“The Church is not built on stones and cement, but on the dedication and witness of the faithful. The Church is not first built with bricks, but in hearts open to God. The community is not walls—it is us, when we engage, when we witness our faith,” Bishop Bogaio said.
He noted that building the Parish requires visible commitment in daily life, fraternal relationships, and openness to others.
“Transforming the parish is transforming human relationships. The parish expects from you your enthusiasm, solidarity, and commitment,” the Mozambican member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) said.
Addressing personal conflicts and leadership crises that hinder the Church’s growth, the Auxiliary Bishop reminded the people of God that no one “owns” the Church.
“There are no bishops or leaders above the liturgy or groups. The Parish Priest is in charge because the Church entrusted him with this ministry. We must obey,” he said, adding, “The unity of the Parish depends on respecting pastoral guidelines and integrating others. The primary voice in a Parish is that of the person the Church entrusted: the Parish Priest and his vicar.”
Bishop Bogaio also lamented exclusionary attitudes and closed-mindedness in some areas of Parish life, emphasizing that welcoming others is essential for the community to be a true space of communion.
“There are no poor or rich. Everyone is equal. And everyone must have their place,” he said.
Warning against individualism and spiritual self-sufficiency, Bishop Bogaio said, “Service in the parish is not a space for self-promotion, but for giving and humility. We work because each one has their place.”
He invited the people of God to embrace three fundamental attitudes for building a strong, living community, saying, “Wisdom to discern the right path as a Church, fraternity to integrate and walk together, and radical commitment to follow Jesus with courage and coherence.”
“The parish is growing in hope and faith, but a decisive step is still missing: the concrete practice of charity. Let us assume the commitment to charity. This is one of the services we need most here,” Bishop Bogaio said.
