Pope Benedict XVI
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Pope Benedict XVI announces
the cause of Beatification of John Paul II
Why the name Benedict? + First Message + Thanks Media + Inaugural Mass + Inaugural Homily +
BENEDICT XVI ANNOUNCES CAUSE OF BEATIFICATION OF JOHN PAUL II
VATICAN CITY, MAY 13, 2005 (VIS) - Benedict XVI today announced the opening of the cause of beatification of John Paul II, waiving the normal waiting period of five years after the death of a Servant of God. The Pope made the announcement in the course of a meeting with the Roman clergy in the basilica of St. John Lateran.
The rescript - or document authorizing the act - is dated May 9, 2005 and is signed by Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins and Archbishop Edward Nowak, respectively prefect and secretary of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
This morning, after traveling by car to the Vicariate of Rome, the Pope, in a ceremony in the Hall of Conciliation, greeted the staff who work there and visited the pontifical apartments.
Benedict XVI then went to the basilica of St. John Lateran where he met the clergy of his diocese. After a brief greeting pronounced by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome, the Pope delivered his address.
He said that "the extraordinary experience of faith that we experienced with the death of our much-loved Pope John Paul II, has shown us a Roman Church profoundly united, full of life and rich in enthusiasm; all this is the fruit of your prayers and your apostolate."
After underlining the need "to always go back to the roots of our priestly calling," in other words, "Jesus Christ, the Lord," Benedict XVI pointed out that as priests "we are charged not to say many words, but rather to echo and to be bearers of a single 'Word,' that is the Word of God, made flesh for our salvation. ... We have to be His true friends, to share His feelings, to want what He wants and not want what He does not want."
The Pope invited the priests to make their own these words of John Paul II: "Mass is, in an absolute way, the center of my life and of each of my days." Speaking of obedience to Christ, he recalled that this "takes concrete form in ecclesial obedience, which for a priest is, in everyday practice, above all obedience to his bishop."
Benedict XVI also recalled what he had said in his homily prior to the conclave, when he referred to "holy restlessness; a restlessness to bring everyone the gift of faith." After highlighting that Christ "calls us to be His witnesses," the Pope mentioned the necessity of "being with God," of seeking "intimate communion with Christ," in order "not to give in to fatigue, but to resist and, even more so, to grow as people and as priests."
"Time to be in the presence of God is a true pastoral priority," he continued, "in the final analysis, the most important priority. John Paul II demonstrated this to us in the most tangible and luminous of ways in all the circumstances of his life and his ministry."
The Holy Father affirmed that "our personal response to the call of sanctity is fundamental and decisive. This condition is essential, not only for our personal apostolate to be fruitful but also, and more broadly, for the Church's face to reflect the light of Christ."
"My ministry as bishop of Rome follows in the footsteps of my predecessors, in particular taking up the precious heritage left by John Paul II. Dear priests and deacons, let us walk together along this path with serenity and trust."
After his address, Benedict XVI listened attentively to questions and reflections presented by various priests and religious, and thanked them for the remarks. He then returned to the Vatican by car.
BXVI-VISIT LATERAN/BEATIFICATION JOHN PAUL/... VIS 050513 (610)POPE TELLS WHY HE CHOSE NAME OF BENEDICT
VATICAN CITY, APR 27, 2005 (VIS) - In his first general audience, which was held this morning in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 15,000 people, the Pope again gave thanks to God for having elected him as Peter's successor, and explained why he chose the name of Benedict.
The Holy Father spoke of the feelings he was experiencing at the beginning of his ministry: "awe and gratitude to God, Who surprised me more than anyone in calling me to succeed the Apostle Peter; and interior trepidation before the greatness of the task and the responsibilities which have been entrusted to me. However, I draw serenity and joy from the certainty of God's help, that of His most Holy Mother the Virgin Mary, and of the patron saints. I also feel supported by the spiritual closeness of all the people of God whom, as I repeated last Sunday, I continue to ask to accompany me with persistent prayer."
"Resuming the Wednesday general audiences," he went on, "I wish to speak of the name I chose on becoming bishop of Rome and pastor of the universal Church. I chose to call myself Benedict XVI ideally as a link to the venerated Pontiff, Benedict XV, who guided the Church through the turbulent times of the First World War. He was a true and courageous prophet of peace who struggled strenuously and bravely, first to avoid the drama of war and then to limit its terrible consequences. In his footsteps I place my ministry, in the service of reconciliation and harmony between peoples, profoundly convinced that the great good of peace is above all a gift of God, a fragile and precious gift to be invoked, safeguarded and constructed, day after day and with everyone's contribution.
