Men and women religious are the ‘unsung heroes’ of the Church in India, who ‘inspire
others to respond with trust, humility and joy to the invitation of the Lord to follow
him’, said Pope Benedict XVI Thursday as he met with the IV and last group of Indian
Bishops on their year long Ad limina pilgrimage to Rome.
In an address which
we publish in full below, the Pope focused in particular on the Indian Churches’ contribution
to society at large, their the various educational and social institutions open to
all, and the “efforts made by the whole Christian community to prepare the young citizens
of your noble country to build a more just and prosperous society”:
Dear Brother
Bishops, I offer you a warm fraternal welcome on the occasion of your visit ad
Limina Apostolorum, a further occasion to deepen the communion that exists between
the Church in India and the See of Peter, and an opportunity to rejoice in the universality
of the Church. I wish to thank Cardinal Oswald Gracias 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 and solicitude.
The Church in
India is blessed with a multitude of institutions which are intended to be expressions
of the love of God for humanity through the charity and example of the clergy, religious
and lay faithful who staff them. By means of her parishes, schools and orphanages,
as well as her hospitals, clinics and dispensaries, the Church makes an invaluable
contribution to the well-being not only of Catholics, but of society at large. Among
these institutions in your region, a special place is held by the schools which are
an outstanding witness to your commitment to the education and formation of our dear
young people. The efforts made by the whole Christian community to prepare the young
citizens of your noble country to build a more just and prosperous society have long
been a hallmark of the Church in your Dioceses and throughout India. In helping the
spiritual, intellectual and moral faculties of their students to mature, Catholic
schools should continue to develop a capacity for sound judgment and introduce them
to the heritage bequeathed to them by former generations, thus fostering a sense of
values and preparing their pupils for a happy and productive life (cf. Gravissimum
Educationis, 5). I encourage you to continue to pay close attention to the quality
of instruction in the schools present in your Dioceses, to ensure that they be genuinely
Catholic and therefore capable of passing on those truths and values necessary for
the salvation of souls and the up-building of society.
Of course, Catholic
schools are not the only means by which the Church seeks to instruct and to edify
her people in intellectual and moral truth. As you know, all of the Church’s activities
are meant to glorify God and fill his people with the truth that sets us free (cf.
Jn 8:32). This saving truth, at the heart of the deposit of faith, must remain the
foundation of all the Church’s endeavours, proposed to others always with respect
but also without compromise. The capacity to present the truth gently but firmly
is a gift to be nurtured especially among those who teach in Catholic institutes of
higher education and those who are charged with the ecclesial task of educating seminarians,
religious or the lay faithful, whether in theology, catechetical studies or Christian
spirituality. Those who teach in the name of the Church have a particular obligation
faithfully to hand on the riches of the tradition, in accordance with the Magisterium
and in a way that responds to the needs of today, while students have the right to
receive the fullness of the intellectual and spiritual heritage of the Church. Having
received the benefits of a sound formation and dedicated to charity in truth, the
clergy, religious and lay leaders of the Christian community will be better able to
contribute to the growth of the Church and the advancement of Indian society. The
various members of the Church will then bear witness to the love of God for all humanity
as they enter into contact with the world, providing a solid Christian testimony in
friendship, respect and love, and striving not to condemn the world but to offer it
the gift of salvation (cf. Jn 3:17). Encourage those involved in education, whether
priests, religious or laity, to deepen their faith in Jesus Christ, crucified and
risen from the dead. Enable them to reach out to their neighbours that, by their
word and example, they may more effectively proclaim Christ as the Way, the Truth
and the Life (cf. Jn 14:6).
A significant role of witness to Jesus Christ
is carried out in your country by men and women religious, who are the often unsung
heroes of the Church’s vitality locally. Above and beyond their apostolic labours,
however, religious and the lives they lead are a source of spiritual fruitfulness
for the entire Christian community. As they open themselves to the grace of God,
religious men and women inspire others to respond with trust, humility and joy to
the invitation of the Lord to follow him. In this regard, my Brother Bishops,
I know that you are aware of the many factors which inhibit spiritual and vocational
growth, particularly among young people. Yet we know that it is Jesus Christ alone
who responds to our deepest longings, and who gives true meaning to our lives. Only
in him can our hearts truly find rest. Continue, therefore, to speak to young people
and to encourage them to consider seriously the consecrated or priestly life; speak
with parents about their indispensible role in encouraging and supporting such vocations;
and lead your people in prayer to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send many more
labourers into this harvest (cf. Mt 9:38).
With these thoughts, dear Brother
Bishops, I renew to you my sentiments of affection and esteem. 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.