Pope Francis' Visit to Sarajevo June 2015
Pope Francis to Sarajevo Faithful: I Come to You as a Messenger of Peace
Sends Video Message Ahead of Saturday’s Apostolic Visit
By Junno Arocho Esteves
Rome, June 02, 2015
“I am preparing myself to come among you as a fraternal messenger of peace, to
express to everyone - to everyone! - my respect and friendship.”
Pope Francis said these words in a video message addressed to the people of
Sarajevo and Bosnia & Herzegovina. The Holy Father will be visiting the country
on Saturday, June 6th.
In his message, the Pope said that he was visiting in order to “confirm the
Catholic faithful in the faith, to support ecumenical and interreligious
dialogue, and above all to encourage peaceful coexistence in your country.”
Addressing the people of Bosnia & Herzegovina, the 78-year-old Pontiff
encouraged the faithful to stand side by side with their fellow citizens as
“witnesses of faith and the love of God.”
Concluding his message, Pope Francis expressed his joy at his upcoming visit and
invoked a blessing upon the country.
--
The following is a translation of the Holy Father’s video message:
Dear brothers and sisters,
There are only a few days left until the journey that will take me in your
midst, in Sarajevo. This thought gives me joy, and I wish now to address my most
cordial greeting to you all who live in this city and in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
I come among you, with the help of God, to confirm the Catholic faithful in the
faith, to support ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, and above all to
encourage peaceful coexistence in your country. I invite you to join in my
prayers, so that this Apostolic trip may produce the desired fruits for the
Christian community and for the whole society.
“Peace be with you”.
This is the theme of my Visit. They are words with which the Risen Jesus greeted
his disciples when he appeared in their midst in the Cenacle, the evening of
Passover. It is He, the Lord, our strength and our hope, who gives us His peace,
so that we may receive Him in our hearts and to spread it with joy and love.
For my part, I am preparing myself to come among you as a fraternal messenger of
peace, to express to everyone - to everyone! - my respect and friendship. I
would like to announce to every person, every family, every community the mercy,
tenderness and love of God.
Dear brothers and sisters of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
I assure to you all my affection and my strong spiritual closeness. I encourage
you Catholics to stand beside your fellow citizens as witnesses of faith and the
love of God, working for a society that walks towards peace, in brotherhood and
mutual cooperation.
Awaiting to meet you, I invoke upon Sarajevo and upon the entire country the
blessing of the Lord and the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary.
Thank you and see you soon!
----------------------------------------------
"I have come here as a pilgrim of peace and
dialogue..."
By Staff Reporter
Sarajevo, June 06, 2015
Here is a Vatican translation of Pope Francis'
address to authorities and diplomatic corps at about 10 a.m. this morning in the
presidential palace during his one-day apostolic visit to Sarajevo:
***
Dear Ministers of the Presidency of Bosnia and
Herzegovina,
Dear Chairman of the Presidency,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I wish to thank the members of the Presidency of
Bosnia and Herzegovina for their kind welcome, and in a special way for the
cordial welcome extended to me by His Excellency Mladen Ivanić Chairman of the
Presidency, on behalf of everyone. I am pleased to be in this city which,
although it has suffered so much in the bloody conflicts of the past century,
has once again become a place of dialogue and peaceful coexistence. Bosnia and
Herzegovina has advanced from a culture of conflict and war to a culture of
encounter.
Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina have a special
significance for Europe and for the whole world. For centuries in these lands,
communities were present who professed different religions, who belonged to
distinct ethnic and cultural groups, each endowed with its own rich
characteristics; each fostered its own traditions, without these differences
having impeded for any length of time the establishment of mutually fraternal
and cordial relationships.
The very architecture and layout of Sarajevo reveals
visible and substantial characteristics of these different communities, each a
short distance from the other – synagogues, churches and mosques – so much so
that Sarajevo has been called “The Jerusalem of Europe”. Indeed it represents a
crossroads of cultures, nations and religions, a status which requires the
building of new bridges, while maintaining and restoring older ones, thus
ensuring avenues of communication that are efficient, sure and fraternal.
We need to communicate with each other, to discover
the gifts of each person, to promote that which unites us, and to regard our
differences as an opportunity to grow in mutual respect. Patience and trust are
called for in such dialogue, permitting individuals, families and communities to
hand on the values of their own culture and welcome the good which comes from
others’ experiences.
In so doing, even the deep wounds of the recent past
will be set aside, so that the future may be looked to with hope, facing the
daily problems that all communities experience with hearts and minds free of
fear and resentment.
I have come here as a pilgrim of peace and dialogue,
eighteen years after Saint John Paul II’s historic visit, which took place less
than two years after the signing of the Dayton Peace Accord. I am happy to see
the progress which has been made, for which we must thank the Lord and so many
men and women of good will. However, we should not become complacent with what
has been achieved so far, but rather seek to make further efforts towards
reinforcing trust and creating opportunities for growth in mutual knowledge and
respect. In order to favour this path, the solidarity – solidarity! - and
collaboration of the International Community is fundamental, in particular that
of the European Union and of all Countries and Organizations operating in the
territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is indeed an integral part of
Europe, the successes and tragic experiences of the former are integrated fully
into the latter’s history of successes and tragedies. They constitute, too, a
clear call to pursue every avenue of peace, in order that processes already
underway can be yet more resilient and binding.
