The Pope wrote the foreword to the book “Pastors within : Church, Society and Person” by Cardinal Angelo Banasco, former president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference and Metropolitan Emeritus of Genoa.
C. Rubini CTC, Vatican News
This book is published in Italian by Pauline Books & Media “Shepherds Inside. Church, Society and Person” It has been released under the name
Expressing his joy when he was asked to write the introduction, Pope Francis says that the cardinal’s thoughts stem from his thoughts and considerations during his second term as president of the Italian bishops’ council.
Pope Francis appreciates the themes of education, family, poverty, and politics that the author focuses on as he investigates the essence of Jesus’ proclamation.
In view of the anthropological transformations that are taking place not only in the context of Europe but also throughout the world, the Pope says in the preface that the way forward to know the “person” is education in faith which begin with the mystery of Christ. .
The Pope added that these pages are not just hymns of history but a guide to how bishops are called to read the signs of the times.
The bishop – the shepherd – should strive to keep his gaze on his brothers and sisters in the Lord, knowing that “his life is not his own, for it is given to God” and with a spirit of service, the the Pope wrote. .
When writing that the shepherd should proclaim the word of God in the church and in his personal life, and put it on flesh, the Pope explained that the true happiness of the shepherd who “catches men” who smells sheep and lives in among them in this publication and the journey that continues.
Appreciating the title of the book, the Pope reminds us that bishops are shepherds within and look out for the wounded and exiles.
The Pope wrote that Cardinal Banasco was able to show that the Church is a living, breathing thing and not too rigid an organization as some wish.
Concluding the introduction, the book commends the book and praises it for the help and guidance it gives to all the shepherds of the Lord. In the introduction, the Pope states that reading this book will be useful not only for bishops and their companions, but also for lay people and Christians who think they have “fallen away”.
