Papal Legate to bishops: Be credible and effective evangelizers

MANILA, Philippines –  Papal Legate Archbishop Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski yesterday reminded Catholic bishops attending the 102nd Plenary Assembly that they should work toward becoming “credible and effective” evangelizers.

CBCPNews reported that Cardinal Grocholewski made the statement during his homily at a Mass to open the CBCP 102nd Plenary Assembly being held at the Pope Pius XII Center along UN Avenue, Manila.

He reminded his brother bishops that they should become a source of Christian “dynamism” in the midst of secularism.

“Faith of itself, if it does not have work is death... Faith can live and grow only by working and by sharing the faith to others,” Grocholewski said.

The Vatican representative believes that the Church leaders should help ensure that the Catholic faith will continue to grow because it has weakened, and it might even disappear if they become negligent.

“Faith can grow in us but it can also diminish. Each of us is responsible for the growth or the diminishing of this faith... Do not spare any effort to grow constantly in the faith. Have the courage to think, to judge and act entirely within the logic of the faith,” said the Polish-born Cardinal who heads the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education.

He added, “Let us never forget that the faith is both a great treasure as well as a delicate plant, which must be nurtured with care everyday.”

The CBCP presently has a total of 132 members, 97 of them active and 35 retired.

CBCP secretary-general Monsignor Juanito Figura said that about 101 bishops attended the three-day meeting, including Archbishops Gaudencio Rosales of Manila, Jose Palma of Cebu and the current CBCP president Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar.

The bishops’ plenary assemblies are bi-annual meetings, which are traditionally held in the months of January and July.