VATICAN CITY, 3 OCT 2010 (VIS) - At 8.15 a.m. today Benedict XVI departed from Rome's Ciampino airport, bound for the Italian city of Palermo where he is making a pastoral visit to participate in a regional ecclesial meeting of families and young people.
Arriving at the Falcone e Borsellino airport, the Holy Father was received by Archbishop Paolo Romeo of Palermo and by Archbishop Salvatore Di Cristina of Monreale. Among those present was Angelino Alfano, Italian justice minister, as well as other political, civil and ecclesiastical authorities.
From the airport the Pope travelled to the Foro Italico near the seafront in Palermo where he celebrated Mass in the presence of 200,000 people.
In his homily the Holy Father referred to the name the ancient Greeks gave the city, "Panormus" (meaning Port of all). "This name", he said, "was meant to suggest security, peace and serenity. Coming among you for the first time my hope is that the city, drawing inspiration from the most authentic values of its history and tradition, may fulfil the hope for serenity and peace expressed in that name, for its own inhabitants and for the entire nation.
"I know that there is no shortage of problems in Palermo, as in the rest of Sicily", he added. "In particular, my mind goes to those who live their lives in conditions of real insecurity because of lack of work, uncertainty about the future, physical and moral suffering, and ... organised crime. I am here among you today to testify to my closeness and to my recollection of you in prayer. I am here to give you a strong encouragement not to be afraid to bear clear witness to the human and Christian values so profoundly rooted in the faith and history of this territory and its people".
"All the texts of this Sunday's liturgy speak of the faith, which is the foundation of all Christian life", the Pope explained. "Just as a lever can lift much more than its own weight, so faith, even just a pinch of faith, can achieve unthinkable extraordinary things. ... Having faith, trusting in Christ, accepting Him, allowing Him to transform us, following Him unto the end, makes possible what is humanly impossible, in all situations".
The Holy Father then focused his attention on the fervent faith of the Palermitan Church over the course of the centuries. "It should not be forgotten", he told his audience, "that your religious sense has always inspired and guided family life, nourishing values such as the capacity for giving and showing solidarity towards others, especially those who suffer, and the innate respect for life. This is a precious patrimony which must be jealously protected and relaunched, especially in our own time. Dear friends, preserve this precious treasure of your Church's faith; may Christian values always guide your choices and your actions".
Referring then to the second part of today's Gospel readings, which speaks of humility and its close bond with the faith, Benedict XVI said: "We must never present ourselves before God as one who believes he has provided a service and merits a great reward. This is an illusion that can afflict anyone, even people who work much in the service of the Lord, in the Church. On the contrary, we must be aware that we never do enough for God".
And he went on: "Sicily has been and still is a land of saints, who came from all walks of life and lived the Gospel simply and fully. To you, the lay faithful, I say again: do not be afraid to live and bear witness to the faith in the various areas of society, in the multifarious situations of human life, especially the difficult ones! Faith gives you the strength of God always to be faithful and courageous, to carry on with renewed decision and to take the initiatives necessary to beautify the countenance of your land".
"Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord", the Holy Father cried. "We must be ashamed of evil, of what offends God, of what offends man; we must be ashamed of the evil brought to the civil and religious community by actions that do not like to see the light of day".
The Pope continued his homily: "The temptation to discouragement and resignation comes to those who are weak in the faith, to those who confuse evil with good, to those who think that in the face of evil, often profound evil, nothing can be done. On the other hand, people strong in faith, people who have complete trust in God and live in the Church, can bring the overwhelming power of the Gospel to bear.
"This was the behaviour of the saints who flowered over the course of the centuries, in Palermo and all Sicily, and of the lay people and priests of today, whom you know well, such as Fr. Pino Puglisi [a priest killed by the mafia]. May they always keep you united and nourish in each of you the desire to proclaim, though word and deed, Christ's presence and love. People of Sicily, look to the future with hope! ... Live the values of the Gospel courageously so as to ensure the light of goodness shines forth! With the power of God, everything is possible".
At the end of Mass, the Pope prayed the Angelus with the faithful present. In his remarks he mentioned Anna Maria Adorni, proclaimed blessed today in the Italian city of Parma. She dedicated her life to helping women in prison and founded two religious institutes. "She was", said Pope Benedict, "known as the 'living rosary', and its is my pleasure to recall her at the beginning of the month dedicated to the Holy Rosary. May daily meditation on the mysteries of Christ in union with Mary ... strengthen us all in faith, hope and charity".
