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The press release from the Vatican, after the encounter.
(our own translation)
Press release from the Holy See, 21st December 1995.
Today, on Thursday 21st December 1995, the Holy Father has received H.E
Bp Jacques Gaillot, Bishop of Partenia, at his request.
- Having received from the Lord the mission to strengthen his brethren
in the faith, Peter's Successor has express his hope to see Bp Gaillot
commit himself more and more to the service of the ecclesial fellowship,
which is a sign and criterium of the authentic proclamation of the Gospel
to people of our time.
- He also reminded him in a brotherly way, that a bishop must be a faithful
witness to the Church, a witness to its teaching, which demands agreement
from heart and mind, and a witness to the pastoral line which it gives
according to times and concrete circumstances, to ensure the unity and
growth of the Body of Christ. He told him again that it is in the name
of Christ living in his Church, that commitment to the poor and downtrodden
finds its value and full meaning.
- The Vatican II Council states that "the care to announce the Gospel
on all the earth has been entrusted to Pastors as a body : the mandate
has been given to them all, in common, by Christ, imposing on them a common
task."(Lumen gentium n. 23).
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