In this land, peace and harmony among Croats, Serbs
and Bosnians, and the initiatives taken to extend these even further, as well as
the cordial and fraternal relations among Muslims, Hebrews and Christians, and
other religious minorities, take on an importance that goes beyond its
boundaries. These initiatives offer a witness to the entire world that such
cooperation among varying ethnic groups and religions in view of the common good
is possible; that a plurality of cultures and traditions can coexist and give
rise to original and effective solutions to problems; that even the deepest
wounds can be healed by purifying memories and firmly anchoring hopes in the
future. I saw this at my arrival this morning in the Muslim, Orthodox, Jewish,
Catholic and children of other religions whom I met at the airport – together
and joyful! This is a sign of hope! May we stake our future on this.
In order to successfully oppose the barbarity of
those who would make of every difference the occasion and pretext for further
unspeakable violence, we need to recognize the fundamental values of human
communities, values in the name of which we can and must cooperate, build and
dialogue, pardon and grow; this will allow different voices to unite in creating
a melody of sublime nobility and beauty, instead of the fanatical cries of
hatred.
Responsible politicians are called to the important
task of being the first servants of their communities, taking actions which
safeguard above all the fundamental rights of the human person, among which the
right to religious freedom stands out. In this way it will be possible to build,
with concrete measures, a more peaceful and just society, working step-by-step
together to solve the many problems which people experience daily.
In order for this to come about, it is vital that
all citizens be equal both before the law and its implementation, whatever their
ethnic, religious or geographical affiliation. All alike will then feel truly
involved in public life. Enjoying the same rights, they will be able to make
their specific contribution to the common good.
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Catholic Church, by means of the prayer and the
works of her faithful and her institutions, is taking an part in the process of
material and moral reconstruction of Bosnia and Herzegovina, sharing the
country’s joys and concerns. The Church is committed to offering her particular
solicitude and closeness to the poor and to those most in need, inspired by the
teaching and example of her Divine Master, Jesus.
The Holy See praises the work carried out in these
recent years, and is determined to continue promoting cooperation, dialogue and
solidarity, in the sure knowledge that peace and mutual listening in an ordered
and civil society are indispensable conditions for authentic and lasting
development. Through the contribution of all, and leaving behind completely the
dark clouds of storms gone by, the Holy See fervently hopes that Bosnia and
Herzegovina may continue along the journey embarked upon, so that after the
winter chill, springtime may come to blossom. And already we see spring blooming
here.
With these thoughts I implore the Almighty for peace
and prosperity in Sarajevo and all of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thank you.
[00940-EN.02] [Original text: Italian]
© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
---------------------------------------------
Pope Francis' Homily at Koševo Stadium
"Today, dear brothers and sisters, the cry of God’s
people goes up once again from this city, the cry of all men and women of good
will: war never again!"
By Staff Reporter
Sarajevo, June 06, 2015
Here is a Vatican translation of Pope Francis'
homily during the Mass he celebrated which begun at 11 a.m. this morning at
Koševo Stadium during his one-day apostolic visit to Sarajevo:
***
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The word peace echoes several times through
the Scripture readings which we have just heard. It is a powerful, prophetic
word! Peace is God’s dream, his plan for humanity, for history, for all
creation. And it is a plan which always meets opposition from men and from the
evil one. Even in our time, the desire for peace and the commitment to build
peace collide against the reality of many armed conflicts presently affecting
our world. They are a kind of third world war being fought piecemeal and, in the
context of global communications, we sense an atmosphere of war.
Some wish to incite and foment this atmosphere
deliberately, mainly those who want conflict between different cultures and
societies, and those who speculate on wars for the purpose of selling arms. But
war means children, women and the elderly in refugee camps; it means forced
displacement of peoples; it means destroyed houses, streets and factories; it
means, above all, countless shattered lives. You know this well, having
experienced it here: how much suffering, how much destruction, how much pain!
Today, dear brothers and sisters, the cry of God’s people goes up once again
from this city, the cry of all men and women of good will: war never again!
Within this atmosphere of war, like a ray of
sunshine piercing the clouds, resound the words of Jesus in the Gospel: “Blessed
are the peacemakers” (Mt5:9). This appeal is always applicable, in every
generation. He does not say: “Blessed are the preachers of peace”, since all are
capable of proclaiming peace, even in a hypocritical, or indeed duplicitous,
manner. No. He says: “Blessed are the peacemakers”, that is, those who make peace.
Crafting peace is a skilled work: it requires passion, patience,
experience and tenacity. Blessed are those who sow peace by their daily actions,
their attitudes and acts of kindness, of fraternity, of dialogue, of mercy...
These, indeed, “shall be called children of God”, for God sows peace, always,
everywhere; in the fullness of time, he sowed in the world his Son, that we
might have peace! Peacemaking is a work to be carried forward each day, step by
step, without ever growing tired.
So how does one do this, how do we build
peace? The prophet Isaiah reminds us succinctly: “The effect of righteousness
will be peace” (32:17). Opus justitiae pax (“the work of justice is
peace”), from the Vulgate version of Scripture, has become a famous motto, even
adopted prophetically by Pope Pius XII. Peace is a work of justice. Here too:
not a justice proclaimed, imagined, planned... but rather a justice put into
practice, lived out. The Gospel teaches us that the ultimate fulfilment of
justice is love: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Mt 22:39; Rm 13:9).
When, by the grace of God, we truly follow this
commandment, how things change! Because we ourselves change! Those whom I looked
upon as my enemy really have the same face as I do, the same heart, the same
soul. We have the same Father in heaven. True justice, then, is doing to others
what I would want them to do to me, to my people (cf. Mt 7:12).
Saint Paul, in the second reading, shows us the attitude
needed to make peace: “Put on then... compassion, kindness, lowliness,
meekness and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint
against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also
must forgive” (Col 3:12-13).