PV-PALERMO/ VIS 20101004 (990)
Arriving at the Falcone e Borsellino airport, the Holy Father was received by Archbishop Paolo Romeo of Palermo and by Archbishop Salvatore Di Cristina of Monreale. Among those present was Angelino Alfano, Italian justice minister, as well as other political, civil and ecclesiastical authorities.
From the airport the Pope travelled to the Foro Italico near the seafront in Palermo where he celebrated Mass in the presence of 200,000 people.
In his homily the Holy Father referred to the name the ancient Greeks gave the city, "Panormus" (meaning Port of all). "This name", he said, "was meant to suggest security, peace and serenity. Coming among you for the first time my hope is that the city, drawing inspiration from the most authentic values of its history and tradition, may fulfil the hope for serenity and peace expressed in that name, for its own inhabitants and for the entire nation.
"I know that there is no shortage of problems in Palermo, as in the rest of Sicily", he added. "In particular, my mind goes to those who live their lives in conditions of real insecurity because of lack of work, uncertainty about the future, physical and moral suffering, and ... organised crime. I am here among you today to testify to my closeness and to my recollection of you in prayer. I am here to give you a strong encouragement not to be afraid to bear clear witness to the human and Christian values so profoundly rooted in the faith and history of this territory and its people".
"All the texts of this Sunday's liturgy speak of the faith, which is the foundation of all Christian life", the Pope explained. "Just as a lever can lift much more than its own weight, so faith, even just a pinch of faith, can achieve unthinkable extraordinary things. ... Having faith, trusting in Christ, accepting Him, allowing Him to transform us, following Him unto the end, makes possible what is humanly impossible, in all situations".
The Holy Father then focused his attention on the fervent faith of the Palermitan Church over the course of the centuries. "It should not be forgotten", he told his audience, "that your religious sense has always inspired and guided family life, nourishing values such as the capacity for giving and showing solidarity towards others, especially those who suffer, and the innate respect for life. This is a precious patrimony which must be jealously protected and relaunched, especially in our own time. Dear friends, preserve this precious treasure of your Church's faith; may Christian values always guide your choices and your actions".
Referring then to the second part of today's Gospel readings, which speaks of humility and its close bond with the faith, Benedict XVI said: "We must never present ourselves before God as one who believes he has provided a service and merits a great reward. This is an illusion that can afflict anyone, even people who work much in the service of the Lord, in the Church. On the contrary, we must be aware that we never do enough for God".
And he went on: "Sicily has been and still is a land of saints, who came from all walks of life and lived the Gospel simply and fully. To you, the lay faithful, I say again: do not be afraid to live and bear witness to the faith in the various areas of society, in the multifarious situations of human life, especially the difficult ones! Faith gives you the strength of God always to be faithful and courageous, to carry on with renewed decision and to take the initiatives necessary to beautify the countenance of your land".
"Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord", the Holy Father cried. "We must be ashamed of evil, of what offends God, of what offends man; we must be ashamed of the evil brought to the civil and religious community by actions that do not like to see the light of day".
The Pope continued his homily: "The temptation to discouragement and resignation comes to those who are weak in the faith, to those who confuse evil with good, to those who think that in the face of evil, often profound evil, nothing can be done. On the other hand, people strong in faith, people who have complete trust in God and live in the Church, can bring the overwhelming power of the Gospel to bear.
"This was the behaviour of the saints who flowered over the course of the centuries, in Palermo and all Sicily, and of the lay people and priests of today, whom you know well, such as Fr. Pino Puglisi [a priest killed by the mafia]. May they always keep you united and nourish in each of you the desire to proclaim, though word and deed, Christ's presence and love. People of Sicily, look to the future with hope! ... Live the values of the Gospel courageously so as to ensure the light of goodness shines forth! With the power of God, everything is possible".
At the end of Mass, the Pope prayed the Angelus with the faithful present. In his remarks he mentioned Anna Maria Adorni, proclaimed blessed today in the Italian city of Parma. She dedicated her life to helping women in prison and founded two religious institutes. "She was", said Pope Benedict, "known as the 'living rosary', and its is my pleasure to recall her at the beginning of the month dedicated to the Holy Rosary. May daily meditation on the mysteries of Christ in union with Mary ... strengthen us all in faith, hope and charity".
PV-PALERMO/ VIS 20101004 (990)