(Death, Heaven, Purgatory, Hell)
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
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Benedict XVI's Address to German Bishops
"Church in Germany Needs to Become Ever More Missionary"
COLOGNE, Germany, AUG. 21, 2005
(Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address
Benedict XVI delivered in Cologne's seminary to the bishops of Germany.
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Dear Brothers in the Episcopate,
I bless the Lord who has given me the joy of meeting you here, on German soil,
at the conclusion of this 20th World Youth Day. I think we could say that the
hand of Providence has been visible during these days, and not only has it given
encouragement to me, the Successor of Peter, but it has also offered a sign of
hope to the Church in this country, and above all to you, her Pastors. To all of
you I renew my heartfelt thanks for the effort you have made in preparing for
the event. I particularly thank Cardinal Joachim Meisner and his auxiliaries,
and the president of the episcopal conference, Cardinal Karl Lehmann, together
with all who have assisted in any way.
As I said this morning at the conclusion of the great Eucharistic celebration at
Marienfeld, Germany has witnessed a remarkable pilgrimage in recent days. This
was no ordinary group of pilgrims, but a pilgrimage of young people! This event,
which the Diocese of Cologne and all of you worked so hard to prepare, has now
ended: and what a cause it is for thanksgiving to God, for reflection and for
renewed commitment! The much-beloved Pope John Paul II, founder of the World
Youth Days, used to say that on these pilgrimages the young people are the
protagonists and the Pope, in a certain sense, follows them. A humorous
observation, but one which points to a profound truth: Young people, who are
searching for the fullness of life despite their weaknesses and limitations,
urge their pastors to listen to their questions and to do everything possible to
help them understand the one true answer, which is Christ. We need, then, to
cherish this gift which God has given to the Church in Germany, to accept the
challenge that it presents, and to make good use of the potential it provides.
It should be stressed that this event, while exceptional, is not unique. The
Cathedral in Cologne is not, to quote a familiar expression, "a Cathedral in the
desert." I am thinking of the many gifts which enrich the Church in Germany. It
brings joy to my heart to list them briefly here with you, in the same spirit of
praise and thanksgiving that has marked these days of grace. Many people in this
country live their faith in an exemplary manner, with great love for the Church,
for its pastors and for the Successor of Peter. A good number voluntarily take
on what are sometimes demanding responsibilities in diocesan and parish life, in
associations and movements, especially in order to help young people.
Many priests, religious and lay people carry out faithful service in pastoral
situations that are often difficult. And German Catholics are very generous
toward the poor. Many "Fidei Donum" priests and German missionaries carry out
their apostolate in distant lands. The Catholic Church maintains a presence in
public life through many different institutions. Significant work is being done
by the various charitable agencies: Misereor, Adveniat, Missio, Renovabis, as
well as diocesan and parish Caritas organizations. Equally vast is the
educational work carried out in Catholic schools and other Catholic institutions
and organizations on behalf of young people. These are just a few brief
examples, incomplete yet significant, which sketch as it were the portrait of a
living Church, the Church which gave birth to us in faith and which we have the
honor and the joy to serve.
We know that on the face of this Church there are unfortunately also wrinkles,
shadows that obscure her splendor. These too we should keep before us, in a
spirit of unfailing love, at this moment of celebration and thanksgiving.
Secularism and de-Christianization continue to advance. The influence of
Catholic ethics and morals is in constant decline. Many people abandon the
Church or, if they remain, they accept only a part of Catholic teaching. The
religious situation in the East is particularly worrying, since the majority of
the population is unbaptized and has no contact with the Church. In each of
these problems we recognize a fresh challenge.
You yourselves are more aware of this than anyone, as is evident from your
pastoral letter of Sept. 21, 2004, in commemoration of the 1,250th anniversary
of the martyrdom of Saint Boniface. In that letter, quoting the Jesuit Father
Alfred Delp, you stated that "we have become a mission territory." As a native
of this country that I hold so dear, I feel particularly affected by its
problems. Today I want to assure you of my affection and solidarity, along with
that of the entire College of Bishops, and I encourage you to remain united and
to persevere undaunted in your mission. The Church in Germany needs to become
ever more missionary, committed to finding the best ways to pass on the faith to
future generations.
This is the panorama that World Youth Day opens up before us: It invites us to
look to the future. For the Church, and especially for pastors, parents and
educators, young people are a living call to faith and hope. My venerable
Predecessor, in choosing for this 20th World Youth Day the theme: "We Have Come
To Worship Him" (Matthew 2:2), implicitly confirmed this call. He marked out a
clear path for young people to follow. He urged them to seek Christ, with the
Magi as their model; he invited them to follow the star, a reflection of Christ
in the firmament of personal and social life; he trained them, by his strong but
gentle example, to bend the knee before God made man, the Son of the Virgin
Mary, and to acknowledge in him the Redeemer of humanity.
That same model which he proposed to young people, John Paul II also offered to
their pastors, as a means of guiding their ministry among the younger generation
and the whole family of the Church. The Way, the Truth and the Life which
everyone seeks, particularly every young person, have been entrusted to us
pastors by Christ himself, who has made us his witnesses and ministers of his
Gospel (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). Consequently we must neither lessen the intensity
of the search nor conceal the truth, but rather maintain the fruitful tension
that exists between these two poles: a tension that corresponds profoundly to
the character of modern man. With the light and strength that come from this
gift, namely the Gospel which the Holy Spirit ceaselessly makes alive and
active, we can proclaim Christ fearlessly and invite everyone not to be afraid
to open their hearts to him, for we are convinced that in him is found the
fullness of life and happiness.