These are the attitudes necessary to become artisans
of peace precisely where we live out our daily lives. But we should not fool
ourselves into thinking that this all depends on us! We would fall into an
illusive moralizing. Peace is a gift from God, not in the magical sense,
but because with his Spirit he can imprint these attitudes in our hearts and in
our flesh, and can make us true instruments of his peace. And, going further,
the Apostle says that peace is a gift of God because it is the fruit of his
reconciliation with us. Only if we allow ourselves to be reconciled with God can
human beings become artisans of peace.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, today we ask the Lord
together, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, for the grace to have a
simple heart, the grace of patience, the grace to struggle and work for justice,
to be merciful, to work for peace, to sow peace and not war and discord. This is
the way which brings happiness, which leads to blessedness
--------------------------------------------------
Text of Pope's Prepared Address to Bosnian Priests, Religious, Seminarians
"What does it mean, today, in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, for a priest or consecrated person to serve the Lord’s flock? I
think it means to carry out a pastoral ministry of hope"
By Staff Reporter
Bosnia And Herzegowina, June 06, 2015
Here is a Vatican translation of the address Pope
Francis had prepared to give today in Sarajevo at a meeting with priests,
religious and seminarians. After hearing a testimony from a priest, a male
religious and a woman religious, the Holy Father said he would leave the text
aside and reflect on the testimony they gave.
* * *
Dear brothers and sisters,
I greet you with affection, and I ask you to express
my warmest greetings to the members of your Congregations and Institutes who,
because of illness or old age, cannot be here but are spiritually united to us.
I thank Cardinal Puljić for his words, as well as Sister Ljubica, Father
Zvonimir and Brother Jozo for their testimonies. I thank you all for your
service to the Gospel and to the Church. I come to your land as a pilgrim of
peace and dialogue, to strengthen and to encourage my brothers and sisters in
the faith, and in particular you, who are called to work “full time” in the
vineyard of the Lord. He says to us, “I am with you always, to the close of the
age” (Mt 28:20). This certainty fills us with consolation and hope,
especially when your ministry experiences difficulties. I think of the
sufferings and trials both past and present in your Christian communities.
Although you have lived through these circumstances, you did not halt, you
endured, and worked hard to confront personal, social and pastoral challenges
with a tireless spirit of service. May the Lord bless your efforts!
I can imagine that the Catholic Church’s being
numerically a minority in your country, coupled with the failures that sometime
occur in ministry, may at times make you feel like Jesus’ disciples when,
although having toiled all night long, they caught no fish (cf. Lk5:5).
However, it is precisely in these moments, if we entrust ourselves to the Lord,
that we experience the power of his word, the strength of his Spirit, which
renews trust and hope in us. The fruitfulness of our service depends above all
on faith: faith in Christ’s love, from which, as Saint Paul reminds us, and
which he know from experience, nothing can separate us (cf. Rom 8:35-39)!
Fraternity within our communities also sustains and strengthens us: fraternity
among priests, among men and women religious, among consecrated lay persons,
among seminarians. In fact, fraternity among all of us, whom the Lord has called
to leave everything so as to follow him, gives us joy and consolation, and
renders our work ever more fruitful. We are witnesses to fraternity!
“Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock” (Acts 20:28).
With these words - recorded in the Acts of the Apostles - Saint Paul reminds us
that if we want to help others become holy we cannot neglect ourselves, that is,
neglect our own sanctification. And vice versa: dedication to God’s faithful
people, being close to them in their lives, especially to the poor and the
needy, helps us be conformed ever more to Christ. Attention to one’s own
sanctification and pastoral charity towards people are two sides of the same
coin and are mutually enriching. They must never be separated.
What does it mean, today, in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
for a priest or consecrated person to serve the Lord’s flock? I think it means
to carry out a pastoral ministry of hope, caring for the sheep that are
in the sheepfold, but also going out in search of those who await the Good News
and who do not know where to find it, or who on their own cannot find their way
to Jesus. It means to meet the people where they live, including those sheep who
are outside the sheepfold, far away, who may not yet have heard of Jesus Christ.
It means taking care of the formation of Catholics in their faith and in their
Christian lives. Encouraging the lay faithful to be protagonists in the
evangelizing mission of the Church. For this reason, I exhort you to develop
Catholic communities open and “going forth”, able to welcome and to encounter,
and to be courageous in their evangelical witness.
The priest, the consecrated person, is called to
live the anguish and the hope of the people; to work in concrete circumstances
often characterized by tensions, discord, suspicions, insecurities and poverty.
Faced with these painful situations, we ask God to grant us hearts that can be
moved, capable of showing empathy; there is no greater witness than to be close
to the spiritual and material needs of the faithful. It is the task of us
bishops, priests and religious to make the people feel the nearness of God; to
feel his comforting and healing hand; to be familiar with the wounds and tears
of our people; to never tire of opening our hearts and offering a hand to all
who ask us for help, and to all those who, perhaps because they feel ashamed, do
not ask our help, but who are in great need of it. In this regard, I wish to
express my deep appreciation to Religious Sisters for everything they do with
such generosity, and above all for their faithful and dedicated presence.
Dear priests, dear men and women religious, I
encourage you to carry out joyfully your pastoral ministry whose effectiveness
is the fruit of faith and grace, but also the fruit of a humble life, one
detached from worldly concerns. Please, do not fall into the temptation of
becoming a self-absorbed élite. The generous and transparent witness of
priestly and religious life sets an example and gives encouragement to
seminarians and to all those whom the Lord calls to serve him. Standing by the
side of young men and women, inviting them to share experiences of service and
prayer, you will help them to discover the love of Christ and to open themselves
up to the call of the Lord. May the People of God see in you that faithful and
generous love which Christ has left to his disciples as a legacy.
