"Let’s thank God because, despite the hard pressures of the years of the atheist and communist regime, thanks to the self-sacrifice of zealous priests, religious and lay people, that flame of faith remained lit in the hearts of the believers. Communities may be reduced to a ‘small flock’. One must not lose heart, dear Brothers!": this was said by the Pope in the Vatican today, as he gave audience to a group of bishops from the Central Asian Bishops Conference. The group included delegates of the Greek-Catholic devotees of Kazakhstan, the Catholic communities of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, the "Missio sui iuris" of Turkmenistan. In addition, the religious communities of Franciscans, Jesuits, Franciscans Conventual, priests from Istituto del Verbo Encarnado and the Oblates of the Virgin work in these regions. After exhorting to "educate everyone to listen to God’s Word, arousing love for the Eucharist, especially in the young", Benedict XVI pointed out how important it is to involve priests, religious and lay people in the different pastoral initiatives. Then he exhorted the prelates to support their co-workers "at difficult times, inviting them to be more and more confident in the Divine Providence that never deserts us, especially at the time of the ordeal". (continued)
