Vatican City, 26 March 2012 (VIS) - This morning, the Holy Father took his
leave of Mexico, arriving at the airport of Leon at 9 a.m. where the departure
ceremony took place.
Addressing Felipe de Jesus Calderon Hinojosa, president of Mexico, and
other civil and religious authorities who were there to greet him, the Pope
noted that his departure was not the end of his affection and closeness to a
country so dear to him.
"Recognising the faith in Jesus Christ which I have felt resounding in your
hearts, and your affectionate devotion to His Mother, invoked here with
beautiful titles like Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Lady of Light, a light I
have seen reflected in
your faces, I wish to reiterate clearly and with vigour a plea to the Mexican
people to remain faithful to yourselves, not to let yourselves be intimidated
by the power of evil, but to be valiant and to work to ensure that the sap of
your Christian
roots may nourish your present and your future.
"I have also seen for myself expressions of concern for various aspects of
the life in this beloved country, some more recent and others long standing,
which continue to cause such great divisions in society. I take them with me
as well, as I share
in the joys and the suffering of my Mexican brothers and sisters, so as to
place them in prayer at the foot of the Cross, in the heart of Christ, out of
which flowed the blood and water of redemption.
"In these circumstances, I strongly urge Mexican Catholics, and all men and
women of good will, not to yield to a utilitarian mentality which always
finishes by sacrificing the weakest and most defenceless. I invite you to a
common effort so that
society can be renewed from the ground up, in order to attain a life of
dignity, justice and peace for everyone. For Catholics, this contribution to
the common good is also a requirement of that essential dimension of the
Gospel which is the human
promotion and a supreme expression of charity. For this reason, the Church
exhorts all her faithful to be good citizens, conscious of their
responsibilities and concerned for the good of others, of everyone, both in
their personal lives and throughout
the various sectors of society.
"Dear Mexican friends, I say to you “Adios!” in the traditional
sense of this fine Hispanic expression: remain with God! Yes, &l
quo;Adios!”; for ever in the love of Christ, in which we meet each other
and will again meet with one
another. May the Lord bless you and may Mary Most Holy protect you!"
Having concluded his remarks the Holy Father boarded his flight for Cuba
where he is scheduled to arrive at 2 p.m. local time (9 p.m. in Rome).
___________________________________________________________
POPE CALLS FOR JUSTICE, PEACE, FREEDOM AND RECONCILIATION FOR CUBA
Vatican City, 26 March 2012 (VIS) - "I come to Cuba as a pilgrim of
charity, to confirm my brothers and sisters in the faith and strengthen them
in the hope which is born of the presence of God’s love in our lives. I
carry in my heart the just
aspirations and legitimate desires of all Cubans, wherever they may be, their
sufferings and their joys, their concerns and their noblest desires, those of
the young and the elderly, of adolescents and children, of the sick and
workers, of prisoners and
their families, and of the poor and those in need".
These were the words pronounced by Benedict XVI as he began his apostolic
trip to Cuba, where he arrived this afternoon from Mexico. The Pope was
greeted at the airport of Santiago de Cuba, the island's second largest city,
by Raul Castro, president
of Cuba, Archbishop Dionisio Guillermo Garcia Ibanez, president of the Cuban
Episcopal Conference, and Cardinal Jaime Ortega y Alamino, archbishop of
Havana.
In his welcome address the Holy Father spoke of the "indelible mark" left
on the island by the visit of Blessed John Paul II. "For many, whether
believers or not", he said, "his example and his teachings are a luminous
guide for their personal lives
and their public activity in the service of the common good of the nation. His
visit to this island was like a gentle breath of fresh air which gave new
strength to the Church in Cuba, awakening in many a renewed awareness of the
importance of faith and
inspiring them to open their hearts to Christ, while at the same time kindling
their hope and encouraging their desire to work fearlessly for a better
future. One of the important fruits of that visit was the inauguration of a
new phase in the
relationship in Cuba between Church and State, in a new spirit of cooperation
and trust, even if many areas remain in which greater progress can and ought
to be made, especially as regards the indispensable public
contribution that religion is called to make in the life of society".
The Holy Father also referred to the four hundredth anniversary of
discovery of the image of "Nuestra Senora de la Caridad del Cobre", saying
that "since the beginning she has been very much present in the personal lives
of Cubans as well as in the
great events of the nation, especially since independence, for she is honoured
by all as the true mother of the Cuban people.
