“Be yourselves, for everyone, signs of hope”: these were the words (you can read the full text HERE) that Pope Francis addressed to the members of the Conference of the Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions (C.E.L.R.A.) who are holding their annual meeting in the Vatican. The Pope greeted them on the morning of 28 August in the Paul VI Audience Hall.
Flame of hope
The Pope expressed his closeness to those present and the Churches in the whole Region. “May the Lord always give you the strength to bear witness to faith in Him, including through respectful and sincere dialogue with everyone,” were his words of encouragement. “May you keep hope alight! Be yourselves, for everyone, signs of hope, a presence that fosters words and gestures of peace, brotherhood and respect. A presence that, in itself, invites reason, reconciliation (…). Thank you for being the flame of hope where it seems to have been extinguished!”
Guaranteeing Christian formation
In the pastoral field, the Pope stressed the imaportance of “ensuring adequate Christian formation for students in public schools, in contexts where the Christian presence is a minority.” This aspect is “of great importance, so that the content of faith may be known and accompanied by reflection, and so that faith, in confrontation with culture, may thus be strengthened and have the means to give reasons for Christian hope.”
By Marinella Bandini | custodia.org
