The challenge facing Christians now is to proclaim Christ
"clearly and without ambiguities" to a world characterized by
skepticism and confusion, says John Paul II.
The Pope posed this challenge Saturday when he received the bishops of the
episcopal conference of Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland and
Denmark), whom he met personally in previous days, on the occasion of their
five-yearly visit to the Holy See.
"In a world fraught with skepticism and confusion, it may seem to some
that the light of Christ has been obscured," the Pope said at the start of
his address, which he delivered in English.
"Indeed, modern societies and cultures are often marked by a secularism
that easily leads to a loss of the sense of God, and without God the proper
sense of man is soon lost as well," he added.
Given the reality, it is necessary to respond with the "new
evangelization," which is decisive in "the evangelization of
culture," he said.
"The challenge facing you, dear brothers, is to see that the voice of
Christianity is heard in the public arena and that the values of the Gospel are
brought to bear in your societies and cultures," the Pontiff said to the
Scandinavian bishops, in whose countries Catholics are a small minority.
In this context, the Holy Father mentioned the various aspects of the
proclamation of a humanism inspired by the Gospel, which implies "marital
indissolubility," "responsibility in the face of ecological
crises," "generosity in providing humanitarian aid" and the
promotion of peace.
"True humanism, however, always includes God," he explained.
"Otherwise it will eventually, even if unintentionally, deny human beings
their proper place in creation and will fail to acknowledge fully the dignity
which belongs to every person.
"Therefore, you must help your respective cultures to draw on their rich
Christian heritage in shaping their understanding of the human person. In
Christ all people are brothers and sisters, and our gestures of solidarity
towards them become acts of love and fidelity to Christ."
Lastly, the Holy Father strongly encouraged the ecumenism promoted by Catholics
in the Scandinavian countries, as "the united witness of all Christians
will do much to bring Gospel values to bear in society and advance the kingdom
of God in our midst."
The Scandinavian episcopal conference comprises 12 bishops representing
five dioceses and two territorial prelatures.
Catholics number about 250,000 (mostly foreigners) out of a population of close
to 24 million, the great majority of whom are Lutherans.
"The number of Catholics is increasing, especially due to immigration but
also to conversions and adult baptisms," the president of the Scandinavian
episcopal conference, Bishop Gerhard Schwenzer of Oslo, told the Pope during
his greeting.
This growth has led to a shortage of churches and parish centers, as the
existing ones are now too small and new ones must be built. An international
seminary was created in Helsinki last October.
On June 1, the Church will celebrated the 700th anniversary of the birth of St.
Bridget of Sweden, co-patroness of Europe, venerated by Catholics and
Lutherans.
On June 29, the dioceses of Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm will celebrate the
50th anniversary of their institution by Pope Pius XII.