I wish also to offer a word to you, dear
seminarians. Among the many beautiful examples of priests and consecrated men in
your country, we remember in particular the Servant of God Petar Barbarić. His
example unites Herzegovina, where he was born, to Bosnia, where he made his
religious profession, as he also unites all priests, diocesan or religious. May
this young candidate for the priesthood, whose life was so full of virtue, be a
powerful example to each one of you.
The Virgin Mary is always near us, as a caring
mother. She is the first disciple of the Lord, the first example of a life
dedicated to him and to his brothers. When we find ourselves in difficulty, or
when faced with a situation that makes us feel the depth of our powerlessness,
let us turn to her with childlike trust. Then she always says to us – as at the
Wedding at Cana – “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2:5). She teaches us to
listen to Jesus and to follow his word, but to do so with faith! This is her
secret, which as a mother, she wishes to transmit to us: faith, a genuine faith,
enough so that even a grain of it can move mountains!
By abandoning ourselves in trust, we can serve the
Lord with joy, sowing hope everywhere. I assure you of a remembrance in my
prayers and I bless each of you and your communities. I ask you please, do not
forget to pray for me.
--------------------------------------------
Pope's Address to Interreligious and Ecumenical Gathering in Sarajevo
It is always worth remembering, however, that for
dialogue to be authentic and effective, it presupposes a solid identity: without
an established identity, dialogue is of no use or even harmful. I say this with
the young in mind, but it applies to everyone.
By Staff Reporter
Bosnia And Herzegowina, June 06, 2015
Here is a Vatican translation of the address Pope
Francis gave today in Sarajevo at an interreligious and ecumenical meeting.
* * *
Your Eminence,
Distinguished Religious Authorities,
Dear Friends,
I am pleased to take part in this meeting, which
brings together representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s religious
confessions. I offer cordial greetings to each one of you and to your
communities, and I thank each of those who offered the kind words and we have
just heard.
Today’s meeting is a sign of our shared desire for
fraternity and peace; it is a testimony to the friendship and cooperation that
has been developing over the years and which you already experience daily. To be
present here today is already a “message” of that dialogue which everyone seeks
and strives for.
I wish especially to recall one of the fruits of
this desire for encounter and reconciliation, namely, the establishment in 1997
of a local Council for Interreligious Dialogue, which brings together Muslims,
Christians and Jews. I am pleased by the work which this Council does to promote
dialogue, coordinate common initiatives and develop relations with State
Authorities. Your work in this region is immensely important, particularly in
Sarajevo, which stands as the crossroads of peoples and cultures. Here, on the
one hand, diversity constitutes a great resource which has contributed to the
social, cultural and spiritual development of this region, while, on the other,
it has also been the cause of painful rifts and bloody wars.
It is not by chance that the birth of the Council
for Interreligious Dialogue and other valuable initiatives in the area of
interreligious and ecumenical work came about at the end of the war, in response
to the need for reconciliation and rebuilding a society torn apart by conflict.
Interreligious dialogue here, as in every part of the world, is an indispensible
condition for peace, and for this reason is a duty for all believers (cf. Evangelii
Gaudium, 250).
Interreligious dialogue, before being a discussion
of the main themes of faith, is a “conversation about human existence” (ibid.).
This conversation shares the experiences of daily life in all its concreteness,
with its joys and sufferings, its struggles and hopes; it takes on shared
responsibilities; it plans a better future for all. We learn to live together,
respecting each other’s differences freely; we know and accept one another’s
identity. Through dialogue, a spirit of fraternity is recognized and developed,
which unites and favours the promotion of moral values, justice, freedom and
peace. Dialogue is a school of humanity and a builder of unity, which helps to
build a society founded on tolerance and mutual respect.
For this reason, interreligious dialogue cannot be
limited merely to the few, to leaders of religious communities, but must also
extend as far as possible to all believers, engaging the different sectors of
civil society. Particular attention must be paid to young men and women who are
called to build the future of this country. It is always worth remembering,
however, that for dialogue to be authentic and effective, it presupposes a solid
identity: without an established identity, dialogue is of no use or even
harmful. I say this with the young in mind, but it applies to everyone.
I sincerely appreciate all that you have managed to
accomplish up to this point and I encourage each of you in your efforts for the
cause of peace of which you, as religious leaders, are the first guardians here
in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I assure you that the Catholic Church will continue
to offer her full support and willingness to help.
We are all aware that there is a long way yet to go.
Let us not be discouraged, however, by the difficulties, but rather continue
with perseverance along the way of forgiveness and reconciliation. While we seek
to recall the past with honesty, thereby learning the lessons of history, we
must also avoid lamentation and recrimination, letting ourselves instead be
purified by God who gives us the present and the future: he is our future, he is
the ultimate source of peace.
This city, which in the recent past sadly became a
symbol of war and destruction, today, with its variety of peoples, cultures and
religions, can become again a sign of unity, a place in which diversity does not
represent a threat but rather a resource, an opportunity to grow together. In a
world unfortunately rent by conflicts, this land can become a message: attesting
that it is possible to live together side by side, in diversity but rooted in a
common humanity, building together a future of peace and brotherhood.
I am grateful to you all for your presence and for
the prayers which you will, of your goodness, offer for my ministry. For my
part, I assure you that I will pray for you. May the Lord bless us all.
PRAYER
Almighty and eternal God,
good and merciful Father;
Creator of heaven and earth, of all that is visible and invisible;
God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob,
King and Lord of the past, of the present and of the future;
sole judge of every man and woman,
who reward your faithful with eternal glory!
We, the descendents of Abraham according to our
faith in you, the one God,
Jews, Christians and Muslims,
humbly stand before you
and with trust we pray to you
for this country, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
that men and women, followers of different religions, nations and cultures
may live here in peace and harmony.
