Synod of Bishops : address at opening of Synod ; Address at first working session ; Address closing


Address at Opening

of Synod

Address closing

the Synod

Message Of Synod

To Lay Apostolate Congress

September 29- October 29, 1967





ADDRESS

AT THE OPENING

OF THE

September 29, 1967

Venerable Brothers,

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ. In greeting you, we express our great esteem for

you, our joy in welcoming you and our happiness at seeing you

gathered around us once again. In the episcopal synod, whose

first meeting we are beginning today, we see you as the chosen

representatives of the whole hierarchy of the Catholic Church as

pastors of the entire People of God. We greet you, dearly beloved
brothers; we greet the churches you come from; your presence here
and your charity is the noble sign of the wonderful union they have

with one another, which truly forms in a mystical manner the bond
of God’s holy Church. We thank you for giving expression to the
feelings they all have, for showing as chosen representatives of

the hierarchy your devotion and affection for us, and for declaring

your resolve to work at all times with one accord for God’s glory

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and the world’s salvation. This expression merits our acclaim and

our gratitude, it matches your goodness and your awareness of

your mandate. Our blessing goes with it.

You know the task we are about.

We have celebrated together the Eucharistic sacrifice which
for its excellence is called ‘'mysterium fidei” and “mysterium cari-

tatis
” No other name can be given to this wonderful sacrament

whereby we, pilgrims in time, have Christ’s real presence in our

midst in the bloodless representation of His redemptive sacrifice.

No knowledge other than belief in His word gives us certainty of
such a lofty reality; no explanation gives us any adequate under-

standing of such a great gift save the unbounded charity of Christ

who instituted it and our own humble charity which tries to answer
His in all it implies of love bringing union and spreading to others

without limit. It is the Mass, this celebration of our repeated good

fortune enabling us to have an encounter with Christ not only by

way of commemoration, symbol and promise, but principally by
way of true living communion also, though this is hidden and ex-

pressed in sacramental signs; it is our strength, our food and hap-

piness; it is our joy, lowly yet blessed, which allows us in the

wearying vicissitudes of earth to have an inexpressible foretaste of

life in heaven; it is our daily encounter in the sign of His cross with

Christ glorious at the right hand of the Father; it is Christ’s power

at work, bringing together in the unity of His Mystical Body those
who partake of Him, the one bread of the multitude of the faithful.

Why are we saying all this when it is already so familiar and
dear to you?

The reason is that we think it can be and should be upper-
most in our minds in circumstances such as these which call us to

a full lively profession of faith and love.

Now, two years after the termination of the Ecumenical Coun-

cil, we are, as we promised, gathered once again in this sacred
building for a twofold purpose: to honor by the offering of our

faith the centenary commemoration of the martyrdom of Sts. Peter

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and Paul, and to enkindle our charity in view of an auspicious first

meeting of the synod of bishops. These purposes of ours are not

without manifest reference to the Council itself. While not pos-

sessing the Council’s solemnity and power, this gathering of so

eminent and authoritative a number of bishops with the humble

successor of St. Peter, has nevertheless some principal objectives

of its own. Foremost among these is the preservation and strength-

ening of the Catholic faith, its integrity, its strength, its develop-

ment, its doctrinal and historical coherence and the acknowledg-

ment of the faith as the indispensable foundation of the Christian

life which is the cause and raison d’etre of the Church. We cannot
forget the solemn words with which our predecessor of venerable

memory, John XXIII, opened the Second Vatican Ecumenical

Council and determined the lofty and essential aim to which it

was committed:

“The 21st Ecumenical Council, which will draw upon the

effective and important wealth of juridical, liturgical, apostolic and

administrative experiences, wishes to transmit the doctrine, pure

and integral, without any attenuation or distortion, which through-

out 20 centuries, notwithstanding difficulties and contrasts, has

become the common patrimony of men. It is a patrimony not well
received by all, but always a rich treasure available to men of good
will. . . . Now it is necessary for all the teaching of the Church in
its entirety to be accepted with a fresh enthusiasm by all, with

serenity and tranquillity, in the precision of language and formu-

lation handed down to us which is to be seen most clearly in the
acts of the Council of Trent and the First Vatican Council. . . .” ^

The solicitude for doctrinal fidelity, which was so solemnly
declared at the beginning of the recent Council, must therefore

direct our postconciliar times. More watchfulness is required on
the part of those who in the Church of God have from Christ the
mandate to teach, to spread His message and to guard the “de-

posit” of faith, in proportion as the dangers which today threaten

her are more numerous and serious; immense dangers caused by
the irreligious orientation of the modern mentality, and insidious
dangers which even from within the Church find utterance in the

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work of teachers and writers, desirous, it is true, of giving new

expression to Catholic doctrine but frequently desirous rather of

adapting the dogma of the faith to secular thought and language,

than of adhering to the norm of the Church’s magisterium.

