VATICAN CITY, 18 MAY 2008 (VIS) - After praying the Angelus today in Genoa's Piazza Matteotti, Benedict XVI went to the city's cathedral of St. Lawrence where he met with the cathedral chapter and a group of consecrated people.
On his arrival at the cathedral, he was welcomed by Bishop Luigi Ernesto Palletti, auxiliary of Genoa. Msgr. Mario Grone, dean of the cathedral, and Fr. Domenico Rossi O.C.D., diocesan delegate for consecrated life, then addressed a greeting to the Holy Father.
"This cathedral, surrounded by so many alleyways", said the Holy Father in his address, "seems to be the place of convergence and arrival of all roads, as if from the shade of the narrow lanes men wish to come out into the light of their cathedral, ... into the light of God which welcomes, embraces, illuminates and restores everyone".
"In past centuries the Church in Genoa has had a rich tradition of holiness and generous service to others. ... And even today, despite the difficulties society is undergoing, evangelising passion remains strong in your communities. In particular, there has been a growing and shared desire to create ever more fraternal understanding in order to collaborate in missionary activity throughout the archdiocese. Indeed, following the guidelines of the Italian Episcopal Conference, you wish to place yourselves in a permanent state of mission, as a form of witness to the joy of the Gospel and an explicit invitation to everyone to meet Jesus Christ".
In order to cultivate such missionary spirit, the Holy Father proceeded, it is important "to become 'specialists' in listening to God and credible examples of a holiness that translates into faithfulness to the Gospel, without surrender to the spirit of the world". He then went on to quote the late Cardinal Giuseppe Siri, archbishop of Genoa, to the effect that "religious life moves around God ... and hence it becomes a witness of God and a call to God".
The Pope invited those present to continue their good works, especially their presence near "the poor, the sick, families, children, parishes". All this, he added, "is a precious field of service and of giving, in order to build the Church and serve mankind".
"Genoa's long spiritual tradition includes six Popes, among whom I particularly mention Benedict XV, ... the Pope of peace. In his 'Humani generis redemptionem' he wrote that 'what makes the human word capable of benefiting souls is the grace of God'. Let us never for get this. ... In order to be witnesses and heralds of the message of salvation we cannot rely only on our human energy. It is the faithfulness of God that stimulates and conforms our own faithfulness to Him. Hence let us allow ourselves to be guided by the Spirit of truth and love".
After the meeting, Benedict XVI paused for a few moments prayer before the tomb of Cardinal Siri before being taken by car to the archiepiscopal Benedict XV Seminary where he greeted the seminarians and had lunch with local bishops.
PV-ITALY/RELIGIOUS/GENOA VIS 20080519 (510)
On his arrival at the cathedral, he was welcomed by Bishop Luigi Ernesto Palletti, auxiliary of Genoa. Msgr. Mario Grone, dean of the cathedral, and Fr. Domenico Rossi O.C.D., diocesan delegate for consecrated life, then addressed a greeting to the Holy Father.
"This cathedral, surrounded by so many alleyways", said the Holy Father in his address, "seems to be the place of convergence and arrival of all roads, as if from the shade of the narrow lanes men wish to come out into the light of their cathedral, ... into the light of God which welcomes, embraces, illuminates and restores everyone".
"In past centuries the Church in Genoa has had a rich tradition of holiness and generous service to others. ... And even today, despite the difficulties society is undergoing, evangelising passion remains strong in your communities. In particular, there has been a growing and shared desire to create ever more fraternal understanding in order to collaborate in missionary activity throughout the archdiocese. Indeed, following the guidelines of the Italian Episcopal Conference, you wish to place yourselves in a permanent state of mission, as a form of witness to the joy of the Gospel and an explicit invitation to everyone to meet Jesus Christ".
In order to cultivate such missionary spirit, the Holy Father proceeded, it is important "to become 'specialists' in listening to God and credible examples of a holiness that translates into faithfulness to the Gospel, without surrender to the spirit of the world". He then went on to quote the late Cardinal Giuseppe Siri, archbishop of Genoa, to the effect that "religious life moves around God ... and hence it becomes a witness of God and a call to God".
The Pope invited those present to continue their good works, especially their presence near "the poor, the sick, families, children, parishes". All this, he added, "is a precious field of service and of giving, in order to build the Church and serve mankind".
"Genoa's long spiritual tradition includes six Popes, among whom I particularly mention Benedict XV, ... the Pope of peace. In his 'Humani generis redemptionem' he wrote that 'what makes the human word capable of benefiting souls is the grace of God'. Let us never for get this. ... In order to be witnesses and heralds of the message of salvation we cannot rely only on our human energy. It is the faithfulness of God that stimulates and conforms our own faithfulness to Him. Hence let us allow ourselves to be guided by the Spirit of truth and love".
After the meeting, Benedict XVI paused for a few moments prayer before the tomb of Cardinal Siri before being taken by car to the archiepiscopal Benedict XV Seminary where he greeted the seminarians and had lunch with local bishops.
PV-ITALY/RELIGIOUS/GENOA VIS 20080519 (510)
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