"The name Benedict also evokes the extraordinary figure of the great 'patriarch of western monasticism,' St. Benedict of Norcia, co-patron of Europe with Cyril and Methodius. The progressive expansion of the Benedictine Order which he founded exercised an enormous influence on the spread of Christianity throughout the European continent. For this reason, St. Benedict is much venerated in Germany, and especially in Bavaria, my own land of origin; he constitutes a fundamental point of reference for the unity of Europe and a powerful call to the irrefutable Christian roots of European culture and civilization."
The Pope appealed to St. Benedict for help "to hold firm Christ's central position in our lives. May he always be first in our thoughts and in all our activities!"
Before concluding, Benedict XVI announced that, just as at the beginning of his pontificate John Paul II had continued the reflections on Christian virtues begun by Pope John Paul I, in coming weekly audiences he would resume "the comments prepared by John Paul II on the second part of the Psalms and Canticles, which are part of Vespers. From next Wednesday, I will begin precisely from where his catechesis was interrupted after the general audience of January 26."
The Holy Father read out brief summaries of his catechesis, which he had delivered in Italian, in various other languages: English, French, Spanish and German. He then gave brief greetings to various groups in Croatian, Slovenian and Polish and concluded by addressing the 1,000 faithful from the archdiocese of Spoleto-Norcia, Italy, who were accompanied by Archbishop Riccardo Fontana.
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VATICAN CITY, APR 20, 2005 (VIS) - Following is the complete text of the first message of Pope Benedict XVI which he delivered in Latin at the end of this morning's Mass with the members of the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected as the 264th successor to St. Peter in early evening yesterday."Grace and peace in abundance to all of you! In my soul there are two contrasting sentiments in these hours. On the one hand, a sense of inadequacy and human turmoil for the responsibility entrusted to me yesterday as the Successor of the Apostle Peter in this See of Rome, with regard to the Universal Church. On the other hand I sense within me profound gratitude to God Who - as the liturgy makes us sing - does not abandon His flock, but leads it throughout time, under the guidance of those whom He has chosen as vicars of His Son, and made pastors."Dear Ones, this intimate recognition for a gift of divine mercy prevails in my heart in spite of everything. I consider this a grace obtained for me by my venerated predecessor, John Paul II. It seems I can feel his strong hand squeezing mine; I seem to see his smiling eyes and listen to his words, addressed to me especially at this moment: 'Do not be afraid!'"The death of the Holy Father John Paul II, and the days which followed, were for the Church and for the entire world an extraordinary time of grace. The great pain for his death and the void that it left in all of us were tempered by the action of the Risen Christ, which showed itself during long days in the choral wave of faith, love and spiritual solidarity, culminating in his solemn funeral."We can say it: the funeral of John Paul II was a truly extraordinary experience in which was perceived in some way the power of God Who, through His Church, wishes to form a great family of all peoples, through the unifying force of Truth and Love. In the hour of death, conformed to his Master and Lord, John Paul II crowned his long and fruitful pontificate, confirming the Christian people in faith, gathering them around him and making the entire human family feel more united."How can one not feel sustained by this witness? How can one not feel the encouragement that comes from this event of grace?"Surprising every prevision I had, Divine Providence, through the will of the venerable Cardinal Fathers, called me to succeed this great Pope. I have been thinking in these hours about what happened in the region of Cesarea of Phillippi two thousand years ago: I seem to hear the words of Peter: 'You are Christ, the Son of the living God,' and the solemn affirmation of the Lord: 'You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church ... I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven'."You are Christ! You are Peter! It seems I am reliving this very Gospel scene; I, the Successor of Peter, repeat with trepidation the anxious words of the fisherman from Galilee and I listen again with intimate emotion to the reassuring promise of the divine Master. If the weight of the responsibility that now lies on my poor shoulders is enormous, the divine power on which I can count is surely immeasurable: 'You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church'. Electing me as the Bishop of Rome, the Lord wanted me as his Vicar, he wished me to be the 'rock' upon which everyone may rest with confidence. I ask him to make up for the poverty of my strength, that I may be a courageous and faithful pastor of His flock, always docile to the inspirations of His Spirit."I undertake this special ministry, the 'Petrine' ministry at the service of the Universal Church, with humble abandon to the hands of the Providence of God. And it is to Christ in the first place that I renew my total and trustworthy adhesion: 'In Te, Domine, speravi; non confundar in aeternum!'"To you, Lord Cardinals, with a grateful soul for the trust shown me, I ask you to sustain me with prayer and with constant, active and wise collaboration. I also ask my brothers in the episcopacy to be close to me in prayer and counsel so that I may truly be the 'Servus servorum Dei' (Servant