Thus they allow free rein to the opinion that one may forget
the demands of orthodoxy and select from among the truths of the
faith those which instinctive personal perference finds admissible,

rejecting the others, as if the rights of moral conscience, free and

responsible for its acts, may be claimed in preference to the rights
of truth, foremost among which are the rights of divine revelation -

and to the opinion that one may subject to revision the doctrinal
heritage of the Church to give Christianity new ideological dimen-

sions, far different from the theological dimensions outlined by

genuine tradition with immeasurable respect for God’s own
thought. Faith, as we know, is not the result of an arbitrary or

merely naturalistic interpretation of the Word of God, as it is not
religious expression arising from the collective opinion without

authoritative guidance, of those who claim to be believers, nor,
much less, acquiescence in the philosophical or sociological trends
of the passing historical moment. Faith is adherence with our en-

tire spiritual being to the wonderful and merciful message of salva-

tion communicated to us by the luminous yet hidden ways of

revelation; faith is not only search, but also, and principally, cer-

tainty; and more than the result of our inquiry faith is a mysterious

gift which demands docility and responsiveness to the majestic

dialogue of God which speaks to our souls if they are attentive and
trustful.

For this reason we considered the safeguarding of the faith
so imperative after the close of the Council that we invited the
whole Church to celebrate a “year of faith” in honor of the two

Apostles, the chief teachers and witnesses of Christ’s Gospel. The

purpose of this year is to meditate on the very faith handed down
to us and to assess in the modern context the decisive function this
fundamental virtue has for the stability of our religion and the

vitality of the Church, for building up God’s kingdom in souls, for

ecumenical dialogue and the genuine contact for renewal that

4



Christ’s followers intend to make with the world of today. We
want in this way to strengthen our own faith as teachers, witnesses

and pastors in God’s Church, so that Christ, her sole and supreme

Head, Christ living and invisible, may find it humble, sincere and

strong. We want also to strengthen the faith of our children,
especially those who pursue the study of theology and religion, so

that with a renewed and watchful awareness of the Church’s un-

alterable and certain teaching they may give wise collaboration to

furthering the sacred sciences and to upholding the sacred aim of

Catholic teaching, giving life through light.

This, Venerable Brothers, is the reason for our invitation to

you to join us in celebrating the ‘‘mysterium fidei” over the tomb

of Peter the Apostle, beside his unworthy but true successor, to

experience once again the secret inspiring charism of the faith and

see its demanding obligations which are a source of strength.

Then from the “mysterium caritatis,” the radiance from the

Eucharistic sacrifice, we must reach the spirit and try to penetrate

the inner meaning of the second purpose which has brought us

together here, a purpose of great significance, since it is something

new and has repercussions on the life of the Church, we mean the
opening of the Synodus Episcoporum.

It is not our intention to speak now of this new institution;
we have already stated its nature and purpose in our Motu Proprio
“Apostolica sollicitudo” of Sept. 15, 1965 ^ and tomorrow we
shall have occasion to add some account of the canonical aspect.

Here today we need only indicate its spiritual source and the
moral value it intends to assume. On this point we said that this
new instrument of the Church’s visible government must be seen as
deriving immediately from the recent Council. It was during the

Council that we instituted it and the Council virtually brought it
into being. In the Council the need was seen for the Catholic epis-

copacy, whose collegiality was made plain in the Council’s con-
stitutional document on the Church, not merely to be united more

closely but to be united more closely in action; just as we had
already seen the evident pressing need of making wider and more

5



systematic use of the cooperation and counsel of our brothers in the

episcopacy for the pastoral government of the Church herself, made

more easy nowadays when travel facilities are so vastly improved.