"Devotion to the 'Virgen Mambisa'", he added, "has sustained the faith and
inspired the defence and promotion of all that gives dignity to the human
condition and fundamental rights, and it continues to do so today with ever
greater strength, giving
visible witness to the fruitfulness of the preaching of the Gospel in these
lands, and to the profound Christian roots which shape the deepest identity of
the Cuban soul. Following in the footsteps of countless pilgrims down the
centuries, I too wish to
go to El Cobre to kneel at the feet of the Mother of God, to thank her for her
concern for all her Cuban children, and to ask her to guide the future of this
beloved nation in the ways of justice, peace, freedom and reconciliation".
The Pope then went on to refer to the difficult world economic situation,
noting that many people see it "as part of a profound spiritual and moral
crisis which has left humanity devoid of values and defenceless before the
ambition and selfishness of
certain powers which take little account of the true good of individuals and
families. We can no longer continue in the same cultural and moral direction
which has caused the painful situation that many suffer. On the other hand,
real progress calls for
an ethics which focuses on the human person and takes account of the most
profound human needs, especially man’s spiritual and religious
dimension. In the hearts and minds of many, the way is thus opening to an ever
greater certainty that the
rebirth of society demands upright men and women of firm moral convictions,
with deep values who will not be manipulated by dubious interests and who are
respectful of the unchanging and transcendent nature of the human
person".
"I am convinced", he concluded, "that Cuba, at this moment of particular
importance in its history, is already looking to the future, and thus is
striving to renew and broaden its horizons. Of great help in this enterprise
will be the great patrimony
of spiritual and moral values which created the nation’s true identity,
and which are to be found concretely in the work and the life of many
distinguished fathers of the country, like Blessed Jose Olallo y Valdes, the
Servant of God Felix Varela,
and the worthy Jose Marti. For her part, the Church too has diligently
contributed to the cultivation of those values through her generous and
selfless pastoral mission, and renews her commitment to work tirelessly the
better to serve all Cubans".
___________________________________________________________
THE TRUE FACE OF THE CHURCH IS A PLACE WHERE GOD DRAWS NEAR AND ENCOUNTERS
HUMANITY
Vatican City, 26 March 2012 (VIS) - Two hundred thousand people today
participated in a Mass presided by Benedict XVI at Plaza Antonio Maceo in
Santiago de Cuba, to mark the four hundredth anniversary of discovery of the
image of "Nuestra Senora de
la Caridad del Cobre", patron of the Island. Among those attending the
ceremony was Raul Castro, president of Cuba.
Before the celebration, which took place under driving rain, the original
image of "Nuestra Senora del Cobre" was displayed in the square, before which,
to mark the Solemnity of the Annunciation, the Holy Father placed a golden
rose.
In his homily, the Pope expressed his appreciation for "the sacrifices and
the dedication" with which the Cubans have prepared their Marian Jubilee Year.
"I was deeply touched to hear of the fervour with which Mary has been invoked
by so many Cubans
during her journey to every corner of the island", he said.
"These important events in the Church in Cuba take on a special lustre
because of the feast celebrated today throughout the universal Church: the
Annunciation of the Lord to the Virgin Mary. The Incarnation of the Son of God
is the central mystery of
the Christian faith, and in it Mary occupies a central place".
"In Mary", the Holy Father explained, "the Son of God is made man. ... The
Apostle St. John expresses it in the following way: “And the Word became
flesh and dwelt among us”. The expression, “became flesh”
points to our human
reality in a most concrete and tangible way. In Christ, God has truly come
into the world, He has entered into our history, He has set His dwelling among
us, thus fulfilling the deepest desire of human beings such that the world may
truly become a home
worthy of humanity. On the other hand, when God is put aside, the world
becomes an inhospitable place for man, and frustrates creation’s true
vocation to be a space for the covenant, for the “Yes” to the love
between God and humanity
who responds to Him. And so Mary became the first fruit of believers with her
unreserved “Yes” to the Lord.
"For this reason, contemplating the mystery of the Incarnation, we cannot
fail to turn our eyes to her, ... seeing how our God, coming into the world,
wished to depend upon the free consent of one of His creatures. Only from the
moment when the
Virgin responded to the angel ... did the eternal Word of the Father began His
human existence in time. It is touching to see how God not only respects human
freedom: He almost seems to require it. And we see also how the beginning of
the earthly life
of the Son of God was marked by a double “Yes” to the saving plan
of the Father - that of Christ and that of Mary. This obedience to God is what
opens the doors of the world to the truth, to salvation. God has created us as
the fruit of His
infinite love, and so to live in accordance with His will is the way to
encounter our genuine identity, the truth of our being, while apart from God
we are alienated from ourselves and are hurled into the void. The obedience of
faith is true liberty, authentic redemption, which allows us to unite
ourselves to the love of Jesus in His determination to conform Himself to the
will of the Father. Redemption is always this process of the lifting up of the
human will to full
communion with the divine will".
