VATICAN CITY, OCT. 23, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the letter written by the bishops participating in the Synod of the Eucharist to the four Chinese prelates who were absent.
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Vatican City, Oct. 22, 2005
Most Desired Brothers in the Episcopacy,
We, the synod fathers, participating in the Eleventh Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, joined with Pope Benedict XVI, wish to give you our fraternal and cordial greetings.
Your absence during the synodal work caused great unhappiness in our soul. We would have liked to meet with you and listened to your voices, about your suffered and fruitful ecclesial experience. All this was not possible, but we would like to assure you and the whole Church that is in China that you are present in a particular way in our hearts and in our prayers.
As you know, the Eucharistic Mystery is the center of our reflections. Regarding this, we would like to underline that it is in the Eucharist itself, source and summit of the life and mission of the Church, all of us are in communion with Christ and with the universal Church. Because of all of this with you, we give praise to the eternal Father, the giver of all good: From his heart comes the love that is poured to us through the spirit of the Risen Lord, which makes us «united, heart and soul» (Acts 4:32).
In the Lord Jesus, we hope that all the ecclesial communities in China may flourish in listening to the word, in celebrating the paschal mystery and in the generous service to the brothers. These hopes include the ardent wish to find soon paths to make full communion more visible. We entrust these wishes to the Most Holy Mary, Mother of the Church, which are accompanied by a fervent prayer by the whole Church.
Archbishop Nikola Eterovic
Secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops
Cardinal Francis Arinze
Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments
President delegate
Cardinal Juan Sandoval Íñiguez
Archbishop of Guadalajara, Mexico
President delegate
Cardinal Telesphore Toppo
Archbishop of Ranchi, India
President delegate
[Translation by General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops]
