Full Text: Pope Benedict XVI's remarks on arrival in Mexico
Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Mexico on Friday, at the start of his six-day trip to
Latin America that will also take him to the island nation of Cuba.
In remarks
during the official welcome ceremony, the Holy Father said he has come to confirm
the people of Mexico, Cuba and all Latin America in their faith, at a time when the
peoples of the region are celebrating the bicentenary of their independence. "I
come," said Pope Benedict, "I come as a pilgrim of faith, of hope, and of love. I
wish to confirm those who believe in Christ in their faith, by strengthening and encouraging
them to revitalize their faith by listening to the Word of God, celebrating the sacraments
and living coherently."
Below, please find the full text of Pope Benedict XVI's
remarks at the welcome ceremony.
Mister President, Your Eminences, Dear
Brother Bishops and Priests, Distinguished Civil Authorities, Beloved People
of Guanajuato and of Mexico,
I am very happy to be here, and I give thanks
to God for allowing me to realize the desire, kept in my heart for a long time; to
confirm in the faith the People of God of this great nation in their own land. The
affection of the Mexican people for the Successor of Peter, whom they always remember
in their prayers, is well known. I say this here, considered to be the geographical
centre of your land, which my venerable predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, wanted
to visit during his first Apostolic Journey. Although he was not able to come, on
that occasion he left a message of encouragement while flying over its airspace.
I am happy to repeat his words here on land among you: “I am grateful”, he said in
the message, “to the faithful of El Bajío and Guanajuato for your affection towards
the Pope and your faithfulness to the Lord. May God be with you always” (cf. Telegram,
30 January 1979). With this in mind, I offer my thanks to you, Mister President,
for your warm welcome and I respectfully greet your wife and the rest of the civil
authorities who have honoured me by their presence. I offer a special greeting to
the Most Reverend José Guadalupe Martín Rábago, Archbishop of León, and to the Most
Reverend Carlos Aguiar Retes, Archbishop of Tlalnepantla and President of the Mexican
Episcopal Conference and the Latin America Episcopal Council. With this brief visit,
I wish to greet all Mexicans and to include all the nations and peoples of Latin America,
represented here by many Bishops. Our meeting in this place, where the majestic monument
to Christ the King on Mount Cubilete, gives testimony to the deep roots of the Catholic
faith among the Mexican people, who receive his constant blessings in all their vicissitudes.
Mexico, and the majority of Latin American nations, have been commemorating in
recent years the bicentennial of their independence. There have been many religious
celebrations in thanksgiving to God for this important and significant moment. During
these celebrations, as in the Mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome on the Feast
of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Most Holy Mary was invoked fervently, she who gently showed
how the Lord loves all people and gave himself for them without distinction. Our
Heavenly Mother has kept vigil over the faith of her children in the formation of
these nations and she continues to do so today as new challenges present themselves. I
come as a pilgrim of faith, of hope, and of love. I wish to confirm those who believe
in Christ in their faith, by strengthening and encouraging them to revitalize their
faith by listening to the Word of God, celebrating the sacraments and living coherently.
In this way, they will be able to share their faith with others as missionaries to
their brothers and sisters and to act as a leaven in society, contributing to a respectful
and peaceful coexistence based on the incomparable dignity of every human being, created
by God, which no one has the right to forget or disregard. This dignity is expressed
especially in the fundamental right to freedom of religion, in its full meaning and
integrity. As a pilgrim of hope, I speak to them in the words of Saint Paul: “But
we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you
may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Th. 4:13). Confidence in God offers
the certainty of meeting him, of receiving his grace; the believer’s hope is based
on this. And, aware of this, we strive to transform the present structures and events
which are less than satisfactory and seem immovable or insurmountable, while also
helping those who do not see meaning or a future in life. Yes, hope changes the practical
existence of each man and woman in a real way (cf. Spe Salvi, 2). Hope points to
“a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev. 21:1), that is already making visible some of
its reflections. Moreover, when it takes root in a people, when it is shared, it
shines as light that dispels the darkness which blinds and takes hold of us. This
country and the entire continent are called to live their hope in God as a profound
conviction, transforming it into an attitude of the heart and a practical commitment
to walk together in the building of a better world. As I said in Rome, “continue
progressing untiringly in the building of a society founded upon the development of
the good, the triumph of love and the spread of justice” (Homily, 12 December 2011).
Together with faith and hope, the believer in Christ – indeed the whole Church
– lives and practises charity as an essential element of mission. In its primary
meaning, charity “is first of all the simple response to immediate needs and specific
situations” (Deus Caritas Est, 31), as we help those who suffer from hunger, lack
shelter, or are in need in some way in their life. Nobody is excluded on account
of their origin or belief from this mission of the Church, which does not compete
with other private or public initiatives. In fact, the Church willingly works with
those who pursue the same ends. Nor does she have any aim other than doing good in
an unselfish and respectful way to those in need, who often lack signs of authentic
love. Mister President, my dear friends: in these days I will pray to the Lord
and to Our Lady of Guadalupe for all of you so that you may be true to the faith which
you have received and to its best traditions. I will pray especially for those in
need, particularly for those who suffer because of old and new rivalries, resentments
and all forms of violence. I know that I am in a country which is proud of its hospitality
and wishes no one to feel unwelcome. I already knew this, and now I can see it and
feel it in my heart. I sincerely hope that many Mexicans who live far from their
homeland will feel the same way and that nothing will cause them to forget it or to
lose the wish to see it growth in harmony and in authentic integral development.
Thank you!