General Assembly

US Bishops: Mgr. Pierre (Nuncio), “youth, mission and God are the three passions on which the US Church should reflect”

(From Baltimore) “What are some things about which” the US Church “should be passionate? I would like to speak to you about three: our youth; the mission of evangelization; and the Lord Himself”. The Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Mgr. Christophe Pierre, said this in his address at the fall General Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which began in Baltimore yesterday. The Nuncio urged the Bishops not to view the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Episcopal Conference as a simple anniversary, but as a passionate journey in order to overcome “the gray pragmatism of daily life” and be a “living legacy”. And he reiterated several times: “Do not be discouraged!”. The Nuncio cited Pope Francis to stress that passion should always accompany evangelization, also taking into account the challenges that the Church in the United States is facing. “Today, about 25 percent of Americans self-identify as non-religiously affiliated and 20 million people who were born and raised Catholic do not self-identify as such anymore”, Mgr. Pierre said. “Nearly fifty percent” of young people “under age 30 identify as ‘nones’”, that is, people having no religion, including “14 million Hispanics born and raised Catholic” who also admit having lost their faith. It is therefore necessary to invest in young people through a sound catechesis that promotes human development. The Nuncio called on universities, schools, and campus ministries to present the Church as a “Bride” not as a “bureaucracy”, a Church that offers credible witness in defending the dignity of the human person and Creation. Your response to the recent “racial tensions” has sent “a message to young people of a Church that is prophetic and filled with good-hearted people of every race and tribe” and your works of charity during the recent hurricanes have shown “there is a goodness in the Catholic people of this country”. A credible witness shows “the goodness of our Catholic faith”. As for the mission, the Nuncio reaffirmed that evangelizing means first of all “building a culture of encounter”. He highlighted the four characteristics of a new evangelist: boldness, connectedness, urgency, and joy. The video message sent by Pope Francis for the 5th National Meeting on Hispanic/Latino Ministry continues to be timely. Indeed, it encourages us to “share the richness of our traditions and experiences, to break down walls and to build bridges. We are called, in the Pope’s words, to ‘go out from our comfort zone and to be a leaven of communion’”. As shining examples of this evangelization, the American Church can look at two role models: Mother Cabrini and her passion for migrants; and Junipero Serra, a tireless builder of the California missions. The Nuncio also mentioned as an example of ordinary holiness Solanus Casey, a porter who “made time for people”, “listened to their problems”, “comforted the sick with great compassion” and in so doing “brought light to those in darkness”. Mgr. Pierre also urged the Bishops to resist the “temptation to be discouraged by demographic change”, “increasing secularism”, and “the dictatorship of relativism”, for “there are signs of growth in the Church in the South and West”. One of such signs is, for instance, the inauguration of a new cathedral in Raleigh, North Carolina, this year. And also the fact that many Hispanics and Latinos, with their faith and sense of belonging to Catholicism, are “a new springtime for evangelization”. Finally, the Nuncio reminded the Bishops of the importance of a life of prayer and union with God, for a Bishop, too, runs the “risk of becoming a functionary or a manager” since administrative matters may take time away from silence and prayer, and yet it is in prayer that we discern “the path that leads to life – for us and for our flock”. The conclusion is once again an encouragement to “look forward passionately to the bright promise that lies ahead on the new frontier of faith”.