Overcoming mediocrity

HISTORY AND THE MARTYRS. “We must study history to get to know it ever better; and once we have read its pages, we must learn its main lessons: peaceful co-existence with everyone, in all their legitimate diversities; affirmation of our own identity in a way that is not aggressive but respectful of others; and collaboration between all citizens to build the common home on the foundations of justice, freedom and peace”, said the Most Rev. RICARDO BLÁZQUEZ PÉREZ , President of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, on inaugurating the plenary assembly of bishops held in Madrid from 19 to 22 November. Taking his cue from the beatification of 498 Spanish martyrs in St. Peter’s on 28 October, and from the civil war that tore Spain apart, and caused so much bloodshed, in the Thirties, Archbishop Blázquez Pérez explained: “We remember history not to conflict with each other but to learn from it either the correction of whatever we have done wrong or the courage to continue along the right path”. “Martyrdom – he added – is like a test that unequivocally proves the quality of a Christian. The spiritual and moral stature of man reaches its supreme measure in martyrs”. Therefore, “faced by the transience of time and the danger of routine, the integrity of the martyrs invites us to overcome mediocrity”.PROPHETIC WORDS. On 21 November the Spanish bishops concelebrated a mass of thanksgiving for the recent beatification of the 498 martyrs of the 20th century and in memory of the 25th anniversary of John Paul II’s visit to Spain, during which he inaugurated the new headquarters of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference in Madrid. “The words of the Holy Father pronounced in Spain 25 years ago – said the Most Rev. FERNANDO SEBASTIÁN , archbishop emeritus of Pamplona and bishop emeritus of Tudela, secretary of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference at the time of John Paul II’s visit – have lost none of their relevance, indeed have gained in actuality. His visit was truly prophetic”. The Polish Pope’s words expressing his trust in the Spanish Church were also recalled by the Apostolic Nuncio in Spain, Monsignor Manuel Monteiro de Castro. DEEP CHRISTIAN ROOTS. A message of Cardinal TARCISIO BERTONE , Secretary of Vatican State, was read out at the start of the mass. In it he expressed to the bishops Benedict XVI’s joy in the huge numbers of Spanish pilgrims who had participated in the beatification of the 498 martyrs in St. Peter’s on 28 October. The Pope, pointed out Cardinal Bertone, “appreciated deeply the care with which this event, so significant for the whole Church, had been prepared in the dioceses and in the religious communities from whence the new Blesseds came”. “The Pope – added Cardinal Bertone – knows very well and follows with close attention the situation of the Church in Spain, whose Christian roots are so deep” and whose fruits have been so prolific, and invites her to pursue this road through “a missionary action for the growth of the faith and its dissemination in other parts of the world”. The Archbishop of Quebec (Canada), Cardinal Marc Ouellet, spoke of the International Eucharistic Congress that is due to be held in Quebec from 15 to 22 June 2008.BEARING WITNESS. The plenary assembly of the bishops also approved, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Paul VI’s encyclical “Populorum progressio” and the 20th anniversary of John Paul II’s encyclical “Sollicitudo rei socialis”, a pastoral exhortation with the title “So that they may have life in abundance”. The pastoral document asks Catholics to “bear witness so that Christian spirituality be not confused with the superficial subjectivism of a spirituality that is not transcendent”, but instead “try to practice in their lives an incarnate spirituality, according to the style of the Gospel”. Again marking the 40th anniversary of “Populorum progressio”, the episcopal Commission for Social Ministry in Spain has organized an international symposium on the Social Doctrine of the Church, called “the right to integral development… development is the new name for peace”, which will be held at the Paul VI Foundation in Madrid from 30 November to 1st December. The participants will include Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, President of Caritas Internationalis. The assembly also approved the document “Church in Spain and pastoral care of immigrants”. The document makes the point that “immigration is not per se an evil: it is a complex human phenomenon as old as humanity itself”. “The presence of immigrants, continues the document, “offers the Church the opportunity” to show “her vocation to be sign, factor and model of catholicity for our society in the concrete life of our Christian communities”. Lastly, the assembly decided to celebrate National Pro-Life Day annually on 25 March, feast of the Incarnation, while the Day of the family and of life will continue to be celebrated in December, as hitherto, but with a greater concentration on the aspects of the family.