of the servants of God). As Peter and the other Apostles were, through the will of the Lord, one apostolic college, in the same way the Successor of Peter and the Bishops, successors of the Apostles - and the Council forcefully repeated this - must be closely united among themselves. This collegial communion, even in the diversity of roles and functions of the Supreme Pontiff and the bishops, is at the service of the Church and the unity of faith, from which depend in a notable measure the effectiveness of the evangelizing action of the contemporary world. Thus, this path, upon which my venerated predecessors went forward, I too intend to follow, concerned solely with proclaiming to the world the living presence of Christ."Before my eyes is, in particular, the witness of Pope John Paul II. He leaves us a Church that is more courageous, freer, younger. A Church that, according to his teaching and example, looks with serenity to the past and is not afraid of the future. With the Great Jubilee the Church was introduced into the new millennium carrying in her hands the Gospel, applied to the world through the authoritative re-reading of Vatican Council II. Pope John Paul II justly indicated the Council as a 'compass' with which to orient ourselves in the vast ocean of the third millennium. Also in his spiritual testament he noted: ' I am convinced that for a very long time the new generations will draw upon the riches that this council of the 20th century gave us'."I too, as I start in the service that is proper to the Successor of Peter, wish to affirm with force my decided will to pursue the commitment to enact Vatican Council II, in the wake of my predecessors and in faithful continuity with the millennia-old tradition of the Church. Precisely this year is the 40th anniversary of the conclusion of this conciliar assembly (December 8, 1965). With the passing of time, the conciliar documents have not lost their timeliness; their teachings have shown themselves to be especially pertinent to the new exigencies of the Church and the present globalized society."In a very significant way, my pontificate starts as the Church is living the special year dedicated to the Eucharist. How can I not see in this providential coincidence an element that must mark the ministry to which I have been called? The Eucharist, the heart of Christian life and the source of the evangelizing mission of the Church, cannot but be the permanent center and the source of the petrine service entrusted to me."The Eucharist makes the Risen Christ constantly present, Christ Who continues to give Himself to us, calling us to participate in the banquet of His Body and His Blood. From this full communion with Him comes every other element of the life of the Church, in the first place the communion among the faithful, the commitment to proclaim and give witness to the Gospel, the ardor of charity towards all, especially towards the poor and the smallest."In this year, therefore, the Solemnity of Corpus Christ must be celebrated in a particularly special way. The Eucharist will be at the center, in August, of World Youth Day in Cologne and, in October, of the ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops which will take place on the theme "The Eucharist, Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church.' I ask everyone to intensify in coming months love and devotion to the Eucharistic Jesus and to express in a courageous and clear way the real presence of the Lord, above all through the solemnity and the correctness of the celebrations."I ask this in a special way of priests, about whom I am thinking in this moment with great affection. The priestly ministry was born in the Cenacle, together with the Eucharist, as my venerated predecessor John Paul II underlined so many times. 'The priestly life must have in a special way a 'Eucharistic form', he wrote in his last Letter for Holy Thursday. The devout daily celebration of Holy Mass, the center of the life and mission of every priest, contributes to this end."Nourished and sustained by the Eucharist, Catholics cannot but feel stimulated to tend towards that full unity for which Christ hoped in the Cenacle. Peter's Successor knows that he must take on this supreme desire of the Divine Master in a particularly special way. To him, indeed, has been entrusted the duty of strengthening his brethren."Thus, in full awareness and at the beginning of his ministry in the Church of Rome that Peter bathed with his blood, the current Successor assumes as his primary commitment that of working tirelessly towards the reconstitution of the full and visible unity of all Christ's followers. This is his ambition, this is his compelling duty. He is aware that to do so, expressions of good feelings are not enough. Concrete gestures are required to penetrate souls and move consciences, encouraging everyone to that interior conversion which is the basis for all progress on the road of ecumenism."Theological dialogue is necessary. A profound examination of the historical reasons behind past choices is also indispensable. But even more urgent is that 'purification of memory,' which was so often evoked by John Paul II, and which alone can dispose souls to welcome the full truth of Christ. It is before Him, supreme Judge of all living things, that each of us must stand, in the awareness that one day we must explain to Him what we did and what we did not do for the great good that is the full and visible unity of all His disciples."The current Successor of Peter feels himself to be personally implicated in this question and is disposed to do all in his power to promote the fundamental cause of ecumenism. In the wake of his predecessors, he is fully determined to cultivate any initiative that may