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MEETING WITH THE CLERGY,
RELIGIOUS AND SEMINARIANS
Cathedral of Palermo
So who says Benedict XVI does not identify the Mafia by name?
Pope holds up Fr. Puglisi
'killed by the Mafia'
as a heroic example
PALEREMO, Oct. 3 (Translated from Apcom) - The Pope today called on the priests of Palermo ti imitate 'the heroic example' of Don Pino Puglisi, the parish priest of Brancaccio who was killed by the Mafia in 1993. [Pino was the priest's nickname, from Giuseppino, the diminutive of his first name.]
In his address to the priests, religious and seminarians of Sicily at the Cathedral of Palermo this afternoon, Benedict said:
"The church of Palermo recently observed the anniversary (Sept. 15) of the barbarous assassination of Fr. Giuseppe Puglisi, who belonged to your presbyterate, and who was killed by the Mafia.
"He had a heart that burned with authentic pastoral charity: in his zealous ministry, he gave ample attention to teh education of children and youth, while he did all he could so that every Christian family in his flock would live up to its fundamental calling as the first educators of their children in the faith."
The Pope pointed out that the flock that had been entrusted to Don Puglisi's pastoral care has been able to draw from the spiritual legacy of a good pastor, whose cause for beatification is under way.
"I call on you," teh Pope concluded, "to keep alive his fertile priestly witness by imitating his heroic example".
This is the only other news agency photo so far of the Cathedral event.
Here is a translation of the Holy Father's address in the Cathedral:
Venerated Brothers in the Episcopate,
Dear brothers and sisters:
During this pastoral visit of mine to your land, I could not omit a meeting with you. Thank you for your welcome!
I was glad to note the parallel drawn in the words of the Archbishop between the beauty of the Cathedral and that of the edifice of 'living stones' that you constitute.
In this brief but intense moment with you, I can admire the face of the Church in the variety of her gifts. And, as the Successor of Peter, it is my joy to confirm you in the one faith, and in the profound communion that the Lord has given us.
I express my gratitude to Mons. Romeo, and I extend it to the Auxiliary Bishop. To you, dear priests of this archdiocese and of all the dioceses of Sicily, and you, dear deacons and seminarians, and you, the religious communities and consecrated laymen, my most heartfelt greeting which I hope you will extend to all your fellow brothers and sisters throughout Sicily, especially to those who are sick and aged.
The Eucharistic Adoration, which we had the grace and joy to share just now, revealed to us and made us feel the profound sense of who we are: members of the Body of Christ which the Church is.
Prostrate before Jesus, here among you, I asked him to inflame your hearts with his love, so that you may be assimilated to him and you may imitate him in the most complete and self-giving to the Church and your fellowmen.
Dear priests, I wish to address myself to you first of all. I know that you work with zeal and intelligence, without sparing your energies. The Lord Jesus, to whom you have consecrated your life, is with you.
Always be men of prayer so that you can also be teachers of prayer. Let your days be marked by times for prayer, during which, following the example of Jesus, you may engage in regenerating conversation with the Father.
It is not easy to remain faithful to these daily appointments with the Lord, especially these days when the rhythm of life has become frenetic and our tasks absorb us in ever greater measure.
Nonetheless, we must convince ourselves that time for prayer is fundamental. In prayer, divine grace acts most effectively, giving fruitfulness to our ministry. So many things concern us urgently, but if we are not interiorly in communion with God, we cannot give anything to others. We must always find the time that we need to 'be with him' (cfr Mk 3,14).
The Second Vatican Council said about priests: "It is, above all, in eucharistic worship or synaxis that they exercise their sacred ministry" (Dogm. consti Lumen gentium, 28).
The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life. Dear friends, can we say that it is also that for us, personally, for our life as priests? How much care do we place in preparing ourselves for Holy Mass, in celebrating it, in remaining in adoration? Are our churches truly the 'house of God', to which his presence attracts people, who today, unfortunately, often feel the absence of God?
The priest always finds - in an immutable way - the source of his identity in Christ the Priest. It is not the world that determines our status, according to the needs and concepts of social functions. The priest is marked by the seal of Christ's Priesthood in order to participate in his function as the only Mediator and Redeemer.
