Pope's General Audience of Nov. 11 – appeal for Sri Lanka’s displaced
(November 11, 2009) Every week on Wednesday, the Pope holds a public meeting, called
the general audience, during which pilgrims and tourists who come to Rome have a chance
of seeing and hearing him speak. The Holy Father delivers a spiritual reflection
and greets various groups in their languages, including in English. The General
Audience of Nov. 11 was held in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall. It began with
several aides reading a scripture passage in various languages. An aide greeted
the Pope on behalf of the English-speaking pilgrims, and presented the various groups
to him. Pope Benedict then delivered a reflection in English. The text follows:
Dear Brothers and Sisters, In our catechesis on the Christian
culture of the Middle Ages, we now turn to the monastic reform linked to the great
monastery of Cluny. Founded eleven hundred years ago, Cluny restored the strict observance
of the Rule of Saint Benedict and made the Church’s liturgy the centre of its life.
It stressed the solemn celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours and Holy Mass, and
enriched the worship of God with splendid art, architecture and music. The monastic
liturgy, seen as a foretaste of the heavenly liturgy, was accompanied by a daily regime
marked by silence and intercessory prayer. Cluny’s reputation for sanctity and learning
caused its influence to spread to monasteries throughout Europe. Exempt from interference
by feudal authorities, the monastery freely elected its abbots and flourished under
a series of outstanding spiritual leaders like Saints Odo and Hugh. Cluny also contributed
to the reform of the universal Church by its concern for holiness, the restoration
of clerical celibacy and the elimination of simony. At a formative time of Europe’s
history, Cluny helped to forge the Continent’s Christian identity by its emphasis
on the primacy of the spirit, respect for human dignity, commitment to peace and an
authentic and integral humanism. I cordially welcome the English-speaking
visitors in attendance at today’s Audience. I particularly greet pilgrims from the
Diocese of Fort Worth, students and staff from the Franciscan University of Steubenville,
Diocesan Directors of Communications from England and Wales, as well as priests from
Japan. Upon all of you I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace!
After
speaking to other groups in their languages, Pope Benedict made a heartfelt appeal
to Sri Lanka to accelerate the process of returning war-displaced Tamils to their
homes following the end of the government’s 25-year-old civil war with separatist
Tamil in May. The Holy Father commended the efforts of Sri Lankan government authorities
in the past weeks to facilitate the return of the displaced. Speaking in Italian,
the Pope said, “I heartily encourage an acceleration of this commitment and urge all
citizens to strive for peace with full respect for human rights and for a just political
solution to the challenges still facing the country.” The Holy Father also urged
the international community to work for the humanitarian and economic needs of Sri
Lanka, and raised a prayer to Sri Lanka’s Holy Virgin of Madhu, to continue to watch
over the beloved land. The Pope wound up his Wednesday General Audience with his
blessing.