This morning's General Audience began at 9:15am in the Paul VI Hall where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with pilgrims and groups of the faithful from Italy and from every corner of the world.
In his speech, the Pope focused on his recent voyage to Myanmar and Bangladesh.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. He then issued a special call for Jerusalem.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, I want to speak with you about the Apostolic Voyage that I have completed in recent days, a journey to Myanmar and to Bangladesh. It was a great gift from God, and for this reason I thank Him for everything, especially for the meetings that I was able to have. I renew the expression of my gratitude to the Authorities from both countries, and to their respective Bishops, for all the work they have done to prepare for my visit, as well as for the welcome my collaborators and I received. I want to offer a heartfelt thank you to the Birmese and Bangladeshi people who demonstrated such faith and such affection: thank you!
For the first time, a successor of Peter visited Myanmar, and this took place shortly after diplomatic relations were established between that country and the Holy See.
Even in this case, I wanted to express the closeness of Christ and of the Church to a people who have suffered due to conflict and repression, and who are now slowly making their way toward a new condition of freedom and of peace. A people in whom the Buddhist religious is firmly rooted, with its spiritual and ethical principles, and where Christians are present as a small flock and leaven of the Kingdom of God. This Church, which is alive and fervent, I had the joy of confirming in faith and in communion, in meeting the Bishops of the country and in two Eucharistic celebrations. The first was held in a large sporting area in the centre of Yangon, and the Gospel for that day recalled the fact that persecutions for the sake of faith in Jesus are normal for his disciples, as occasions of witness, but that not one the hairs on your head will be lost (cf Lk 21:12-19). The second Mass, the final act of my visit to Myanmar, was dedicated to the youth: a sign of hope and a special gift of the Virgin Mother, in the Cathedral which bears her name. In the faces of those young people, full of joy, I saw the future of Asia: a future that will not be built with arms, but one that will be sown by those who build fraternity. As a sign of hope, I blessed the cornerstones of sixteen churches, the seminary and the Nunciature: eighteen in all!
In addition to the Catholic community, I was able to meet the Authorities in Myanmar, encouraging the country's efforts toward peace in hopes that all the various components of that nation, excluding no one, can cooperate in the process of reciprocal respect. In this spirit, I wanted to meet the representatives of the various religious communities present in that country. In particular, to the Supreme Council of Buddhist monks, I expressed the esteem of the Church for their ancient spiritual traditions, and the trust that Christians and Buddhists together can help people to love God and to love one another, rejecting all violence and opposing all evil with good.
I left Myanmar and travelled to Bangladesh, where I first paid homage to the martyrs of the struggle for independence and the Father of the Nation. The majority of people of Bangladesh are Muslim, and then my visit - following in the footsteps of Blessed Paul VI and of Saint John Paul II - marked a further step in favour of respect and dialogue between Christianity and Islam.
To the Authorities of the country, I recalled the fact that from the very beginning, the Holy See has supported the will of the Bangladeshi people to continue as an independent nation, as well as the need for religious freedom to be safeguarded. In particular, I wanted to express solidarity with Bangladesh in her commitment to helping the Rohingya refugees who have arrived in that country in great numbers, a country where the population density is already among the highest in the world.
The Mass which was celebrated in a historic park in Dhaka was enriched by the Ordination of sixteen priests, and this was among the most significant and joyous events of the voyage. In fact, both in Bangladesh and in Myanmar, and in other countries throughout south-eastern Asia, thanks to God, there are many vocations, a sign of living communities, where the voice of the Lord resounds as it calls them to follow Him. I shard this joy with the Bishops of Bangladesh, and encouraged them in their generous work for the family, for the poor, for education, for dialogue and for peace in that society. And I shared that joy with many priests, consecrated men and women, as well as seminarians and novices in whom I saw buds of the Church in that land.
In Dhaka, we experienced a significant moment of inter-religious and ecumenical dialogue, which gave me a chance to point out the openness of heart which is the basis for a culture of encounter, for harmony and for peace. In addition, I visited the Casa Madre Teresa, where the saint would stay when she visited that city, a place that welcomes many orphans and people with disabilities. There, according to their charism, the sisters live every day in adoration and prayer as they serve the poor and suffering Christ. And never, never is there a shortage of smiles on their faces: they are sisters who pray so much, who serve the suffering and always with a smile. Theirs is a beautiful witness. I thank those Sisters very much.
The final event was with young Bangladeshi, a moment that was enriched by their testimonials, songs and dancing. They are really good dancers, those Bangladeshi! They know very well how to dance! It was a party that demonstrated the joy of the gospel that has been welcomed in that culture; a fertile joy born of the sacrifices of many missionaries, many catechists and Christian parents. There were many young Muslims present at that meeting and those of other religions too: a sign of hope for Bangladesh, for Asia and for the entire world. Thank you.
Summaries of the Holy Father's catechesis was then given in various languages, and His Holiness offered greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from Wales, Denmark, Nigeria and the United States of America. I offer a particular greeting to the members of the World Youth Alliance and the musical group Up with People. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the conclusion of the General Audience, the Holy Father issued a special call for prayer for Jerusalem:
My thoughts now turn to Jerusalem. In this regard, I cannot remain silent about my deep concern for the situation that has developed in recent days and, at the same time, I wish to make a heartfelt appeal to ensure that everyone is committed to respecting the status quo of the city, in accordance with the relevant Resolutions of the United Nations.
Jerusalem is a unique city, sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, where the Holy Places for the respective religions are venerated, and it has a special vocation to promoting peace.
I pray to the Lord that this identity will be preserved and strengthened for the benefit of the Holy Land, the Middle East and the entire world, and that wisdom and prudence may prevail, to avoid adding new elements of tension in a world already shaken and scarred by many cruel conflicts.