We pray to you, O Father,
that it may be so in every country of the world!
Strengthen in each of us faith and hope,
mutual respect and sincere love
for all of our brothers and sisters.
Grant that we may dedicate ourselves
courageously to building a just society,
to being men and women of good will,
filled with mutual understanding and forgiveness,
patient artisans of dialogue and peace.
May each of our thoughts, words and actions
be in harmony with your holy will.
May everything be to your glory and honour and for our salvation.
Praise and eternal glory to you, our God!
Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------
Pope's Address to Priests and Religious
Dear sisters and brothers, you must not forget your
history, not in order to hold grudges, but in order to create peace.
By Staff Reporter
Bosnia And Herzegowina, June 06, 2015
Here is a Vatican Radio translation of the address
Pope Francis gave today off the cuff during his meeting in Sarajevo with priests
and religious. He said he decided to speak from the heart after listening to the
testimonies of a priest and two religious who explained their experience of
persecution.
* * *
I prepared a discourse for you but after hearing the
testimony of the priests and woman religious, I feel I need to speak to you off
the cuff. They told us about their experiences, good and bad things, so I shall
leave my discourse with the Cardinal Archbishop. It’s a good discourse!
The witnesses spoke for themselves. This is the
memory of your people. A people that has no memory has no future. This is the
memory of your fathers and mothers in the Faith. Only three people spoke but
behind them are many others who suffered as well.
Dear sisters and brothers, you must not forget your
history, not in order to hold grudges, but in order to create peace. Not to
consider that history as something strange, but to love as they loved. In your
blood, in your vocation, is the vocation and blood of these three martyrs. There
is the blood and the vocation of many religious, priests and seminarians.
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, tells us not to forget those who
have gone before us, those who have transmitted the Faith to us. These people
have transmitted the Faith to you, and taught you how to live the Faith. The
Apostle Paul tells us not to forget Jesus Christ, the first martyr. These people
have followed in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. We need to restore memory in
order to make peace.
A few words are lodged in my heart: one of these is
“forgiveness”. A man and a woman who consecrate their lives to the Lord, but
don’t know how to forgive, are worth nothing. Forgiving an enemy who says
something bad to you, or a sister who is jealous, isn’t difficult. But forgiving
someone who kicks you and hurts you, who threatens your life with a gun, that is
hard to forgive. Yet they did this, and they tell us we should do the same.
Something else that stays with me is the 120 days in the concentration camp. How
many times the spirit of the world causes us to forget those who have preceded
us with their suffering? Those days in the concentration camp were counted by
the minute because every minute, every hour, was torture: living together,
filthy, without food or water, in the heat and the cold, and for so long. And we
who complain when our tooth hurts, or because we want a TV in our room, or more
creature comforts, or we gossip about the superior because the food isn’t good
enough. Don’t forget the testimonies of those who went before. Think how much
they suffered. Think about the six-litre blood transfusion the first priest
received in order to keep him alive. Carry a cross that is worthy of Jesus
Christ. Worldly sisters, priests and bishops are caricatures who are worth
nothing because they do not remember the martyrs. They don’t remember Jesus
Christ crucified who is our only glory.
I think of (the story we were told about) the
militiaman who gave a pear to the sister, and the Muslim woman who lives in
America now, and who fed the priest. We are all brothers and sisters, even that
cruel man. I don’t know what he was thinking, but he felt the Holy Spirit. Maybe
he remembered his mother when he gave that pear to the sister. And that Muslim
woman who went beyond religious difference, she believed in God. Seek the God of
all. We all have the possibility to seek the seeds of Good, because we are all
Children of God. Blessed are you who have these witnesses so close to you.
Please never forget them. May our lives grow though these memories. I think of
the priest whose parents and sister died, he was left alone but he was the fruit
of love, marital love. I think of the sister, she too was a daughter. I think of
what the Cardinal Archbishop said: what happens to the Garden of Life? Why
doesn’t it flourish? Pray for families so that they may flourish with many
children and that there may be many vocations.
Finally, I would like to tell you that what we have
heard is a story of cruelty. Today, in wars around the world, we see so much
cruelty. Be the opposite of cruel: be tender, fraternal, forgiving. And carry
the cross of Jesus Christ. That’s what Holy Mother Church wants of you: to be
small martyrs, small witnesses of the Cross of Christ. May God bless you and
please pray for me.
-----------------------------------
Text of Pope's Prepared Speech to Youth in Sarajevo
I encourage you not to let yourselves be overcome by
the difficulties, but to let the strength that comes from your being human and
Christian flourish without fear
By Staff Reporter
Bosnia And Herzegowina, June 06, 2015 Here is a
Vatican translation of the text Pope Francis had prepared for his meeting with
youth in Sarajevo. He did not give the address, instead having an informal
question-and-answer session with the young people.
* * *
Dear Young Friends,
I have greatly wished to have this meeting with you,
young men and women of Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. I
offer to each one of you a warm greeting. Being here in this Centre
dedicated to Saint John Paul II, I cannot forget how much he did for young
people, meeting them and encouraging them all around the world. To his
intercession I entrust each of you, as well as every initiative which the
Catholic Church has undertaken in your land to express her closeness to young
people and indeed her confidence in them. We are on this journey together!