seem appropriate to promote contact and agreement with representatives from the various Churches and ecclesial communities. Indeed, on this occasion too, he sends them his most cordial greetings in Christ, the one Lord of all."In this moment, I go back in my memory to the unforgettable experience we all underwent with the death and the funeral of the lamented John Paul II. Around his mortal remains, lying on the bare earth, leaders of nations gathered, with people from all social classes and especially the young, in an unforgettable embrace of affection and admiration. The entire world looked to him with trust. To many it seemed as if that intense participation, amplified to the confines of the planet by the social communications media, was like a choral request for help addressed to the Pope by modern humanity which, wracked by fear and uncertainty, questions itself about the future."The Church today must revive within herself an awareness of the task to present the world again with the voice of the One Who said: 'I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.' In undertaking his ministry, the new Pope knows that his task is to bring the light of Christ to shine before the men and women of today: not his own light but that of Christ."With this awareness, I address myself to everyone, even to those who follow other religions or who are simply seeking an answer to the fundamental questions of life and have not yet found it. I address everyone with simplicity and affection, to assure them that the Church wants to continue to build an open and sincere dialogue with them, in a search for the true good of mankind and of society."From God I invoke unity and peace for the human family and declare the willingness of all Catholics to cooperate for true social development, one that respects the dignity of all human beings."I will make every effort and dedicate myself to pursuing the promising dialogue that my predecessors began with various civilizations, because it is mutual understanding that gives rise to conditions for a better future for everyone."I am particularly thinking of young people. To them, the privileged interlocutors of John Paul II, I send an affectionate embrace in the hope, God willing, of meeting them at Cologne on the occasion of the next World Youth Day. With you, dear young people, I will continue to maintain a dialogue, listening to your expectations in an attempt to help you meet ever more profoundly the living, ever young, Christ."'Mane nobiscum, Domine!' Stay with us Lord! This invocation, which forms the dominant theme of John Paul II's Apostolic Letter for the Year of the Eucharist, is the prayer that comes spontaneously from my heart as I turn to begin the ministry to which Christ has called me. Like Peter, I too renew to Him my unconditional promise of faithfulness. He alone I intend to serve as I dedicate myself totally to the service of His Church."In support of this promise, I invoke the maternal intercession of Mary Most Holy, in whose hands I place the present and the future of my person and of the Church. May the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, also intercede."With these sentiments I impart to you venerated brother cardinals, to those participating in this ritual, and to all those following to us by television and radio, a special and affectionate blessing."
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Urbi et Orbi Blessing
Dear brothers and sisters,
after our great Pope, John Paul II, the Cardinals have elected me, a simple,
humble worker in God's vineyard.I am consoled by the fact that the Lord knows how to work and how to act,
even with insufficient tools, and I especially trust in your prayers.In the joy of the resurrected Lord, trustful of his permanent help,
we go ahead, sure that God will help. And Mary, his most beloved Mother,
stands on our side. Thank you.
After his acceptance (of the canonical election to the papacy) and the designation of his name as pope, "the person elected, if he has already received episcopal ordination, is immediately bishop of the Church of Rome, true pope and head of the college of bishops. He thus acquires and can exercise full and supreme power over the universal Church.
"If the person elected is not already a bishop, he shall immediately be ordained bishop."
After the observance of required formalities, the cardinal electors make an act of homage and obedience to the new pope, who is then introduced to the people, to whom he imparts his blessing "To the City and the World," in accord with custom.
"The conclave ends immediately after the new supreme pontiff assents to his election, unless he should determine otherwise."
"After the solemn ceremony of the inauguration of the pontificate and within an appropriate time, the pope will take possession of the Patriarchal Archbasilica of the Lateran."
In accord with longstanding custom, the election of the pope is signaled to the outside world by the white smoke from the burning of the last ballots cast by the cardinals.
A Mass of installation is scheduled at a later date, most likely in the plaza in front of Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.
POPE THANKS MEDIA FOR
SERVICE TO HOLY SEE, CATHOLIC CHURCH
VATICAN CITY, APR 23, 2005 (VIS) - In the first audience of his papacy, Pope
Benedict XVI welcomed several thousand members of the print and electronic media
this morning in the Paul VI Hall and thanked them for their arduous work in
recent weeks in covering the "important ecclesial events" that have taken place
in Rome and "for the service you have given in these days to the Holy See and
the Catholic Church." Greeted by enthusiastic applause, he spoke to the
journalists, photographers and cameramen in Italian, English, French and German.
