Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Washington (Agenzia Fides) - On April 17, the Holy Father Benedict XVI presided the Mass in Nationals Stadium in Washington, DC, at 10:00am local time. In his homily, the Pope recalled the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the Dioceses of Boston, Bardstown (now Louisville), New York and Philadelphia, encouraging the faithful to praise God for the accomplishment of past generations, “in bringing together widely differing immigrant groups within the unity of the Catholic faith and in a common commitment to the spread of the Gospel.” And looking towards the future, “firmly grounded in the faith passed on by previous generations.”
“I have come to America,” the Pope said, “to confirm you, my brothers and sisters, in the faith of the Apostles... I have come to repeat the Apostle’s urgent call to conversion and the forgiveness of sins, and to implore from the Lord a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church in this country.” Recalling the Scripture readings of the day’s Mass, Benedict XVI spoke on the “the inseparable link between the risen Lord, the gift of the Spirit for the forgiveness of sins, and the mystery of the Church,” and mentioned the fact that, “In every time and place, the Church is called to grow in unity through constant conversion to Christ, whose saving work is proclaimed by the Successors of the Apostles and celebrated in the sacraments.”
“The world needs this witness!” the Pope exclaimed, recalling that, “it is a time of great promise, as we see the human family in many ways drawing closer together and becoming ever more interdependent. Yet at the same time we see clear signs of a disturbing breakdown in the very foundations of society.... The Church, too, sees signs of immense promise in her many strong parishes and vital movements, in the enthusiasm for the faith shown by so many young people, in the number of those who each year embrace the Catholic faith, and in a greater interest in prayer and catechesis. At the same time she senses, often painfully, the presence of division and polarization in her midst, as well as the troubling realization that many of the baptized, rather than acting as a spiritual leaven in the world, are inclined to embrace attitudes contrary to the truth of the Gospel.”
After invoking the descent of the Holy Spirit, to renew the Church in America and sustain her in her mission of proclaiming the Gospel, Benedict XVI thanked all those who have committed their lives to the new evangelization. “The challenges confronting us require a comprehensive and sound instruction in the truths of the faith. But they also call for cultivating a mindset, an intellectual “culture”, which is genuinely Catholic, confident in the profound harmony of faith and reason, and prepared to bring the richness of faith’s vision to bear on the urgent issues which affect the future of American society.”
Recalling the theme of his visit to the United States, “Christ our hope,” the Holy Father said that, “Americans have always been a people of hope.” In spite of “the injustices endured by the native American peoples and by those brought here forcibly from Africa as slaves...hope for the future, is very much a part of the American character. And the Christian virtue of hope - the hope poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, the hope which supernaturally purifies and corrects our aspirations by focusing them on the Lord and his saving plan - that hope has also marked, and continues to mark, the life of the Catholic community... I encourage each of you to do what you can to foster healing and reconciliation, and to assist those who have been hurt. Also, I ask you to love your priests, and to affirm them in the excellent work that they do. And above all, pray that the Holy Spirit will pour out his gifts upon the Church, the gifts that lead to conversion, forgiveness and growth in holiness.”
At the end of his homily, the Pope spoke of the “liberating power” of the Sacrament of Penance, emphasizing that “the renewal of the Church in America and throughout the world depends on the renewal of the practice of Penance and the growth in holiness which that sacrament both inspires and accomplishes.” Closing his homily, the Pontiff urged those present to “continue to be a leaven of evangelical hope in American society, striving to bring the light and truth of the Gospel to the task of building an ever more just and free world for generations yet to come.”
The Holy Father then addressed his “dear Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters,” encouraging them not to be overcome by pessimism, inertia, or difficulties. “The Lord calls you to continue contributing to the future of the Church in this country and the spread of the Gospel. Only if you remain united to Christ and amongst each other, will your Gospel witness be credible and yield abundant fruits of peace and reconciliation in the midst of a world that is often marked by division and conflict.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 18/4/2008; righe 62, parole 843)
