Archbishop stresses importance of faith formation in first pastoral

Published: 2006-02-16

SAN ANTONIO (CNS) -- In a pastoral letter marking his first anniversary as archbishop of San Antonio, Archbishop Jose H. Gomez counseled Catholics not to make "the worst mistake anyone could make" by putting other priorities ahead of Jesus in their lives. The archbishop's Feb. 15 letter, titled "To Grow in Knowledge and Love of Jesus Christ," stressed the importance of lifelong education and formation in the faith for everyone, including himself. "Just like you, I also need to grow constantly in knowledge and love of Our Lord," he said. "Formation in the faith is about getting to know Jesus better -- establishing and deepening a personal relationship with him in order to be his follower and his friend." He announced plans to "update and review" all educational and formation programs in the archdiocese, including seminary formation, parish and school programs, youth ministry, evangelization initiatives and charitable activities.

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