"One can say," said the Holy Father, "that, thanks to your work, for many weeks
the world's attention was fixed on the basilica, on St. Peter's Square and on
the Apostolic Palace, where my predecessor, the unforgettable Pope John Paul II,
serenely ended his earthly existence and where, in following days, in the
Sistine Chapel, the Lord cardinals elected me as his successor."
"Thanks to all of you, these historically important ecclesial events have had
worldwide coverage. I know how hard you have worked, far away from your homes
and families, for long hours and in sometimes difficult conditions. I am aware
of the skill and dedication with which you have accomplished your demanding
task. In my own name, and especially on behalf of Catholics living far from
Rome, who were able to participate in these stirring moments for our faith as
they were taking place, I thank you for all you have done. The possibilities
opened up for us by modern means of social communication are indeed marvellous
and extraordinary!"
Benedict XVI noted that Vatican Council II dedicated its first document, "Inter
mirifica," to the means of social communication, indicating the Church's
awareness of the importance of the media and her desire to have a dialogue with
it. "Without any doubt, John Paul II was the great artisan of this open and
sincere dialogue, as he had, in the more than 26 years of his pontificate,
constant and fruitful relations with you who are engaged in social
communications."
Stating, "I wish to pursue this fruitful dialogue," the Pope pointed out that
John Paul II even dedicated one of his last documents to the media, "Rapid
Progress" of January 24, 2005.
The Holy Father then provoked laughter and applause when he said, off-the-cuff,
that he wished to address those present "in my native language."
"Because the instruments of social communication can render a positive service
to the common good, there is need for a responsible contribution by individuals
and by everyone as a whole," said Benedict XVI in German. "We cannot fail to
underscore the need for clear references to the ethical responsibility of those
who work in this sector, especially with regard to the sincere search for truth
and the safeguarding of the centrality and the dignity of the person."
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HALF A MILLION PEOPLE ATTEND INAUGURAL MASS
VATICAN
CITY, APR 24, 2005 (VIS) - In St Peter's Square at 10 a.m. today, fifth Sunday
of Easter, in the presence of a police estimate of half a million people, Pope
Benedict XVI presided at the Eucharistic celebration for the official
inauguration of his Petrine ministry. One hundred and fifty cardinals
concelebrated. Among the bishops, priests and religious present was the Pope's
brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger.
Many of the people who filled Via della Conciliazione, adjacent streets and
other areas of Rome were able to follow the ceremony on giant screens.
There were 141 delegations representing heads of State and government in
attendance at the celebration. There were also various religious delegations
comprising a total of 70 people, including representatives from Orthodox
Churches, Eastern Orthodox Churches (the ancient Churches of the East), Churches
and Christian communities of the West, and international Christian
organizations.
Before the start of his first papal Eucharistic liturgy, Benedict XVI descended
to the tomb of St. Peter, below the papal altar or Altar of the "Confessio,"
with the patriarchs of the Oriental Churches and remained in prayer for a brief
period. He then incensed the tomb, during which time two deacons took a coffer
containing the pastoral pallium and, with the Ring of the Fisherman and the Book
of Gospels, processed outside the basilica to place them on the altar.
Pope Benedict XVI returned to the basilica and joined the procession of all the
cardinal concelebrants.
At the end of the Liturgy of the Word and the proclamation of the Gospel in both
Latin and Greek, the two deacons who read the Gospel, preceded by the thurible
and accompanied by acolytes, returned to the lectern. Behind the altar, the two
deacons who carried the pallium and the Ring of the Fisherman, took them from
the altar and went to the chair of the Holy Father where they were joined by
Cardinals Angelo Sodano, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan and Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez.
Cardinal Medina Estevez, the cardinal proto-deacon, then placed the petrine
pallium on the shoulders of Benedict XVI.
The pallium is a very ancient episcopal symbol made of lamb's wool which
indicates the authority of a bishop and his link with the See of Peter. The
petrine pallium is white and a mix of lamb's wool and sheep wool and is
embroidered with five red crosses. It symbolizes both the Good Shepherd who
places on His shoulders the lost sheep and the triple answer, "you know I love
you," made by Peter to the Risen Jesus Who asked him to feed his lambs and his
sheep.