In his speech, the Pope focused on his recent voyage to Myanmar and Bangladesh.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. He then issued a special call for Jerusalem.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.
Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, I want to speak with you about the Apostolic Voyage that I have completed in recent days, a journey to Myanmar and to Bangladesh. It was a great gift from God, and for this reason I thank Him for everything, especially for the meetings that I was able to have. I renew the expression of my gratitude to the Authorities from both countries, and to their respective Bishops, for all the work they have done to prepare for my visit, as well as for the welcome my collaborators and I received. I want to offer a heartfelt thank you to the Birmese and Bangladeshi people who demonstrated such faith and such affection: thank you!
For the first time, a successor of Peter visited Myanmar, and this took place shortly after diplomatic relations were established between that country and the Holy See.
Even in this case, I wanted to express the closeness of Christ and of the Church to a people who have suffered due to conflict and repression, and who are now slowly making their way toward a new condition of freedom and of peace. A people in whom the Buddhist religious is firmly rooted, with its spiritual and ethical principles, and where Christians are present as a small flock and leaven of the Kingdom of God. This Church, which is alive and fervent, I had the joy of confirming in faith and in communion, in meeting the Bishops of the country and in two Eucharistic celebrations. The first was held in a large sporting area in the centre of Yangon, and the Gospel for that day recalled the fact that persecutions for the sake of faith in Jesus are normal for his disciples, as occasions of witness, but that not one the hairs on your head will be lost (cf Lk 21:12-19). The second Mass, the final act of my visit to Myanmar, was dedicated to the youth: a sign of hope and a special gift of the Virgin Mother, in the Cathedral which bears her name. In the faces of those young people, full of joy, I saw the future of Asia: a future that will not be built with arms, but one that will be sown by those who build fraternity. As a sign of hope, I blessed the cornerstones of sixteen churches, the seminary and the Nunciature: eighteen in all!
In addition to the Catholic community, I was able to meet the Authorities in Myanmar, encouraging the country's efforts toward peace in hopes that all the various components of that nation, excluding no one, can cooperate in the process of reciprocal respect. In this spirit, I wanted to meet the representatives of the various religious communities present in that country. In particular, to the Supreme Council of Buddhist monks, I expressed the esteem of the Church for their ancient spiritual traditions, and the trust that Christians and Buddhists together can help people to love God and to love one another, rejecting all violence and opposing all evil with good.
I left Myanmar and travelled to Bangladesh, where I first paid homage to the martyrs of the struggle for independence and the Father of the Nation. The majority of people of Bangladesh are Muslim, and then my visit - following in the footsteps of Blessed Paul VI and of Saint John Paul II - marked a further step in favour of respect and dialogue between Christianity and Islam.
To the Authorities of the country, I recalled the fact that from the very beginning, the Holy See has supported the will of the Bangladeshi people to continue as an independent nation, as well as the need for religious freedom to be safeguarded. In particular, I wanted to express solidarity with Bangladesh in her commitment to helping the Rohingya refugees who have arrived in that country in great numbers, a country where the population density is already among the highest in the world.
The Mass which was celebrated in a historic park in Dhaka was enriched by the Ordination of sixteen priests, and this was among the most significant and joyous events of the voyage. In fact, both in Bangladesh and in Myanmar, and in other countries throughout south-eastern Asia, thanks to God, there are many vocations, a sign of living communities, where the voice of the Lord resounds as it calls them to follow Him. I shard this joy with the Bishops of Bangladesh, and encouraged them in their generous work for the family, for the poor, for education, for dialogue and for peace in that society. And I shared that joy with many priests, consecrated men and women, as well as seminarians and novices in whom I saw buds of the Church in that land.
In Dhaka, we experienced a significant moment of inter-religious and ecumenical dialogue, which gave me a chance to point out the openness of heart which is the basis for a culture of encounter, for harmony and for peace. In addition, I visited the Casa Madre Teresa, where the saint would stay when she visited that city, a place that welcomes many orphans and people with disabilities. There, according to their charism, the sisters live every day in adoration and prayer as they serve the poor and suffering Christ. And never, never is there a shortage of smiles on their faces: they are sisters who pray so much, who serve the suffering and always with a smile. Theirs is a beautiful witness. I thank those Sisters very much.
The final event was with young Bangladeshi, a moment that was enriched by their testimonials, songs and dancing. They are really good dancers, those Bangladeshi! They know very well how to dance! It was a party that demonstrated the joy of the gospel that has been welcomed in that culture; a fertile joy born of the sacrifices of many missionaries, many catechists and Christian parents. There were many young Muslims present at that meeting and those of other religions too: a sign of hope for Bangladesh, for Asia and for the entire world. Thank you.
Summaries of the Holy Father's catechesis was then given in various languages, and His Holiness offered greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from Wales, Denmark, Nigeria and the United States of America. I offer a particular greeting to the members of the World Youth Alliance and the musical group Up with People. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the conclusion of the General Audience, the Holy Father issued a special call for prayer for Jerusalem:
My thoughts now turn to Jerusalem. In this regard, I cannot remain silent about my deep concern for the situation that has developed in recent days and, at the same time, I wish to make a heartfelt appeal to ensure that everyone is committed to respecting the status quo of the city, in accordance with the relevant Resolutions of the United Nations.
Jerusalem is a unique city, sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, where the Holy Places for the respective religions are venerated, and it has a special vocation to promoting peace.
I pray to the Lord that this identity will be preserved and strengthened for the benefit of the Holy Land, the Middle East and the entire world, and that wisdom and prudence may prevail, to avoid adding new elements of tension in a world already shaken and scarred by many cruel conflicts.
No comments:
Post a Comment