Bishop Mario Iceta reminds us that it is necessary to use a renewed language to announce the grace of Christian marriage.
The Bishop of Bilbao closed the conference of update Pastoral of the School of Theology in which more than 200 people participated.
"It is necessary to use a renewed language to announce the grace of Christian marriage, especially with young people, to transmit to them the beauty of love and to make them understand the meaning of terms such as donation, conjugal love, fidelity, fecundity and procreation". Mario Iceta, Bishop of Bilbao at the University of Navarra, during the closing lecture of the conference of update Pastoral 2019, focused on the accompaniment of young people in courtship, which brought together more than 200 people.
During the lecture he recalled that currently in Spain only 23% of marriages are married in the Church and emphasized the importance of announcing Jesus Christ, "yesterday, today and forever, in terms that are understood, to recognize what the sacrament brings to the project of love, because if there is no foundation, the commitment is based on feeling, on passion, and that is unstable".
He also recalled the words of Pope Francis in which he affirms that "marriage is a true vocation that requires discernment, prayer and maturation". He explained that it is a path that must be learned and walked: "It is not simple, but for that there is the grace of God and the company of the Church". And he announced that the Episcopal lecture will publish at the end of 2019 a pathway of training and accompaniment of engaged couples.
Before concluding, he recalled four fake news about marriage, in which Christians should not fall into. The first, 'love is blind': "This is not real, I need to know the other person as he or she is," he said. The second, 'the important thing is to be in love'; rather, he pointed out, "the important thing is to commit to love." The third, 'love is pleasure and well-being': he explained that it certainly entails pleasure and well-being, but it also requires "a lot of sacrifice." And fourth, 'love is spontaneous'; of this last one he wanted to emphasize that "virtue is not the same as spontaneity: love moves the will and is conscious of what it does".
Professor Juan José Pérez-Soba, from the Pontifical high school John Paul II for the Sciences of Marriage and the Family (Rome), opened the course on Tuesday, September 17, with the discussion paper "Conversation by the well. How to speak of fidelity to the postmodern emotivist". In it he developed a reflection on the affections: their different levels, their intentional character and the way in which they are framed in the narrative identity of the person. For the Church, the way in which Christ approaches the Samaritan woman continues to be a model of evangelization.
"Love between the 20th and 21st centuries" was the focus of the first panel of meeting. It was moderated by Miguel Brugarolas, professor of the School of Theology, and counted with the participation of Pablo Pérez, professor of the School of Philosophy and Letters, and Jokin de Irala, professor of the School of Medicine.
The second panel was entitled "Some Experiences in Marriage Preparation". The speakers were José María Marín, from the parish of San Manuel González in San Sebastián de los Reyes; David Martínez, from the parish of Santa Eulalia in Badajoz; and Rafael de Tomás, from the diocese of Getafe. Each one of them presented different experiences, which gave rise to a lively dialogue with the attendees. The importance of families and friendship for the Gospel of love and family to reach young people was highlighted in many different ways.
In the afternoon, Bishop Mario Iceta of Bilbao presided at the Eucharistic concelebration with 90 priests at seminar International Bidasoa and, after a pleasant dinner, he spent time with them in a social gathering.
On the morning of the 18th, the third panel focused on "Helping to build the capacity to love". It was moderated by Daniel Granada, professor at School of Theology, with the participation of Marta Pedraz, medical psychotherapist and family counselor, and Jesús Higueras, parish priest of St. Mary of Cana, Pozuelo de Alarcón. From different perspectives, they addressed the importance of accompanying young people in their courtship, helping them to know themselves, to recognize the Love on which their life rests, and to face the future with an open and communicative attitude.
At conference there was plenty of time and space for dialogue, for exchanging experiences, difficulties and projects. Today, more than ever, the Gospel of love and family is called to fill the lives of many people with light.