"The Virgin Mary, by her unique role in the mystery of Christ, represents
the exemplar and model of the Church. The Church, like the Mother of Christ,
is also called to embrace in herself the mystery of God Who comes to live in
her. Dear brothers and
sisters, I know with what effort, daring and self-sacrifice you work every day
so that, in the concrete circumstances of your country, and at this moment in
history, the Church will better present her true face as a place in which God
draws near and
encounters humanity. The Church, the living body of Christ, has the mission of
prolonging on earth the salvific presence of God, of opening the world to
something greater than itself, to the love and the light of God. ... I
encourage you in this task of
sowing the word of God in the world and offering to everyone the true
nourishment of the body of Christ. Easter is already approaching; let us
determine to follow Jesus without fear or doubts on His journey to the Cross.
May we
accept with patience and faith whatever opposition or affliction may come,
with the conviction that, in His Resurrection, He has crushed the power of
evil which darkens everything, and has brought the dawn of a new world, the
world of God, of light, of
truth and happiness. The Lord will not hesitate to bless with abundant fruits
the generosity of your commitment.
"The mystery of the Incarnation, in which God draws near to us, also shows
us the incomparable dignity of every human life. In His loving plan, from the
beginning of creation, God has entrusted to the family founded on matrimony
the most lofty
mission of being the fundamental cell of society and an authentic domestic
church. With this certainty, you, dear husbands and wives, are called to be,
especially for your children, a real and visible sign of the love of Christ
for the Church. Cuba
needs the witness of your fidelity, your unity, your capacity to welcome human
life, especially that of the weakest and most needy".
The Pope concluded his homily: "Before the gaze of Our Lady of Charity of
El Cobre, I appeal to you to reinvigorate your faith, that you may live in
Christ and for Christ, and armed with peace, forgiveness and understanding,
that you may strive to
build a renewed and open society, a better society, one more worthy of
humanity, and which better reflects the goodness of God".
___________________________________________________________
MESSAGE FOR TWENTY-SEVENTH WORLD YOUTH DAY: "REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS"
Vatican City, 27 March 2012 (VIS) - "Rejoice in the Lord always", a verse
from St. Paul's Letter the Philippians, is the theme chosen by the Holy Father
for twenty-seventh World Youth Day, which is to be celebrated in dioceses
throughout the world on
Palm Sunday. Extracts from the English-language version of the message are
given below.
"This year’s World Youth Day theme comes from St. Paul’s
exhortation in his Letter to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord
always”. Joy is at the heart of Christian experience. At each World
Youth Day we experience immense
joy, the joy of communion, the joy of being Christian, the joy of faith. This
is one of the marks of these gatherings. We can see the great attraction that
joy exercises. In a world of sorrow and anxiety, joy is an important witness
to the beauty and
reliability of the Christian faith. The Church’s vocation is to bring
joy to the world. ... In these difficult times, so many young people all
around you need to hear that the Christian message is a message of joy and
hope!"
1. Our hearts are made for joy
"A yearning for joy lurks within the heart of every man and woman. ... This
is particularly true for you, because youth is ... a time of openness to the
future and of great longing for happiness, friendship, sharing and truth, a
time when we are
moved by high ideals and make great plans. ... Yet each day we also face any
number of difficulties. Deep down we also worry about the future; we begin to
wonder if the full and lasting joy for which we long might be an illusion and
an escape from
reality. ... How can we distinguish things that give real and lasting joy from
immediate and illusory pleasures? How can we find true joy in life, a joy that
endures and does not forsake us at moments of difficulty?"
2. God is the source of true joy
"Whatever brings us true joy, whether the small joys of each day or the
greatest joys in life, has its source in God, even if this does not seem
immediately obvious. This is because God is a communion of eternal love, He is
infinite joy that does not
remain closed in on itself, but expands to embrace all whom God loves and who
love Him. ... God wants us to share in His own divine and eternal joy, and He
helps us to see that the deepest meaning and value of our lives lie in being
accepted, welcomed
and loved by Him. Whereas we sometimes find it hard to accept others, God
offers us an unconditional acceptance which enables us to say: “I am
loved; I have a place in the world and in history; I am personally loved by
God".
"God’s infinite love for each of us is fully seen in Jesus Christ.
The joy we are searching for is to be found in Him. ... The cause of all this
joy is the closeness of God Who became one of us. ... Christ is the One Who
lives and Who overcame
evil, sin and death. He is present among us as the Risen One and He will
remain with us until the end of the world. Evil does not have the last word in
our lives; rather, faith in Christ the Saviour tells us that God’s love
is victorious".
