VATICAN CITY, 15 NOV 2010 (VIS) - At midday today Benedict XVI received prelates from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (Region centre west), who have just completed their "ad limina" visit. This was the last in a series of meetings with Brazilian bishops which began more than a year ago.
The Pope remarked upon the coincidence between the date of his meeting with the first group of prelates from Brazil (which coincided with the country's Independence Day) and his meeting today with the last (coinciding with Republic Day). In this context he highlighted once again "the importance of the Church's evangelising work in the construction of Brazilian identity".
For nearly sixty years the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil "has been a landmark for Brazilian society, where it increasingly and especially presents itself as a place in which to live the experience of charity", said the Holy Father. "Your episcopal conference, like all others, came into being as a concrete expression of the collegial affection of bishops in hierarchical communion with Peter's Successor, in order to be an instrument of effective and affective communion between all its members and of efficient collaboration with the pastor of each particular Church, in his triple function to teach, sanctify and govern the sheep of his flock".
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Benedict XVI concluded his remarks by remarking that "the counsellors and structures of the episcopal conference exist to serve the bishops, not to replace them. In the final analysis, it is important to ensure that the episcopal conference, in all its offices, works as a single body propelling the pastoral solicitude of bishops, whose principal concern must be the salvations of souls, which is also the fundamental mission of the Church".
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