Pope asks U.S. bishops to heal their divisions, strengthen families

Published: 2004-05-24

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- For the Catholic Church to be a true family and witness of love before the world, families must be strengthened in their faith, and Catholic communities must overcome the tensions dividing them, Pope John Paul II told a group of U.S. bishops. "As in any family, the church's internal harmony can at times be challenged by a lack of charity and the presence of conflict among her members," the pope told bishops from Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas May 22. "This can lead to the formation of factions within the church which often become so concerned with their special interests that they lose sight of the unity and solidarity which are the foundations of ecclesial life and the sources of communion in the family of God," the pope told the bishops at the end of their "ad limina" visits to Rome. Bishops make "ad limina" visits every five years to report on the status of their dioceses.

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