Pastoral year dedicated to spirituality: Monsignor Crociata presents his letter entitled “For the life of the Lord … in whose presence I am”

Monsignor Mariano Crociata, Bishop of the Diocese of Latina-Terracina-Sezze-Priverno, is again positive at Covid. He then connects from his private studio todiocesan assemblywhich was held last night at the the episcopal curia of Latina and which saw the presence of 500 participants, to present his Pastoral Letter entitled “For the life of the Lord … in whose presence I am”, to which is added the subtitle “Desire to spirituality”, The theme to which the pastoral year 2022/2023 is dedicated.

The Diocese of Latina-Terracina-Sezze-Priverno will dedicate the pastoral year 2022/2023 to the theme of spirituality. Bishop Mariano Crociata explained this last night during thediocesan assemblywhich was held in the episcopal curia of Latina, during which he presented his Pastoral Letter entitled “For the life of the Lord … in whose presence I am”, to which is added the subtitle “Desire for spirituality”, the reference it is a two-verse of the First Book of Kings (17,1; 18,15).

The meeting, introduced by the vicar general Don Enrico Scaccia, took place with an initial surprise: Monsignor Crociata was not present in the hall but in connection from his private office since the same morning he discovered that he had contracted Covid again. His health is good, as the approximately 500 participants in the assembly noted.

Particular is the biblical figure identified as an example in the Letter, that of the prophet Elijah, who lived in an era – the ninth century before Christ – in which the rulers of Israel turned away from the living and true God to go after idols and aberrant practices. The same Crusade explained the reason for this choice: “Elijah is described in a very essential and discontinuous way in the few chapters that Scripture dedicates to him, we perceive him precisely this being totally centered and absorbed by God, by his call, by his need to correspond to his will and to the mission he has entrusted to him. A man totally full of God, who lives every moment as if he were always face to face with God. A man, however, who knows not only persecution and danger to his own life, but also discouragement, experience and the sense of failure, and even the deception of believing himself alone in defending God. And yet he, from the trial, emerges even stronger than before, because he is nourished by the call, the word, the nourishment that God himself gives him ».

The situations experienced by Elijah are also somewhat those that many people are experiencing in this dark period due to the pandemic, with serious economic and social consequences, which are gradually getting stronger now due to the war in Ukraine. «It is easy to generate an attitude of resignation and lack of trust, which prevents us from looking up, finding reasons for hope, awakening strength and courage to decide and act. It seems to have become terribly difficult to lead a life as a Christian with seriousness and exemplarity “, writes Crusade in the Letter, adding that this state of affairs causes” difficulty in transmitting and showing the Christian message understandable, and indeed fascinating, but perhaps even before perceiving it. clearly us first. A veil of numbness and fogging has fallen over our consciences and our feelings ».

Here is the need to return “to the origin”, that is, to rediscover each one’s personal relationship with God, but also to transmit it again in community life, because “we are aware that there is an urgency and a danger, the danger of losing given the essential and urgent need to rediscover the motive and purpose of all our ecclesial action, in catechesis and Christian formation, in the liturgy and prayer, in charity and in every other activity: to encounter Christ, to adhere to him, live with him and for him ”, said Crciata during the presentation.

The Pastoral Letter 2022/2023 is available on the diocesi.latina.it website also in ebook and pdf format.

Pastoral year dedicated to spirituality: Monsignor Crociata presents his letter entitled “For the life of the Lord … in whose presence I am” – Radio Studio 93 – Solo Belle Canzoni