On pilgrimage, European bishops tell Catholics not to hide faith

Published: 2004-05-28

WARSAW, Poland (CNS) -- European bishops on a pilgrimage to an Austrian shrine told Catholics not to hide their faith. "Each of us can make a vital contribution by seeking alliances with people of good will," heads of bishops' conferences from eight countries said in a pastoral letter to be read in churches throughout the region on Pentecost, May 30. "At a time when so many know Christ only superficially or not at all, Europe will only be blessed when we express our faith clearly and our parishes become schools of prayer," they said. The appeal was issued after the May 21-23 pilgrimage to Mariazell, Austria. Some 100,000 Catholics from Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia attended.

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