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Pope Francis sends a message to the apostolic administrators of Latin Rite Catholics in Russia on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of their creation.
By the editor of Vatican News
Pope Francis expressed his hope that the entire Catholic community of the Russian Federation will become “an evangelical seed which, with joy and humility, offers a limpid transparency of the Kingdom of God”.
In a message written on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the creation of the Apostolic Administrations for Latin Rite Catholics in Russia, the Pope assured them of his spiritual presence in the community, “in the desire to corroborate the ecclesial communion which unites us in Christ. “
He said he hopes that the whole community will continue “in a vocational quest, to reach out to communion with all”, because being witnesses “is so pleasing to God and contributes to the common good of all society. In particular, Christian witness excels in caring for others, especially the most needy and neglected. “
An opportunity to grow according to the Gospel
The Pope noted that the anniversary, rather than a simple reminder of “legal acts”, should be read as a moment to remember all the good received from the Lord and from so many brothers and sisters who, as true “saints”, supported the journey. It is also, he added, the opportunity to “grow according to the Gospel, aspiring to become communities ever more docile to the Word of God, animated by hope. and sustained by the consoling force of the Spirit, open, in obedience to the supreme commandment of love, to encounter and share in solidarity with all, in particular with the brothers and sisters of the Orthodox Church.
The importance of ecclesial self-awareness
The anniversary is therefore, continues the Pope, a time to cultivate the “ecclesial self-awareness” so that the Church can renew and purify herself, and also “eliminate, with the help of God, any temptation of self-referentiality. and self-celebration. “
The path to unity
Finally, the Pope underlined the importance, as Christians “baptized in one Spirit to form one body: in the domain of the Eastern Christian tradition”, of continuing “to walk together”. Always with the help of the Lord, he said, it is an opportunity “to deepen mutual knowledge and to advance step by step on the path of unity”, to then rediscover yourself as ” brothers and sisters in a common pilgrimage towards the goal of communion, which God indicates to us in each Eucharistic celebration. “
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