Amid declining numbers, Archbishop Pierre told the bishops to "take courage," for "there are signs of growth in the Church in the south and the west." He recalled the recent dedication of a cathedral, attended by many Latinos, an experience which "confirmed for me the importance of the Fifth National Encuentro," being held to assess and improve Hispanic ministry in the US. The Encuentro will be important for an "authentic renewal of the mission of evangelization," he proclaimed.
The archbishop then turned to the prime importance of the person of Jesus, saying, "although we are pastors, we are first disciples." As shepherds, the bishops are called to set an example of having a personal relationship with Christ based in prayer: "The time spent in prayer and adoration can renew us for the work of evangelization."
In Christ "we find our true friend, who does not abandon us, so that we set out on mission with him and in him."
"We are called first to be with Jesus," he said, so that we can then go with him to his beloved flock, "to draw close to them, to be with them, to listen to them … and speak to them with the gentleness of Jesus."
Going on mission without having spent time with Christ in prayer "would be going for a long drive without much fuel," he reflected.
To enter into this life of prayer "we must empty ourselves of the many distractions of modern life," he said, urging that each of the bishops "must ask himself: am I really passionate about Jesus? Do I convey that enthusiasm for the Lord?"
Archbishop Pierre concluded saying that despite demographic changes and the dictatorship of relativism, their ministry can bear fruit, recalling the missionary and apostolic zeal of the Spanish missionaries, the French Jesuits, and the early bishops of the United States, "who labored for the flock in the wilderness."
This is a time of "opportunity for adventure, the adventure of faith," a time "to be bold, trusting that the Lord will never abandon us."
"For this reason, rather than to give into discouragement, we have every reason to be filled with hope and joy, because Jesus is in our midst … once more I repeat this can be a great moment for the Church in America."
Carl Bunderson is managing editor of Catholic News Agency. He holds a BA in economics from the University of Colorado Boulder and a BPhil from the Pontifical Lateran University.