Dear Brother Bishops, It gives me great joy to greet you today, at the start of
my visit to this country, and I thank Cardinal George for the gracious words he has
addressed to me on your behalf. I want to thank all of you, especially the Officers
of the Episcopal Conference, for the hard work that has gone into the preparation
of this visit. My grateful appreciation goes also to the staff and volunteers of
the National Shrine, who have welcomed us here this evening. American Catholics are
noted for their loyal devotion to the see of Peter. My pastoral visit here is an
opportunity to strengthen further the bonds of communion that unite us. We began
by celebrating Evening Prayer in this Basilica dedicated to the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a shrine of special significance to American Catholics,
right in the heart of your capital city. Gathered in prayer with Mary, Mother of
Jesus, we lovingly commend to our heavenly Father the people of God in every part
of the United States. For the Catholic communities of Boston, New York, Philadelphia
and Louisville, this is a year of particular celebration, as it marks the bicentenary
of the establishment of these local Churches as Dioceses. I join you in giving thanks
for the many graces granted to the Church there during these two centuries. As this
year also marks the bicentenary of the elevation of the founding see of Baltimore
to an Archdiocese, it gives me an opportunity to recall with admiration and gratitude
the life and ministry of John Carroll, the first Bishop of Baltimore – a worthy leader
of the Catholic community in your newly independent nation. His tireless efforts
to spread the Gospel in the vast territory under his care laid the foundations for
the ecclesial life of your country and enabled the Church in America to grow to maturity.
Today the Catholic community you serve is one of the largest in the world, and one
of the most influential. How important it is, then, to let your light so shine before
your fellow citizens and before the world, “that they may see your good works and
give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5:16). Many of the people
to whom John Carroll and his fellow Bishops were ministering two centuries ago had
travelled from distant lands. The diversity of their origins is reflected in the
rich variety of ecclesial life in present-day America. Brother Bishops, I want to
encourage you and your communities to continue to welcome the immigrants who join
your ranks today, to share their joys and hopes, to support them in their sorrows
and trials, and to help them flourish in their new home. This, indeed, is what your
fellow countrymen have done for generations. From the beginning, they have opened
their doors to the tired, the poor, the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free”
(cf. Sonnet inscribed on the Statue of Liberty). These are the people whom
America has made her own. Of those who came to build a new life here, many were
able to make good use of the resources and opportunities that they found, and to attain
a high level of prosperity. Indeed, the people of this country are known for their
great vitality and creativity. They are also known for their generosity. After the
attack on the Twin Towers in September 2001, and again after Hurricane Katrina in
2005, Americans displayed their readiness to come to the aid of their brothers and
sisters in need. On the international level, the contribution made by the people
of America to relief and rescue operations after the tsunami of December 2004 is a
further illustration of this compassion. Let me express my particular appreciation
for the many forms of humanitarian assistance provided by American Catholics through
Catholic Charities and other agencies. Their generosity has borne fruit in the care
shown to the poor and needy, and in the energy that has gone into building the nationwide
network of Catholic parishes, hospitals, schools and universities. All of this gives
great cause for thanksgiving. America is also a land of great faith. Your people
are remarkable for their religious fervor and they take pride in belonging to a worshipping
community. They have confidence in God, and they do not hesitate to bring moral arguments
rooted in biblical faith into their public discourse. Respect for freedom of religion
is deeply ingrained in the American consciousness – a fact which has contributed to
this country’s attraction for generations of immigrants, seeking a home where they
can worship freely in accordance with their beliefs. In this connection, I happily
acknowledge the presence among you of Bishops from all the venerable Eastern Churches
in communion with the Successor of Peter, whom I greet with special joy. Dear Brothers,
I ask you to assure your communities of my deep affection and my continued prayers,
both for them and for the many brothers and sisters who remain in their land of origin.
