JOHN PAUL II RECALLS HIS APOSTOLIC TRIP TO SWITZERLAND

VATICAN CITY, JUN 9, 2004 (VIS) - In Wednesday's general audience, celebrated in St. Peter's Square, the Pope spoke about his apostolic trip to Switzerland on June 5th  and 6th.

  After thanking the civil and religious authorities, especially Joseph Deiss, the president of Switzerland, for their warm welcome and for organizing the trip, the Holy Father also thanked the federal council for their "decision to elevate the diplomatic representation of Switzerland to the Holy See."

  John Paul II reminded the crowd of 10,000 people that the main reason for the trip was "to meet young Catholics in Switzerland."  During the trip "I proposed a message to the younger Swiss generations that I wanted to extend to the young people of Europe and the world," which can be summed up in "three words: 'rise, listen to, and follow Christ.'  It is Christ Himself, risen and alive, Who proposes these words to each young person of our age. He invites young people of the third millennium to 'rise', to give meaning to their lives" because "only Christ, the Redeemer of man, can help young people to overcome negative experiences and mentalities in order to grow and achieve a high human, spiritual and moral dimension."

  He noted that on the solemnity of Trinity Sunday, during the Eucharist celebrated in Allmend Square, "I renewed my call for unity among Christians, especially inviting Catholics to live unity among themselves, making the Church "'home and school of communion'."

  The Holy Father concluded by indicating that before returning to Rome he met with members of the Association of Former Swiss Guards. "It was a providential occasion to thank them for the service that the Swiss Guard Corps provides to the Apostolic See for more almost five centuries."

  At the end of the audience, the Pope invited the Romans and foreign pilgrims present to participate tomorrow, the feast of Corpus Christi, in a Mass at which he will preside at 6:30 p.m. in St. John Lateran Square and in the Eucharistic procession to St. Mary Major which follows.
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