Subject: VISnews 110925
Organization: VIS - Ufficio Stampa della Santa Sede
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
TWENTY FIRST YEAR - N. 162
ENGLISH
SUNDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2011
SUMMARY OF THE POPE'S TRIP TO GERMANY: 24 - 25 SEPTEMBER
- Papal Greetings to Citizens of Freiburg im Breisgau
- Catholics and Orthodox: Dialogue on Question of Primacy
- Holy Father Meets with Seminarians in Freiburg
- Seek New Paths of Evangelisation for Church and Society
- Pope to Young People: Have the Courage to Be Saints
- Christian Life Is Humble Service of Neighbour
- Angelus: Trust in the Beauty of God's Plan
___________________________________________________________
PAPAL GREETINGS TO CITIZENS OF FREIBURG IM BREISGAU
VATICAN CITY, 24 SEP 2011 (VIS) - Following this morning's Mass in the
Domplatz (Cathedral Square) of Erfurt, Benedict XVI travelled by plane to
Freiburg im Breisgau where he first made a visit to the local cathedral.
The Holy Father then went on to greet local citizens gathered in the
city's Munsterplatz, thanking them for their warm welcome. "I have come to
you joyfully, in order to pray together, to proclaim the word of God and to
celebrate the Eucharist", he said. "I ask for your prayers, that these days
will be fruitful, that God will deepen our faith, strengthen our hope and
increase our love. During these days, may we become aware once more how much
God loves us and how good He is, so that we may trustingly place ourselves
and all our cares and concerns into His hands. In Him our future is assured:
He gives meaning to our lives and can bring them to fulfilment. May the Lord
accompany you in peace and make you messengers of joy!"
Having imparted his apostolic blessing the Pope moved on to the local
seminary where he held a private meeting with Helmut Kohl, former chancellor
of Germany, before meeting with representatives from the Orthodox Churches.
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CATHOLICS AND ORTHODOX: DIALOGUE ON QUESTION OF PRIMACY
VATICAN CITY, 24 SEP 2011 (VIS) - At 5.1.5 p.m. today the Holy Father met
with fifteen representatives from the Orthodox Churches in Germany gathered
in the main hall of the Seminary of Freiburg im Breisgau. Germany has a
total of 467 Byzantine Orthodox communities with some 1,300,000 faithful
belonging to various autocephalous Churches.
Having greeted Metropolitan Augoustinos, president of the Orthodox
Episcopal Conference in Germany, and thanked him for his words, "so full of
confidence", the Pope reaffirmed that "among Christian Churches and
communities, the Orthodox are theologically closest to us; Catholics and
Orthodox both have the same basic structure inherited from the ancient
Church. So we may hope that the day is not too far away when we may once
again celebrate the Eucharist together.
"With interest and sympathy the Catholic Church follows the development of
Orthodox communities in Western Europe, which in recent decades have grown
remarkably", the Pope added. He then went on to express his satisfaction at
"the increase of pan-Orthodox co-operation, which has made significant
progress in recent years. ... May the work of these episcopal conferences
strengthen the bond between the Orthodox Churches and hasten the progress of
efforts to establish a pan-Orthodox council".
On the subject of dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox, the Holy Father
highlighted the importance of continuing efforts "to clarify theological
differences. ... The resolution of these questions is indispensable for
restoration of the full unity that we hope and pray for. Above all it is on
the question of primacy that our continuing efforts towards a correct
understanding must be focused. Here the ideas put forward by John Paul II in
the Encyclical 'Ut Unum Sint' on the distinction between the nature and form
of the exercise of primacy can yield further fruitful discussion points".
He also expressed his appreciation for "the work of the Mixed
International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic
Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches. ... The results so far obtained
allow us to grow in mutual understanding and to draw closer to one another",
he said.
"In the present climate, in which many would like, as it were, to
'liberate' public life from God, the Christian Churches in Germany -
including Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Christians - are walking side by
side along the path of peaceful witness for understanding and solidarity
among peoples, on the basis of their faith in the one God and Father of all.
At the same time they continue to place the miracle of God's incarnation at
the centre of their proclamation. Realising that on this mystery all human
dignity depends, they speak up jointly for the protection of human life from
conception to natural death".
