Help your young people rediscover the fundamental contribution of the faith in the unity of the continent, Pope Francis has encouraged European bishops.
The Holy Father did so in a message from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, on Francis’ behalf, to Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, President of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE). The group is meeting September 13-16, 2018 in Poznan, Poland.
The letter was read aloud toward the start of the conference yesterday.
In the message, he urged them to «find new ways to achieve a generous and responsible solidarity, identifying paths of fraternal pastoral collaboration, in the wake of the spiritual values which have shaped the thought, art and culture of Europe.»
The Holy Father’s hope, was also expressed, «that the important meeting will contribute to strengthening the bonds of communication between the European bishops, giving further stimulus to the mission of the Church, especially to young people, helping them to re-discover the fundamental contribution of faith to the unity of the European continent.»
Pope Francis concluded, imparting his Apostolic Blessing and asking for their prayers.
At the invitation of Archbishop of Poznan Stanisław Gądecki, President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference and Vice-president of CCEE, the church body which sees the participation of the Presidents of all the Bishops’ Conferences representing 45 nations of the continent, the annual Plenary Assembly of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE) is taking place Sept. 13-16, in Poznan , Poland.
The meeting is taking place in the homeland of the Polish Pope Saint John Paul II, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the recovery of Poland’s independence – the “re-birth” of the Polish State which in the 1700s had been divided into the neighboring empires; and in Poznan, to celebrate the 1050th anniversary of the first bishopric in Poland in Poznan, the first diocese of modern-day Poland.
This year the Presidents of the Bishops’ Conference is focusing on the theme of the spirit of solidarity in Europe.
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Full Message, provided to Zenit’s Deborah Castellano Lubov, who is on the ground in Poznan: https://zenit.org/articles/popes-message-to-plenary-assembly-of-council-of-european-espiscopal-conferences-ccee/
