Papal Mass in Freiburg: may the Church be a blessing!
Some 100,000 faithful gathered under a warm German sun to celebrate the Holy Mass
Sunday with Pope Benedict XVI. Our correspondent Veronica Scarisbrick tells us they
gathered at Freiburg's touristic airport just outside the south-western German city,
on this, the fourth and last day of the Holy Father's visit to his homeland:
An
unusual venue for the Holy Mass Benedict XVI presided over on Sunday morning in predominantly
Catholic Freiburg, a local airport strip not far from the city . And not far from
the venue of the previous evening's Prayer Vigil with young enthusiastic Germans to
whom, when evening faded into darkness and torches had been lit, amid an ocean of
flickering lights the Pope had said: ”You are the light of the world”, “Allow Christ
to burn in you, whatever the cost. Do not be afraid he insisted”. And many of
these same young Germans were present at the morning mass as well. With their youthful
enthusiasm they infected the other 100.000 faithful present there with their shouting:”Benedetto,
Benedetto..” Those who had come from other dioceses across Germany and those who had
travelled here from neighbouring France and Switzerland.
It must have been
a bit of a wistful occasion for German Catholics as it was the final day of the Pope's
first State Visit to them his fellow country men.. And all 27 Bishops of the German
Bishop’s Conference were present to concelebrate with him the Successor of Peter,
together with their President and Archbishop of Freiburg, Robert Zollitsch.
And
when it was time for this German Pontiff to deliver his homily he expressed his gratitude
for this nation’s generous outreach to other more needy Churches, across the world
with its many social and charitable institutions and for the love of neighbour practiced,
in ways that bring social benefits to the ends of the earth.
But the Pope
specified : “The Church in Germany will continue to be a blessing for the entire Catholic
world if she remains faithfully united with the Successors of Saint Peter and the
Apostles, if she fosters cooperation in various ways with mission countries and allows
herself to be “infected” by the joy that marks the faith of these young Churches.”
There
was prayer, and there was music here in this South Western tip of Germany as Benedict
XVI spelled out to his people how while certainly social service requires objective
and professional expertise in the spirit of Jesus, it also needs an open heart and
a concerted and humble effort, a service of love .
With the Pope in Germany
, I’m Veronica Scarisbrick