Your presence here is a reminder of the courageous witness to Christ of so many members
of your communities, often amid suffering, in their respective homelands. It is also
a great enrichment of the ecclesial life of America, giving vivid expression to the
Church’s catholicity and the variety of her liturgical and spiritual traditions. It
is in this fertile soil, nourished from so many different sources, that all of you,
Brother Bishops, are called to sow the seeds of the Gospel today. This leads me to
ask how, in the twenty-first century, a bishop can best fulfill the call to “make
all things new in Christ, our hope”? How can he lead his people to “an encounter
with the living God”, the source of that life-transforming hope of which the Gospel
speaks (cf. Spe Salvi, 4)? Perhaps he needs to begin by clearing away some
of the barriers to such an encounter. While it is true that this country is marked
by a genuinely religious spirit, the subtle influence of secularism can nevertheless
color the way people allow their faith to influence their behavior. Is it consistent
to profess our beliefs in church on Sunday, and then during the week to promote business
practices or medical procedures contrary to those beliefs? Is it consistent for practicing
Catholics to ignore or exploit the poor and the marginalized, to promote sexual behavior
contrary to Catholic moral teaching, or to adopt positions that contradict the right
to life of every human being from conception to natural death? Any tendency to treat
religion as a private matter must be resisted. Only when their faith permeates every
aspect of their lives do Christians become truly open to the transforming power of
the Gospel. For an affluent society, a further obstacle to an encounter with
the living God lies in the subtle influence of materialism, which can all too easily
focus the attention on the hundredfold, which God promises now in this time, at the
expense of the eternal life which he promises in the age to come (cf. Mk 10:30).
People today need to be reminded of the ultimate purpose of their lives. They need
to recognize that implanted within them is a deep thirst for God. They need to be
given opportunities to drink from the wells of his infinite love. It is easy to be
entranced by the almost unlimited possibilities that science and technology place
before us; it is easy to make the mistake of thinking we can obtain by our own efforts
the fulfillment of our deepest needs. This is an illusion. Without God, who alone
bestows upon us what we by ourselves cannot attain (cf. Spe Salvi, 31), our
lives are ultimately empty. People need to be constantly reminded to cultivate a
relationship with him who came that we might have life in abundance (cf. Jn
10:10). The goal of all our pastoral and catechetical work, the object of our preaching,
and the focus of our sacramental ministry should be to help people establish and nurture
that living relationship with “Christ Jesus, our hope” (1 Tim 1:1). In a
society which values personal freedom and autonomy, it is easy to lose sight of our
dependence on others as well as the responsibilities that we bear towards them. This
emphasis on individualism has even affected the Church (cf. Spe Salvi, 13-15),
giving rise to a form of piety which sometimes emphasizes our private relationship
with God at the expense of our calling to be members of a redeemed community. Yet
from the beginning, God saw that “it is not good for man to be alone” (Gen
2:18). We were created as social beings who find fulfillment only in love – for God
and for our neighbor. If we are truly to gaze upon him who is the source of our joy,
we need to do so as members of the people of God (cf. Spe Salvi, 14).
If this seems counter-cultural, that is simply further evidence of the urgent need
for a renewed evangelization of culture. Here in America, you are blessed with
a Catholic laity of considerable cultural diversity, who place their wide-ranging
gifts at the service of the Church and of society at large. They look to you to offer
them encouragement, leadership and direction. In an age that is saturated with information,
the importance of providing sound formation in the faith cannot be overstated. American
Catholics have traditionally placed a high value on religious education, both in schools
and in the context of adult formation programs. These need to be maintained and expanded.
The many generous men and women who devote themselves to charitable activity need
to be helped to renew their dedication through a “formation of the heart”: an “encounter
with God in Christ which awakens their love and opens their spirits to others” (Deus
Caritas Est, 31). At a time when advances in medical science bring new hope to
many, they also give rise to previously unimagined ethical challenges. This makes
it more important than ever to offer thorough formation in the Church’s moral teaching
to Catholics engaged in health care. Wise guidance is needed in all these apostolates,
so that they may bear abundant fruit; if they are truly to promote the integral good
of the human person, they too need to be made new in Christ our hope. As preachers
of the Gospel and leaders of the Catholic community, you are also called to participate
in the exchange of ideas in the public square, helping to shape cultural attitudes.
