• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, speaks Nov. 15, 2022, during a session of the fall general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)

Papal nuncio urges U.S. bishops to stay true to church’s mission

November 16, 2022
By Carol Zimmermann
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Evangelization, Feature, News, U.S. Bishops Meeting - Fall 2022, Vatican, World News

BALTIMORE (CNS) — In his Nov. 15 address to the U.S. bishops at their annual fall assembly in Baltimore, the papal nuncio, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, emphasized the need to remain focused on the church’s missionary role of spreading the Gospel message.

This is particularly important “as we live through a time of accelerated change,” he said.

The archbishop said one way to determine if the church is following its missionary role is to look at how local churches are functioning as evangelizing communities, something he said is especially evident in the current eucharistic revival in the United States.

The nuncio also reminded the bishops of the need for the church to reflect the image of a field hospital, a description used by Pope Francis who said the church must be about the work of healing those who are wounded. The archbishop said the church lives this work out in its outreach to immigrants and to young mothers in the “Walking with Moms in Need” initiative.

He said Pope Francis is calling the Catholic Church to be “a missionary church that encourages everyone to be an evangelist.” A key part of that work involves encouraging Catholic lay faithful to “accept responsibility for the church,” the nuncio said.

For this to happen though, he noted that  the spiritual and liturgical formation of the laity can’t be ignored.

“If we accompany our people more closely, then we can more easily trust them and encourage their spiritual growth,” he said. He also asked the bishops how they are “promoting that ordinary holiness in our local churches” and if there are sufficient spiritual resources for priests and laity within their dioceses.

Archbishop Pierre also noted that the recent synod report makes clear that many young people in the church have difficulty accepting church teachings on a variety of issues. In response to this, bishops must articulate the faith clearly, he said, but they should also “accompany them along the path so that they live their faith in a way that offers them peace of heart, experiencing the true, the good and the beautiful.”

He also urged the bishops not to be “paralyzed by the challenges that we face” but instead to confidently follow their path forward in a synodal way that involves listening, showing patience and having respectful dialogue in the midst of a culture that is experiencing so much division.

“We can sometimes get locked into crisis thinking and crisis talk,” he said, but he also noted that if one looks at church history, times of crisis can “permit us to discern the presence of the Lord and to refocus on the mission and where we are going together.”

He urged the bishops to view these challenging times in a way that would ultimately lead them to give a “faith-filled answer” to the question: “‘Where are we?’ And more importantly, to the question, ‘Where are we going?'”


Follow Zimmermann on Twitter: @carolmaczim

Read More U.S. Bishops

Bishops hear reports on CRS, disability partnership, World Youth Day

Advisory council suggests bishops guide ministries on gender dysphoria

In immigration update, bishop says there’s little progress on reform front

Baltimore native Pelosi to step away from party leadership post in House

Bishops set plan on ‘Faithful Citizenship’ document for 2024 elections

Pace of preparations is quickening as synod on synodality approaches

Copyright © 2022 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Carol Zimmermann

Catholic News Service is a leading agency for religious news. Its mission is to report fully, fairly and freely on the involvement of the church in the world today.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Religious leaders share vocation stories with Cockeysville students
  • Annapolis parish marks historic milestone
  • Archdiocese dispenses with meatless obligation for St. Patrick’s Day
  • Tuition at Catholic high schools in Baltimore archdiocese significantly lower than other area private schools
  • Movie Review: ‘Knock at the Cabin’

| Latest Local News |

‘I’m a survivor’: Parishioner finds strength in faith even after abuse

Sister Margarita Musquera, O.S.P., dies at 93.

Archdiocese dispenses with meatless obligation for St. Patrick’s Day

| Latest World News |

Pope Francis calls for solidarity with Turkey, Syria after earthquakes

Biden reiterates call to codify Roe v. Wade in State of the Union address

Pope repeats calls, prayers for peace and justice in Africa

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • ‘I’m a survivor’: Parishioner finds strength in faith even after abuse
  • Pope Francis calls for solidarity with Turkey, Syria after earthquakes
  • Biden reiterates call to codify Roe v. Wade in State of the Union address
  • Pope repeats calls, prayers for peace and justice in Africa
  • Catholic aid agencies launch emergency collections for quake victims in Turkey, Syria
  • Eagles fans bring faith to the field for the Super Bowl
  • Catholic marriage prep: We want the whole feast, please!
  • Sister Margarita Musquera, O.S.P., dies at 93.
  • Archdiocese dispenses with meatless obligation for St. Patrick’s Day

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED