Pope says ignorance of faith is a serious problem of Church

November 30, 2012 - Decrying ignorance of the Christian faith as a grave problem, Pope Benedict XVI on Friday urged a group of French bishops to go to the basics and help their faithful be convinced that God loves them and that He wants their happiness. The Pope was speaking to the third group of French bishops on their so-called ‘ad limina’ visit that heads of dioceses are required to make every five years or so. “One of the most serious problems of our time is the religious ignorance in which many men and women live, including those who are Catholic,” the Holy Father said, adding ignorance of the contents of faith is one of the most formidable obstacles to the Church’s pastoral mission. This ignorance is two-fold, he said. “It is an ignorance of the person of Jesus Christ; and an ignorance of the sublimity of his teachings, which have universal and permanent value in the search for the meaning of life and happiness.” He said this ignorance also produces new generations which are unable to understand their history, nor feel heir to this tradition, that has shaped life, society, art and European culture. The basics of preaching the Good News the Pope explained can be summarized in a few words, namely: God is love. He wants the happiness of all of his children. Pope Benedict also said that the Church in Europe and in France cannot remain indifferent to the decline in vocations to the priesthood and religious life. He urged the bishops to make efforts to help young people listen to the voice of the Lord, through special attention to Christian families and communities. The Pope went on to speak about the importance of Catholic education and Catholic schools.