In a context where free speech is valued, and where vigorous and honest debate is
encouraged, yours is a respected voice that has much to offer to the discussion of
the pressing social and moral questions of the day. By ensuring that the Gospel is
clearly heard, you not only form the people of your own community, but in view of
the global reach of mass communication, you help to spread the message of Christian
hope throughout the world. Clearly, the Church’s influence on public debate takes
place on many different levels. In the United States, as elsewhere, there is much
current and proposed legislation that gives cause for concern from the point of view
of morality, and the Catholic community, under your guidance, needs to offer a clear
and united witness on such matters. Even more important, though, is the gradual opening
of the minds and hearts of the wider community to moral truth. Here much remains
to be done. Crucial in this regard is the role of the lay faithful to act as a “leaven”
in society. Yet it cannot be assumed that all Catholic citizens think in harmony
with the Church’s teaching on today’s key ethical questions. Once again, it falls
to you to ensure that the moral formation provided at every level of ecclesial life
reflects the authentic teaching of the Gospel of life. In this regard, a matter
of deep concern to us all is the state of the family within society. Indeed, Cardinal
George mentioned earlier that you have included the strengthening of marriage and
family life among the priorities for your attention over the next few years. In this
year’s World Day of Peace Message I spoke of the essential contribution that healthy
family life makes to peace within and between nations. In the family home we experience
“some of the fundamental elements of peace: justice and love between brothers and
sisters, the role of authority expressed by parents, loving concern for the members
who are weaker because of youth, sickness or old age, mutual help in the necessities
of life, readiness to accept others and, if necessary, to forgive them” (no. 3).
The family is also the primary place for evangelization, for passing on the faith,
for helping young people to appreciate the importance of religious practice and Sunday
observance. How can we not be dismayed as we observe the sharp decline of the family
as a basic element of Church and society? Divorce and infidelity have increased,
and many young men and women are choosing to postpone marriage or to forego it altogether.
To some young Catholics, the sacramental bond of marriage seems scarcely distinguishable
from a civil bond, or even a purely informal and open-ended arrangement to live with
another person. Hence we have an alarming decrease in the number of Catholic marriages
in the United States together with an increase in cohabitation, in which the Christ-like
mutual self-giving of spouses, sealed by a public promise to live out the demands
of an indissoluble lifelong commitment, is simply absent. In such circumstances,
children are denied the secure environment that they need in order truly to flourish
as human beings, and society is denied the stable building blocks which it requires
if the cohesion and moral focus of the community are to be maintained. As my
predecessor, Pope John Paul II taught, “The person principally responsible in the
Diocese for the pastoral care of the family is the Bishop ... he must devote to it
personal interest, care, time, personnel and resources, but above all personal support
for the families and for all those who … assist him in the pastoral care of the family”
(Familiaris Consortio, 73). It is your task to proclaim boldly the arguments
from faith and reason in favor of the institution of marriage, understood as a lifelong
commitment between a man and a woman, open to the transmission of life. This message
should resonate with people today, because it is essentially an unconditional and
unreserved “yes” to life, a “yes” to love, and a “yes” to the aspirations at the heart
of our common humanity, as we strive to fulfill our deep yearning for intimacy with
others and with the Lord. Among the countersigns to the Gospel of life found in
America and elsewhere is one that causes deep shame: the sexual abuse of minors.
Many of you have spoken to me of the enormous pain that your communities have suffered
when clerics have betrayed their priestly obligations and duties by such gravely immoral
behavior. As you strive to eliminate this evil wherever it occurs, you may be assured
of the prayerful support of God’s people throughout the world. Rightly, you attach
priority to showing compassion and care to the victims. It is your God-given responsibility
as pastors to bind up the wounds caused by every breach of trust, to foster healing,
to promote reconciliation and to reach out with loving concern to those so seriously
wronged. Responding to this situation has not been easy and, as the President
of your Episcopal Conference has indicated, it was “sometimes very badly handled”.