I know the doubts and the hopes that you have in
your hearts. Some of these have been expressed by Bishop Marko Semren and
your representatives, Darko and Nadežda. In a special way, I join you in
hoping that new generations may be offered real prospects for a dignified future
in your country, thus avoiding the sad phenomenon of mass migration. In
this regard, institutions are being called upon to put in place timely and
courageous plans that will help young men and women to realize their legitimate
aspirations; they will thus be able to contribute energetically to the
upbuilding and growth of the country. The local Church, for her part, can
contribute by means of suitable pastoral projects, focusing on educating the
civic and moral conscience of the youth, and so help them to be protagonists in
society. The Church’s commitment can already be seen, especially through
the precious work of her Catholic schools, which are rightly open not only to
Catholic students but to students of other Christian communities and other
religions. However, the Church must always dare to hope for more, starting
from the Gospel and driven by the Holy Spirit who transforms persons, society,
and the Church herself.
Young friends, you also have a decisive role to play
in confronting the challenges of our times: certainly material challenges, but
more so those which concern the vision of the human person. In fact, along
with economic problems, difficulty in finding work and the consequent
uncertainty regarding the future, there is a crisis of moral values and a
diminished sense of the purpose of life. Faced with this critical
situation, some may give in to the temptation to flee, to avoid the problems,
becoming self-absorbed, taking refuge in alcohol, drugs, or ideologies which
preach hatred and violence. These are realities which I know well because
they were unfortunately also present in Buenos Aires, where I come from.
Thus I encourage you not to let yourselves be overcome by the difficulties, but
to let the strength that comes from your being human and Christian flourish
without fear; you will be then be able to sow seeds of a more just, fraternal,
welcoming and peaceful society. Together with Christ, you young men and
women are the vitality of the Church and society. If you let Christ form you, if
you are open to dialogue with him in prayer, by reading and meditating upon the
Gospel, you will become prophets and witnesses to hope!
You are called to this mission: to reclaim the hope
in your present circumstances of being open to the wonders of living; the hope
which you have to overcome the way things are; hope to prepare for the future
marked by a more dignified social and human environment; hope to live in a more
fraternal world which is more just and peaceful, more genuine, worthier of the
measure of mankind. My hope is that you will be always more aware that you
are sons and daughters of this earth which has given life to you. This
earth asks you to love her and to help her rebuild, to grow spiritually and
socially, also with the help of your ideas and your work. To overcome
every trace of pessimism, you will need the courage to offer yourselves joyfully
and with dedication to the building of a welcoming society, a society which is
respectful of all differences and oriented towards a civilization of love.
An great example of this way of living is seen in Blessed Ivan Mert. Saint
John Paul II Beatified him in Banja Luka. May he always be an example for
you and be your protector.
The Christian faith teaches us that we are called to
an eternal destiny, to be sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters in
Christ (cf. 1 Jn 3:1), who create fraternity for the love of Christ. I am
so pleased by the ecumenical and interreligious works taken up by you, young
Catholics and Orthodox, with the involvement of Muslim young people as well.
The John Paul II Youth Centre plays a central role in this important work, with
initiatives that deepen mutual understanding and solidarity, allowing the
various ethnic and religious groups to coexist peacefully together. I
encourage you to continue this work, dedicating yourselves to common projects
with real gestures that show your closeness and support to the poorest and most
needy.
Dear young people, your joyful presence, your thirst
for truth and high ideals are signs of hope! Being young does not mean
being passive, but rather means being tenacious in your efforts to achieve
important goals, even if this comes at a price. Being young does not mean
closing your eyes to difficulties: instead, it requires a refusal to compromise
or be mediocre. It does not mean escaping or fleeing, but engaging rather
in solidarity with everyone, especially the weakest. The Church counts on
you and will continue to count on you who are generous and capable of great
energy and noble sacrifices. For this reason, together with your pastors I
ask you: do not isolate yourselves, but rather be ever more united among
yourselves so that you may enjoy the beauty of fraternity and be always more
fruitful in your actions.
Everyone will see that you are Christians by how
you, young Christians of Bosnia and Herzegovina, love one another and how
committed you are to service. Be not afraid; do not flee from reality; be
open to Christ and to your brothers and sisters. You are a vital part of
that great people who make up the Church: a universal people, a people in whom
all nations and cultures can receive God’s blessing and can discover the path to
peace. With this people, each of you is called to follow Christ and to
give your life to God and to your brothers and sisters, in the way that the Lord
will reveal to you, or perhaps is revealing to you now! Will you respond? Do not
be afraid. We are not alone. We are always in the presence of God
our heavenly Father, with Jesus our Brother and Lord, in the Holy Spirit; and we
have the Church and Mary our Mother. May she protect you and always give
you the joy and courage to witness to the Gospel.
I bless each of you, and I ask you please to pray
for me.
--------------------------------------------------
Pope’s Words to Youth in Sarajevo
"From you I expect honesty, but honesty between what
you think, what you feel, and what you do"
By Staff Reporter
Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 09, 2015
The final event of the Pope’s trip last Saturday to
Sarajevo was a meeting with youth. He put aside his prepared text and had an
informal question-and-answer session with the young people.
Here is a provisional ZENIT transcription and
translation of the event:
--
[Regarding a question about the Pope’s use of
television]
In the mid 90s I saw that it didn’t do me good, it
alienated me ... When I wanted to watch a good film, I went to the television
center of the Archbishopric and I watched only that film. Television took me
outside; it alienated me. It didn’t do for me ...
It’s true, I’m of the Stone Age, I am antique.
I understand that times have changed and we live in
the time of the image and this is important. In the time of the image one must
do the same as one did in the time of books. Choose, read the things that do one
good.
First: the responsibility of the television centers
to make programs that do one good, which do good to values, which send us
forward, that do not bring us down. And then to make programs that help us;
which make true values become stronger and prepare us for life. This is the
responsibility of television centers.