Accordingly this Synodus Episcoporum aims to be a ministry

of charity within the Church. Its true foundation is in the mystery

of charity, as we choose to call the Eucharistic sacrifice. This is

shown, we think, by the fact that it was during His last paschal
meal that Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke those memorable words,

which form the synthesis of His Gospel: “A new commandment
I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you,

that you also love one another. By this all men will know that
you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”. To these
divine words we can add, as a commentary, those well-known

striking words of Paul the Apostle: “. . . we who are many are one
body, for we all partake of the one bread.” ^

This reminds us that the Church is a communion, a society

based on faith and on charity. We have spoken about faith. What
do we have to say about charity in relation to the topic that con-
cerns us now? We shall say that it is always opportune to remember
that charity—love which is from God and which spreads in the
hearts of believers enabling them to love as Christ has loved them

—is a vital and constitutive principle of holy Church, which is held
together interiorly not by bonds of blood, of territory or culture,

not by political ties or by interests, but by love. And we would
add one question: Can this love increase in the Church of God?

We answer immediately recalling the many vicissitudes of such
love in the history and institutions of the Church: Certainly it can;

and it must. The Church needs to love herself from within, to love

herself more. Let us put it this way: those who make up the

Church, and much more those who represent her and direct her,

must feel that in these days they are more firmly united among

themselves with that intangible but powerful bond which is the

love taught, commanded and given by Christ. “Let the bounds of

charity be widened.” ^ If that was well said we may also add:

let the bonds of charity be drawn tight.

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For the problems of every kind which the Church encounters

in our time, and for the increasing effort which she feels she has to

make generously for the spread of the kingdom of God and the
welfare of humanity, the Church should give herself this remedy,

this strength: grow in the love which designates her as Christian

and which makes of her members “one heart and soul.” ^ What a
wonderful thing it is, if it is so in fact, that those whom the Holy
Spirit has placed as bishops to rule the Church of God should
be concerned to allow themselves to become more active channels

of the charity of Christ, to give to their profession of charity a new
expression and assume a new institutional pattern.

This is what the Synodus Episcoporum is to be. May God
help us then to make it in practice what it aims to be in its inten-
tion and inspiration—as we have said—the ministry of charity
flowing from the mystery of charity.

* * * *

^AAS, LIV, 1962. pp. 791-792.
"Cf. Gal. 1, 6-9.
" AAS, LVII, 1965, pp. 775-80.
'John 13: 34-5.

'I Cor. 10:17.
^ Aug. Sermo 69, P.L. V, 440.
' Acts 4:32.

"Cf. Acts 20:28.

7



September 30, 1967

Let give thanks to God our almighty Father, through Jesus
Christ His Son, Our Lord, in the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, for

allowing us to celebrate this first meeting of the Synodus Epis-

coporum for the glory of His most holy name, the benefit of the

holy Catholic Church and the support of her mission of salvation

in the world.

Venerable Brothers, we welcome you once again and, for the

encouragement of all, repeat our wish that this new institution,

the Synodus Episcoporum, may serve to strengthen and reinforce
the bonds of faith, charity and pastoral action between our apos-

tolic office and that of the entire Catholic episcopacy, and likewise

between bishops and religious families. The first purpose in es-

tablishing this new instrument of the Church’s pastoral government

is unity and solidarity in the Catholic hierarchy. Another purpose

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is the help, advice and opinions that we hope to have in greater

measure from the episcopacy in the exercise of our ministry. If

this is advantageous to the office of primacy which Christ, for the

benefit and service of the universal Church, committed to Peter

the Apostle and after him to his lawful successors in this Roman
See, it serves no less to do honor to the college of bishops which

in this way is associated to a degree with the Roman Pontiff in
the care of the universal Church.

For this reason the Synodus Episcoporum while it cannot be

considered an ecumenical council, since it does not have the

membership, authority and aims proper to it, does nevertheless

resemble a council to some extent; it reflects its spirit and method

and, please God, obtains the council’s own charisms of wisdom
and charity.

We say this, because you. Venerable Brothers, are representa-
tives in more ways than one: you represent your own individual
churches, of whose unity you are the prime source, as we are by

God’s will in this Church of Rome, and at the same time you

represent the universal Church, the entire episcopacy and all the

faithful;^ and to you as “angels”- of your churches we extend a
warm welcome.

