.- Archbishop Carlos Osoro of Valencia, Spain said that the biggest problem the world faces today is the result of “excluding God from our lives and from history.”
During an interview on the third anniversary of his appointment to the Valencia archdiocese, he emphasized that the “great crisis of the world, but especially of Europe, is a crisis of faith.”
Archbishop Osoro addressed specific challenges that his archdiocese faces, including the country's shortage of vocations.
In response to the issue, the archbishop is spearheading a local renewal effort through 2014 to encourage priestly vocations and help young people “discover the authenticity that comes from an encounter with the Lord and to help families realize they are the place where the Christian community truly begins.”
He went on to note the urgency of Christian families discovering their importance in society as the first place “where we learn best and what is most necessary in our lives.”
“To know how to love, to forgive, to serve, to give of one’s self, to put one’s self at the service of others, to see others as more important than one’s self is all learned in that ‘small church’ that is the family,” the archbishop said.
He also encouraged Catholics in Spain to bear greater witness to their faith in public life and to reach out in charity to others during the tough economic times the country is facing.
“I am amazed to see many families giving up a part of their finances to help other families who facing more difficult situations than their own,” he said.
Archbishop Osoro reflected on his time as leader of the archdiocese, saying the last three years have been “extraordinary ecclesial experience in every aspect.” He added that he has tried to “keep nothing” for himself during his service and to “make a total and absolute gift” of his life.