Second: to know how to choose programs. It is our
responsibility. If I see that a program doesn’t do me good, which pulls down
values, makes me become vulgar, also in filthy things, I must change the
channel. As was done in my Stone Age, that when a book was good one read it,
when it was bad it was thrown out. Evil imagination that kills the soul: if you
who are young live attached to the computer, and become a slave of the computer,
you lose your freedom. In seeking filthy programs on the computer you lose your
dignity. Watch TV, use a PC but for lovely things, for great things, for things
that make us grow.
Have you ever felt the joy and love that young
people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have for you?
To tell the truth, when I meet young people I feel
the love and joy that they have, not only for me, but for ideals for life, they
want to grow.
But you have a singularity: I believe you are the
first generation after the War. You are the flowers of a Spring, which wishes to
go forward and not turn to destruction, to things that make enemies of one
another. I find this desire in you, this enthusiasm, and this is new for me.
I see that you don’t want destruction, you don’t
want to make enemies of one another; you want to walk together. All of you, I’m
sure, all of you who look within yourselves have the same experience of Darko.
They are not they and I; we want to be an “us,” not to destroy the homeland, the
country. You are Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, but we are a “we.”
Never build walls!
Everyone speaks of peace; some powerful ones of the
earth speak lovely things about peace but surreptitiously sell arms.
From you I expect honesty, but honesty between what
you think, what you feel, and what you do – the three things together. The
opposite is called hypocrisy,
Years ago I saw a film on this city; I don’t
remember the name, but the German version was “The Bridge.” And I saw there how
a bridge always unites, however when the bridge is not used to go to the other,
but is a prohibited bridge, it becomes the ruin of a city, the ruin of an
existence.
I expect from you, this first post-War generation,
honesty, not hypocrisy, to effect union, to be able to go from one part of
bridges to another, and this is fraternity.
(Among the gifts: a bas-relief of John Paul II).
If Mir Vama (peace be with you) is true, you
who are of the post-War Spring, make peace, work for peace, all together. May it
be from this evening a country of peace.
(The Pope comes out from the Center and greets the
young people who remained outside on the Square).
Good evening to you all. Mir Vama. And this
is the task I leave you: to make peace, all together! These doves are a sign of
peace -- the peace that will bring you joy. And peace is made among all ...
among all ...Muslims, Islamists, Jews, Orthodox, Catholics, other religions ...
we are all brothers, we all adore the one God – let there never be separations
between us, but fraternity and union. Now I take my leave and I ask you, please,
to pray for me. May the Lord bless you! Mir Vama!
------------------------------------------------
Pope's Press Conference on Flight from Sarajevo to Rome
Pope Francis gave a seven-minute press conference on
the 90 minute flight back from Sarajevo on June 6. He was in amazingly good
form, totally energized, in spite of a hectic eleven-hour, action packed visit,
and in the short time available he insisted on greeting individually each of the
more than 60 reporters that accompanied him.
He then responded to questions: He first addressed
the question of Medjugorje –the shrine connected with the alleged apparitions of
Our Lady, and revealed that he will take a decision soon. Then he spoke about
those who speak of peace but foment war by trafficking in arms. In answer to a
third question, he talked about the risk of becoming slaves of the computer, and
the need to exercise judgment about which television programs to watch.
Pressed at the end by a French reporter, he confirmed he would go to France as
he had promised the bishops there, but he didn’t say when.
Note: The following is my own translation of
the entire press conference.
Many pilgrims have come here from Croatia and there
is much interest on whether you will go to Croatia. And since we are in
Bosnia-Herzgovina many are asking what is your judgment on the phenomenon of
Medjugorje?
On the problem of Medjugorje: Benedict XVI, in
his day, set up a Commission headed by Cardinal Ruini, composed of other
cardinals and theologians. They made a study, and Cardinal Ruini came to
me and gave me the study after many years of work, three or four I think.
They did a good job, a good job. Cardinal Muller (note: prefect of the
Congregation for the Faith) told me that in these days he would hold a session
(of the congregation) on this question. I think it was held on the last
Wednesday of the month, but I am not sure. We are going to take decisions
soon, and then they will be communicated. For the moment, only some
orientations will be given to the bishops, on the paths to be taken. (NB. Fr
Federico Lombardi, Director of the Vatican Press Office said later that the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has not yet held the meeting
mentioned by the Pope)
As for the visit to Croatia, I don’t know when it
will be. I remember the question you asked when I went to Albania.
(You said) you begin the visit to Europe but starting with a country that’s not
in the European Union. And answered: it’s a sign. I want to begin the visit to
Europe in small countries, and in the Balkans there are martyred countries that
have suffered much.
You have spoken about those who deliberately foment
the climate of war, and then you told the young people: there are powerful ones
who speak of peace but under the table they straffick in arms. Could you say
something more on this?
There’s always hypocrisy, and for this reason I said
that it’s not sufficient to speak of peace. Peace must be made. The one who
only talks of peace but does not make peace contradicts himself. The one who
speaks of peace but foments war, for example, by selling arms, is a hypocrite.
You spoke in some detail to the young people, in
your last talk, about the need to exercise much care in what they read and what
they see (on TV and in the computer): you didn't exactly use the word
'pornography', but you used the word 'bad fantasies'. Could you elaborate a
little more on this concept?
There are two different things: the modalities and
the contents. As regards the modalities, there is one that can do harm to the
soul and that is being too attached to the computer. This harms the soul
and takes away freedom; one becomes a slave of the computer. It’s interesting
that in many families, the fathers and mothers tell me that when we’re at table
with the children, they are on the cellular phones and in another world.
It’s true that virtual language is something we cannot ignore; it’s progress for
humanity. But when it takes us away from the family, from social life, from
sport, from art and we remain attached to it, then for sure it is a
psychological illness.
