ANGELUS TODAY
The Holy Father, after acknowledging his visit to Carpineto Romano earlier in the day, paid tribute to Leo XIII's Magisterium, then proceeded to speak about his message for World Youth Day 2011 which was released by the Vatican yesterday. In English, he said this:
Having just returned from Carpineto Romano, the birthplace of my Predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for this Angelus prayer.
May Pope Leo’s social magisterium continue to inspire the efforts of the faithful to build a just society rooted in the teachings of Christ. Upon you and your loved ones, I invoke the abundant blessings of Almighty God.
Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at the Angelus today:
Dear brothers and sisters,
First of all, I beg your pardon for the tardiness! I have just come back from Carpineto Romano where, 200 years ago, Pope Leo XIII was born as Vincenzo Goacchino Pecci. I thank the Lord that for this important anniversary, I was able to celebrate the Eurcharist among his townmates.
Now I would like to present briefly my message, recently published, to the youth of the world for the 25th World Youth Day which will take place in Madrid in less than a year.
The theme that I chose for this message is taken from the Apostle Paul's letter to the Colossians: "Rooted and built upon Christ, and firm in the faith" (2,7).
It is decidedly a proposition that goes against the grain! Who, indeed, proposes to young people today to be 'rooted' and 'firm'? Rather, what is exalted are uncertainty, mobility, volubility - all aspects which reflect a culture that is undecided about its fundamental values, about the principles upon which to orient and regulate one's life.
In fact I myself, with my experience and the contacts I have had with young people, know quite well that every generation - better still, every individual - is called on to pursue for himself the course of finding meaning in life.
Precisely because of this, I wished to offer a message which, in the Biblical style, evokes the images of the tree and of home. The young person is, in fact, like a growing tree: In order to develop, he needs deep roots which, in the event of storms or high winds, will keep him firmly held to the ground. Thus, too, the image of a building in construction evokes the need for valid foundations in order that the house may be solid and secure.
And the heart of the message is in the expressions 'in Christ' and 'in the faith'. A person's full maturity, his interior stability, are based on his relationship with God, a relationship which takes place through his encounter with Jesus Christ.
A relationship of deep trust, of authentic friendship with Jesus, can give the young person that which he needs in order to face life well: serenity and interior light, the attitude to think positively, greatness of spirit towards others, a willingness to pay in person in order to achieve good, justice and truth.
Another very important aspect: To become a believer, the young person is sustained by the faith of the Church. If no man is an island, then the Christian is even less so, who finds in the Church the beauty of a faith that is shared and borne witness to along with others in brotherhood and in the service of charity.
My message to the youth carries the date of August 6, Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. May the light form the Face of Christ shine in the heart of every young person! And may the Virgin Mary accompany with her protection the journey of the communities and groups of young people towards the great gathering in Madrid in 2011!
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 06/09/2010 00:41]