3. Preserving Christian joy in our hearts
"The discovery and preservation of spiritual joy is the fruit of an
encounter with the Lord. Jesus asks us to follow Him and to stake our whole
life on Him. ... Joy is the fruit of faith. ... Learn to see how God is
working in your lives. ... Turn
your eyes to Him often. He gave His life for you on the cross because He loves
you. Contemplation of this great love brings a hope and joy to our hearts that
nothing can destroy".
"To seek the Lord and find Him in our lives also means accepting His word.
... God’s word reveals the wonders that He has accomplished throughout
human history. ... The liturgy is a special place where the Church expresses
the joy which she
receives from the Lord and transmits it to the world. Each Sunday at Mass the
Christian community celebrates the central mystery of salvation, which is the
death and resurrection of Christ".
4. The joy of love
"Joy is intimately linked to love. They are inseparable gifts of the Holy
Spirit. Love gives rise to joy, and joy is a form of love. ... To love means
to be steadfast, reliable and faithful to commitments. ... If we are to
experience the joy of love,
we must also be generous. We cannot be content to give the minimum. We need to
be fully committed in life and to pay particular attention to those in need.
The world needs men and women who are competent and generous, willing to be at
the service of the
common good. ... Find ways to help make society more just and humane wherever
you happen to be. ... I would like to mention one particular joy. It is the
joy we feel when we respond to the vocation to give our whole life to the
Lord. ... Do not be
afraid if Christ is calling you to the religious, monastic or missionary life
or to the priesthood. Be assured that He fills with joy all those who respond
to His invitation. ... In the same way, God gives great joy to men and
women who give themselves totally to one another in marriage in order to build
a family. ... A third element that will lead you to the joy of love ... is
allowing fraternal love to grow in your lives and in those of your
communities".
5. The joy of conversion
"Experiencing real joy also means recognising the temptations that lead us
away from it. Our present-day culture often pressures us to seek immediate
goals, achievements and pleasures. It fosters fickleness more than
perseverance, hard work and
fidelity to commitments. ... Experience teaches us that possessions do not
ensure happiness".
"God wants us to be happy. That is why He gave us specific directions for
the journey of life: the Commandments. If we observe them, we will find the
path to life and happiness. At first glance, they might seem to be a list of
prohibitions and an
obstacle to our freedom. But if we study them more closely, we see in the
light of Christ’s message that the Commandments are a set of essential
and valuable rules leading to a happy life in accordance with God’s
plan. ... At times the path
of the Christian life is not easy, and being faithful to the Lord’s love
presents obstacles; occasionally we fall. Yet God in His mercy never abandons
us; He always offers us the possibility of returning to him. ... Have frequent
recourse to the
Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation! It is the Sacrament of joy
rediscovered".
6. Joy at times of trial
"In the end, though, we might still wonder in our hearts whether it is
really possible to live joyfully amid all life’s trials, especially
those which are most tragic and mysterious. ... We can find an answer in some
of the experiences of young
people like yourselves who have found in Christ the light that can give
strength and hope even in difficult situations.
"Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati experienced many trials during his short
life. ... When Blessed John Paul II presented Blessed Pier Giorgio as a model
for young people, he described him as “a young person with infectious
joy, the joy that
overcame many difficulties in his life”. Closer to us in time is Chiara
Badano, who was recently beatified. She experienced how pain could be
transfigured by love and mysteriously steeped in joy. ... Authentic Christians
are never despairing or
sad, not even when faced with difficult trials. They show that Christian joy
is not a flight from reality, but a supernatural power that helps us to deal
with the challenges of daily life".
7. Witnesses of joy
"To conclude I would encourage you to be missionaries of joy. We cannot be
happy if others are not. ... Go and tell other young people about your joy at
finding the precious treasure which is Jesus Himself. We cannot keep the joy
of faith to
ourselves. If we are to keep it, we must give it away".
"Christianity is sometimes depicted as a way of life that stifles our
freedom and goes against our desires for happiness and joy. But this is far
from the truth. Christians are men and women who are truly happy because they
know that they are not
alone. They know that God is always holding them in His hands. It is up to
you, young followers of Christ, to show the world that faith brings happiness
and a joy which is true, full and enduring. If the way Christians live at
times appears dull and
boring, you should be the first to show the joyful and happy side of faith.
The Gospel is the “good news” that God loves us and that each of
us is important to Him. Show the world that this is true!"
___________________________________________________________
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