Vatican
City, 20 March 2013
(VIS) – Early this afternoon in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican
Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis received fraternal delegates, that is,
representative envoys of Churches, Ecclesial Communities, and
international ecumenical organizations, as well as representatives of
non-Christian Religions, who have come to Rome for the inauguration
of his ministry as Bishop of Rome and successor of the Apostle Peter.
On
behalf of those present, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople,
Bartholomew I, greeted the Pope, recalling the “elevated, serious,
and difficult task” that his ministry bears with it. He also
reiterated the need for the Churches to shun worldly distractions and
to work on the unity between Christians.
Francis,
who listened to the words of the Patriarch seated on an armchair
rather than the throne that is customarily used in the Clementine
Hall, thanked Bartholomew I, calling him “my brother Andrew”,
since the patriarchs of Constantinople are considered the successors
of the Apostle Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. He then said that,
thanks to the presence at yesterday's Mass of representatives of the
various communities, he felt “in an even stronger way, the prayer
for unity among the believers in Christ and [glimpsed] prefigured in
some way, its full realization, which depends on God's plan and our
sincere cooperation.”
“I
begin my apostolic ministry,” he continued, “in this year that my
venerated predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, with a truly inspired
intuition, proclaimed the Year of Faith for the Catholic Church. With
this initiative, which I wish to continue and which I hope serves as
a stimulus for each of us in our journey of faith, he wanted to
commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council,
proposing a type of pilgrimage to what is essential for every
Christian: a personal and transforming relationship with Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, who died and rose again for our salvation.
The heart of the Council's message lies precisely in the desire to
proclaim this ever-valid treasure of the faith to the persons of our
time.”
Francis
then recalled the image and words of Pope John XXIII at the opening
of the Council: “The Catholic Church considers it her duty to
actively work so as to bring about the great mystery of that unity
for which Jesus Christ prayed so ardently to His Father in heaven on
the eve of his sacrifice.” He continued saying: “Yes, dear
brothers and sisters in Christ, we all feel intimately joined in our
Saviour's prayer at the Last Supper, to his call: 'ut unum sint'. Let
us call on our merciful Father that we may fully live that faith that
we received as a gift on the day of our Baptism and to be able to
witness to it freely, joyfully, and courageously. This will be the
best way we can serve the cause of unity among Christians, a service
of hope for a world that is still marked by divisions, differences,
and rivalries.”
“For
my part, I wish to assure you, following in the path of my
predecessors, of my firm will to continue on the path of ecumenical
dialogue ... I ask you to take my cordial greetings and assurance of
my remembrance in the Lord Jesus to the Churches and Christian
Communities that you represent here. I also ask of you the kindness
of a special prayer for myself, so that I might be a Pastor in
harmony with Christ's heart.”
Then,
addressing the representatives of the Jewish communities, he
emphasized “the very special spiritual bond” that they have with
Christians. Quoting the Vatican II declaration Nostra Aetate, he
said: “'The Church of Christ acknowledges that ... the beginnings
of her faith and her election are found already among the Patriarchs,
Moses and the prophets.' … I am confident that, with the help of
the Almighty, we can profitably continue that fraternal dialogue that
the Council hoped for and that has been carried out, bearing not few
fruits, especially over the last few decades.”
The
Pope then greeted those belonging to other religious traditions,
first of all the Muslims who “adore the one, living, and merciful
God and who call upon Him in prayer.” Then, addressing all those
gathered, he said: “I really appreciate your presence. In it I see
a tangible sign of the desire to grow in mutual respect and
cooperation for the common good of humanity.”
“The
Catholic Church is aware of the importance of the promotion of
friendship and respect between men and women of different religious
traditions. I want to repeat this: the promotion of friendship and
respect between men and women of different religious traditions.”..
The Church “is also aware of the responsibility that we all bear to
this our world, to all of creation, which we should love and protect.
And we can do much for the good of the poorest, of the weak and
suffering, to promote justice and reconciliation, to build peace.
But, above all, we must keep alive the thirst for the Absolute in the
world, not allowing a one-dimensional vision of the human person, in
which humanity is reduced to that which it produces and consumes, to
prevail. This is one of the most dangerous pitfalls of our times.”
“We
know how, in recent times, violence has produced an attempt to
eliminate God and the divine from the horizon of humanity, and we
feel the value of witnessing in our societies to the original
openness to the transcendent that is inscribed in the human heart. In
this, we also feel close to all men and women who, although not
claiming to belong to any religious tradition, still feel themselves
to be in search of truth, goodness, and beauty, God's Truth,
Goodness, and Beauty, and who are our precious allies in the effort
to defend human dignity, in building a peaceful coexistence between
peoples, and in carefully protecting creation.”
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