Dear
priests,
Dear men and women religious,
Dear young people,
With this our encounter my pilgrimage to San Giovanni Rotondo
comes to a close. I am grateful to the Archbishop of Lecce,
Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese, Archbishop Domenico
Umberto D'Ambrosio, and to Father Mauro Jöhri, secretary general
of the Capuchin Friars Minor, for the words of cordial welcome
that they have given me on your behalf. My greeting is now
turned to you, dear priests, who are daily engaged in the
service of God's people as wise guides and diligent workers in
the vineyard of the Lord. I greet with affection the dear
consecrated persons, called to offer the testimony of a total
dedication to Christ through the faithful practice of the
evangelical counsels. A special thought for you, dear Capuchin
Friars, who lovingly care for this oasis of spirituality and
evangelical solidarity, welcoming pilgrims and devotees gathered
by the living memory of your holy confrere, Padre Pio of
Pietrelcina. Thank you very much for this valuable service you
render to the Church and to souls who here rediscover the beauty
of faith and the warmth of divine tenderness. I greet you, dear
young people, to whom the Pope looks with confidence as to the
future of the Church and society. Here in San Giovanni Rotondo,
everything speaks of the sanctity of a humble friar and a
zealous priest, who this evening, also invites us to open our
hearts to the mercy of God; he exhorts us to be holy, that is,
sincere and true friends of Jesus.
Dear priests, just the other day, the Solemnity of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus and the day of priestly holiness, we began the
Priestly Year, during which we will recall with reverence and
affection the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary
Vianney, the holy Curé d'Ars. In the letter I wrote for the
occasion, I wanted to stress the importance of the sanctity of
priests for the life and mission of the Church. Like the Curé
d'Ars, Padre Pio also reminds us of the dignity and
responsibility of the priestly ministry. Who was not impressed
by the fervor with which he re-lived the Passion of Christ in
every celebration of the Eucharist? From his love for the
Eucharist there arose in him as the Curé d'Ars a total
willingness to welcome the faithful, especially sinners. Also,
if St. John Mary Vianney, in a troubled and difficult time,
tried in every way, to help his parishioners rediscover the
meaning and the beauty of sacramental penance, for the holy
friar of the Gargano, the care of souls and the conversion of
sinners were a desire that consumed him until death. How many
people have changed their lives thanks to his patient priestly
ministry, so many long hours in the confessional! Like the Curé
d'Ars, it is his ministry as a confessor that constitutes the
greatest title of glory and the distinctive feature of this holy
Capuchin. How could we not realize then the importance of
participating in the celebration of the Eucharist devoutly and
frequently receiving the sacrament of confession? In particular,
the sacrament of penance must be even more valued, and priests
should never resign themselves to seeing their confessional
deserted or to merely recognizing the diffidence of the faithful
for this extraordinary source of serenity and peace.
There is another great lesson that we can learn from the life of
Padre Pio: the value and necessity of prayer. To whomever that
would ask him about himself, he used to reply: "I am nothing but
a poor friar who prays." And he really did pray always and
everywhere with humility, confidence and perseverance. Here is a
key point not only for the spirituality of the priest, but also
that of every Christian, and even more for you, dear men and
women religious, chosen to follow Christ more closely through
the practice of the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
Sometimes one can become taken by a certain discouragement
before the weakening and even the abandonment of faith that
exists in our societies. Surely we must find new channels to
communicate the message of the Gospel to the men and women of
our time, but since the essence of the Christian message is
always the same, it is necessary to return to its original
source, to Jesus Christ who is "the same yesterday and today and
forever "(Hebrews 13:8). The human and spiritual life of Padre
Pio teaches that only a soul intimately united to the Crucified
will be able to transmit even to those who are far away the joy
and richness of the Gospel.
Love for Christ is inevitably linked to love for his Church,
guided and animated by the power of the Holy Spirit, in which
each of us has a role and a mission to accomplish. Dear priests,
dear men and women religious, different are the tasks which are
entrusted to you and the charisms of which are you are
interpreters, but may the spirit with which implement them be
always one, so that your presence and your work within the
Christian people, become an eloquent witness to the primacy of
God in your life. Was not this what everyone perceived in St.
Pio of Pietrelcina?
Permit me to speak a special word to the young people, which I
see are so many and so enthusiastic. Dear friends, thank you for
your warm welcome and for the heartfelt sentiments your
representative has expressed. I noticed that the pastoral plan
of your diocese, for the years 2007-2010, devotes much attention
to the mission regarding youth and family and I am sure that
from this attitude of listening, encounter, dialogue and
verification in which you are committed, there will result an
ever better care of families and a timely hearing of the actual
expectations of the younger generation. I have present in mind
the problems facing you, dear young men and women, and which
threaten to stifle the enthusiasms typical of your youth. Among
these, in particular, I mention the phenomenon of unemployment,
which affects so many tragic young men and women from Southern
Italy. Do not lose heart! Be "young people of great heart," as
it has been repeated often this year since the Diocesan Youth
Mission, animated and guided by the Regional Seminary of
Molfetta last September. The Church does not abandon you. Do not
abandon the Church!
Your input is necessary in order to build living Christian
communities, and societies that are more just and open to hope.
And if you want to have "great hearts," seek the school of
Jesus. Just the other day we contemplated his heart, great and
full of love for humanity. He will never abandon or betray your
trust, he will never lead down mistaken paths. Just like Padre
Pio, be faithful friends of the Lord Jesus, cultivating a daily
relationship through prayer and through listening to his word,
the diligent practice of the sacraments and the cordial
membership in his family, which is the Church. This must be the
basis of the program of life of each of you, dear young people,
as well as you, dear priests and of you, dear men and women
religious. To each and every one of you I assure my prayers and
implore the maternal protection of Holy Mary of Grace, who
watches over you from her shrine in which crypt lie the remains
of Padre Pio. I thank you very much, yet again, for your welcome
and I bless you all, together with your families, communities,
parishes and your entire diocese.
[Translation by ZENIT]
© Innovative Media, Inc.
Look at the One they
Pierced!
"Love
for Christ Is Inevitably Linked to Love for His Church"