This means being a Church open to the future, and therefore one full of promise
for coming generations. Young people, in fact, are not looking for a Church
which panders to youth but one which is truly young in spirit; a Church
completely open to Christ, the new Man. This is the commitment that we wish to
make today, at this truly significant moment, at the conclusion of this great
event for youth, an event which has forced us to think about the future of the
Church and of society. It is in this positive and hope-filled light that we can
confidently confront the most difficult issues facing the Church in Germany.
Once again young people are providing us, their pastors, with a salutary
stimulus, for they are asking us to be consistent, united and courageous. We for
our part must train them in patience, in discernment, in healthy realism. Yet
there can be no false compromise, no watering down of the Gospel.
Dear Brothers, the experience of the last 20 years has taught us that every
World Youth Day represents a kind of new beginning for the pastoral care of
young people in the host country. Preparing for the event mobilizes people and
resources and celebrating it brings about a surge of enthusiasm that needs to be
channeled in the best possible way. It contains enormous potential energy which
can grow greater the wider it spreads. Here I am thinking of parishes, lay
associations, movements; and of priests, religious, catechists and youth
workers. I imagine that in Germany an enormous number of them have been involved
in this event. I pray that for everyone it will be the occasion of a real growth
in love for Christ and for the Church, and I encourage all to continue to
cooperate, in a renewed spirit of service, for the improved pastoral care of
young people.
The majority of young Germans live in comfortable social and economic
circumstances, yet difficult situations are not lacking. In all social strata a
growing number of young people come from broken families. Unemployment among
young people in Germany has unfortunately increased. Moreover many young men and
women find themselves confused, lacking real answers to their questions about
the meaning of life and death, about their present and their future. Many of the
ideas put forward by modern society have led nowhere, and many young people have
ended up mired in alcohol and drugs or in the clutches of extremist groups. Some
young Germans, especially in the East, have never had a personal encounter with
the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Even in traditionally Catholic areas, the teaching of religion and catechesis do
not always manage to forge lasting bonds between young people and the Church
community. For this reason the Church in Germany is committed to finding new
ways of reaching out to young people in order to proclaim Christ to them. World
Youth Day is always, to use an expression dear to Pope John Paul II, an
outstanding "laboratory" for this.
It is also a laboratory of vocations, because in the course of these days the
Lord will not have failed to make his call heard in the hearts of many young
people. It is a call which naturally must be received and internalized, if it is
to put forth deep roots and thus bear good and lasting fruit. So many of the
testimonies of young people and couples show that the experience of these world
meetings, when it unfolds within a journey of faith, discernment and ecclesial
service, can lead to mature decisions for marriage, religious life, priestly and
missionary service. In the light of the shortage of priests and religious, which
is reaching dramatic proportions here in Germany, I encourage you, dear
brothers, to promote the pastoral care of vocations with renewed vigor, in order
to reach parishes, educational centers and families.
The pastoral care of young people and of vocations is ultimately connected with
that of the family. I am saying nothing new when I observe that the family today
faces many problems and difficulties. I warmly exhort you not to be discouraged,
but to carry out with confidence your commitment to support the Christian
family. The goal we seek is to ensure that married couples are able to
accomplish their mission fully, and particularly the evangelization of children
and young people.
Among young people, an important role is played by associations and movements,
which are clearly a source of great enrichment. The Church must value them and
at the same time she must guide them with pastoral prudence, so that they will
contribute in the best possible way, through their varied gifts, to building up
the community, without ever entering into competition but respecting one another
and working together in order to awaken in young people the joy of faith, love
for the Church and passion for the Kingdom of God. For this purpose it is
essential that those who are engaged with and for young people should themselves
be convinced witnesses to Christ and faithful to the teaching of the Church. The
same applies in the field of Catholic education and catechesis: I am confident
that you will take care to ensure that the persons chosen to be teachers of
religion and catechists are well-prepared and faithful to the Church's
magisterium. A useful aid in this commitment to the Christian formation of the
younger generation will surely be the Compendium of the Catechism of the
Catholic Church, which collects and synthesizes all the essential elements of
Catholic faith and morality in clear and accessible language.
Dear brothers in the episcopate, please God there will be other opportunities to
explore further the many issues which demand your pastoral care and mine. On
this occasion I wished to reflect with you on the message of this great
pilgrimage of young people. It seems to me that, having come to the end of this
experience, the young people have this to say to us: "We have come to worship
him. We have found him. Help us now to become his disciples and witnesses."
It is a challenging appeal, but what great consolation it brings to the heart of
a pastor! May the memory of these hope-filled days spent in Cologne sustain your
ministry, our ministry. I offer you my affectionate encouragement, together with
a fervent fraternal request to live and work together in unity, on the basis of
a communion that has its summit and its inexhaustible source in the Eucharist.
Entrusting you to Mary Most Holy, Mother of Christ and of the Church, I
cordially impart to each of you and to all your communities a special apostolic
blessing.
[Translation of German original issued by the Vatican press office]