ADDRESS TO PILGRIMS FROM TURIN, 6/2/08
The Holy Father addressed some 7,000 pilgrims from Turin today at the Aula Paolo VI. Here is a translation of his address to them:
Lord Cardinals,
Dear brothers in the Episcopate and in the priesthood,
Dear brothers and sisters from teh Archdiocese of Turin:
I extend my heartfelt greeting to each of you. Welcome to the home of the Successor of Peter. It is my pleasure to meet with you at the end of your pilgrimage to Rome, which crowns the spiritual and pastoral course undertaken by your diocesan community these past few years.
As I welcome you with joy, I extend my greetings above all to your Archbishop, Cardinal Severino Poletto, whom I thank for his description of the ecclesial itinerary that you have followed so far and the missionary prospects that await you.
I greet your Auxiliary Bishop, Cardinal Francesco Marchisano, the priests, religious and consecrated persons, catechists and representatives of the parishes and various organisms of your Archdiocese. I also greet the civilian officials who have chosen to join you on this pilgrimage.
Through you who are present here, I wish to to extend my greeting to the entire population of Turin, a city that is rich in both civic and religious history.
I also wish to express my particular spiritual closeness and solidarity with the people of the Pionerolo and the Cuneo, who have been stricken these days with bad weather. I assure them of prayers to the Lord so that he may welcome into his peace those who passed away and sustain all those who continue to battle grave natural calamities.
Dear brothers and sisters, after having celebrated the Eucharist yesterday at the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls, this morning you renewed your solemn profession of faith at the tomb of the Prince of the Apostles. What place could be more appropriate for a gesture as significant as the
Redditio fidei [re-consignment of the faith]?
In the Basilica of St. Peter, where everything speaks of the heroism in the beginnings of Christianity, the blood of martyrs continues to be an eloquent invitation to follow Christ without compromises.
In the Basilica and in the Vatican Grottoes, Catholics from many parts of the world - though belonging to diverse cultures and speaking different languages - pause everyday to profess the same faith as part of the one Church of Christ.
Even you were able to immerse yourself in this atmosphere of sanctity and catholicity, and now, before returning to your respective communities, you are awaiting a word from the Pope to encourage you further to be consistent witnesses to the Gospel in our age.
Your Archbishop has kindly informed me of the spiritual course taken by your diocesan community since 1999 when he was called by the Lord to be your Pastor, and even more, after September 2003, when he started making his pastoral visits which, God willing, will be completed next Sunday.
In this ecclesial itinerary, you have been protagonists of a vast apostolic and missionary activity starting from an intense spiritual movement centered on the Sunday Eucharistic celebration, on weekly Eucharistic adoration, and on the rediscovery of the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Inspired by the sincere desire for a 'renewed first evangelization' , you have been concerned with bringing back those who have strayed from the Church, widening the boundaries of pastoral charity in every parochial community.
This missionary commitment has become even more widespread during this pastoral year, the year of
Redditio fidei, and it found its culminating moment in the profession of faith which you proclaimed together this morning at Peter's Tomb.
But everything does not end here. After this restorative Roman pause, you must carry on with the new tasks that await you. In fact, you will dedicate the next pastoral year to the Word of God, and the next one you will be undertaking a more attentive contemplation of the mystery of the Passion of Christ.
In this context, I am very happy to meet your great hope and to acknowledge the desire of your Archbishop by agreeing to another solemn Exposition of the Holy Shroud in the spring of 2010. If God gives me life and health, I hope to come myself to this exposition.
It will be a most propitious occasion, I am sure, to contemplate that mysterious Face which speaks silently to the hearts of men, inviting them to recognize the Face of God, who "so loved the world that he gave his only Son, in order that whoever believes in him will not die but have life eternal" (Jn 3, 16).
Dear brothers and sisters, do not be afraid to entrust yourselves to Christ: Only he can satisfy the most profound expectations of the human spirit. Let no difficulty nor obstacle get in the way of your love for his Gospel!
If Jesus is the center of your families, of your parishes, and of every community, you will feel his living presence, and unity and communion will grow among the various components of the diocese.
Therefore, constantly nourish a union with the Lord through prayer and the frequent practice of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Confession.
Among your pastoral concerns should be to assure a continuing Christian formation for young people and adults. Following the3 example of your saints who were attentive to the needs of the young and the poor, such as Don Bosco, Murialdo, Cottoloengo, Cafasso and many others - truly a land of saints - may your diocese shine through works of charity and a concerted effort in facing the great 'educative challenge' of the new generations.
May the heavenly Mother of Christ, whom you invoke as Comforter and Helper, protect your priests and pastoral workers; obtain for your community many saintly vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life; inspire in young people the desire to follow the high ideals of saintliness; be a comfort and support to everyone, especially for the aged, the sick, the suffering, the solitary adn teh abandoned.
While I assure you of special remembrance in my prayers, I bless you present here with affection, and extend it as well to all those who are dear to you.