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Pope urges bishops to esteem priests

MANILA, August 11, 2009 Benedict XVI is encouraging bishops to work together in spreading the Gospel to everyone and keeping paternal closeness with the priests.

The pope said this in an address to the plenary assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) in Manila.

His message was read Tuesday by FABC secretary general Archbishop Orlando Quevedo during a Mass at the Manila Cathedral.

The pontiff exhorted the bishops to maintain close communion with their priests “because they are selected by the Lord and constituted ministers of the Eucharist.”

“They should support the spiritual ministry of the priests with fervent prayers and oblations and promote new vocations to the sublime ministry and especially now that we celebrate with the whole Church the Year for Priests,” he said.

The pope also assured Asian bishops that the Vatican is all the way behind them and will always support “your important mission with our prayers.

The around 120 cardinals and bishops attending the assembly are currently working on the document “Living the Eucharist in Asia,” which is based in recent Church teachings on the topic.

It also reflects on Asia’s particular living of the Eucharist, as “a unique experience of God’s dialogue with us and our response to God as a dialogue of life and love.”

The document also deals with the subtopics of living in community, in faith, hope and love, and living in mission.

Cardinal Francis Arinze, special papal envoy for the meeting, opened the gathering with a Mass at the Manila Cathedral.

The Asian federation has 18 member conferences, and 11 associate members.

Aside from these members, other observers present in the assembly are from the bishops' conferences of Oceania and Australia, the Canadian conference, the Spanish conference as well as representatives from other Christian churches.

(Roy Lagarde)