Vatican City, 18 January 2015 (VIS) –
The Pope visited the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas
to meet with the leaders of the main religious confessions
represented in the Philippines. Currently attended by forty thousand
students, the University of Santo Tomas is managed by Dominican
Fathers, and it is the largest and oldest university in Asia. It
recently celebrated the fourth centenary of its foundation and has
received the patronage of the Spanish crown since 1680.
Upon arrival the Pope was received by
the chancellor and the rector, and greeted the religious leaders.
Shortly after he toured the campus by Popemobile to greet the ten
thousand students who awaited him. He then proceeded to the sports
field, able to hold thirty thousand people, where he gave an
off-the-cuff address in Spanish, answering various questions such as
“Why do children suffer?”, “How does one live true love?”,
“How can one contribute professionally to compassion and mercy
without falling prey to materialism?”.
Beforehand, the Holy Father shared with
those present the sad news of the death of the young volunteer
Kristel Padasas in Tacloban yesterday. “She was 27 years old; she
was young, like you, and worked for an association. I would like us
all to pray in silence a minute and then invoke our heavenly Mother.
And let us pray also for her parents”.
The original text of the Pope's planned
discourse is published below:
“Dear young friends, it is a joy for
me to be with you this morning. I greet each of you from the heart,
and I thank all those who made this meeting possible. During my visit
to the Philippines, I wanted to meet with young people, to listen to
you and to talk with you. I want to express the love and the hopes of
the Church for you. And I want to encourage you, as Christian
citizens of this country, to offer yourselves passionately and
honestly to the great work of renewing your society and helping to
build a better world.
“In a special way, I thank the young
people who have offered words of welcome to me. They have expressed
eloquently, in your name, your concerns and worries, your faith and
your hopes. They have spoken of the difficulties and the expectations
of the young. Although I cannot respond to each of these issues at
length, I know that, together with your pastors and among yourselves,
you will prayerfully consider them and make concrete proposals for
action in your lives.
“Today I would like to suggest three
key areas where you have a significant contribution to make to the
life of your country. The first of these is the challenge of
integrity. The word 'challenge' can be understood in two ways. First,
it can be understood negatively, as a temptation to act against your
moral convictions, what you know to be true, good and right. Our
integrity can be challenged by selfish interest, greed, dishonesty,
or the willingness to use other people.
“But the word 'challenge' can be also
understood positively. It can be seen as invitation to courage, a
summons to bear prophetic witness to what you believe and hold
sacred. In this sense, the challenge of integrity is something which
you have to face now, at this time in your lives. It is not something
you can put off until you are older or have greater responsibilities.
Even now you are challenged to act with honesty and fairness in your
dealings with others, young and old alike. Do not avoid the
challenge! One of the greatest challenges young people face is
learning to love. To love means to take a risk: the risk of
rejection, the risk of being taken advantage of, or worse, of taking
advantage of another. Do not be afraid to love! But in love, too,
maintain your integrity! Here too, be honest and fair!
“In the reading we have just heard,
Paul tells Timothy: 'Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set
an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith,
and purity'. You are called, then, to set a good example, an example
of integrity. Naturally, in doing this, you will encounter
opposition, negativity, discouragement, and even ridicule. But you
have received a gift which enables you to rise above those
difficulties. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you nurture this
gift by daily prayer and draw strength from sharing in the Eucharist,
you will be able to achieve that moral greatness to which Jesus calls
you. You will also be a compass for those of your friends who are
struggling. I think especially of those young people who are tempted
to lose hope, to abandon their high ideals, to drop out of school, or
to live from day to day on the streets.
“So it is essential not to lose your
integrity! Not to compromise your ideals! Not to give in to
temptations against goodness, holiness, courage and purity! Rise to
the challenge! With Christ, you will be – indeed you already are! –
the architects of a renewed and more just Filipino culture.
“A second key area where you are
called to make a contribution is in showing concern for the
environment. This is not only because this country, more than many
others, is likely to be seriously affected by climate change. You are
called to care for creation not only as responsible citizens, but
also as followers of Christ! Respect for the environment means more
than simply using cleaner products or recycling what we use. These
are important aspects, but not enough. We need to see, with the eyes
of faith, the beauty of God’s saving plan, the link between the
natural environment and the dignity of the human person. Men and
women are made in the image and likeness of God, and given dominion
over creation. As stewards of God’s creation, we are called to make
the earth a beautiful garden for the human family. When we destroy
our forests, ravage our soil and pollute our seas, we betray that
noble calling.
“Three months ago, your Bishops
addressed these issues in a prophetic Pastoral Letter. They asked
everyone to think about the moral dimension of our activities and
lifestyles, our consumption and our use of the earth’s resources.
Today I ask you to do this in the context of your own lives and your
commitment to the building up of Christ’s kingdom. Dear young
people, the just use and stewardship of the earth’s resources is an
urgent task, and you have an important contribution to make. You are
the future of the Philippines. Be concerned about what is happening
to your beautiful land!
“A final area in which you can make a
contribution is one dear to all of us. It is care for the poor. We
are Christians. We are members of God’s family. No matter how much
or how little we have individually, each one of us is called to
personally reach out and serve our brothers and sisters in need.
There is always someone near us who is in need, materially,
emotionally, spiritually. The greatest gift we can give to them is
our friendship, our concern, our tenderness, our love for Jesus. To
receive Jesus is to have everything; to give Him is to give the
greatest gift of all.
“Many of you know what it is to be
poor. But many of you have also experienced something of the
blessedness that Jesus promised to 'the poor in spirit'. Here I would
say a word of encouragement and gratitude to those of you who choose
to follow our Lord in his poverty through a vocation to the
priesthood and the religious life; by drawing on that poverty you
will enrich many. But to all of you, especially those who can do more
and give more, I ask: Please, do more! Please, give more! When you
give of your time, your talents and your resources to the many people
who struggle and who live on the margins, you make a difference. It
is a difference that is so desperately needed, and one for which you
will be richly rewarded by the Lord. For, as he has said: 'you will
have treasure in heaven'.
“Twenty years ago, in this very
place, St. John Paul II said that the world needs 'a new kind of
young person' – one committed to the highest ideals and eager to
build the civilisation of love. Be those young persons! Never lose
your idealism! Be joyful witnesses to God’s love and the beautiful
plan he has for us, for this country and for the world in which we
live. Please pray for me. God bless you all!”.
Following the meeting, the Pope
returned directly to the apostolic nunciature in Manila.
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