Pope Benedict XVI- Apostolic Journey to the Holy Land |
"It
Is Necessary to Remove the Walls That We Build Around our Hearts"
Farewell Address to Palestinian Authority
H.H. Benedict XVI
Bethlehem
May 13, 2009
Mr. President,
Dear Friends,
I thank you for the great kindness you have shown me throughout this
day that I have spent in your company, here in the Palestinian
Territories. I am grateful to the President, Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, for
his hospitality and his gracious words. It was deeply moving for me
to listen also to the testimonies of the residents who have spoken
to us about the conditions of life here on the West Bank and in
Gaza. I assure all of you that I hold you in my heart and I long to
see peace and reconciliation throughout these tormented lands.
It has truly been a most memorable day. Since arriving in Bethlehem
this morning, I have had the joy of celebrating Mass together with a
great multitude of the faithful in the place where Jesus Christ,
light of the nations and hope of the world, was born. I have seen
the care taken of today's infants in the Caritas Baby Hospital. With
anguish, I have witnessed the situation of refugees who, like the
Holy Family, have had to flee their homes. And I have seen,
adjoining the camp and overshadowing much of Bethlehem, the wall
that intrudes into your territories, separating neighbors and
dividing families.
Although walls can easily be built, we all know that they do not
last forever. They can be taken down. First, though, it is necessary
to remove the walls that we build around our hearts, the barriers
that we set up against our neighbors. That is why, in my parting
words, I want to make a renewed plea for openness and generosity of
spirit, for an end to intolerance and exclusion. No matter how
intractable and deeply entrenched a conflict may appear to be, there
are always grounds to hope that it can be resolved, that the patient
and persevering efforts of those who work for peace and
reconciliation will bear fruit in the end. My earnest wish for you,
the people of Palestine, is that this will happen soon, and that you
will at last be able to enjoy the peace, freedom and stability that
have eluded you for so long.
Be assured that I will continue to take every opportunity to urge
those involved in peace negotiations to work towards a just solution
that respects the legitimate aspirations of Israelis and
Palestinians alike. As an important step in this direction, the Holy
See looks forward to establishing shortly, in conjunction with the
Palestinian Authority, the Bilateral Permanent Working Commission
that was envisioned in the Basic Agreement, signed in the Vatican on
15 February 2000 (cf. Basic Agreement between the Holy See and the
Palestine Liberation Organization, art. 9).
Mr. President, dear friends, I thank you once again and I commend
all of you to the protection of the Almighty. May God look down in
love upon each one of you, upon your families and all who are dear
to you. And may he bless the Palestinian people with peace.
© Copyright 2009 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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