In a letter to French bishops, Pope Francis mentioned the case of Bishop Sentier, writing: “Do not be discouraged. Disappointed people need you.” On the subject of the end of life, the Pope encouraged the bishops “to help Society finds out the appropriate laws for dying”.
(Vatican News Network)Do not be discouraged, but pledge to care for the victims of assault, and those who are disappointed and distressed by the scandal. Pope Francis urged so in a letter to French bishops. At the opening of the Autumn Congress of the French Bishops’ Conference in Lourdes from November 3 Spiritual support with “brotherhood”.
The letter states that “the Church in France is once again shaken by tragic incidents of aggression by several pastors”, at a time when the Pope provides the priests of the country with the necessary support. The person in the case mentioned here is Bishop Michel Santier, who was bishop of Luçon and Créteil before resigning and being punished for sexual assaults committed in the 1990s. punish.
Against such a complex and thorny background, the Pope invited the French priests to “fix their eyes on the cross of Christ, not to be discouraged, but to persevere in the belief that the Holy Spirit will accompany them in their endeavors”. “He is well aware of your intention to restore the French Church to its true missionary face and encourages you to move forward boldly and wisely,” the Pope wrote.
The pontiff stressed that the priority is to “heal the wounds of the people of God”: “First of all the victims of these violations, but also all those who are indignant, disappointed and distressed, especially your priests. Their priesthood is very beautiful, But they have lost their dignity, and it is getting harder and harder to do their jobs. They need your kinder care.”
In addition, the letter also mentions a plan launched by French President Emmanuel Macron to consult citizens on euthanasia within six months. In his letter, the Pope urged “care and respect for the most vulnerable”, which is the duty of the French priests. Furthermore, the priests should reflect on “how to assist the society of this country in finding the appropriate laws for the dying”.
At the end of the letter, the Pope prayed for people in France to “discuss the truth and not be swayed by ideology”. May the voice of the French bishops be heard.
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