Then you represent (most of you) the episcopal conferences

which have elected you as members of this synod; as their elected

representatives you give them a canonical presence here, echo

their aspirations and voice their experience; your role as their

representatives assumes the importance and authority of these

ecclesiastical bodies, the episcopal conferences, to which the Ecu-

menical Council gave greater prominence and a part to play which

makes as much for a relative and practical juridical decentraliza-
tion and a certain diversity of expression in the Church, appro-

priate to the tradition and character of the local church, as it

does for the organic strengthening of the Catholic Church’s own
structure based on unity. So we shall take account of the opinions
expressed by your own episcopal conferences. It is for you to
interpret them here, without prejudice, of course, to the higher

duty you all have of following at all times the authority of holy

9



Scripture, the true tradition of the Church and her authentic

magisterium; and this will not prevent us from evaluating in the

synod’s discussions the opinions and reasons adopted.

Lastly, you represent the whole hierarchy of the Catholic

Church, which in its turn represents Christ Our Lord, the one,

supreme, invisible Head of Holy Church from whom every grace
is given to us, from whom all our power is derived. And in a
certain sense you represent, as you know, the Christian people,

not that the mandate you have received derives from it, but

because, as Christ’s representatives among the people, you know

its needs and wishes and work for its spiritual welfare and Christian

salvation.

So, Venerable Brothers, although your normal role in this

Synodus Episcoporum is consultative,^ it is, nevertheless, one of

great authority, both for ourselves, who have called you to this
present consultation and will, in particular cases, give deliberative

force to your opinions; and no less so for the entire Church,

which acknowledges you as leaders, witnesses and pastors of the

People of God who are at a moment of significance and importance
in your exalted ministry.

It will be good for all of us to bear these simple considerations

in mind as we set ourselves to the work of the synod, without
delaying to seek a more precise and detailed definition of the

synod’s nature than the description given in the statute we
have referred to. There are not a few scholars and publicists

eager to analyze the juridical aspects of this institution and to

determine, as far as they can, its form and function, according

to certain new concepts of the Church’s constitutional law. But
it is enough for us to reflect how this new organ, at the very
heart of the Church, is in harmony with that spirit of union and
collaboration between the Apostolic See, the Catholic episcopacy

and the major superiors of religious families, which the Council

experienced and fostered, and to observe that it is the intention

of this synod to further the exchange of information and experience

concerning the life of the Church, affording the heads of the

10



Roman congregations and the representatives of the different ec-

clesiastical bodies the opportunity of meeting and of discussing

certain subjects of general interest. Finally it suffices for us to

note that it aims at arousing in all who have the responsibility of

teaching and of pastoral government in the Church of God the
spirit of watchfulness and diligence that present time requires.

We might at this point set the work of the synod in motion
without further delay, were it not for a number of preliminary

remarks that we think should be made.

The first concerns the absence of some members of the synod.

Some were detained by reason of sickness. Others were prevented

from attending because they had not obtained due permission of

the civil authorities. To the former we send our best wishes and
greetings. They are in our thoughts.

To the latter, and especially to Cardinal Wyszynski, archbishop
of Warsaw, and with him to Cardinal Wojtyla, archbishop of

Cracow, and to the Polish bishops, who in solidarity did not want to
go to Rome without their primate, we send cordial and special
greetings. This we do, not without expressing our strong sense
of regret because of the obstacle put in the way of such a harmless

voyage and because of the unjust conditions imposed on the Church

in various countries, where legitimate freedom is still denied her,

where the Church is the object of unjustified suspicions, of moral

and legal pressures, and an ever fierce anti-religious opposition.

You know. Venerable Brothers, how much Catholic life in
some nations is restricted in its vital needs, both organizational

and functional, and deliberately reduced to hardship and to danger

of gradual extinction. The hour of trial, of a long and painful
trial, weighs heavy on many a Christian community. It indicates
to the world how the basic principles of justice and freedom,
proper to modern civilization, have not been applied sincerely

in some nations where forms of government that are authoritarian,

frequently totalitarian, and in practice hostile to religion, have

the upper hand. All the more should we appreciate those societies
in which the oresence and the work of the Church can be affirmed

11



freely and openly. Thus we should feel all the more closely united

with our brothers who cannot profess their faith in freedom, but
who, in silent patience and with Christian fortitude, at times

heroic, persevere in their adhesion to Christ and Ehs Church.

