VATICAN - The Pope in San Giovanni Rotondo - to priests, religious and young people: “Like Padre Pio, be faithful friends of the Lord Jesus, establishing with Him a daily relationship through prayer and listening to his Word, assiduous reception of the Sacraments and cordial membership of his family, the Church”

San Giovanni Rotondo (Agenzia Fides) – The last appointment of the pastoral visit of the Holy Father Benedict XVI at San Giovanni Rotondo, in the afternoon of Sunday 21 June, was with the local clergy, men and women religious and young people gathered in the church of San Pio da Pietrelcina. “Here, in San Giovanni Rotondo, everything speaks of the holiness of the humble friar and zealous priest, who this evening urges us to open our hearts to God's mercy; he exhorts us to be saints, that is sincere and true friends of Jesus,” the Pope said in his address.
Mentioning the Year of the Priesthood which has just opened, the Pope said “like the Cure of Ars, Padre Pio reminds us of the dignity and the responsibility of the priestly ministry … From his love for the Eucharist flowed, like the Cure of Ars, total readiness to listen to the faithful, sinners especially. Moreover, if St Jean Marie Vianney, in tormented and difficult times, sought in every way, to help his people rediscover the significance and the beauty of sacramental penance, for the holy Friar of Gargano, caring for souls and conversion of sinners was a longing which consumed him until his death. How many changed their way of life thanks to his patient priestly ministry; how many long hours spent in the confessional! Like the Cure of Ars, it is precisely the ministry of confessor which constitutes the greatest title of glory and distinctive trait of this saintly Capuchin Friar. How can we fail to realise the importance of participating devoutly at the Eucharistic celebration and receiving frequently the sacrament of Confession? In particular, the sacrament of Penance needs to be valorised more, and priests should never be resigned to seeing their confessionals empty or disaffection among the faithful for this extraordinary source of serenity and peace”.
Another great teaching of Padre Pio concerned the value and necessity of prayer, “he prayed always and everywhere with humility, confidence and perseverance ”. The Holy Father said, addressing not only priests, but all Christians, religious men and women in particular: “At times we can be discouraged to see the weakening and even the loss of faith, in our secularised societies. Certainly it is necessary to find new channels for communicating the truth of the Gospel to the men and women of our day, but since the essential content of the Christian message is always the same, it is necessary to return to its original source, to Jesus Christ, who is ‘the same, yesterday, today and for ever" (Heb 13,8). From the human and spiritual vicissitudes of Padre Pio we learn that only a soul intimately united with the Crucified Christ can transmit even to those who are distant, the joy and the richness of the Gospel. Love for Christ is inevitably linked with love for his Church, guided and animated with the power of the Holy Spirit, and in which each of us has a role and a mission. Dear priests, dear men and women religious, diverse are the tasks entrusted to you and the charisma which you interpret, but one must always be the spirit with which they are undertaken so that your presence and your work among the Christian people, may be eloquent testimony of the primacy of God in your lives”.
The Holy Father reserved the last part of his discourse for the young people: “I am aware of the difficulties you face, dear boys and girls, which threaten to suffocate the enthusiasm typical of your age. Among these difficulties I mention in particular the phenomenon of unemployment, which affects many young people in southern Italy. Never lose heart!... The Church will never abandon you. And you cannot abandon the Church! Your contribution is necessary to build authentic living Christian communities and societies which are more just and open to hope. And if you wish to have a "great heart", imitate Jesus”. The Pope concluded with this exhortation addressed to everyone present: “Like Padre Pio, be faithful friends of the Lord Jesus, establishing with Him a daily relationship through prayer and listening to his Word, assiduous reception of the Sacraments and cordial membership of his family, the Church. This must be the basis of the programme of life for each one of you dear young people and you dear priests and men and women religious”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 22/6/2009; righe 49, parole 715)