Christian Commitment is not Philanthropy: Pope to Austrian Bishops
Vatican City, 1 February 2014: ‘Being the Church “doesn't mean administration, but
going out, being missionaries, bringing people the light of faith and the joy of the
Gospel’ said Pope Francis to the prelates of the Austrian Bishops' Conference at the
end of their "ad limina" visit this week. Let us not forget that the momentum of our
commitment as Christians in the world is not a philanthropic idea, not a vague humanism,
but a gift from God, that is, the gift of being sons and daughters that we have received
in Baptism, observed Pope Francis, adding that this gift is, at the same time, a task.
God's children do not hide; rather they bring their joy as children of God to the
world.”
“The Church,” the Pope continued, quoting the Second Vatican Council,
“'embraces in its bosom sinners'. But the council says in the same passage that we
should not resign ourselves to sin, that is … the holy Church is always in need of
being purified. That means that we must always be committed to our purification, in
the sacrament of Reconciliation. … As pastors of the Church we want to assist the
faithful with tenderness and understanding in this wonderful sacrament, to make them
feel the Good Shepherd's love precisely in this gift. I ask you, therefore, not to
tire of inviting people to encounter Christ in the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.”
“An important area of our work as shepherds,” the Pope noted, “is the family.
It is located at the heart of the evangelizing Church. … The foundation upon which
you can develop harmonious family life is mainly marital fidelity. Unfortunately,
in our times we see that the family and marriage, in countries in the Western world,
have suffered an profound interior crisis. … Globalization and post-modern individualism
promote a lifestyle that makes the development and stability of interpersonal relationships
much more difficult and that is not conducive to promoting a culture of the family.
Here a new missionary area is opened to the Church, for example, in family groups
that create space for relationships between persons and with God where true communion,
which welcomes each equally without confining them in elite groups, can grow.”
“The Church's concern for the family begins with good preparation and proper accompaniment
of the bride and groom, as well as a faithful and clear presentation of Church doctrine
on marriage and the family. As a sacrament, Marriage is a gift from God and, at the
same time, a commitment.”
From the family, the Pope moved on to the parish,
“the large field that the Lord has entrusted to us to make fruitful with our pastoral
work. Priests, pastors should always be aware that their task of governing is a deeply
spiritual service. It is always the pastor who leads the parish community, relying
on the help and valuable contribution of the various co-workers and of all the faithful
laity. … Each is called; each is sent out. It is not a given, however, that the place
of the call be just the parish centre … God's call can reach us … in the places of
our everyday lives.”
“Speaking about God,” he concluded, “bringing people
the message of God's love and salvation in Jesus Christ, [a message] for all people,
is the duty of every baptized person. This duty includes not only speaking with words,
but with our whole way of acting and doing.Source: VIS