In closing, Pope Benedict reiterated how "faith in God, the Creator of
life, and unconditional adherence to the dignity of every human being
strengthen faithful Christians vigorously to oppose every manipulative and
selective intervention in the area of human life. Knowing too the value of
marriage and the family, we as Christians attach great importance to
defending the integrity and the uniqueness of marriage between one man and
one woman from any kind of misinterpretation. Here the common engagement of
Christians, including many Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Christians, makes
a valuable contribution to building up a society equipped for the future, in
which the human person is given the respect which is his due".
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HOLY FATHER MEETS WITH SEMINARIANS IN FREIBURG
VATICAN CITY, 24 SEP 2011 (VIS) - Today at 5.45 p.m. Benedict XVI met with a
group of sixty seminarians in the St. Charles Borromeo Chapel of the
Seminary of Freiburg im Breisgau.
Following the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and an introduction from
Archbishop Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg im Breisgau, the Holy Father made
some off-the-cuff remarks to the seminarians. He invited them to dedicate
themselves to their studies because, he explained, the relationship between
faith and reason is of particular importance in our time, and the use of
reason is fundamental in order to spread the faith.
Benedict XVI also turned his attention to the need for discernment,
faithfulness and prayer, underlining the importance of community life and of
listening to others, in order to live in the faith. Holy See Press Office
Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. explained to journalists that the Pope's
words were intended as an exhortation to the seminarians and as an
indication of the way they should live their formative years.
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SEEK NEW PATHS OF EVANGELISATION FOR CHURCH AND SOCIETY
VATICAN CITY, 24 SEP 2011 (VIS) - At 6.1.5 p.m. today in the main hall of
the Seminary of Freiburg im Breisgau the Holy Father met with council
members of the Central Committee for German Catholics. The committee was
founded in 1952 to support the apostolic work of the Catholic Church.
The Holy Father focused on the "exposure programmes" promoted by the
committee whereby, for a certain period, experts in various sectors share
the daily lives of poor people in developing countries "in order to see the
world through their eyes and hence to learn how to practise solidarity. ...
Let us imagine", the Pope said, "that an exposure programme of this kind
were to take place here in Germany. Experts from a far country would ...
find much to admire here, for example the prosperity, the order and the
efficiency. But looking on with unprejudiced eyes, they would also see
plenty of poverty: poverty in human relations and poverty in the religious
sphere.
"We live at a time that is broadly characterised by a subliminal
relativism that penetrates every area of life", he added. "Sometimes this
relativism becomes aggressive, when it opposes those who claim to know where
the truth or meaning of life is to be found. And we observe that this
relativism exerts more and more influence on human relationships and on
society. ... Many no longer seem capable of any form of self-denial or of
making a sacrifice for others. Even the altruistic commitment to the common
good, in the social and cultural sphere or on behalf of the needy, is in
decline. Others are now quite incapable of committing themselves
unreservedly to a single partner".
"We see that in our affluent western world much is lacking. Many people
lack experience of God's goodness. They no longer find any point of contact
with the mainstream Churches and their traditional structures. But why is
this? I think this is a question on which we must reflect very seriously.
Addressing it is the principal task of the Pontifical Council for the New
Evangelisation. But naturally it is something that concerns us all".
In this context the Holy Father noted that "the Church in Germany is
superbly organised". However, he asked, "behind the structures, is there
also a corresponding spiritual strength, the strength of faith in a living
God? We must honestly admit that we have more than enough by way of
structure but not enough by way of Spirit. I would add: the real crisis
facing the Church in the western world is a crisis of faith. If we do not
find a way of genuinely renewing our faith, all structural reform will
remain ineffective".
"We are called to seek new paths of evangelisation. Small communities
could be one such path, where friendships are lived and deepened in regular
communal adoration before God", Benedict XVI suggested. "There we find
people who speak of these small faith experiences at their workplace and
within their circle of family and friends, and in so doing bear witness to a
new closeness between Church and society".
Following the meeting, the Holy Father moved on to the fairgrounds of
Freiburg im Breisgau to preside at a prayer vigil with young people.
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POPE TO YOUNG PEOPLE: HAVE THE COURAGE TO BE SAINTS
VATICAN CITY, 24 SEP 2011 (VIS) - Following his meeting with members of the
Central Committee for German Catholics at the Seminary of Freiburg im
Breisgau, Benedict XVI travelled to the city fairgrounds where he presided
at a prayer vigil with young people. Extracts from the Holy Father's address
are given below.
