Pope Benedict XVI on Monday met with Groups 1 and 2 of the Latin Rite bishops from
India, who are in Rome on their ad limina visit.
The full text of the Holy
Father’s remarks…
Dear Brother Bishops, It gives me great joy to welcome
you as you make your visit ad Limina Apostolorum during this Easter season. Through
you I extend my greetings to all the faithful in your care, and I thank Cardinal Telesphore
Placidus Toppo for the gracious sentiments of communion with the Successor of Peter
which he has expressed on your behalf. The Risen Christ’s presence among his disciples
was a source of deep consolation for them, confirming them in their faith and deepening
their love for him; and at his Ascension, he commissioned them, saying, “Go therefore
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
you” (Mt 28:19-20). This command impelled your own great patron Saint Thomas, the
other Apostles and those who followed them, to preach the Gospel among the nations;
and through the preaching of the word and the celebration of the sacraments, the divine
life of the Blessed Trinity has been passed on to many Christian souls. Today,
as in every age, the apostolic mandate finds its source and its central focus in the
proclamation of the Incarnate Son of God, who is the fullness of divine revelation
and “the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6). The Saviour of all creation, he
is the bearer of Good News for all and the fulfilment of man’s deepest yearnings.
The definitive revelation of God which comes to us in Jesus Christ and which believers
throughout the world joyfully proclaim is expressed in a particular way in the sacred
Scriptures and in the sacramental life of the Church. Christ’s saving power is also
proclaimed in the lives of the saints who have wholeheartedly taken up the Gospel
message and lived it faithfully among their brothers and sisters. Christian revelation,
when accepted in freedom and by the working of God’s grace, transforms men and women
from within and establishes a wonderful, redemptive relationship with God our heavenly
Father, through Christ, in the Holy Spirit. This is the heart of the message we teach,
this is the great gift we offer in charity to our neighbour: a share in the very life
of God. Within the Church, believers’ first steps along the way of Christ must
always be accompanied by a sound catechesis that will allow them to flourish in faith,
love and service. Some of you have told me of the challenges you face in this regard,
and I support you in your commitment to provide quality formation in this area. Recognizing
that catechesis is distinct from theological speculation, priests, religious and lay
catechists need to know how to communicate with clarity and loving devotion the life-transforming
beauty of Christian living and teaching, which will enable and enrich the encounter
with Christ himself. This is especially true of the preparation of the faithful to
meet our Lord in the sacraments. In relation to the wider world, the Christian
commitment to live and to bear witness to the Gospel offers distinct challenges in
every time and place. This is certainly true of your country, which is home to various
ancient religions, including Christianity. The Christian life in such societies always
demands honesty and sincerity about one’s own beliefs, and respect for those of one’s
neighbour. The presentation of the Gospel in such circumstances, therefore, involves
the delicate process of inculturation. This is an undertaking which respects and
maintains the uniqueness and integrity of the divine revelation given to the Church
as her inheritance, while showing that it is intelligible and attractive to those
to whom it is proposed. The process of inculturation requires that priests, religious
and lay catechists carefully employ the languages and appropriate customs of the people
they serve in presenting the Good News. As you strive to meet the challenging circumstances
of proclaiming that message in the various cultural settings in which you find yourselves,
you, my dear brother Bishops, are called to oversee this process with a fidelity to
the deposit of faith which has been handed down to us to maintain and transmit. Combine
that fidelity with sensitivity and creativity, so that you may give a convincing account
of the hope that is within you (cf. 1 Pet 3:15). With regard to interreligious
dialogue, I am aware of the challenging circumstances many of you face as you develop
a dialogue with those of other religious beliefs, all the while encouraging an atmosphere
of tolerant interaction. Your dialogue should be characterized by a constant regard
for that which is true, in order to foster mutual respect while avoiding semblances
of syncretism. Moreover, as Indian Christians strive to live in peace and harmony
with their neighbours of other beliefs, your prudent leadership will be crucial in
the civil and moral task of working to safeguard the fundamental human rights of freedom
of religion and freedom of worship. As you know, these rights are based upon the
common dignity of all human beings and are recognized throughout the concert of nations.
The Catholic Church strives to promote these rights for all religions throughout the
world. I encourage you, therefore, to work patiently to establish the common ground
necessary for the harmonious enjoyment of these basic rights in your communities.
Even if he encounters opposition, the Christian’s own charity and forbearance should
serve to convince others of the rightness of religious tolerance, from which the followers
of all religions stand to gain. My prayers accompany you as you continue to address
this sensitive and important question. My brothers in the Episcopacy, I am grateful
for this opportunity to renew our bonds of communion. May Blessed Teresa of Calcutta,
whose patient, personal service to her neighbour was motivated by the love of Christ,
obtain for you an abundance of heavenly graces to ensure the spiritual fruitfulness
of your pastoral work. I assure you and all whom you serve of a constant remembrance
in my prayers, and I willingly impart to you my Apostolic Blessing.