This fundamental link opens for the priest the immense field of service to souls, for their salvation in Christ and in the Church. A service that should be completely inspired by Christ's love.
God wants all men to be saved, that no one may be lost. The Holy Curate of Ars said: "The priest must always be ready to respond to the needs of souls. He is not for himself, he is for others".
The priest is for the faithful: he inspires them and sustains them in the exercise of the common priesthood of the baptized, in their journey of faith, in cultivating hope, in living in charity, the love of Christ.
Dear priests, always pay special attention to the world of the young. As the Venerable John Paul II said once on this land: Open wide the doors of your parishes to the young so that they can open the doors of their heart to Christ! Never should they find your doors closed.
The priest cannot stay far from the daily concerns of the People of God. He must instead be very near to them, but as a priest, always from the perspective of salvation and the Kingdom of God.
He is witness and dispenser of a life that is different from earthly life (cfr Decr. Presbyterorum Ordinis, 3). He is the bearer of a strong hope, of 'reliable hope', that of Christ, with which to face the present, even if it is often effortful (cfr Enc. Spe salvi, 1).
It is essential for the Church that the identity of the priest be safeguarded, with its 'vertical' dimension. The life and the prsonality of St. Jean Marie Vianney, and all the many saints of your land, like St. Annibale Maria di Francia, Blessed Giacomo Cusmano and Blessed Francesco Spoto, are particularly illuminating and vigorous demonstrations of this.
The Church of Paltermo recently marked the anniversary of the barbarous assassination of donGiuseppe Puglisi, who belonged to this presbyterate, and was killed by the Mafia.
He had a heart that burned with authentic pastoral charity. In his zealous ministry, he gave ample attention to the education of children and youth, and at the same time, he did all he could so that every Christian family in his care lived its fundamental calling as the first educators in the faith of their children.
The people entrusted to his pastoral care have drawn from the spiritual wealth of this good shepherd, whose cause for beatification is under way. I call on you to keep alive the memory of his frutiful priestly testimony, by imitating his heroic example.
With great affection, I also address you who in various forms and institutions, live out your consecration to God in Christ and in the Church, with a special thought to the cloistered monks and nuns whose service of prayer is so valuable to the ecclesial community.
Dear brothers and sisters, continue to follow Jesus without compromises, as the Gospel proposes, thus bearing witness to the beauty of being Christian in a radical way.
It is your task especially to keep alive in every baptized person the awareness of the fundamental demands of the Gospel. In fact, your very presence and your lifestyle impose on the ecclesial community a valuable impetus towards the 'high standard' of Christian vocation.
Indeed, we could say that your existence constitutes a kind of preaching, very eloquent although often silent. Yours, dearest ones, is a style of life that is ancient and ever new, despite the reduction in your numbers and in powers.
But be confident: our times are not those of God and his providence.['I nostri tempi non sono quelli di Dio e della sua provvidenza'. ?????] It is necessary to pray and to grow in personal and community holiness. Then the Lord will provide!
With particular affection, I greet you, dear seminarians, and call on you to respond generously to the call of the Lord and to the expectations of the People of God - by growing in identification with Christ, the Supreme Priest, preparing yourself for your mission with a solid human, spiritual, theological and cultural formation.
The seminary is more than ever valuable for your future, because through total experience and patient work, it will lead you to become pastors of souls and teachers of faith, ministers of the sacred mysteries, and bearers of the love of Christ.
Live this time of grace with commitment, and keep in your heart the joy and enthusiasm of the first moment that you heard the call, and of your Yes, when, responding to the mysterious voice of Christ, you underwent a decisive turning point in your life.
Be obedient to the instructions of your superiors and those who are responsible for your growth in Christ, and learn from him to love every child of God and the Church.
Dear brothers and sisters, as I thank you once more for your affection, I assure you of remembrance in my prayers, so that you may continue with renewed impetus and strong hope the journey of faithful adherence to Christ and generous service to the Church.
May the Virgin Mary, our Mother, always assist you. May you be protected by Saint Rosalia and all the patron saints of Sicily. And may the Apostolic Blessing go with you which I impart from the heart to you and your communities.
Thank you.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 04/10/2010 04:49] |