Pope’s message to European bishops' conferences

(September 28, 2012) The life and work of St. Gallus in the run-up to next month’s Synod of bishops in Rome on the new evangelization will be a stimulus to look forward with faith and hope to the great of harvest of the people of Europe in the wake of the Second Vatican Council and the teachings of the popes who were behind the council. Pope Benedict XVI said this in a message to the Catholic Bishops' Conferences in Europe (CCEE) which is holding its plenary assembly in the city of St. Gallen, Switzerland, Sept. 27-30. The city as well as the Canton is named after St. Gallus, an Irish missionary who preached the Gospel the region north east of Switzerland in the7th century. The CCEE plenary coincides with the 1400th anniversary of the arrival of St. Gallus there. Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone sent the message on the Pope’s behalf to CCEE president, Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest. The Pope invited European bishops to take up Pope Paul the VI’s teachings in his Apostolic Exhortation “Evangelii Nuintiandi” on evangelization, and Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter “Novo Millinneio Ineuent”, in the light of the Church’s teaching in view of the Year of Faith, starting Oct. 11. The Holy Father called on the Church of Europe to reflect on the perennial task of evangelization and its urgency today, following the example of St. Gallus, according to whom the Christian message is sown and rooted effectively where it is lived in an authentic and meaningful way by the Christian community in such a way that preaching is supported by the witness of fraternal charity and animated by joint prayer.