Pope: The Church today is alive and is growing

(Vatican Radio) – On the final working day of the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelisation as the Father’s presented him with the list of 38 Propositions, fruit of three weeks of intense work, Pope Benedict XVI took the floor to address all those who had taken part, to tell them that their testimonies proved that the Church is alive and is growing, despite often contrary winds. Emer McCarthy reports:

Below a Vatican Radio translation of the Holy Father’s words

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

before thanking you on my part, I would like to make an announcement.
In the context of the reflections of the Synod of Bishops, "The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith," and at the end of a process of reflection on the themes of seminaries and Catechesis, I am pleased to announce that I have decided, after further reflection and prayer to transfer jurisdiction over Seminaries from the Congregation for Catholic Education, to the Congregation for the Clergy and competence of Catechesis from the Congregation for the Clergy, to the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization.

The relative documents will be forthcoming in the form of an Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio to identify the fields and their faculties. Let us pray to the Lord to accompany the three Dicasteries of the Roman Curia in this important mission, with the collaboration of the entire Church.

I would also like to express my cordial greetings to the new Cardinals. With this little Consistory I wanted to complete the Consistory of February, in the context of the new evangelization, with a gesture of the universality of the Church, showing that the Church is the Church of all peoples, she speaks in all languages, she is always a Church of Pentecost; not the Church of one continent, but a universal Church. This was precisely my intention, to express this in this context, this universality of the Church, which is also the beautiful expression of this Synod. For me it was really uplifting, comforting and encouraging to see here a reflection of the universal Church with its suffering, threats, dangers and joys, experiences of the Lord's presence, even in difficult situations.

We heard how the Church today lives and grows. I think, for example, of what we were told about Cambodia, where the Church, the faith has been born again, or even of Norway, and many others. We see how, even today, where we least expect it, the Lord is present and powerful and the Lord also operates through our work and our reflections.

Even though the Church feels contrary winds, above all it feels the wind of the Holy Spirit that helps us, shows us the right way, and so, with renewed enthusiasm, I think, we are on that path and we thank the Lord for gifting us this truly Catholic encounter.

I Thank you all: the Synod Fathers, the Auditors, with the often very moving testimonies, the Experts, the fraternal delegates who have helped us, and we know that we all want to proclaim Christ and his Gospel and fight, in this difficult time, for the presence of Christ's truth and his proclamation.

I would like to especially thank our Presidents who have guided us gently and firmly, the Realtors who have worked day and night. I always think it goes somewhat against natural law to work at night, but if they do so willingly they deserve our thanks and we should be grateful, and of course, our Secretary General, firm and full of ideas.

Now these Propositiones are a testament, a gift given to me for us, to process everything into a document that comes from life and should generate life. We hope and pray for this, but in any case, we forge ahead with the Lord's help. Thank you all. Many will see each other again in November – at the Consistory. Thank you.