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Pope
Benedict XVI - Addresses |
Address to Vocational Congress in Latin
America
"The Abundance of Vocations Is
an Eloquent Sign of Ecclesial Vitality"
February 1, 2011
Dear Brothers in the Episcopate,
Beloved Presbyters,
Women and Men Religious and Lay Faithful
Soon it will be 17 years since the 1st Latin
American Continental Congress on Vocations,
convoked by the Holy See, in close
collaboration with the Latin American
Bishops' Council and the Latin American
Confederation of Religious. That event
signified an important occasion to re-launch
the vocational pastoral throughout the
Continent. The present congress, which you
are about to hold in the city of Cartago, in
Costa Rica, is an initiative of bishops
responsible for the vocational pastoral of
Latin America and the Caribbean, which hopes
to continue the path already undertaken, in
the context of that great missionary impulse
promoted by the 5th General Conference of
the Bishops of Latin America and the
Caribbean (Conclusive Document, No. 548).
The great task of evangelization requires an
ever greater number of persons that respond
generously to God's call and give themselves
for life to the cause of the Gospel.
Together with the strengthening of Christian
life in general, a more incisive missionary
action bears as a valuable fruit the
increase of vocations of special
consecration. In some way, the abundance of
vocations is an eloquent sign of ecclesial
vitality, as well as of the intense living
of the faith on the part of all the members
of the People of God.
The Church, in her innermost being, has a
vocational dimension, implicit already in
her etymological meaning: "assembly
convoked" by God. Christian life also
participates in this same vocational
dimension which characterizes the Church.
Always resounding again in the soul of every
Christian is that "follow me" of Jesus to
his Apostles, which changed their lives
forever (cf. Matthew 4:19).
In this second congress, whose motto is
"Master, at your word I will let down the
nets" (Luke 5:5), the different agents of
the vocational pastoral of the Church in
Latin America and the Caribbean have
gathered for the purpose of strengthening
the vocational pastoral, so that the
baptized will assume their call to be
disciples and missionaries of Christ, in the
present circumstances of these beloved
lands. To this end, Vatican Council II
affirms that: "the whole Christian community
has the duty to foster vocations and must
try to do so, first of all, with a fully
Christian life" ("Optatam Totius," No. 2).
The vocational pastoral must be fully
inserted in the whole of the general
pastoral, and with a widespread presence in
all the concrete pastoral ambits (Cf. 5th
General Conference, Aparecida, Conclusive
Document, No. 314). Experience teaches us
that, wherever there is good planning and a
constant practice of the vocational
pastoral, vocations are not lacking. God is
generous, and the vocational pastoral
endeavor should be equally generous in all
the particular Churches.
Among the many aspects that could be
considered for the cultivation of vocations,
I would like to highlight the importance of
attention to spiritual life. A vocation is
not the fruit of any human project or of a
clever organizational strategy. In its
deepest reality, it is a gift of God, a
mysterious and ineffable initiative of the
Lord, who enters the life of a person
cultivating it with the beauty of his love,
and arousing, consequently, a total and
definitive self-giving to that divine love
(cf. John 15:9.16). The primacy of the life
of the spirit must always be kept present as
the basis of all pastoral programming. It is
necessary to offer the young generations the
possibility to open their hearts to a
greater reality: to Christ, the only one who
can give meaning and fullness to their
lives. We must overcome our self-sufficiency
and go to the Lord with humility, begging
him to continue calling many. But at the
same time, the strengthening of our
spiritual life will lead us to ever greater
identification with the will of God, and to
offer a wider and more transparent witness
of faith, hope and charity.
Certainly, personal and community witness of
a life of friendship and intimacy with
Christ, of total and joyful self-giving to
God,occupies a place of the first order in
the work of vocational promotion. The
faithful and joyful testimony of one's
vocation has been and is a privileged means
to awaken in young people the desire to
follow in Christ's steps. And, together with
this, the courage to propose to them with
delicacy and respect the possibility that
God will also call them. Often, a divine
vocation gains ground through a human word,
or thanks to an environment in which there
is a lively faith. Today, as ever, young
people "are sensitive to the call of Christ,
who invites them to follow him" (Address at
the opening session of the 5th General
Conference, Aparecida, May 13, 2007). The
world needs God, and that is why it will
always need persons who live for him, and
who proclaim him to others (cf. Letter to
Seminarians, Oct. 18, 2010).
The concern for vocations holds a privileged
place in my heart and in my prayers. Hence,
I encourage you, dear brothers and sisters,
to consecrate yourselves with all your
strength and talents to this exciting and
urgent task, which the Lord will fully
compensate. I implore on the organizers and
participants in that Congress the
intercession of the Virgin Mary, true model
of generous response to God's initiative,
while imparting to you at the same time a
special Apostolic Blessing.
Vatican, January 21, 2011
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI
[Translation by ZENIT]
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