Vatican City, Sep 19, 2004 / 22:00 pm
Pope John Paul II addressed the bishops of the Episcopal Conference of the Pacific at Castelgandolfo on Saturday who had just completed their "ad limina" visit, and urged them to spare no effort in taking pastoral initiatives to strengthen the pastoral life of their dioceses, form priests, and spread the faith.
In his speech in English and French, the Holy Father reminded the prelates that Jesus Christ "continues to turn His loving attention to the peoples of Oceania, drawing them to a still deeper faith and life in Him. ... Even where the life of the Church is filled with signs of growth, no effort can be spared in taking effective pastoral initiatives to make the Lord better known and loved."
"The vibrant pastoral life of your dioceses, which your reports clearly describe, is an uplifting sign for all. The joyful liturgical celebrations, the keen participation of the young in the mission of the Church, the flowering of vocations, and the palpable presence of faith in the civic life of your nations, all attest to God's infinite goodness to his Church."
John Paul II referred to the concerns expressed by the bishops: "The encroachment of secularism, particularly in the form of consumerism, and the long reach of the most insidious aspects of the media, which convey a deformed outlook on life, the family, religion and morality, unsettle the very foundations of traditional cultural values.”