He went on to affirm that the Church, "missionary by nature, has as her
fundamental prerogative the service of charity to all"; and that "fraternity
and solidarity are natural to her life and her mission in and for the world".
Evangelisation "must reach out to all, beginning with the least among us, the
poor, those whose backs are bent by the weight and weariness of life. In so
doing the Church continues the mission of Christ Himself".
 The Church is "the population of the beatitudes, the house of the poor, of
the afflicted, of the excluded and the persecuted, of those who hunger and
thirst for justice", he continued, emphasising that the representatives of the
Pontifical Mission Societies are called upon to work so that ecclesial
communities may know how to "welcome the poor with preferential love, keeping
the doors of the Church open so that all may enter and find refuge".
 The Pontifical Mission Societies are "the special tool that focuses on and
takes special care of the 'missio ad gentes', and the Pope urges the members
to "promote missionary co-responsibility", as there is a great need for
priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful who, "seized by Christ's love,
are set ablaze with passion for the Kingdom of God and willing to set out on
the path of evangelisation".

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 BISHOPS OF ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA: YOUR EFFORTS TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF
YOUR PEOPLE BEAR WITNESS TO GOD'S LOVE
 Vatican City, 9 May 2014 (VIS) - "Your visit provides an opportunity for us
to reflect together on the life of the Church in Ethiopia and Eritrea and to
discuss the joys and challenges which you face daily", writes the Pope in his
text addressed to the prelates of the Bishops' Conference of the two
countries, at the end of their "ad limina" visit. "Though you are from
different countries and belong to different rites, each with its own
particular richness, your mission in service of Christ and his Church is the
same: to proclaim the Gospel and to build up the faithful in holiness, unity
and charity. When that mission is exercised in collaboration and mutual
support, the Church, united in the Spirit, breathes with the two lungs of East
and West and burns with love for Christ".
 Pope Francis comments that in our times, "we require again this missionary
spirit to announce the saving message of new life in Christ to all of society,
not only to those who do not know him, but also to the faithful, so they may
hear once more the freshness of the Gospel and be encouraged to find ever new
and creative ways to live and celebrate their faith".
 He encourages the prelates to be "good and generous fathers to your priests,
present to them and attentive to their human and spiritual needs, and their
ongoing formation in the priesthood". He continued, "If they are to be holy
and effective heralds of the Gospel, it is essential that they themselves be
constantly evangelised anew. This should first take place in the seminary
through integral human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation."
 He also mentions the support of the "many men and women religious who, for
many generations, have generously cooperated in building up your local
communities, reflecting the merciful face of Christ and assisting your
Churches in living out the Gospel". The Holy Father asks the bishops to
"encourage and support their continued efforts to serve the spiritual and
material needs of the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea today".
 The Holy Father emphasises that "the work of evangelisation is not reserved
to the clergy or religious, but is the competence of all the Christian
faithful", and it is therefore "important to continue to identify and prepare
qualified lay leaders to assist in forming the faithful and thus make present
'the fragrance of Christ's closeness and his personal gaze'".
 "Many years of conflict and continuing tensions, in addition to widespread
poverty and drought conditions, have brought great suffering to the people" he
continues, thanking the bishops for the "generous social programmes which,
inspired by the Gospel, you provide in collaboration with various religious,
charitable and governmental agencies, aimed at alleviating this suffering". He
mentions, in particular, "the many children you serve who experience hunger
and who have been orphaned because of violence and poverty" and "the young
people who like so many of their friends and family would otherwise flee their
homeland in search of greater opportunities, and risk losing their lives
during dangerous journeys", as well as "the many elderly who could so easily
be forgotten in the midst of such hardships".
 "Your efforts on their behalf, which give such a powerful witness to the love
of God in your midst, are an extraordinary grace for the people. In your
loving concern for the poor and downtrodden, may you continue to seek new
opportunities to cooperate with civil authorities in advancing the common
good", he concludes.

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 CARDINAL TAURAN IN JORDAN
 Vatican City, 9 May 2014 (VIS) - Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, accompanied by the secretary
of the same dicastery, Fr. Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, will travel to Amman,
Jordan on 12 May to participate in a seminar on religion and violence at the
Petra University of Amman, intended to promote interreligious dialogue. The
Cardinal will speak during the section dedicated to religion. On 13 and 14 May
the Holy See delegation will take part in the third conference organised by
the Pontifical Council in collaboration with the Royal Institute for
Interfaith Studies, "Meeting Current Challenges Through Education". The work
will begin with discourses from His Royal Highness the Prince El Hassan Bin
Talal and Cardinal Tauran, and will conclude with a joint declaration.

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 AUDIENCES
 Vatican City, 9 May 2014 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in audience:
 - Eight prelates of the Bishops' Conference of Ethiopia and Eritrea on their
"ad limina" visit:
 Bishop Angelo Moreschi, S.D.B., apostolic vicar of Gambella;
 Bishop Woldetensae Ghebreghiorghis, O.F.M. Cap., apostolic vicar of Harar;
 Bishop Woldeghiorghis Matheos, apostolic vicar of Hosanna;
 Bishop Markos Gebremedhin, C.M., apostolic vicar of Jimma-Bonga;
 Bishop Abraham Desta, apostolic vicar of Meki;
 Bishop Varghese Thottamkara, C.M., apostolic vicar of Nekemte;
 Bishop Tsegaye Keneni Derera, apostolic vicar of Soddo;
 Fr. Angelo Antonini, O.F.M. Cap., apostolic prefect of Robe.
 - Archbishop Jose Luis Escobar Alas of San Salvador, president of the
Episcopal Conference of El Salvador, and entourage.

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