Cardinal Angel Sodano, the dean of the College of Cardinals, then placed the
Ring of the Fisherman on the Holy Father's right hand. The ring given to
Benedict XVI today has the image-seal of St. Peter and the boat with the net and
symbolizes the ring-seal that authenticates the faith and marks the duty
entrusted to Peter to confirm his brothers. This is also called the Ring of the
Fishermen because Peter was the fisherman Apostle who, having believed the word
of Jesus, cast his net out from the boat for a miraculous catch of fish.
After the Pope blessed the faithful, he returned to his seat where 12 people
swore obedience: the three cardinals, a bishop, a priest, a deacon, a male and
female religious, a married couple and two young people recently confirmed.
Following this the Holy Father read his homily in Italian.
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LIKE JESUS, I WILL BE A
SHEPHERD, LIKE PETER, A FISHER OF MEN
Pope Benedict XVI'S Inaugural Mass Homily
VATICAN
CITY, APR 24, 2005 (VIS) - Given below is the text of the homily - published in
English, French, Spanish, Italian and German - delivered by the Pope during the
Mass for the inauguration of his pontificate:
"Your Eminences, my dear brother bishops and priests, distinguished authorities
and members of the diplomatic corps, dear brothers and sisters.
During these days of great intensity, we have chanted the litany of the saints
on three different occasions: at the funeral of our Holy Father John Paul II; as
the cardinals entered the conclave; and again today, when we sang it with the
response: 'Tu illum adiuva' - sustain the new Successor of Saint Peter. On each
occasion, in a particular way, I found great consolation in listening to this
prayerful chant. How alone we all felt after the passing of John Paul II - the
Pope who for over twenty-six years had been our shepherd and guide on our
journey through life! He crossed the threshold of the next life, entering into
the mystery of God. But he did not take this step alone. Those who believe are
never alone - neither in life nor in death. At that moment, we could call upon
the Saints from every age - his friends, his brothers and sisters in the faith -
knowing that they would form a living procession to accompany him into the next
world, into the glory of God. We knew that his arrival was awaited. Now we know
that he is among his own and is truly at home.
"We were also consoled as we made our solemn entrance into conclave, to elect
the one whom the Lord had chosen. How would we be able to discern his name? How
could 115 bishops, from every culture and every country, discover the one on
whom the Lord wished to confer the mission of binding and loosing? Once again,
we knew that we were not alone, we knew that we were surrounded, led and guided
by the friends of God. And now, at this moment, weak servant of God that I am, I
must assume this enormous task, which truly exceeds all human capacity. How can
I do this? How will I be able to do it? All of you, my dear friends, have just
invoked the entire host of saints, represented by some of the great names in the
history of God's dealings with mankind. In this way, I too can say with renewed
conviction: I am not alone. I do not have to carry alone what in truth I could
never carry alone. All the Saints of God are there to protect me, to sustain me
and to carry me. And your prayers, my dear friends, your indulgence, your love,
your faith and your hope accompany me. Indeed, the communion of saints consists
not only of the great men and women who went before us and whose names we know.
All of us belong to the communion of saints, we who have been baptized in the
name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we who draw life from
the gift of Christ's Body and Blood, through which He transforms us and makes us
like Himself.
"Yes, the Church is alive - this is the wonderful experience of these days.
During those sad days of the Pope's illness and death, it became wonderfully
evident to us that the Church is alive. And the Church is young. She holds
within herself the future of the world and therefore shows each of us the way
towards the future. The Church is alive and we are seeing it: we are
experiencing the joy that the Risen Lord promised His followers. The Church is
alive - she is alive because Christ is alive, because He is truly risen. In the
suffering that we saw on the Holy Father's face in those days of Easter, we
contemplated the mystery of Christ's Passion and we touched His wounds. But
throughout these days we have also been able, in a profound sense, to touch the
Risen One. We have been able to experience the joy that He promised, after a
brief period of darkness, as the fruit of His resurrection.
"The Church is alive - with these words, I greet with great joy and gratitude
all of you gathered here, my venerable brother cardinals and bishops, my dear
priests, deacons, Church workers, catechists. I greet you, men and women
religious, witnesses of the transfiguring presence of God. I greet you, members
of the lay faithful, immersed in the great task of building up the Kingdom of
God which spreads throughout the world, in every area of life. With great
affection I also greet all those who have been reborn in the Sacrament of
Baptism but are not yet in full communion with us; and you, my brothers and
sisters of the Jewish people, to whom we are joined by a great shared spiritual
heritage, one rooted in God's irrevocable promises. Finally, like a wave
gathering force, my thoughts go out to all men and women of today, to believers
and non-believers alike.