He began by referring to the candle-lighting ceremony, which was part of
the vigil. In an imitation of the Easter rite of lighting the Paschal
candle, the Pope lit candles borne by a number of young people who, in their
turn, lit candles carried by others. "This wonderful liturgical rite ", he
said, "reveals to us in signs more eloquent than words the mystery of our
Christian faith. Jesus who says of Himself: 'I am the light of the world',
causes our lives to shine brightly, so that what we have just heard in the
Gospel comes true: 'You are the light of the world'.
"It is not our human efforts or the technical progress of our era that
brings light into this world", the Holy Father added. "Again and again we
have to experience how our striving to bring about a better and more just
world hits against its limits. Innocent suffering and the ultimate fact of
death awaiting every single person are an impenetrable darkness. ... While
all around us there may be darkness and gloom, yet we see a light: ...
Christ, risen from the dead, shines in this world and He does so most
brightly in those places where, in human terms, everything is sombre and
hopeless".
"To be sure, those who believe in Jesus do not lead lives of perpetual
sunshine, as though they could be spared suffering and hardship, but there
is always a bright glimmer there, lighting up the path that leads to
fullness of life. The eyes of those who believe in Christ see light even
amid the darkest night and they already see the dawning of a new day.
"Light does not remain alone. All around, other lights are flaring up. In
their gleam, space acquires contours, so that we can find our bearings. We
do not live alone in this world. And it is for the important things of life
that we have to rely on other people. Particularly in our faith, then, we do
not stand alone, we are links in the great chain of believers. Nobody can
believe unless he is supported by the faith of others, and conversely,
through my faith, I help to strengthen others in their faith".
The idea of sainthood has often been distorted
"We increasingly experience the failure of our efforts and our personal
shortcomings, despite our best intentions. In the final analysis, the world
in which we live, in spite of its technical progress, does not seem to be
getting any better. There is still war and terror, hunger and disease,
bitter poverty and merciless oppression. And even those figures in our
history who saw themselves as 'bringers of light' - without being fired by
Christ, the one true light - did not manage to create an earthly paradise,
but set up dictatorships and totalitarian systems, in which even the
smallest spark of true humanity was choked".
"At this point we cannot remain silent about the existence of evil. We see
it in so many places in this world; but we also see it - and this scares us
- in our own lives. Truly, within our hearts there is a tendency towards
evil, there is selfishness, envy, aggression. Perhaps with a certain
self-discipline all this can to some degree be controlled. But it becomes
more difficult with faults that are somewhat hidden, that can engulf us like
a thick fog, such as sloth, or laziness in willing and doing good. Again and
again in history, keen observers have pointed out that damage to the Church
comes not from her opponents, but from uncommitted Christians".
"Dear friends, again and again the very notion of saints has been
caricatured and distorted, as if to be holy meant to be remote from the
world, naive and joyless. Often it is thought that a saint has to be someone
with great ascetic and moral achievements, who might well be revered, but
could never be imitated in our own lives. How false and discouraging this
opinion is! There is no saint, apart from the Blessed Virgin Mary, who has
not also known sin, who has never fallen. Dear friends, Christ is not so
much interested in how often in your lives you stumble and fall, as in how
often you pick yourselves up again. He does not demand glittering
achievements, but He wants His light to shine in you. He does not call you
because you are good and perfect, but because He is good and He wants to
make you His friends. Yes, you are the light of the world because Jesus is
your light. You are Christians - not because you do special and
extraordinary things, but because Christ is your life. You are holy because
His grace is at work in you".
"This gathering shines in more ways than one - in the glow of innumerable
lights, in the radiance of so many young people who believe in Christ. A
candle can only give light if it lets itself be consumed by the flame. It
would remain useless if its wax failed to nourish the fire. Allow Christ to
burn in you, even at the cost of sacrifice and renunciation. Do not be
afraid that you might lose something and, so to speak, emerge empty-handed
at the end. Have the courage to apply your talents and gifts for God's
kingdom and to give yourselves - like candle wax - so that the Lord can
light up the darkness through you. Dare to be glowing saints, in whose eyes
and hearts the love of Christ beams and who thus bring light to the world. I
am confident that you and many other young people here in Germany are lamps
of hope that do not remain hidden. 'You are the light of the world'".
