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                                  VIS-Press releases   
      
   BRAZIL: FUNCTION OF THE EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE   
      
   VATICAN CITY, 15 NOV 2010 (VIS) - At midday today Benedict XVI received   
   prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Region centre   
   west), who have just completed their "ad limina" visit. This was the last in a   
   series of meetings with Brazilian bishops which began more than a year ago.   
      
   The Pope remarked upon the coincidence between the date of his meeting with the   
   first group of prelates from Brazil (which coincided with the country's   
   Independence Day) and his meeting today with the last (coinciding with Republic   
   Day). In this context he highlighted once again "the importance of the Church's   
   evangelising work in the construction of Brazilian identity".   
      
   For nearly sixty years the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil "has been a   
   landmark for Brazilian society, where it increasingly and especially presents   
   itself as a place in which to live the experience of charity", said the Holy   
   Father. "Your episcopal conference, like all others, came into being as a   
   concrete expression of the collegial affection of bishops in hierarchical   
   communion with Peter's Successor, in order to be an instrument of effective and   
   affective communion between all its members and of efficient collaboration with   
   the pastor of each particular Church, in his triple function to teach, sanctify   
   and govern the sheep of his flock".   
      
   The episcopal conference, he went on, "is one of the forms of organisation   
   which, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, enable the joint and harmonious   
   exercise of certain pastoral functions, for the good of the faithful and of all   
   the citizens of a particular territory. Indeed, ever closer co-operation with   
   their brothers in the ministry helps bishops to accomplish their mandate more   
   effectively, without abdicating their primary responsibility to feed ... the   
   flock of their particular Church".   
      
   Thus the episcopal conference "promotes unity of effort and intention among the   
   bishops, becoming an instrument that enables them to share the fatigue of their   
   labours. Yet it must avoid becoming a parallel reality or substituting the   
   ministry of each individual bishop; in other words, it must not change his   
   relationship with his particular Church and with the college of bishops, nor   
   become the intermediary between the bishop and the See of Peter".   
      
   "When you come together in your meetings, in the faithful exercise of your   
   doctrinal function", said Benedict XVI, "you must study above all the most   
   effective and appropriate means to present the universal Magisterium to the   
   people entrusted to your care. ... You must also consider emerging questions,   
   in order then to guide people's consciences to find adequate solutions to the   
   new problems posed by social and cultural transformations".   
      
   The Pope also noted how some of today's problems "require the joint action of   
   bishops: the promotion and protection of faith and morals, the translation of   
   liturgical books, the promotion and formation of vocations of special   
   consecration, assistance in catechesis, ecumenical commitment, relations with   
   civil authorities, the defence of human life from conception to natural end,   
   the sanctity of the family and of marriage between a man and a woman, the right   
   of parents to educate their children, religious freedom, human rights, peace   
   and social justice".   
      
   Benedict XVI concluded his remarks by remarking that "the counsellors and   
   structures of the episcopal conference exist to serve the bishops, not to   
   replace them. In the final analysis, it is important to ensure that the   
   episcopal conference, in all its offices, works as a single body propelling the   
   pastoral solicitude of bishops, whose principal concern must be the salvations   
   of souls, which is also the fundamental mission of the Church".   
   AL/VIS 20101115 (600)   
      
   SUMMARY   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS =Meridian, MS= bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)