Vatican City, Nov 17, 2003 / 22:00 pm
In a message sent to the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI) currently gathered in Assisi, Pope John Paul II stressed the importance of parishes in the life of the Church
“Your concern as pastors,” writes the Pope, “will be focused on this occasion on the topic of the parish, very opportunely presented in the program of your assembly as the ‘Church living in the midst of the homes of Her sons and daughters.’
“I must emphasize,” the Pontiff says, “that I share with you the conviction of the central and irreplaceable role of the parish to make participation in the Church possible, and in a certain sense easy and spontaneous for every person and family.”
The Holy Father highlighted the importance of studying “the best ways to preserve an increase this richness in the face of the great social and cultural changes of our age.”