We shall not forget them in our prayers. In the meantime may the
thoughts and wishes of this present assembly go to these brothers

of ours.

The second observation looks to the Christian brothers still

separated from us. The canonical and, as it were, internal char-

acter of the synod of bishops, that is, a meeting which in both

method and purpose is directed to internal questions of the

Catholic Church, has not allowed them to be invited, as they

were during the Ecumenical Council, to be present at the sessions

of the synod of bishops. But let us make two points immediately.

The first: the consideration of the effects which our forthcoming

meetings will have upon these same Christian brothers is not,

and should never be, absent during the course of our labors. In

fact, the calling of the synod has of itself great ecumenical im-

portance, in proportion as the synod, following the lines of the

Council, gives testimony that in the life of the Catholic Church

there is active the time-honored synodal institution, which has

been so well utilized in the Oriental tradition, and which will

strengthen, in a new way adapted to our time, the bonds that

exist between the Church of Rome, “which holds the primacy of

charity”^, and the various local churches.

Furthermore, some Christian churches and church communi-

ties which are not in full communion with us are watching us with

interest and hoping that the deliberations of this synod, the man-

ner in which they are held and the conclusions reached, will open

new possibilities for further progress in the ecumenical dialogue

already begun.

We are sure. Venerable Brothers, that remaining constant in
the “faith once for all delivered to the saints”®, and drawing from

its treasures what is new and what is old®, you will live up to

these expectations.

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For this reason, the synod will consider that each of the sub-

jects included in the order of the day is important not only for the

internal life of the Catholic Church, but also for the holy cause

of Christian unity.

And the second point is this: the wish, ever respectful, ever
cordial, ever Christian, that we address at the opening of this

Synodus Episcoporum to all the Christian churches and all the

Christian communities with whom, though not yet bound by the

perfect communion we wish for, we are united spiritually and

substantially by so many bonds of great value—the wish that we
may be able to go forward toward one another to full unity, in

faith and charity, as Our Lord Jesus Christ exhorted us. This

going forward is well under way. Recently, as you know, the

first part of our eucmenical directory was published; significant

ecumenical dialogues are taking place between designated rep-

resentatives of various Christian denominations with representa-

tives designated by us; with great emotion and great hope last

July we journeyed to Istanbul to meet with His Holiness, the

Orthodox Patriarch Athenagoras. In fact, we are able to tell you

that this venerable Patriarch has announced his return visit, which

is planned for the end of this next month of October: you.

Venerated Brothers, will be able to be present at this new meeting,

which fills the Eastern Church and the Western Church with

exultation and inexpressible hope.

Finally, one last observation
:
peace in the world. A subject of

such great and all-embracing importance as world peace cannot

escape the attention, the interests and prayers of this gathering,

cannot but halt its first important considerations.

We cannot forget, not even in the calm of the sessions how this
peace is being seriously violated and dangerously undermined.

Without interruption a bloody war is being waged in Southeast

Asia; another in the Middle East is being barely held in check by

a fragile truce; we see conflicts still out of control and guerrilla

operations in various parts of the world. Despite so many resolute

13



and most praiseworthy efforts, a state of general insecurity seems

to be abroad in the world that inevitably foreshadows other

misfortunes.

This is not the time to enter into an analysis of the causes and

remedies for this present state. But we wish to reaffirm not only
that peace is a necessary good and an interest common to all,
but that it is a duty incumbent in varying degrees upon all. To
this duty we call in the first place the followers of Christ, who
brings universal brotherhood founded in the fatherhood of God,

and who is, therefore, the Prince of Peace. We urge them to con-
tribute still more to the cause of peace by their prayers and

their endeavors, and to form individual consciences and those of

communities to true peace. We shall not confine our concrete
activity on behalf of peace to public statements or demonstrations;

but shall devote ourselves in every way possible to proclaim and

promote a peace never divorced from justice and public order

or from freedom of citizens both individually and as nations.

Even on this occasion we make bold to repeat our request to

those who control the destinies of nations. We ask them to be
ever watchful and understand the anguish and destruction that

the use of armed force brings in its train; we ask them to enter

with ever fresh courage upon the path of negotiations conducted

on a basis of justice and sincerity. Let no one scorn attempts

at discussion and understanding, and let all make peaceful and

successful negotiations their aim and their reward.

