which unites and favours the promotion of moral values, justice, freedom and   
   peace. Dialogue is a school of humanity and a builder of unity, which helps to   
   build a society founded on tolerance and mutual respect".   
    For this reason, "interreligious dialogue cannot be limited merely to the few,   
   to leaders of religious communities, but must also extend as far as possible to   
   all believers, engaging the different sectors of civil society. Particular   
   attention must be paid to young men and women who are called to build the   
   future   
   of this country. It is always worth remembering, however, that for dialogue to   
   be authentic and effective, it presupposes a solid identity: without an   
   established identity, dialogue is of no use or even harmful. I say this with   
   the   
   young in mind, but it applies to everyone.   
    "I sincerely appreciate all that you have managed to accomplish up to this   
   point and I encourage each of you in your efforts for the cause of peace of   
   which you, as religious leaders, are the first guardians here in Bosnia and   
   Herzegovina. I assure you that the Catholic Church will continue to offer her   
   full support and willingness to help", the Pope emphasised. "We are all aware   
   that there is a long way yet to go. Let us not be discouraged, however, by the   
   difficulties, but rather continue with perseverance along the way of   
   forgiveness   
   and reconciliation. While we seek to recall the past with honesty, thereby   
   learning the lessons of history, we must also avoid lamentation and   
   recrimination, letting ourselves instead be purified by God Who gives us the   
   present and the future: He is our future, He is the ultimate source of peace.   
    "This city, which in the recent past sadly became a symbol of war and   
   destruction, this Jerusalem of Europe, today, with its variety of peoples,   
   cultures and religions, can become again a sign of unity, a place in which   
   diversity does not represent a threat but rather a resource, an opportunity to   
   grow together. In a world unfortunately torn by conflicts, this land can become   
   a message: attesting that it is possible to live together side by side, in   
   diversity but rooted in a common humanity, building together a future of peace   
   and brotherhood. You can live life being a peacemaker!".   
    Following his discourse, and before asking all those present to pray for him   
   and assuring them of his prayers, Pope Francis recited the following prayer "to   
   the Eternal, One and True Living God, to the Merciful God":   
    "Almighty and eternal God,   
    good and merciful Father;   
    Creator of heaven and earth, of all that is visible and invisible;   
    God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob,   
    King and Lord of the past, of the present and of the future;   
    sole judge of every man and woman,   
    Who reward Your faithful with eternal glory!   
    We, the descendants of Abraham according to our faith in You, the one God,   
    Jews, Christians and Muslims,   
    humbly stand before You   
    and with trust we pray to You   
    for this country, Bosnia and Herzegovina,   
    that men and women, followers of different religions, nations and cultures   
    may live here in peace and harmony.   
    We pray to You, O Father,   
    that it may be so in every country of the world!   
    Strengthen in each of us faith and hope,   
    mutual respect and sincere love   
    for all of our brothers and sisters.   
    Grant that we may dedicate ourselves   
    courageously to building a just society,   
    to being men and women of good will,   
    filled with mutual understanding and forgiveness,   
    patient artisans of dialogue and peace.   
    May each of our thoughts, words and actions   
    be in harmony with Your holy will.   
    May everything be to Your glory and honour and for our salvation.   
    Praise and eternal glory to You, our God!   
    Amen".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    The Pope to the young of Bosnia and Herzegovina: keep the hope that inspires   
   life   
    Vatican City, 8 June 2015 (VIS) - The final stage of the Pope's apostolic trip   
   to Sarajevo was his meeting with young people at the St. John Paul II diocesan   
   Youth Centre, in a outskirts of the city. The centre, operative since 2006, is   
   open to young people of different ethnic backgrounds and religions, and   
   organises a variety of sports, social and voluntary activities, as well as   
   pastoral and religious formation for Catholics. Francis was received by the   
   rector of the Centre and some children who accompanied him to the gymnasium   
   where he was awaited by around 800 people, to unveil the plaque dedicating the   
   institution to St. John Paul II.   
    After greetings from the auxiliary of Banja Luka, Bishop Marko Semren, the   
   Holy   
   Father began a conversation with those present, setting aside the prepared text   
   of his discourse, published in full below.   
    One of the young people asked why the Pope did not watch television any more,   
   and he answered, "Yes, from the mid-1990s onwards, I felt one night that   
   watching television was not good for, it distanced me, and led me away... and I   
   decided not to watch any more. When I wanted to see a good film, I went to the   
   television room in the Archbishop's residence and watched it there. But just   
   that film. The television used to make me feel alienated from myself. And yes,   
   I   
   am from the Stone Age, I am ancient! Now, I understand that the times have   
   changed; we live in an age of images. And this is very important. In an age of   
   images we must do what was done in the age of books: choose what is good for   
   us!   
   Out of this come two consequences: the responsibility of television networks to   
   offer programs which encourage the good, which promote values, which build up   
   society, which help us advance, not ones that drag us down. And then to produce   
   programs that help us so that values, true values, may be reinforced and may   
   help to prepare us for life. This is the responsibility of television networks.   
