Cardinal Pell Optimistic About Church in Australia
Mar 22, 2006
Cardinal George Pell is optimistic about the future of the Church in Australia, in part because of the country's increase of vocations to the priesthood.
ROME, MARCH 14, 2006 (Zenit.org).- The archbishop of Sydney gave a picture of Catholicism in Australia when he addressed a convention in Rome on the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council decree "Ad Gentes." The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples organized the March 9-11 convention.
According to the report by the Vatican congregation's Fides agency, Cardinal Pell said: "Today the situation of Catholics in Australia is stable and I am optimistic for the mission of the Church."
"We see a growth in vocations to the priesthood and new enthusiasm in the faith, especially among young Catholics," he said.
"According to recent surveys, the percentage of declared believers in Australia is increasing," the cardinal said. "This is encouraging and the Church must be ready and able to meet this spiritual and religious reawakening.
"Our task is to stop the erosion of the faith in the Catholic community, strengthen Christian identity, encourage coherence of faith and life, formation, strive to show ourselves as authentic followers and credible witnesses of Christ."
Duty to preach
Cardinal Pell continued: "The 'Ad Gentes' decree is perhaps more important today than 40 years ago because it reminds Christians on every continent of the duty to preach the Gospel and re-evangelize humanity of today.
"In some parts of Oceania some pastoral workers may be more inclined to give more importance to social development, but the message of 'Ad Gentes' brings us back to the central need to share with others belief in Jesus Christ and God’s love."
The 64-year-old archbishop of Sydney said the Church in Australia was "very grateful to the European missionaries who brought the Word of God to the Pacific but wishes to avoid mistakes of Western Europe gripped by atheism and secularization."
"This is why we strive help Christians grow and mature in the faith," he stressed. "We need faith which is strong and convinced, ready to be communicated and witnessed. There are many approaches for evangelization: The important thing is that they are all Christ-centered."
In Oceania the media and especially the Internet are important channels for mission and communication among distant islands, the cardinal added. In Australia and New Zealand, he said, these means, the Internet especially, are fundamental for youth pastoral care.
Cardinal Pell Optimistic About Church in Australia