Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Pope to Bishops of England: Stay Faithful. Be Courageous. Welcome Anglicans.

2/2/2010
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

‘It is important to recognize dissent for what it is.... It is the truth revealed through Scripture and Tradition and articulated by the Church’s Magisterium that sets us free.'


(Pope Benedict XVI) 'If the full saving message of Christ is to be presented effectively and convincingly to the world, the Catholic community in your country needs to speak with a united voice.'

ROME (Catholic Online) - On Monday, February 1, 2010 Pope Benedict XVI received the Bishops of England and Wales at the end of their Ad Limina visit. In a frank and important address he confirmed his visit to Great Britain.

He called the Bishops to stand firm against encroachments of the freedom of the Church, stay faithful to the teaching of the Magisterium and encourage the faithful to do so as well. He encouraged priestly vocations by recognizing the great example of Cardinal Newman. He told the Bishops to welcome the provisions of the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibu as a gift of the Holy Spirit, making sure to welcome the new Anglican groups into the full communion of the Church by giving them a “warm and open-hearted welcome.” The Holy Father insisted that “such groups will be a blessing for the entire Church.”

We set forth the full text of the Pope’s address to all of the Bishops below:

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Dear Brother Bishops,

I welcome all of you on your ad Limina visit to Rome, where you have come to venerate the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul. I thank you for the kind words that Archbishop Vincent Nichols has addressed to me on your behalf, and I offer you my warmest good wishes and prayers for yourselves and all the faithful of England and Wales entrusted to your pastoral care. Your visit to Rome strengthens the bonds of communion between the Catholic community in your country and the Apostolic See, a communion that sustained your people’s faith for centuries, and today provides fresh energies for renewal and evangelization.
more...

See also:

Here Come the Anglicans: Opening Chapter

Pope to Bishops: Fight Relativism with Truth

Pope: Anglican Catholics a Blessing for Church

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