Shun “temptation of material attachment”: Catholic Bishop in Mozambique to Consecrated

He emphasized the need for women and men Religious to witness Jesus Christ by their way of life, making Him shine, not only in words, but also “in our daily actions and attitudes.”

“Each one of us must be part of the constellation of the Kingdom of God. So dear Consecrated brothers and sisters, let us renew and be pilgrims of hope,” Bishop Bogaio during Holy Mass for women and men Religious serving in Beira Archdiocese. 

Pope Saint John Paul II instituted the World Day for Consecrated Life in 1997 as an annual observance to be marked on February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas. For 2024, the event that brings together members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (ICLSAL) was organized under the theme, "Pilgrims of Hope on the Path of Peace".

In his homily, Bishop Bogaio used the image of light to emphasize the need for women and men Religious to make Jesus Christ known, loved, and worshipped. 

“The light of men is only Christ Jesus; there is nothing else. We are not the Light; we have consecrated ourselves to show the Light. This is also important; we are not at the center, at the center is the Light. Our Life is to serve. But we serve the Light,” he emphasized. 

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The Mozambican Catholic Bishop added, “Let us not allow the darkness and gloom of this world to cover the light of your consecration. We are, or have consecrated ourselves, to dispel the darkness as the Master did.”

João Vissesse is an Angolan Journalist with a passion and rich experience in Catholic Church Communication and Media Apostolate.