Pope Francis in Rio: Christ has confidence in young people
July 23, 2013: Pope Francis arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday, beginning
a week-long Apostolic visit to mark the twenty-eighth World Youth Day. After a brief
formal greeting at Rio’s Galeão airport, the Holy Father proceeded to Guanabara Palace
for the official Welcoming Ceremony, where he was received by the President of Brazil,
Dilma Vana Rousseff Linhares, the Governor of Rio State, Sergio Cabral Filho, and
the Mayor of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes.
In her formal remarks,
the President expressed joy and gratitude at the Holy Father’s visit. The Holy Father
returned those sentiments, and placed his visit in the context of World Youth Day.
The Holy Father went on to offer particular encouragement to the young participants,
to their families, and to those responsible for forming and empowering the new generation
to take up their responsibilities as the future leaders of humanity.
After
the exchange of speeches, the Pope and the President retired for a private meeting,
during which Francis presented Mrs. Rousseff with a mosaic realized by the Vatican
Mosaic Studio according to the centuries-old techniques used to apply the mosaics
in St. Peter’s Basilica, and depicting a panoramic view of Rio from just behind and
above the great Statue of Christ the Redeemer.
Please find the full text of
Pope Francis’ remarks, below:
***************************************
Madam
President, Distinguished Authorities, Brethren and Friends!
In his loving
providence, God wished that the first international trip of my pontificate should
take me back to my beloved Latin America, specifically to Brazil, a country proud
of its links to the Apostolic See and of its deep sentiments of faith and friendship
that have always kept it united in a special way to the Successor of Peter. I am grateful
for this divine benevolence.
I have learned that, to gain access to the Brazilian
people, it is necessary to pass through its great heart; so let me knock gently at
this door. I ask permission to come in and spend this week with you. I have neither
silver nor gold, but I bring with me the most precious thing given to me: Jesus Christ!
I have come in his name, to feed the flame of fraternal love that burns in every heart;
and I wish my greeting to reach one and all: The peace of Christ be with you!
I
cordially greet the President and the distinguished members of her government. I thank
her for her warm welcome and for the words by which she expressed the joy of all Brazilians
at my presence in their country. I also greet the state governor who is hosting us
in the government palace, and the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, as well as the members
of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the government of Brazil, the other authorities
present and all those who worked hard to make my visit here a reality.
I would
like to greet affectionately my brother bishops, to whom falls the serious task of
guiding God’s flock in this vast country, as well as their beloved local churches.
With this visit, I wish to pursue the pastoral mission proper to the Bishop of Rome
of confirming my brothers in their faith in Christ, of encouraging them to give an
account of the reasons for the hope which comes from him, and of inspiring them to
offer everyone the inexhaustible riches of his love.
As you know, the principal
reason for my visit to Brazil goes beyond its borders. I have actually come for World
Youth Day. I am here to meet young people coming from all over the world, drawn to
the open arms of Christ the Redeemer. They want to find a refuge in his embrace, close
to his heart, to listen again to his clear and powerful appeal: “Go and make disciples
of all nations”.
These young people are from every continent, they speak many
languages, they bring with them different cultures, and yet they also find in Christ
the answer to their highest aspirations, held in common, and they can satisfy the
hunger for a pure truth and an authentic love which binds them together in spite of
differences.
Christ offers them space, knowing that there is no force more
powerful than the one released from the hearts of young people when they have been
conquered by the experience of friendship with him. Christ has confidence in young
people and entrusts them with the very future of his mission, “Go and make disciples”.
Go beyond the confines of what is humanly possible and create a world of brothers
and sisters! And young people have confidence in Christ: they are not afraid to risk
for him the only life they have, because they know they will not be disappointed.
As I begin my visit to Brazil, I am well aware that, in addressing young people,
I am also speaking to their families, their local and national church communities,
the societies they come from, and the men and women upon whom this new generation
largely depends.
Here it is common for parents to say, “Our children are the
apple of our eyes”. How beautiful is this expression of Brazilian wisdom, which applies
to young people an image drawn from our eyes, which are the window through which light
enters into us, granting us the miracle of sight! What would become of us if we didn’t
look after our eyes? How could we move forward? I hope that, during this week, each
one of us will ask ourselves this thought-provoking question.
Young people
are the window through which the future enters the world, thus presenting us with
great challenges. Our generation will show that it can realize the promise found in
each young person when we know how to give them space; how to create the material
and spiritual conditions for their full development; how to give them a solid basis
on which to build their lives; how to guarantee their safety and their education to
be everything they can be; how to pass on to them lasting values that make life worth
living; how to give them a transcendent horizon for their thirst for authentic happiness
and their creativity for the good; how to give them the legacy of a world worthy of
human life; and how to awaken in them their greatest potential as builders of their
own destiny, sharing responsibility for the future of everyone.
As I conclude,
I ask everyone to show consideration towards each other and, if possible, the sympathy
needed to establish friendly dialogue. The arms of the Pope now spread to embrace
all of Brazil in its human, cultural and religious complexity and richness. From the
Amazon Basin to the pampas, from the dry regions to the Pantanal, from the villages
to the great cities, no one is excluded from the Pope’s affection. In two days’ time,
God willing, I will remember all of you before Our Lady of Aparecida, invoking her
maternal protection on your homes and families. But for now I give all of you my blessing.
Thank you for your welcome!