Cardinal Müller celebrates opening Mass of Chilean Episcopal Conference

(Vatican Radio)  “The Lord did not follow the world’s ‘marketing’ plan with all its loud and annoying methods. He did not write a book, rather he founded a community, the Church, which is his body”  Those were the words of Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, at the inaugural Mass of the 110th Plenary Assembly of the Chilean Episcopal Conference on Tuesday.

The Assembly is taking place in a retreat house at Punta de Tralca until November 13th.

Beginning his homily with the surprising history of the early Christian Church, Cardinal Müller said Jesus refused to follow the ‘loud and annoying marketing methods’ of the world, founding instead a community.

“Jesus never wrote a book, neither did he leave any object related with his person. Rather, he directed his teachings to his disciples, specifically to twelve regular men of his day, and he told them to evangelize the whole world.”

“Whatever his reasons may have been, the Lord did not follow the world’s ‘marketing’ plan with all its loud and annoying methods. He did not write a book, rather he founded a community, the Church, which is his body. Much confidence is required to understand how such an improbable method could have succeeded,” he said.

Decreasing numbers of Catholics

He then addressed the decreasing numbers of the Catholic Church in Chile, down from 70% of the population in 2002 to only 55% in 2015.

“Today, a painful purification is in course,” he said, “but it is the same as when Jesus overturned the tables. Purification is painful and disquieting. May it do its work. Let us remain faithful and not become discouraged. Some left, but we must remain faithful in dialogue with Jesus in his Church.”

Concluding his homily, Cardinal Müller declared that “the work of the Church is not to reflect the opinions of its members.  The Church’s job is to reflect the point of view of her Head and founder: Jesus Christ.”

The Prefect of the CDF is also in Chile to participate in two conferences on the challenges facing families today and on the role of the county’s Catholic universities.