VATICAN - Pope Benedict XVI in the United States of America - “The Church has united a widely diverse flock in the profession of the faith and, through her many educational, charitable and social works, has also contributed significantly to the growth of American society.”

New York (Agenzia Fides) - “Our celebration today is also a sign of the impressive growth which God has given to the Church in your country in the past two hundred years. From a small flock... the Church in America has been built up in fidelity to the twin commandment of love of God and love of neighbor. In this land of freedom and opportunity, the Church has united a widely diverse flock in the profession of the faith and, through her many educational, charitable and social works, has also contributed significantly to the growth of American society as a whole.” These were the words of the Holy Father Benedict XVI during his homily given during the Mass celebrated in Yankee Stadium in New York on the afternoon of Sunday, April 20.
“At this Mass,” the Pope said in his homily, “the Church in the United States celebrates the two hundredth anniversary of the creation of the Sees of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville from the mother See of Baltimore. The presence around this altar of the Successor of Peter, his brother bishops and priests, and deacons, men and women religious, and lay faithful from throughout the fifty states of the Union, eloquently manifests our communion in the Catholic faith which comes to us from the Apostles.”
Reflecting on the readings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, the Holy Father said that “the Church’s unity has no other basis than the Word of God, made flesh in Christ Jesus our Lord. All external signs of identity, all structures, associations and programs, valuable or even essential as they may be, ultimately exist only to support and foster the deeper unity which, in Christ, is God’s indefectible gift to his Church.” He also recalled that the Church’s unity is “apostolic” that is, “It is a visible unity, grounded in the Apostles whom Christ chose and appointed as witnesses to his resurrection.”
Reflecting on the words “authority” and “obedience,” the Pope observed that “these are not easy words to speak nowadays,” in that they represent “a ‘stumbling stone’ for many of our contemporaries, especially in a society which rightly places a high value on personal freedom.” However, “the Gospel teaches us that true freedom, the freedom of the children of God, is found only in the self-surrender which is part of the mystery of love. Only by losing ourselves, the Lord tells us, do we truly find ourselves... Real freedom, then, is God’s gracious gift, the fruit of conversion to his truth, the truth which makes us free... In the light of faith, within the communion of the Church, we also find the inspiration and strength to become a leaven of the Gospel in the world.”
In the second reading, there is a description of the Church: “Christ, risen from the dead, is the keystone of a great temple which is even now rising in the Spirit. And we, the members of his body, through Baptism have become ‘living stones’ in that temple,” the Pope said. The offering that we are called to make, the Pontiff explained, is “to direct our every thought, word and action to the truth of the Gospel and to harness all our energies in the service of God’s Kingdom... Only in this way can we build something that will truly endure. Only in this way can our lives find ultimate meaning and bear lasting fruit.”
Recalling the bicentennial history of the Church in the United States, the Pontiff affirmed that during these 200 years, the face of the Catholic community “has changed greatly,” due to the successive waves of immigrants. He also made reference to “the strong faith which built up the network of churches, educational, healthcare and social institutions... the countless fathers and mothers who passed on the faith to their children, the steady ministry of the many priests who devoted their lives to the care of souls, and the incalculable contribution made by so many men and women religious.” “Today’s celebration,” the Pope explained, “is more than an occasion of gratitude for graces received. It is also a summons to move forward with firm resolve to use wisely the blessings of freedom, in order to build a future of hope for coming generations.”
The words of St. Peter on the dignity of the Christian - “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people he claims for his own, to proclaim his glorious works” (1 Pet 2:9).- also “challenge us to an ever greater fidelity to the glorious inheritance which we have received in Christ,” the Pope said. “They challenge us to examine our consciences, to purify our hearts, to renew our baptismal commitment to reject Satan and all his empty promises. They challenge us to be a people of joy, heralds of the unfailing hope born of faith in God’s word, and trust in his promises.”
The daily prayer to the Father, saying, “Thy kingdom come,” “needs to shape the mind and heart of every Christian in this nation. It needs to bear fruit in the way you lead your lives and in the way you build up your families and your communities,” the Pope said. “It means facing the challenges of present and future with confidence in Christ’s victory and a commitment to extending his reign. It means not losing heart in the face of resistance, adversity and scandal. It means overcoming every separation between faith and life, and countering false gospels of freedom and happiness. It also means rejecting a false dichotomy between faith and political life... It means working to enrich American society and culture with the beauty and truth of the Gospel, and never losing sight of that great hope which gives meaning and value to all the other hopes which inspire our lives. And this, dear friends, is the particular challenge which the Successor of Saint Peter sets before you today.”
Concluding his homily, the Pope spoke of the impressive legacy left behind by past generations. “In our day too, the Catholic community in this nation has been outstanding in its prophetic witness in the defense of life, in the education of the young, in care for the poor, the sick and the stranger in your midst.” His final words were dedicated to the youth: Especially to the youth, I entrust them with the great challenge that is implied in believing in Christ and making this faith manifest in outreach to the poor; also, in a generous response to the calls that He continues to make, to leave everything and take up a life of total consecration to God and to the Church in the priesthood or the religious life.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 22/4/2008; righe 82, parole 1113)