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CHRISTIAN LIFE IS HUMBLE SERVICE OF NEIGHBOUR
VATICAN CITY, 25 SEP 2011 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father concelebrated
Mass at the airport of Freiburg im Breisgau with bishops from the
twenty-seven dioceses of the Federal Republic of Germany. The event was
attended by thousands of faithful from Germany and surrounding countries.
Extracts from the Holy Father's homily are given below.
"'Father, you show your almighty power in your mercy and forgiveness', as
we said in today's Collect", the Pope began. "There are theologians who, in
the face of all the terrible things that happen in the world today, say that
God cannot be all-powerful. In response to this we profess God, the
all-powerful Creator of heaven and earth. ... At the same time, we have to
be aware that He exercises His power differently from the way we normally
do. He has placed a limit on His power, by recognising the freedom of His
creatures. We are glad and thankful for the gift of freedom.
"However, when we see the terrible things that happen as a result of it,
we are frightened. Let us put our trust in God, whose power manifests itself
above all in mercy and forgiveness. Let us be certain, dear faithful, that
God desires the salvation of His people. He desires our salvation. He is
always close to us, especially in times of danger and radical change, His
heart aches for us and He reaches out to us. We need to open ourselves to
Him so that the power of His mercy can touch our hearts. We have to be ready
to abandon evil, to raise ourselves from indifference and make room for His
word. God respects our freedom. He does not constrain us.
"In the Gospel Jesus takes up this fundamental theme" in the parable of
the two sons invited by their father to work in the vineyard. The first son
refuses but later repents and goes to work, while the second agrees but in
the end does not go. Of the two sons, only the first does his father's will.
"Translated into the language of our time", the Pope explained, "this
statement might sound something like this: agnostics, who are constantly
exercised by the question of God, those who long for a pure heart but suffer
on account of our sin, are closer to the Kingdom of God than believers whose
life of faith is 'routine' and who regard the Church merely as an
institution, without letting their hearts be touched by faith".
He went on: "The words of Jesus should make us all pause, in fact they
should disturb us. ... So let us ask ourselves, how is my personal
relationship with God: in prayer, in participation at Sunday Mass, in
exploring my faith through meditation on Sacred Scripture and study of the
Catechism of the Catholic Church? Dear friends, ... the renewal of the
Church will only come about through openness to conversion and through
renewed faith".
"Christian life must continually measure itself by Christ. ... Just as
Christ was totally united to the Father and obedient to Him, so too the
disciples must obey God and be of one mind among themselves. ... The Church
in Germany will overcome the great challenges of the present and future, and
it will remain a leaven in society, if the priests, consecrated men and
women, and the lay faithful, in fidelity to their respective vocations, work
together in unity. ... The Church in Germany will continue to be a blessing
for the entire Catholic world: if she remains faithfully united with the
Successors of St. Peter and the Apostles, if she fosters co-operation in
various ways with mission countries and allows herself to be 'infected' by
the joy that marks the faith of these young Churches".
"Christian life is ... humble service of neighbour and of the common good.
... Let us ask God for the courage and the humility to walk the path of
faith, to draw from the riches of His mercy, and to fix our gaze on Christ.
... He is our future.
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ANGELUS: TRUST IN THE BEAUTY OF GOD'S PLAN
VATICAN CITY, 25 SEP 2011 (VIS) - Following this morning's Mass at the
airport of Freiburg im Breisgau, the Holy Father prayed the Angelus, a
prayer, he said, which "constantly reminds us of the historical beginnings
of our salvation".
Mary's "yes", the Pope explained, "is the trusting 'yes' to God's plan, to
our salvation". Mary "addresses her 'yes' to us all, whom she received as
her children entrusted to her at the foot of the Cross. She never withdraws
this promise".
"As we pray the Angelus, we may join Mary in her 'yes', we may adhere
trustingly to the beauty of God's plan and to the providence that He has
assigned to us in His grace. Then God's love will also, as it were, take
flesh in our lives, becoming ever more tangible. In all our cares we need
have no fear. God is good. At the same time we know that we are sustained by
the fellowship of the many believers who are now praying the Angelus with us
throughout the world, via radio and television".
Following the Marian prayer, the Holy Father went back to the seminary of
Freiburg im Breisgau where he had lunch with members of the German Episcopal
Conference.
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