Pope praises Zimbabwe's bishops for pre-election letter

Published: 2005-07-05

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI praised Zimbabwe's bishops for reminding the nation's politicians of the importance of working together for the common good and for their recent pastoral letter. The pope said the bishops made a "significant contribution to the electoral process" before the country's parliamentary elections in March. In a joint statement in 2004, the bishops "rightly noted" that the "responsibility for the common good demands that all members of the body politic work together in laying firm moral and spiritual foundations for the future of the nation," the pope said. He spoke July 2 at the end of the bishops' "ad limina" visits to the Vatican. Heads of dioceses are required to make such visits every five years.

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