   Secondly: knowing how to choose what programs to watch, and this is our   
   responsibility. If I watch a program that is not good for me, that disparages   
   my   
   values, that leads me to become vulgar, even filthy, I need to change the   
   channel. As was done in my Stone Age: when a book was good, you read it; when a   
   book was not good for you, you would throw it away. And this leads to a third   
   point: the point of evil fantasy, of those fantasies which kill the soul. If   
   you   
   who are young live attached to your computers and become slaves to the   
   computer,   
   you lose your freedom! And if you use your computer to look for dirty programs,   
   you lose your dignity. Watch television, use the computer, but for good   
   reasons,   
   for great things, things which help us to grow. This is good".   
    The second question was whether he had felt the joy and the love that all of   
   the young people of Bosnia and Herzegovina had for him. "To tell you the truth,   
   every time I meet with young people I feel their joy and love", he answered.   
   "Not only for me, but for ideals, for life. They want to grow! But there is   
   some   
   particular about you: you are, I think, the first post-war generation. You are   
   the first flowers of spring ... you want to go forwards and never go back to   
   destruction, to those things that make us enemies of each another. I see in you   
   this desire and this enthusiasm. And this is new for me. I see that you do not   
   want destruction: you do not want to become each other's enemies. You want to   
   journey together. And this is great! ... It is not a case of 'them and us', but   
   rather of 'we'. We want to be 'us', to not destroy our homeland, to not ruin   
   our   
   country. You are a Muslim, you are a Jew, you are Orthodox, you are Catholic...   
   but we are 'us'. This is how to make peace. This distinguishes your generation,   
   and it is your joy. You are called to great things. A great vocation: build   
   bridges, not walls. And this is the joy that I see in you".   
    The final question was, "What can you say to us, what is your message of peace   
   for us young people?"   
    "Everyone speaks of peace", said the Holy Father. "Some world leaders speak of   
   peace, and say beautiful things about peace, but behind it all they still sell   
   weapons. From you, I expect honesty, coherence between what you think, what you   
   feel and what you do: these three things together. The contrary is called   
   hypocrisy. Some years ago I watched a movie on this city, I don't remember the   
   name, but the German version (the one that I saw), was called 'Die Brücke'   
   ('The   
   Bridge'). I don't know what it's called in your language. And in the film I saw   
   how bridges always unite. When a bridge is not used to go toward another   
   person,   
   but is closed off, it leads to the ruin of a city, the destruction of   
   existence.   
   Hence, from you, from this first post-war generation, I expect honesty and not   
   hypocrisy. Be united, build bridges, but also let yourselves cross the bridges   
   that you build. This is brotherhood".   
    As he bid farewell to the young, and while doves were released as a sign of   
   peace, the Pope exclaimed, "Mir Vama! This is the task I leave you. Make peace,   
   together! These doves are a sign of peace which brings joy. And peace is made   
   among all, between everyone: Muslims, Jews, Orthodox, Catholics and others. We   
   are all brothers and sisters! We all adore the One God! Never ever let there be   
   separation among you. Brotherhood and union. And now I must depart and I ask   
   you, please, to pray for me. May the Lord bless you".   
    Following the encounter, the Pope transferred by car to the airport in   
   Sarajevo   
   where he was greeted by the Croat member of the Tripartite Presidency, Dragan   
   Covic, and at 8 p.m. he left for Rome, where he arrived an hour and a half   
   later.   
    Discourse prepared by Pope Francis:   
    "Being here in this Centre dedicated to St. John Paul II, I cannot forget how   
   much he did for young people, meeting them and encouraging them all around the   
   world. To his intercession I entrust each of you, as well as every initiative   
   which the Catholic Church has undertaken in your land to express her closeness   
   to young people and indeed her confidence in them. We are on this journey   
   together. I know the doubts and the hopes that you have in your hearts", he   
   continued. "Some of these have been expressed by Bishop Marko Semren and your   
   representatives, Darko and Nadezda. In a special way, I join you in hoping that   
   new generations may be offered real prospects for a dignified future in your   
   country, thus avoiding the sad phenomenon of mass migration. In this regard,   
   institutions are being called upon to put in place timely and courageous plans   
   that will help young men and women to realise their legitimate aspirations;   
   they   
   will thus be able to contribute energetically to the upbuilding and growth of   
   the country. The local Church, for her part, can contribute by means of   
   suitable   
   pastoral projects, focusing on educating the civic and moral conscience of the   
   youth, and so help them to be protagonists in society. The Church's commitment   
   can already be seen, especially through the precious work of her Catholic   
   schools, which are rightly open not only to Catholic students but to students   
   of   
   other Christian communities and other religions. However, the Church must   
   always   
   dare to hope for more, starting from the Gospel and driven by the Holy Spirit   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)