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Pope Benedict XVI - World Youth Day 2008 |
"Young
People Today Face a Bewildering Variety of Life-Choices"
Address at the Government House Welcome Ceremony
His Holiness Benedict XVI
Sydney, Australia
July 17, 2007
Your
Excellencies,
Dear Australian Friends,
It is with great joy that I greet you today. I would like to thank
the Governor-General, Major-General Michael Jeffery and Prime
Minister Rudd for honouring me by their presence at this ceremony
and for welcoming me so graciously. As you know, I have been able to
enjoy some quiet days since my arrival in Australia last Sunday. I
am most grateful for the hospitality that has been extended to me.
Now I look forward to this evening's "Welcome to Country" by the
indigenous people and to celebrating the great events which form the
purpose of my Apostolic Visit: the Twenty-Third World Youth Day.
Some might ask what motivates thousands of young people to undertake
what is for many a long and demanding journey in order to
participate in an event of this kind. Ever since the first World
Youth Day in 1986, it has been evident that vast numbers of young
people appreciate the opportunity to come together to deepen their
faith in Christ and to share with one another a joyful experience of
communion in his Church. They long to hear the word of God, and to
learn more about their Christian faith. They are eager to take part
in an event which brings into focus the high ideals that inspire
them, and they return home filled with hope and renewed in their
resolve to contribute to the building of a better world. For me it
is a joy to be with them, to pray with them and to celebrate the
Eucharist with them. World Youth Day fills me with confidence for
the future of the Church and the future of our world.
It seems particularly appropriate to celebrate World Youth Day here,
since the Church in Australia, as well as being the youngest of any
continent, is also one of the most cosmopolitan. Since the first
European settlement here in the late eighteenth century, this
country has become a home not only to generations of Europeans, but
to people from every corner of the globe. The immense diversity of
the Australian population today gives a particular vibrancy to what
may still be considered, in comparison with much of the rest of the
world, a young nation. Yet for thousands of years before the arrival
of Western settlers, the sole inhabitants of the land were
indigenous peoples, the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.
Their ancient heritage forms an essential part of the cultural
landscape of modern Australia. Thanks to the Australian Government's
courageous decision to acknowledge the injustices committed against
the indigenous peoples in the past, concrete steps are now being
taken to achieve reconciliation based on mutual respect. Rightly,
you are seeking to close the gap between indigenous and
non-indigenous Australians regarding life expectancy, educational
achievement and economic opportunity! This example of reconciliation
offers hope to peoples all over the world who long to see their
rights affirmed and their contribution to society acknowledged and
promoted.
The settlers who came here from Europe have always included a
significant proportion of Catholics, and we may be justly proud of
the contribution they have made to the building up of the nation,
particularly in the fields of education and healthcare. One of the
most outstanding figures in this country's history is Blessed Mary
MacKillop, at whose tomb I shall pray later this morning. I know
that her perseverance in the face of adversity, her plea for justice
on behalf of those unfairly treated and her practical example of
holiness have become a source of inspiration for all Australians.
Generations have reason to be grateful to her and to the Sisters of
Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart and other religious congregations
for the network of schools that they established here and for the
witness of their consecrated life. In today's more secular
environment, the Catholic community continues to make an important
contribution to national life, not only through education and
healthcare, but especially by highlighting the spiritual dimension
of the questions that feature prominently in contemporary debate.
With many thousands of young people visiting Australia at this time,
it is appropriate to reflect upon the kind of world we are handing
on to future generations. In the words of your national anthem, this
land "abounds in nature's gifts, of beauty rich and rare". The
wonder of God's creation reminds us of the need to protect the
environment and to exercise responsible stewardship of the goods of
the earth. In this connection I note that Australia is making a
serious commitment to address its responsibility to care for the
natural environment. Likewise with regard to the human environment,
this country has generously supported international peace-keeping
operations, contributing to conflict resolution in the Pacific, in
South-East Asia and elsewhere. Owing to the many religious
traditions represented in Australia, this is particularly fertile
ground for ecumenical and interreligious dialogue. I look forward to
meeting local representatives of different Christian communities and
other religions during my stay, so as to encourage this important
work, a sign of the reconciling action of the Spirit who impels us
to seek unity in truth and charity.
First and foremost, though, I am here to meet the young, from
Australia and from all over the world, and to pray for a renewed
outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all those taking part in our
celebrations. The theme chosen for World Youth Day 2008 is taken
from words spoken by Jesus himself to his disciples, as recorded in
the Acts of the Apostles: "You shall receive power when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses to the ends
of the earth" (1:9). I pray that the Holy Spirit will bring
spiritual renewal to this land, to the Australian people, to the
Church throughout Oceania and indeed to the ends of the earth. Young
people today face a bewildering variety of life-choices, so that
they sometimes find it hard to know how best to channel their
idealism and their energy. It is the Spirit who gives the wisdom to
discern the right path and the courage to follow it. He crowns our
poor efforts with his divine gifts, just as the wind filling the
sails sweeps the ship forward, far surpassing what the oarsmen can
achieve through their laborious rowing. In this way, the Spirit
enables men and women in every land and in every generation to
become saints. Through the Spirit's action, may the young people
gathered here for World Youth Day have the courage to become saints!
This is what the world needs more than anything else.
Dear Australian friends, once again I thank you for your generous
welcome and I look forward to spending these days with you and with
the young people of the world. May God bless all who are present,
all the pilgrims and all who live in this land. And may he always
bless and protect the Commonwealth of Australia.
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