Thursday, December 22, 2011

Pope Says Church of Europe Has "Faith Fatigue;" Calls for Faith to Take on New Life, Real Strength

The Catholic Culture website reports that Pope Benedict XVI -- in a year-end address to the leaders of the Roman Curia -- said today (December 22, 2011) that the Church of Europe is facing "a crisis of faith."

Citing Europe's "fatigue" as a main reason for the crisis, the Pope noted that during the past year Europe has suffered through "an economic and financial crisis that is ultimately based on the ethical crisis looming over the Old Continent."

The problem facing the Church, the Pope said, is that "regular churchgoers are growing older all the time and that their number is constantly diminishing; that recruitment of priests is stagnating; that skepticism and unbelief are growing."

The Pope concluded, "If we find no answer to this -- if faith does not take on new life, deep conviction, and real strength from an encounter with Jesus Christ -- then all other reforms will remain ineffective."

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