He went on to affirm that the Church, "missionary by nature, has as
her fundamental prerogative the service of charity to all"; and that
"fraternity and solidarity are natural to her life and her mission in
and for the world". Evangelisation "must reach out to all,
beginning with the least among us, the poor, those whose backs are bent by
the weight and weariness of life. In so doing the Church continues the
mission of Christ Himself".
 The Church is "the population of the beatitudes, the house of the
poor, of the afflicted, of the excluded and the persecuted, of those who
hunger and thirst for justice", he continued, emphasising that the
representatives of the Pontifical Mission Societies are called upon to work
so that ecclesial communities may know how to "welcome the poor with
preferential love, keeping the doors of the Church open so that all may
enter and find refuge".
 The Pontifical Mission Societies are "the special tool that focuses
on and takes special care of the 'missio ad gentes', and the Pope urges the
members to "promote missionary co-responsibility", as there is a
great need for priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful who,
"seized by Christ's love, are set ablaze with passion for the Kingdom
of God and willing to set out on the path of evangelisation".

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 BISHOPS OF ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA: YOUR EFFORTS TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING
OF YOUR PEOPLE BEAR WITNESS TO GOD'S LOVE
 Vatican City, 9 May 2014 (VIS) - "Your visit provides an opportunity
for us to reflect together on the life of the Church in Ethiopia and
Eritrea and to discuss the joys and challenges which you face daily",
writes the Pope in his text addressed to the prelates of the Bishops'
Conference of the two countries, at the end of their "ad limina"
visit. "Though you are from different countries and belong to
different rites, each with its own particular richness, your mission in
service of Christ and his Church is the same: to proclaim the Gospel and to
build up the faithful in holiness, unity and charity. When that mission is
exercised in collaboration and mutual support, the Church, united in the
Spirit, breathes with the two lungs of East and West and burns with love
for Christ".
 Pope Francis comments that in our times, "we require again this
missionary spirit to announce the saving message of new life in Christ to
all of society, not only to those who do not know him, but also to the
faithful, so they may hear once more the freshness of the Gospel and be
encouraged to find ever new and creative ways to live and celebrate their
faith".
 He encourages the prelates to be "good and generous fathers to your
priests, present to them and attentive to their human and spiritual needs,
and their ongoing formation in the priesthood". He continued, "If
they are to be holy and effective heralds of the Gospel, it is essential
that they themselves be constantly evangelised anew. This should first take
place in the seminary through integral human, spiritual, intellectual and
pastoral formation."
 He also mentions the support of the "many men and women religious
who, for many generations, have generously cooperated in building up your
local communities, reflecting the merciful face of Christ and assisting
your Churches in living out the Gospel". The Holy Father asks the
bishops to "encourage and support their continued efforts to serve the
spiritual and material needs of the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea
today".
 The Holy Father emphasises that "the work of evangelisation is not
reserved to the clergy or religious, but is the competence of all the
Christian faithful", and it is therefore "important to continue
to identify and prepare qualified lay leaders to assist in forming the
faithful and thus make present 'the fragrance of Christ's closeness and his
personal gaze'".
 "Many years of conflict and continuing tensions, in addition to
widespread poverty and drought conditions, have brought great suffering to
the people" he continues, thanking the bishops for the "generous
social programmes which, inspired by the Gospel, you provide in
collaboration with various religious, charitable and governmental agencies,
aimed at alleviating this suffering". He mentions, in particular,
"the many children you serve who experience hunger and who have been
orphaned because of violence and poverty" and "the young people
who like so many of their friends and family would otherwise flee their
homeland in search of greater opportunities, and risk losing their lives
during dangerous journeys", as well as "the many elderly who
could so easily be forgotten in the midst of such hardships".
 "Your efforts on their behalf, which give such a powerful witness to
the love of God in your midst, are an extraordinary grace for the people.
In your loving concern for the poor and downtrodden, may you continue to
seek new opportunities to cooperate with civil authorities in advancing the
common good", he concludes.

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 CARDINAL TAURAN IN JORDAN
 Vatican City, 9 May 2014 (VIS) - Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of
the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, accompanied by the
secretary of the same dicastery, Fr. Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, will travel
to Amman, Jordan on 12 May to participate in a seminar on religion and
violence at the Petra University of Amman, intended to promote
interreligious dialogue. The Cardinal will speak during the section
dedicated to religion. On 13 and 14 May the Holy See delegation will take
part in the third conference organised by the Pontifical Council in
collaboration with the Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies,
"Meeting Current Challenges Through Education". The work will
begin with discourses from His Royal Highness the Prince El Hassan Bin
Talal and Cardinal Tauran, and will conclude with a joint declaration.

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 AUDIENCES
 Vatican City, 9 May 2014 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in audience:
 - Eight prelates of the Bishops' Conference of Ethiopia and Eritrea on
their "ad limina" visit:
 Bishop Angelo Moreschi, S.D.B., apostolic vicar of Gambella;
 Bishop Woldetensae Ghebreghiorghis, O.F.M. Cap., apostolic vicar of Harar;
 Bishop Woldeghiorghis Matheos, apostolic vicar of Hosanna;
 Bishop Markos Gebremedhin, C.M., apostolic vicar of Jimma-Bonga;
 Bishop Abraham Desta, apostolic vicar of Meki;
 Bishop Varghese Thottamkara, C.M., apostolic vicar of Nekemte;
 Bishop Tsegaye Keneni Derera, apostolic vicar of Soddo;
 Fr. Angelo Antonini, O.F.M. Cap., apostolic prefect of Robe.
 - Archbishop Jose Luis Escobar Alas of San Salvador, president of the
Episcopal Conference of El Salvador, and entourage.

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