Source: Romanian Orthodox Church
November 27, 2015
In the context of today’s society, marked by secularization, uncertainty and a lack of mobilizing ideals, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, underlines the importance of the mission of the Church, which has to harmonize the word of preaching and catechesis with charity work, by practical helping, and an active and consolatory presence among the people.
The Romanian Patriarch also highlighted the necessity of co-responsibility and co-operation of clergy and lay people in the dynamic mission of the Church. These can be supported today by modern means of communication – television, radio, social networks, written and online press – instruments by which the ministry of the Church can reach those who are not acquainted with or have forgotten the joy of communion in God’s love.
Although today’s secularized society is more critical with the servants of the Church, asking that the Church help the society as much as possible, even if the secularized society, in its turn, does not help the Church, but often shows hostility to her, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel urges Orthodox clergy and believers to be faithful to Christ and His Church. His Beatitude notes that some of those who are troubled and disoriented today will change for the better, especially when they find spiritual peace and joy bestowed by Christ in the servants and the faithful of the Church.
Facing the contemporary challenges related to the phenomena of secularization, migration and all types of violence which generate different feelings and attitudes for and against the Church, as servants of our Saviour Jesus Christ among men, we must mainly resort to spiritual patterns represented by the Holy Fathers of the Church and by the Romanian Spiritual Fathers, who went through many trials and tribulations, but, by prayer and patience, wisdom and hope, conveyed to us a dynamic missionary work and a peaceful, lively and luminous Romanian spirituality.
