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                               VIS-Press releases

BRAZIL: FUNCTION OF THE EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE

VATICAN CITY, 15 NOV 2010 (VIS) - At midday today Benedict XVI received
prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Region centre
west), who have just completed their "ad limina" visit. This was
the last in a
series of meetings with Brazilian bishops which began more than a year ago.

The Pope remarked upon the coincidence between the date of his meeting with the
first group of prelates from Brazil (which coincided with the country's
Independence Day) and his meeting today with the last (coinciding with Republic
Day). In this context he highlighted once again "the importance of the Church's
evangelising work in the construction of Brazilian identity".

For nearly sixty years the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil "has been a
landmark for Brazilian society, where it increasingly and especially presents
itself as a place in which to live the experience of charity", said the Holy
Father. "Your episcopal conference, like all others, came into being as a
concrete expression of the collegial affection of bishops in hierarchical
communion with Peter's Successor, in order to be an instrument of effective and
affective communion between all its members and of efficient collaboration with
the pastor of each particular Church, in his triple function to teach, sanctify
and govern the sheep of his flock".

The episcopal conference, he went on, "is one of the forms of organisation
which, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, enable the joint and harmonious
exercise of certain pastoral functions, for the good of the faithful and of all
the citizens of a particular territory. Indeed, ever closer co-operation with
their brothers in the ministry helps bishops to accomplish their mandate more
effectively, without abdicating their primary responsibility to feed ... the
flock of their particular Church".

Thus the episcopal conference "promotes unity of effort and intention among the
bishops, becoming an instrument that enables them to share the fatigue of their
labours. Yet it must avoid becoming a parallel reality or substituting the
ministry of each individual bishop; in other words, it must not change his
relationship with his particular Church and with the college of bishops, nor
become the intermediary between the bishop and the See of Peter".

"When you come together in your meetings, in the faithful exercise of your
doctrinal function", said Benedict XVI, "you must study above all the most
effective and appropriate means to present the universal Magisterium to the
people entrusted to your care. ... You must also consider emerging questions,
in order then to guide people's consciences to find adequate solutions to the
new problems posed by social and cultural transformations".

The Pope also noted how some of today's problems "require the joint action of
bishops: the promotion and protection of faith and morals, the translation of
liturgical books, the promotion and formation of vocations of special
consecration, assistance in catechesis, ecumenical commitment, relations with
civil authorities, the defence of human life from conception to natural end,
the sanctity of the family and of marriage between a man and a woman, the right
of parents to educate their children, religious freedom, human rights, peace
and social justice".

Benedict XVI concluded his remarks by remarking that "the counsellors and
structures of the episcopal conference exist to serve the bishops, not to
replace them. In the final analysis, it is important to ensure that the
episcopal conference, in all its offices, works as a single body propelling the
pastoral solicitude of bishops, whose principal concern must be the salvations
of souls, which is also the fundamental mission of the Church".
AL/VIS 20101115 (600)

SUMMARY

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