We are prepared to support every available genuine initiative
for peace, and we voice our encouragement to all who are striving

by wise and positive mediation for the harmony and solidarity

of peoples and for the peaceful establishment of civilized humane

peace in the world.

We are certain, Venerable Brothers, that you are convinced, as
we are, of these ideals and that, in the faithful recollection of the

noble charity of Christ, you share with us this lofty, unstilled

yearning for peace among all men.

14



But the time is now come for us to declare open, in the name

of Our Lord Jesus Christ, this first synod of bishops; and for us

to begin by calling on the dean of the Sacred College, Eugene

Cardinal Tisserant, to speak.

^ Cf. Lumen Gentium, n. 23.
- Cf. Apoc. 2 and ff.

Cf . motu proprio Apostolica sollicitudo, art. II.
^ St. Ignatius of Antioch.
" Jude, 3.

«Matt. 13:52.

15



ADDRESS

CLOSING THE

SYNOD OF BISHOPS

October 29, 1967

We now direct our words especially to you, venerable and
beloved brothers, who have taken part in the Synod of Bishops;
and we are happy to note how timely and meaningful it is that the
conclusion of your great meeting should occur on this festive day,

on which the hturgy of the Roman Church prayerfully honors Christ
the King.

We think it most fitting that, before your return to your Sees,
we should celebrate with concordant voices and intimately united
minds this feast, which presents to our eyes so pleasing a vision of

light, of grace, and of grandeur; this feast in which Christ is shown

to us resplendent with the brilfiancy of His God-head, as St. Paul

describes Him: ‘The image of the invisible God, the first-born of

all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on

earth, visible and invisible. ... He is the head of the body, the
church; He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in
everything He might be pre-eminent.” ^

This feast, falling immediately before the commemoration of

All Saints, proclaims the praises of Christ and illuminates His

16



relationship with the Church which He has founded. From these

two doctrinal points, inherent in today’s feast, we would derive

subjects to propose to you at this solemn moment, on the eve of

your departure, for your encouragement and consolation.

First of all, we must raise our minds and hearts to the kingly

rank of Christ, both to broaden and protect our sure belief in

divine things, and also to be animated by an ever more ardent

love in our daily lives. Christ is the Son of David, as foretold by

Sacred Scripture, to whose coming the patriarchs and prophets

looked forward, to whom His very persecutors bore unknowing
witness by writing over His cross—then a symbol of shame, later a
sign of glory—the title: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the
Jews.” 2

As Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, proclaimed on the day

of Pentecost: “God has made him both Lord and Christ, this

Jesus for in Him human nature is hypostatically united with the
divine nature, and what is more, being both true God and true
man. He is the Son of God made flesh; and, since by His passion
and death He is the Redeemer of mankind, the authority and
power which, as God, He wields over all created things, pertains
also by both native and vested right to His human nature.

For we read that St. Paul has written of Him: “(Him the

Father) appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He
created the world. He reflects the glory of God and bears the very
stamp of His nature, upholding the universe by His word of power.

When He had made purification for sins. He sat down at the right
hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to

angels as the name He has obtained is more excellent than theirs.” ^

To this universal primacy pertains the principle of unity, of govern-

ment, of love and of salvation, which is exercised by Him alone,
but is also in His merciful wisdom communicated to His Church.

For “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion: He
was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels,

preached among the nations, believed in the world, taken up in

glory.” ^

17



Hence, as we have said, arise the relationships between

Christ’s kingly power and His Church. Jesus reigns indeed over

the Church, but not yet over the world; although David’s ancient

prophecy, openly referred to by Christ Himself and in the first

preaching of the apostolic age, promises Him sway over all peoples,
it still has not come to pass.’’ For it is written: “Sit at my right
hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.” In fact, the

powers of darkness strive to retard the spreading of the kingdom

of Christ. But this kingdom concerns naught else but the spirit

of men, as Christ testified: “My kingship is not of this world.”
This is the kingdom of truth and life; the kingdom of holiness and

grace; the kingdom of justice, love and peace.^

This kingdom seeks souls for no other reason than that the

word of God should be sown in them as in a fertile field; it seeks
men wandering afar to bring them together into one family.