"Dear friends! At this moment there is no need for me to present a program of
governance. I was able to give an indication of what I see as my task in my
Message of Wednesday April 20, and there will be other opportunities to do so.
My real program of governance is not to do my own will, not to pursue my own
ideas, but to listen, together with the whole Church, to the word and the will
of the Lord, to be guided by Him, so that He Himself will lead the Church at
this hour of our history. Instead of putting forward a program, I should simply
like to comment on the two liturgical symbols which represent the inauguration
of the Petrine Ministry; both these symbols, moreover, reflect clearly what we
heard proclaimed in today's readings.
"The first symbol is the pallium, woven in pure wool, which will be placed on my
shoulders. This ancient sign, which the bishops of Rome have worn since the
fourth century, may be considered an image of the yoke of Christ, which the
bishop of this city, the Servant of the Servants of God, takes upon his
shoulders. God's yoke is God's will, which we accept. And this will does not
weigh down on us, oppressing us and taking away our freedom. To know what God
wants, to know where the path of life is found - this was Israel's joy, this was
her great privilege. It is also our joy: God's will does not alienate us, it
purifies us - even if this can be painful - and so it leads us to ourselves. In
this way, we serve not only Him, but the salvation of the whole world, of all
history.
"The symbolism of the pallium is even more concrete: the lamb's wool is meant to
represent the lost, sick or weak sheep which the shepherd places on his
shoulders and carries to the waters of life. For the Fathers of the Church, the
parable of the lost sheep, which the shepherd seeks in the desert, was an image
of the mystery of Christ and the Church. The human race - every one of us - is
the sheep lost in the desert which no longer knows the way. The Son of God will
not let this happen; He cannot abandon humanity in so wretched a condition. He
leaps to his feet and abandons the glory of heaven, in order to go in search of
the sheep and pursue it, all the way to the Cross. He takes it upon His
shoulders and carries our humanity; He carries us all - He is the good shepherd
who lays down His life for the sheep. What the pallium indicates first and
foremost is that we are all carried by Christ. But at the same time it invites
us to carry one another. Hence the pallium becomes a symbol of the shepherd's
mission, of which the second reading and the Gospel speak. The pastor must be
inspired by Christ's holy zeal: for him it is not a matter of indifference that
so many people are living in the desert. And there are so many kinds of desert.
There is the desert of poverty, the desert of hunger and thirst, the desert of
abandonment, of loneliness, of destroyed love. There is the desert of God's
darkness, the emptiness of souls no longer aware of their dignity or the goal of
human life. The external deserts in the world are growing, because the internal
deserts have become so vast. Therefore the earth's treasures no longer serve to
build God's garden for all to live in, but they have been made to serve the
powers of exploitation and destruction. The Church as a whole and all her
pastors, like Christ, must set out to lead people out of the desert, towards the
place of life, towards friendship with the Son of God, towards the One who gives
us life, and life in abundance.
"The symbol of the lamb also has a deeper meaning. In the ancient Near East, it
was customary for kings to style themselves shepherds of their people. This was
an image of their power, a cynical image: to them their subjects were like
sheep, which the shepherd could dispose of as he wished. When the shepherd of
all humanity, the living God, Himself became a lamb, He stood on the side of the
lambs, with those who are downtrodden and killed. This is how He reveals Himself
to be the true shepherd: 'I am the Good Shepherd . . . I lay down my life for
the sheep,' Jesus says of Himself (Jn 10:14ff). It is not power, but love that
redeems us! This is God's sign: He Himself is love. How often we wish that God
would make show Himself stronger, that He would strike decisively, defeating
evil and creating a better world. All ideologies of power justify themselves in
exactly this way, they justify the destruction of whatever would stand in the
way of progress and the liberation of humanity. We suffer on account of God's
patience. And yet, we need His patience. God, Who became a lamb, tells us that
the world is saved by the Crucified One, not by those who crucified Him. The
world is redeemed by the patience of God. It is destroyed by the impatience of
man.
"One of the basic characteristics of a shepherd must be to love the people
entrusted to him, even as he loves Christ whom he serves. 'Feed my sheep.' says
Christ to Peter, and now, at this moment, He says it to me as well. Feeding
means loving, and loving also means being ready to suffer. Loving means giving
the sheep what is truly good, the nourishment of God's truth, of God's word, the
nourishment of His presence, which He gives us in the blessed Sacrament. My dear
friends - at this moment I can only say: pray for me, that I may learn to love
the Lord more and more. Pray for me, that I may learn to love His flock more and
more - in other words, you, the holy Church, each one of you and all of you
together. Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves. Let us pray
for one another, that the Lord will carry us and that we will learn to carry one
another.
