Pope Benedict in Malta - Discourse no 5 Farewell Address
(18 Apr 10 - RV) Below the full text of Pope Benedict XVI's farewell address at Malta
Airport: Mr President, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, The time
has come for me to bid farewell to Malta. I thank God for the opportunity to meet
so many of you and to visit this beautiful island. I thank the President for his
gracious words and I thank all of you who have given me such a warm and generous welcome.
My journey has given me a deeper appreciation of how the Gospel preached by Saint
Paul has shaped the spiritual identity of the Maltese people. As I leave you, let
me encourage you once more to cultivate a deep awareness of your identity and to embrace
the responsibilities that flow from it, especially by promoting the Gospel values
that will grant you a clear vision of human dignity and the common origin and destiny
of mankind. Be an example, at home and abroad, of dynamic Christian living. Be
proud of your Christian vocation. Cherish your religious and cultural heritage.
Look to the future with hope, with profound respect for God’s creation, with reverence
for human life, and with high esteem for marriage and the integrity of the family!
Kunu wlied denji ta’ San Pawl! On account of its geographical position in the
heart of the Mediterranean, many immigrants arrive on Malta’s shores, some fleeing
from situations of violence and persecution, others in search of better conditions
of life. I am aware of the difficulties that welcoming a large number of people may
cause, difficulties which cannot be solved by any country of first arrival on its
own. At the same time, I am also confident that, on the strength of its Christian
roots and its long and proud history of welcoming strangers, Malta will endeavour,
with the support of other States and international organizations, to come to the aid
of those who arrive here and to ensure that their rights be respected. These
noble goals depend on an unwavering dedication to the challenging task of dialogue
and cooperation within the international and European communities, key forums in which
Malta bears witness to the Christian values that have helped to shape her identity.
Unity, solidarity and mutual respect stand at the basis of your social and political
life. Inspired by your Catholic faith, they are the compass that will guide you in
the search for authentic and integral development. The treasure of the Church’s social
teaching will inspire and guide these efforts. Never allow your true identity to
be compromised by indifferentism or relativism. May you always remain faithful to
the teaching of Saint Paul, who exhorts you to “be watchful, stand firm in your faith,
be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Cor 16:13-14).
Grazzi ħafna, il-Bambin iberikkom!