Now that the scale and gravity of the problem is more clearly understood, you have
been able to adopt more focused remedial and disciplinary measures and to promote
a safe environment that gives greater protection to young people. While it must be
remembered that the overwhelming majority of clergy and religious in America do outstanding
work in bringing the liberating message of the Gospel to the people entrusted to their
care, it is vitally important that the vulnerable always be shielded from those who
would cause harm. In this regard, your efforts to heal and protect are bearing great
fruit not only for those directly under your pastoral care, but for all of society. If
they are to achieve their full purpose, however, the policies and programs you have
adopted need to be placed in a wider context. Children deserve to grow up with a
healthy understanding of sexuality and its proper place in human relationships. They
should be spared the degrading manifestations and the crude manipulation of sexuality
so prevalent today. They have a right to be educated in authentic moral values rooted
in the dignity of the human person. This brings us back to our consideration of the
centrality of the family and the need to promote the Gospel of life. What does it
mean to speak of child protection when pornography and violence can be viewed in so
many homes through media widely available today? We need to reassess urgently the
values underpinning society, so that a sound moral formation can be offered to young
people and adults alike. All have a part to play in this task – not only parents,
religious leaders, teachers and catechists, but the media and entertainment industries
as well. Indeed, every member of society can contribute to this moral renewal and
benefit from it. Truly caring about young people and the future of our civilization
means recognizing our responsibility to promote and live by the authentic moral values
which alone enable the human person to flourish. It falls to you, as pastors modelled
upon Christ, the Good Shepherd, to proclaim this message loud and clear, and thus
to address the sin of abuse within the wider context of sexual mores. Moreover,
by acknowledging and confronting the problem when it occurs in an ecclesial setting,
you can give a lead to others, since this scourge is found not only within your Dioceses,
but in every sector of society. It calls for a determined, collective response. Priests,
too, need your guidance and closeness during this difficult time. They have experienced
shame over what has occurred, and there are those who feel they have lost some of
the trust and esteem they once enjoyed. Not a few are experiencing a closeness to
Christ in his Passion as they struggle to come to terms with the consequences of the
crisis. The Bishop, as father, brother and friend of his priests, can help them to
draw spiritual fruit from this union with Christ by making them aware of the Lord’s
consoling presence in the midst of their suffering, and by encouraging them to walk
with the Lord along the path of hope (cf. Spe Salvi, 39). As Pope John Paul
II observed six years ago, “we must be confident that this time of trial will bring
a purification of the entire Catholic community”, leading to “a holier priesthood,
a holier episcopate and a holier Church” (Address to the Cardinals of the United
States, 23 April 2002, 4). There are many signs that, during the intervening
period, such purification has indeed been taking place. Christ’s abiding presence
in the midst of our suffering is gradually transforming our darkness into light: all
things are indeed being made new in Christ Jesus our hope. At this stage a vital
part of your task is to strengthen relationships with your clergy, especially in those
cases where tension has arisen between priests and their bishops in the wake of the
crisis. It is important that you continue to show them your concern, to support them,
and to lead by example. In this way you will surely help them to encounter the living
God, and point them towards the life-transforming hope of which the Gospel speaks.
If you yourselves live in a manner closely configured to Christ, the Good Shepherd,
who laid down his life for his sheep, you will inspire your brother priests to rededicate
themselves to the service of their flocks with Christ-like generosity. Indeed a clearer
focus upon the imitation of Christ in holiness of life is exactly what is needed in
order for us to move forward. We need to rediscover the joy of living a Christ-centred
life, cultivating the virtues, and immersing ourselves in prayer. When the faithful
know that their pastor is a man who prays and who dedicates his life to serving them,
they respond with warmth and affection which nourishes and sustains the life of the
whole community. Time spent in prayer is never wasted, however urgent the duties
that press upon us from every side. Adoration of Christ our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament
prolongs and intensifies the union with him that is established through the Eucharistic
celebration (cf. Sacramentum Caritatis, 66). Contemplation of the mysteries
of the Rosary releases all their saving power and it conforms, unites and consecrates
us to Jesus Christ (cf. Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 11, 15). Fidelity to the
Liturgy of the Hours ensures that the whole of our day is sanctified and it continually
reminds us of the need to remain focused on doing God’s work, however many pressures
and distractions may arise from the task at hand. Thus our devotion helps us to speak
and act in persona Christi, to teach, govern and sanctify the faithful in the
name of Jesus, to bring his reconciliation, his healing and his love to all his beloved
brothers and sisters. This radical configuration to Christ, the Good Shepherd, lies
at the heart of our pastoral ministry, and if we open ourselves through prayer to
the power of the Spirit, he will give us the gifts we need to carry out our daunting
task, so that we need never “be anxious how to speak or what to say” (Mt 10:19). As
I conclude my words to you this evening, I commend the Church in your country most
particularly to the maternal care and intercession of Mary Immaculate, Patroness of
the United States. May she who carried within her womb the hope of all the nations
intercede for the people of this country, so that all may be made new in Jesus Christ
her Son. My dear Brother Bishops, I assure each of you here present of my deep friendship
and my participation in your pastoral concerns. To all of you, and to your clergy,
religious and lay faithful, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of
joy and peace in the Risen Lord.