ANGELUS of 1/18/09
Here is a full translation of the Holy Father's words:
Dear brothers and sisters!
Today is the annual World Day for Migrants and Refugees. Since we are celebrating the Pauline Year, I chose the theme "St. Paul migrant, Apostle of the Gentiles" in honor of St. Paul as the great itinerant missionary of the Gospel.
Saul - his name in Hebrew - was born of a Jewish family who had migrated to Tarsus, an important city of Cilicia [now in Turkey], and grew within a triple culture - Jewish, Hellenistic and Roman - and with a cosmopolitan mentality.
When he converted from being a persecutor of Christians to become an Apostle of the Gospel, Paul became the 'ambassador' of the risen Christ to make him known to everyone, in the belief that in him, all peoples are called to become the great family of the children of God.
This is also the mission of the Church, and more than ever in this time of globalization. As Christians, we cannot fail to note the need to transmit Jesus's message of love, especially to those who do not know him, or who find themselves in difficult and painful situations.
Today, I think particularly of migrants. Their reality is quite diverse: in some cases, thank God, they are serene and well integrated; other times, unfortunately, their situation is pathetic, difficult and even tragic.
I wish to give assurances that the Christian community looks at every person and every family with attention, and asks through St. Paul for the strength of renewed efforts to favor, in every part of the world, the peaceful coexistence among men and women of different races, cultures and religions.
The apostle tells us what was the secret of his new life: "I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ (Jesus)" (Phi 3,12), and he adds, "Be my imitators (Phi 3,17).
Yes, each of us, according to our own calling and wherever we live and work, is called on to bear witness to the Gospel, with greater attention for those brothers and sisters from other countries who, for various reasons, have come to live among us, thus placing value on the phenomenon of migration as a meeting of civilizations.
Let us pray and act so that this may always take place peacefully and constructively, in respect and in dialog, avoiding every temptation of conflict and oppression.
I wish to add a special word for sailors and fishermen who are living through times of major perils. In addition to their customary difficulties, they are encountering landing restrictions in order to take chaplains on board, as much as they have to face the risk of piracy and the dangers of illegal fishing.
I express to them my closeness and the wish that their generosity in carrying out rescue activities on the high seas may be rewarded with greater consideration.
Finally, my thoughts go to the World Encounter of Families which ends today in Mexico City, and the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which begins today.
Dear brothers and sisters, I ask you to pray for all these intentions, invoking the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary.
After the Angelus prayers he had more messages:
I continue to follow with profound trepidation the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Let us remember to the Lord today the hundreds of children, old people, and women who have fallen innocent victims to unprecedented violence; the wounded; those who mourn the loss of loved ones; and those who have lost their possessions.
I ask you at the same time to accompany with prayers the efforts of numerous persons of good will to stop the tragedy. I sincerely hope that they may take advantage wisely of small openings in order to renew the ceasefire and proceed towards lasting peaceful solutions.
In this sense, I renew my encouragement to those who, on both sides, believe that there is room for everyone in the Holy Land, so they may help their people rise from ruins and from terror, and courageously resume dialog in a spirit of justice and truth.
This is the only way that can effectively lead to a future of peace for the children of that beloved region.
Today we start the Week of Prayer for National Unity which will end next Sunday, January 25. In the southern hemisphere, following the nine-day period decreed by Pope Leo XIII at the end of the 19th century, the prayer week for Christian Unity takes place between Ascension and Pentecost.
But the Biblical theme is common to all. This year, the theme, suggested by an ecumenical group in Korea, is taken from the Book of the prophet Ezechiel: "[
Then join the two sticks together,] so that they form one stick in your hand" (Ez 37,17).
Let us make this invocation ourselves and let us pray with greater intensity so that Christians may walk together with determination towards full communion among themselves.
I address myself in particularly to Catholics all over the world so that, united in prayer, they may never tire of working to overcome the obstacles that still impede full communion among all the disciples of Christ.
The ecumenical commitment is even more urgent today, in order to give our society, which is marked by tragic conflicts and lacerating divisions, a sign and an impetus towards reconciliation and peace.
We will conclude this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at the papal basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls with the celebration of Vespers next Sunday, on the commemoration of the Conversion of St. Paul, who made the unity of the Body of Christ an essential nucleus of his preaching.
Also today, the Diocese of Rome celebrates the Diocesan Day for Catholic Schools. I greet the authorities, administrators, teachers, parents and students who are gathered here today.
Dear friends, the educational service of Catholic schools is more than ever valuable today, because children and young people need to receive valid instruction with a consistent vision of man and life.
I accompany with prayers all those who teach and study in the Catholic schools of Rome, and I encourage them to always be committed to the formation of educational communities rich in human and Christian values.
In English, he said:
I am happy to greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for today’s Angelus.
As we celebrate the week of prayer for Christian unity, let us continue to ask the Lord that all who invoke his name may be one, so that the world may believe.
On this World Day of Migrants and Refugees, I encourage individuals, communities and institutions to be generous to all who have left their homeland.
May the Father of mercies open our eyes and our hearts to the sufferings and needs of those who have entrusted themselves to our hospitality.
I wish you all a pleasant stay in Rome and a blessed Sunday!