"The second symbol used in today's liturgy to express the inauguration of the
Petrine ministry is the presentation of the fisherman's ring. Peter's call to be
a shepherd, which we heard in the Gospel, comes after the account of a
miraculous catch of fish: after a night in which the disciples had let down
their nets without success, they see the Risen Lord on the shore. He tells them
to let down their nets once more, and the nets become so full that they can
hardly pull them in; 153 large fish: 'and although there were so many, the net
was not torn' (Jn 21:11). This account, coming at the end of Jesus' earthly
journey with His disciples, corresponds to an account found at the beginning:
there too, the disciples had caught nothing the entire night; there too, Jesus
had invited Simon once more to put out into the deep. And Simon, who was not yet
called Peter, gave the wonderful reply: 'Master, at your word I will let down
the nets.' And then came the conferral of his mission: 'Do not be afraid.
Henceforth you will be catching men' (Lk 5:1-11). Today too the Church and the
successors of the Apostles are told to put out into the deep sea of history and
to let down the nets, so as to win men and women over to the Gospel - to God, to
Christ, to true life. The Fathers made a very significant commentary on this
singular task. This is what they say: for a fish, created for water, it is fatal
to be taken out of the sea, to be removed from its vital element to serve as
human food. But in the mission of a fisher of men, the reverse is true. We are
living in alienation, in the salt waters of suffering and death; in a sea of
darkness without light. The net of the Gospel pulls us out of the waters of
death and brings us into the splendor of God's light, into true life. It is
really true: as we follow Christ in this mission to be fishers of men, we must
bring men and women out of the sea that is salted with so many forms of
alienation and onto the land of life, into the light of God.
"It is really so: the purpose of our lives is to reveal God to men. And only
where God is seen does life truly begin. Only when we meet the living God in
Christ do we know what life is. We are not some casual and meaningless product
of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is
willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary. There is nothing more
beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ.
There is nothing more beautiful than to know Him and to speak to others of our
friendship with Him. The task of the shepherd, the task of the fisher of men,
can often seem wearisome. But it is beautiful and wonderful, because it is truly
a service to joy, to God's joy which longs to break into the world.
"Here I want to add something: both the image of the shepherd and that of the
fisherman issue an explicit call to unity. 'I have other sheep that are not of
this fold; I must lead them too, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be
one flock, one shepherd' (Jn 10:16); these are the words of Jesus at the end of
His discourse on the Good Shepherd. And the account of the 153 large fish ends
with the joyful statement: 'although there were so many, the net was not torn' (Jn
21:11). Alas, beloved Lord, with sorrow we must now acknowledge that it has been
torn! But no - we must not be sad! Let us rejoice because of Your promise, which
does not disappoint, and let us do all we can to pursue the path towards the
unity You have promised. Let us remember it in our prayer to the Lord, as we
plead with Him: yes, Lord, remember Your promise. Grant that we may be one flock
and one shepherd! Do not allow Your net to be torn, help us to be servants of
unity!
"At this point, my mind goes back to October 22 1978, when Pope John Paul II
began his ministry here in Saint Peter's Square. His words on that occasion
constantly echo in my ears: 'Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors for Christ!'
The Pope was addressing the mighty, the powerful of this world, who feared that
Christ might take away something of their power if they were to let Him in, if
they were to allow the faith to be free. Yes, He would certainly have taken
something away from them: the dominion of corruption, the manipulation of law
and the freedom to do as they pleased. But He would not have taken away anything
that pertains to human freedom or dignity, or to the building of a just society.
The Pope was also speaking to everyone, especially the young. Are we not perhaps
all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open
ourselves totally to Him, are we not afraid that He might take something away
from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something
unique, something that makes life so beautiful? Do we not then risk ending up
diminished and deprived of our freedom? And once again the Pope said: No! If we
let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what
makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors
of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human
existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and
liberation. And so, today, with great strength and great conviction, on the
basis of long personal experience of life, I say to you, dear young people: Do
not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and He gives you everything.
When we give ourselves to Him, we receive a hundred-fold in return. Yes, open,
open wide the doors to Christ - and you will find true life. Amen."
HML/INAUGURATION PONTIFICATE/BENEDICT XVI VIS 050424 (3020)
The Funeral + The Vacant See + The Conclave + Church Hierarchy + The Election
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| Father Pat Umberger.
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