Secondly, as for the contents: Yes, there are ‘dirty
things’ that go from pornography to semi-pornography, from empty programs devoid
of values, to ones that are relativistic, hedonistic and consumeristic, which
foment all these things. We know that consumerism is a cancer of society,
relativism is a cancer of society, and I speak about this in the next encyclical
that will be issued this month. I used the word ‘dirty’ in a general sense.
There are parents that are very concerned and do not
allow computers in the rooms of their children, they must be in a common place
in the home. This is a small help that the parents give their children to avoid
these things.
Pressed by a French reporter at the end of the press
conference (the question was not audible) whether he would visit France, given
the ‘problems’ with the French government. (Reporters interpreted this as an
allusion to the fact that the Holy See has not yet given its agreement to the
candidate proposed by the Government to be its ambassador there, allegedly
because he is homosexual.), he responded:
I will go to France. I promised the French
bishops that I would go. As for problems: little problems are not problems!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Text of Pope's Press Conference on Return Flight From Sarajevo
By Staff Reporter
Vatican City State, June 08, 2015
Below is a ZENIT translation of the press conference
with Pope Francis and journalists on board the plane held on the return flight
from Sarajevo to Rome Saturday evening:
***
Father Lombardi:
Holiness, thank you for being here in our midst, and
for having greeted us all. We thought that you would be very tired this evening
and therefore, that we could not take advantage ... Then we saw you
“unleashed” with the young people. So, okay, now we can also ask you some
questions.
Pope Francis:
What does “unleashed” mean? Explain it to me well
...
Father Lombardi:
It means that you were really full of energy. The
young people were very happy. Now we have chosen three questions by drawing lots
and then, if you wish, we will ask others, otherwise we will stay with the three
questions ...
The first we ask of our Croat Silvije Tomasevic, who
is here:
Silvije Tomasevic:
Good evening, Holiness,
naturally many Croats have come here on pilgrimage, who ask if Your Holiness
will come to Croatia ... However, as we are in Bosnia and Herzegovina there is
much interest in your judgment on the phenomenon of Medjugorje.
Pope Francis:
On the issue of Medjugorje, in his time Pope
Benedict XVI established a Commission headed by Cardinal Camillo Ruini; there
were also other Cardinals, theologians and specialists there. They carried out
the study and Cardinal Ruini came to me and gave me the study, after so many
years – I don’t know, 3-4 years more or less. They did a good job, a good job.
Cardinal Muller [Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith] told
me that he had had a “feria quarta” [an apposite meeting] during those
times. I believe it was held the last Wednesday of the month, but I’m not sure
... [Note of Father Lombardi: in fact, there has not yet been a feria quarta
dedicated to this subject]. We are there to make decisions. Then they will be
told. For the moment only some guidelines are given to Bishops, but along the
lines that will be decided. Thank you!
Silvije Tomasevic:
And the visit to
Croatia?
Pope Francis:
The visit to Croatia? I don’t know when it will be.
Now I remember the question that you asked me when I went to Albania: “You begin
the visit in Europe to a country that does not belong to the European
Community,” and I answered: “It’s a sign. I would like to begin to make visits
in Europe, beginning with the smallest countries and the Balkans, [they] are
martyred countries, they have suffered so much!” They have suffered so much ...
And that’s why my preference is here. Thank you!
Father Lombardi:
Now, the second question will be asked by Anna
Chiara Valle of “Famiglia Cristiana.”
Anna Chiara Valle:
You have spoken of those
who deliberately foment a climate of war and then you said to young people: it
is the powerful who speak openly of peace and surreptitiously trade in weapons.
Can you deepen this concept?
Pope Francis: Yes, there is always hypocrisy! Therefore, I have
said that it’s not enough to talk of peace: peace must be made! And one who only
speaks of peace and doesn’t make it is in contradiction; and one who speaks of
peace and favors war – for instance, with the sale of arms – is a hypocrite.
It’s that simple ...
Father Lombardi:
Then the third question is Katia Lopez Hodoyan’s of
the Spanish-speaking group.
Katia Lopez Hodoyan:
(question in Spanish).
Holy Father, in your last meeting with young people you spoke in detail of the
need to pay much attention to what they read, to what they see; you did not say
exactly the word “pornography,” but you said “evil reveries.” Can you deepen
this concept of the waste of time...?
Pope Francis:
They are two different things: the ways and the
contents. On the ways, there is one that harms the soul and it is to be too
attached to the computer. Too attached to the computer! This does harm to the
soul and takes away freedom: it makes one a slave of the computer. It’s curious,
in many families the father and mother tell me: we are at table with our
children and they are with their phone in another world. It’s true that virtual
language is a reality that we can’t deny: we must lead it on the right path,
because it’s a progress of humanity. However, when this takes us away from
common life, from family life, from social life, but also from sport, from art
and we remain attached to the computer, this is a psychological sickness --
certainly! Second: the contents. Yes, there are filthy things, which go from
pornography to semi-pornography, to empty programs without values: for instance,
relativistic, hedonistic, consumerist programs that foment all these things. We
know that consumerism is a cancer of society; relativism is a cancer of society;
I shall speak about this in the next Encyclical, which will come out this month.
I don’t know if I’ve answered you. I have said the word “filth” to say something
general, but we all know this. There are parents who are very concerned who do
not allow computers in their children’s rooms. The computers should be in a
common place of the home. These are little helps that parents find to avoid
precisely this.
Father Lombardi:
Thank you, Holy Father! The organization says that
the distribution of food must be done and these other things ... We will land in
half an hour...
Pope Francis:
Thank you for your work, for your effort on this
trip. Thank you so much, thank you so much for your work! And pray for me, thank
you!
--------------------------------------------