Witness, Not Proselytism
Thus far, in his description of the identity of the charitable activity of the Church, Pope Benedict XVI has indicated two characteristics: (1) "the simple response to immediate needs and specific situations" (n. 31a); and (2) independence from "parties and ideologies" (n. 31b). The third mark of the charitable activity of the Church is a witness of love, which does not have other ends in view. Pope Benedict XVI makes it
clear that charity cannot be exercised for the purpose of proselytism, that is, for the purpose of bringing those served into the Church. He observes: "Love is free; it is not practiced as a way of achieving other ends."
At the same time, the charitable work of the Church must give strong witness to Christ Who is its source and strength. The Holy Father recalls that often the greatest suffering we encounter in our fellow men is the "very absence of God" in their lives. The "pure and generous love" of the Church is "the best witness to God." We do not "impose the Church's faith on others." Pope Benedict XVI, however, observes that the "Christian knows when it is time to speak of God and when it is better to say nothing and to let love alone speak."
Since the source of the Christian's love is God, God is at work in his charitable activity. The Holy Father asks that the Church's charitable organizations "reinforce this awareness in their members, so that by their activity — as well as their words, their silence, their example — they may be credible witnesses to Christ" (n. 31c).
Responsibility for the Church's Charitable Activity
Our Holy Father next addresses the question: Who is responsible for the Church's charitable activity? He responds that "the true subject of the various Catholic organizations that carry out a ministry of charity is the Church herself — at all levels, from the parishes, through the particular Churches, to the universal Church." Because the Church herself is the ultimate responsible subject, Pope Paul VI established a special office answerable to the Pope, the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, "as the agency of the Holy See responsible for orienting and coordinating the organizations and charitable activities promoted by the Catholic Church" (n. 32).
Pope Benedict XVI then reminds Bishops that they, as successors of the Apostles, have "the primary responsibility" at the level of the particular Church, which, for us, usually means a diocese or archdiocese. Referring to the passage in the Acts of the Apostles, which describes the manner of life of the early Christian community at Jerusalem (Acts 2:42-44), our Holy Father describes the Church's charitable work: "[T]oday as in the past, the Church as God's family must be a place where help is given and received, and at the same time, a place where people are also prepared to serve those outside her confines who are in need of help."
During the Rite of Ordination of a Bishop, the principal consecrator asks the candidate for episcopal ordination several questions before proceeding to the ordination. These questions refer to all of the principal responsibilities of the Bishop. Regarding charitable activity, the Bishop "promises expressly to be, in the Lord's name, welcoming and merciful to the poor and to all those in need of consolation and assistance" (n. 32).
In the Code of Canon Law, it is indicated that the Bishop must direct all of the forms of the apostolate, respecting always the integrity of each form (can. 394). The Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops describes the responsibility of charity on the level of the universal Church and the particular Church or diocese. It underlines the truth that "the exercise of charity is an action of the Church as such." It further clarifies that the exercise of charity has been of the essence of the mission of the Church "from the very beginning." (N. 32).
Personnel
Referring to what he had written about the characteristics of the Church's charitable works, Pope Benedict XVI reminds us of the qualities of the personnel who carry out the Church's charitable works. They "must not be inspired by ideologies aimed at improving the world, but rather should be guided by the faith which works through love (cf. Gal 5:6)." In other words, the personnel must be Christ-centered in their daily living. Christ the King must truly reign in their hearts; they must have placed their hearts in the Heart of Jesus, in order to draw from Christ His love of all. Pope Benedict XVI proposes a kind of motto, taken from Saint Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians, for the Church's charitable workers: "[T]he love of Christ urges us on" (2 Cor 5:14).
It is the love of Christ which leads us to love the Church, desiring that the Church bring the love of Christ from her altars of sacrifice and tabernacles to those in need. "The personnel of every Catholic charitable organization want to work with the Church and therefore with the Bishop, so that the love of God can spread throughout the world" (n. 33). The love of Christ in the hearts of the Church's charitable workers inspires and strengthens them to what is good for everyone involved. The Bishop is the spiritual father who leads His flock to bring the love of Christ to every home and to everyone. The universal love of Christ is mirrored in the love of the Christian, which is without boundaries or limits.
