At the opening of the U.S. bishops’ autumn conference, the Pope’s
representative urged the diocesan shepherds to a more profound
witnessing to Christ and to preserve unity amongst themselves.
This is “a call to attentiveness, watchfulness and preparedness for
whatever proclaiming the Gospel may mean for us as successors of the
Apostles, who were called to give radical witness to their faith in
Jesus Christ,” Archbishop Carlo Vigano told the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops Nov. 11.
The nuncio, an Italian native, introduced his speech by saying that he
would be sharing “a few reflections and observations I have since my
time here in this country,” adding that “I ask you to take these
thoughts into prayerful consideration. You know this comes from my
admiration, respect, and loving concern for the Church in America.”
He began by referring to Paul VI, and quoting extensively from the late
Pope's apostolic exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi, which Pope Francis, he
noted, considers “the greatest pastoral document written to date.”
Archbishop Vigano stressed Paul VI's statement that “modern man listens
more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if it does listen to
teachers, it is because they are witnesses.”
He used this statement to impress upon the bishops the necessity of
being witnesses to the Gospel. “Certainly, my brothers, no one can
dispute the clear fact that our present Holy Father himself, as the
Supreme Teacher, is giving us, by his own witness, an example of how to
live a life attuned to the values of the Gospel.”
“While each of us must take into consideration our adaptability to the
many different circumstances and cultures in which we live and the
people whom we serve, there has to be a noticeable lifestyle
characterized by simplicity and holiness of life. This is a sure way to
bring our people to an awareness of the truth of our message.”
The nuncio went on to say that the Holy Father “wants bishops in tune
with their people,” saying that when they met in June, Pope Francis
“made a special point of saying he wants 'pastoral' bishops, not bishops
who profess or follow a particular ideology.”
He also quoted extensively from Blessed John Paul II, who in 1978 told
the U.S. bishops that to be pastoral, the Gospel must be more
effectively taught.
Archbishop Vigano concluded by reflecting on the importance of unity among the episcopate.
“I urge you, my brothers, to preserve a spirit of real unity among
yourselves and, of course, with the successor of Peter, trusting in the
way he sees best to live out his mission to mankind. Unity expressed in a
real, prayer-filled communion of mind and heart is the only way we will
remain strong and be able to face whatever the future may hold for us.”
While noting that the Church, and America as well, is characterized by
diversity, he stressed, “we must take care that, for us as a Church,
this diversity does not grow into division through misinterpretation or
misunderstanding, and that division does not deteriorate into
fragmentation.”
Having said this, he noted an article which claimed that America's
political polarization “began as Americans lost confidence in their
leaders.”
This, he said, was “well said, since the Catholic Church will preserve
her unity and strength as long as its people have trust in their
bishops. The sheep will gather together as one; they recognize and
listen to the voice of their shepherd who calls out to them, walks with
them, and is ready to give his life for them.”
“My brothers, let us go forward, filled with zeal and fervor of divine
love. Let us be confident that the Lord will give us the wisdom and
strength we need for the tremendous task before us to give genuine
witness to the faithful,” he concluded.
“Let us embrace our people with a fatherly embrace, let us make them
feel that they belong, that they are not orphans or strangers. And we
should also ask ourselves today a question posed by Pope Francis to the
Bishops of Brazil: ' … are we still a Church capable of warming hearts?'
Let our response be a firm and wholehearted: 'Yes, we are!'”