Pope’s message to Rimini Meeting

August 19, 2013 - Pope Francis has sent his blessings to an annual meeting in the Italian city of Rimini on the Adriatic coast, encouraging the Church and Christians to go out and spread “Christ’s perfume” in every human situation. The Pope’s remarks came in a message sent on his behalf by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone to the 34th Rimini Meeting, Aug. 18-24, on the theme “ The Human Person: a State of Emergency.” The meeting is organized by the Catholic movement Communion and Liberation. The message, read out at the opening session on Sunday, underscored Pope John Paul II’s words, “man is the way for the Church,” saying this is still valid in a society that is more and more deprived of stable reference points. Pope Francis pointed out that “Man is the way for the Church because he is the road that God Himself walks on. He noted that the economic, political and media power… frequently tries to manipulate the masses, creating desires to eliminate the most precious thing man possesses - his relationship with God. The power fears those men that have a relationship with God because this relationship sets them free. The Pope urged the Church and Christians to imitate Jesus by going out to meet all the men and women of our time, children and old people, “wise” people and those without education, young and families, “and not wait for them to look for us.” He told them to “bring the perfume of Christ’s love” not only in churches and parishes, but also in schools, universities, workplaces, hospitals, prisons, city squares, streets, sports centers and wherever people gather.