Now, however, the Catholic Church represents among men
the royal, prophetic and priestly power of Jesus Christ, since she

has received “the mission to proclaim and to establish among all

peoples the kingdom of Christ and of God. She becomes on earth

the initial budding forth of that kingdom.” Hence, although

the Church is endowed with authority, and this is her great rela-

tionship with her divine Founder, and although she has Christ with

her, living in her by grace and the word of salvation, and in her

continually renewing His sacrifice through the sacrament of the

Eucharist, wherein is located her mystical relationship with Christ

—yet she is not to be considered a queen, when this title is given
a temporal meaning. In fact, she continues among men the mystery
of the humility of Christ, who “came not to be served but to
serve.” Moreover, the Church, like Christ, her model and sancti-

fier, intends to serve men, and by pastoral means to lead them to

salvation, sowing in their minds the seeds of life. This is clearly

set forth in the Constitution on the Church in the Modern World
of the Second Vatican Council.

Wherefore the grave responsibility falls upon us, the shepherds

of the Church, to perform the same duties and offices toward men
as the Church herself performs.

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As you return to your Sees, then, venerable brothers, remem-

ber that you have been sent forth to announce the kingdom of

Christ; and that you have been sent forth by Him who once sent
forth others, saying: “Preach as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom

of heaven is at hand’ that is to say the kingdom, which, al-

though not fully realized now on earth, will one day become the

perfect kingdom of God.

Meditate upon this, venerable brothers, that you are sent in

the name of Christ, nay more, by Christ Himself, who said: “Be-
hold, I send you out.” Yet consider that you are also shepherds

of the Church, and hence that for her we must expend our strength,

our care, our solicitude, our labor, our sufferings and, if need be,

our lives. Since the synod which we have held aims only at the
good of the Church, each one of us must promise, like Paul the

Apostle, to “spend and be spent” for the spouse of Christ.

Finally, before you leave us, permit us to give each of you,

as a pledge of love, a symbol of union, and a proof of brotherhood,

the kiss of peace. We wish also to present to you the gift of a
pectoral cross, confident that when you wear it you will remember
the days you have spent here with us, and will consider it a bond

perpetually uniting yourselves to us and to one another.
* * * *

’ Col. 1:15-16, 18.

^ John 19:19.
Acts 2:36.

' Heb. 1:2-4.

'I Tim. 3:16.
"Acts, 2:34-36; Matt. 22:44.
^ Ps. 109:1.

"John 18:36.
" Preface of the Feast.

^"John 11:52.
” Constitution on the Church, No. 5.
’"’Matt. 20:28.

’'Matt. 10:7.

’’Matt. 10:16.

’••II Cor. 12:15.

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MESSAGE OF SYNOD

TO

It is providential that the Third World Congress of the Lay

Apostolate, which is meeting in the context of recent (Second

Vatican) Council, is taking place in Rome when the bishops dele-
gated by their brothers in the episcopate are gathered in a synod

in response to the call of Pope Paul VI.

These two assemblies are different in character but both are

exclusively concerned with the renewal of the “People of God on
man’s journey.” This promises much for the future and is a source
of joy to the bishops, who “stand in the midst of the people as
those who serve . . . recognizing the duty and right of the faithful
to collaborate actively in the building up of the Mystical Body of
Christ.” ^

“The bishops too are men, loving and attentive pastors and

brothers,” ^ and they recognize you as Christians sharing the as-

pirations of all men and seeking to fulfill them in Christ Jesus.

The needs of the world are ever more urgent as people be-

come more aware of their dignity as men, more aware of the unity

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of the human race. But at the very time when the world is wit-

nessing extraordinary progress in the realms of technology and

ideas, it also sees hunger, ignorance, injustice, oppression and war

continuing to frustrate the most legitimate desires of humanity.

In common with all their brothers, Christians have a vocation to
look for the social and cooperative remedies that are called for

and to apply them. Truth, justice and brotherhood are pathways

of light. Thanks to the power of the Gospel, the Church is at the

heart of the world to inspire it and to sanctify it.

In this activity, laymen have an irreplaceable role. “The

divorce between the faith which many profess and their daily lives
must be counted among the more serious errors of our age.” ® It
is the unity of life and of faith that gives strength to men’s witness.

Your apostolate, which you are now studying, is rooted in this
power of faith lived in Jesus Christ.

* * *

- Discourse of the Holy Father, Dec. 7, 1965.
’ Christus Dominus, 16.
® Gaudium et Spes, 43.

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