VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - #   
   DATE 05-02-2015   
      
   Summary:   
   - Corrigendum   
   - To the bishops of Greece: "Christian solidarity is a leaven for hope"   
      
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    Corrigendum   
    Vatican City, 5 February 2015 (VIS) - We inform our readers that the article   
   "To the bishops of Greece: 'Christian solidarity is a leaven for hope'"   
   transmitted this afternoon contained an error. We wish to apologise, and   
   provide the correct version below.   
      
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    To the bishops of Greece: "Christian solidarity is a leaven for hope"   
    Vatican City, 5 February 2015 (VIS) - "Faced with the economic and financial   
   crisis that has hit your country particularly hard, do not tire of exhorting   
   trust in the future to all, resisting the culture of pessimism. The spirit of   
   solidarity, that every Christian is called upon to bear witness to in the   
   reality of everyday life, constitutes a leaven of hope", writes the Pope in   
   the text he handed to the prelates of the Holy Synod of Catholic Bishops of   
   Greece this morning, at the end of their five-yearly "ad Limina" visit. He   
   emphasises, in this context, that it is important for the bishops "to maintain   
   constructive relations with the authorities of the country, as well as with   
   the various members of society, so as to spread this outlook of solidarity ...   
   favouring dialogue and collaboration also with the other European countries".   
    A key theme of the Pope's text is the need for fraternal communion between   
   the prelates and, in turn, with the faithful in a "diakonia of fraternity".   
   This diakonia "on the one hand, postulates the stewardship and strengthening   
   of cultural traditions and the Christian roots of Greek society, and on the   
   other, requires openness to the cultural and spiritual values brought by many   
   migrants, with a spirit of sincere acceptance towards these brothers and   
   sisters, without distinction on the basis of race, language or religious   
   belief. Your Christian communities, showing themselves to be truly united and   
   at the same time open to encounter and acceptance, especially in relation to   
   the most disadvantaged, can make a real contribution to transforming society,   
   with the aim of making it more closely resemble the Gospel ideal. I rejoice in   
   the knowledge that you are already engaged in this pastoral and charitable   
   action, above all in favour of immigrants including those who are   
   undocumented, many of whom are Catholic".   
    In the same spirit, Francis encourages the Greek bishops to continue in their   
   interpersonal dialogue with their Orthodox brothers, "with the aim of   
   nurturing the necessary ecumenical journey, an indispensable prospect for a   
   future of serenity and spiritual fecundity for your entire nation". He also   
   remarks that, in order to carry out the mission of evangelisation and human   
   development, which the Church in Greece is called upon to perform, a "generous   
   and motivated clergy" is essential. He encourages the promotion of "vocational   
   pastoral care", to deal with the insufficient number of priests, and urges the   
   bishops "to transmit to the priests in your dioceses, many of whom are   
   elderly, all my affection and appreciation for their apostolic zeal despite   
   their limited means". Similarly, he mentions the valuable contribution made by   
   consecrated persons, notwithstanding the difficulties they face, and   
   emphasises that in order to revitalise Christian communities it is necessary   
   to fully acknowledge and promote the role of laypersons and to increase "the   
   presence of ecclesial movements and associations ... always working in keeping   
   with the guidelines of the particular Churches and well integrated in the   
   dioceses and parishes". With regard to the family, the Holy Father insists on   
   the need for programmes in preparation for marriage and work on the Christian   
   formation of the new generations. He indicates the importance of underlining,   
   "with words and actions, that the presence and participation of the elderly in   
   social life is indispensable for the good progress of a population".   
    "Dear brothers in the episcopate", he concludes, "I wish to express my   
   acknowledgement of the work of evangelisation that, despite many difficulties,   
   you are carrying out in Greece. The legal recognition of the Catholic Church   
   on the part of the competent authorities is an event of great importance, that   
   will help you to look to the future with greater serenity, making efforts   
   today with trustful dynamism and the enthusiasm of those who are witnesses to   
   the Risen Lord. I encourage you to persevere in your mission with evangelical   
   joy".   
      
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