of religious men and women. Their consecration to Christ and their lives of deep
prayer and genuine sacrifice continue to enrich the Church and to render God’s presence
visible and active in your nation. I wish to express my gratitude to the many priests
and men and women religious who offer glory to the Lord through countless good works
which benefit their Indonesian brothers and sisters. Their labors are an indispensable
expression of the Church’s commitment to humanity, and in particular to the most needy.
For this reason, I ask you, dear Brother Bishops, to continue to ensure that the formation
and education that seminarians and men and women religious receive will always be
adequate to the mission entrusted to them. Amid the growing complexities of our world
and the rapid transformation of Indonesian society, the need for well-prepared religious
men and women is all the more urgent. In concert with their local Superiors, ascertain
that they have received what is necessary for them to live lives filled with spiritual
wisdom and understanding, and to bear fruit in every good work (cf. Col 1:9,10).
I can only encourage you in your continuing efforts to promote and sustain interreligious
dialogue in your nation. Your country, so rich in its cultural diversity and possessed
of a large population, is home to significant numbers of followers of various religious
traditions. Thus, the people of Indonesia are well-placed to make important contributions
to the quest for peace and understanding among the peoples of the world. Your participation
in this great enterprise is decisive, and so I urge you, dear brothers, to ensure
that those whom you shepherd know that they, as Christians, are to be agents of peace,
perseverance and charity. The Church is called to follow her Divine Master, who unites
all things in himself, and to witness to that peace which only he can give. This
is the precious fruit of charity in him who, suffering unjustly, gave us his life
and taught us to respond in all situations with forgiveness, mercy and love in truth.
Believers in Christ, rooted in charity, ought to be committed to dialogue with other
religions, respecting mutual differences. Common endeavors for the upbuilding of society
will be of great value when they strengthen friendships and overcome misunderstanding
or distrust. I have confidence that you and the priests, religious and laity of your
Dioceses will continue to bear witness to the image and likeness of God in each man,
woman and child, regardless of their faith, by encouraging everyone to be open to
dialogue in the service of peace and harmony. By doing everything possible to ensure
that the rights of minorities in your country are respected, you further the cause
of tolerance and mutual harmony in your country and beyond.
With these thoughts,
dear Brother Bishops, I renew to you my sentiments of affection and esteem. Your country
is composed of thousands of islands; so too the Church in Indonesia is made up of
thousands of Christian communities, “islands of Christ’s presence”. May you always
be united in faith, hope and love among yourselves and with the Successor of Peter.
I commend all of you to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church. Assuring
you of my prayers for you and for those entrusted to your pastoral care, I am pleased
to impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of grace and peace in the Lord.