Pope on Shoah: Never again may violence humiliate the dignity of man!
(28 Jan 09 - RV) In his weekly audience Pope Benedict categorically condemned all
attempts to deny the Holocaust and explained the reasons for the lifting of the excommunication
of four bishops from the fraternity of St Pius X.
The Holy Father also expressed
his joy at the election of the new Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Kirill.
Speaking
in Italian following his catechesis on St Paul, Pope Benedict immediately addressed
an issue that has been dominating international media this week: The Holy See’s decision
to lift the excommunication of four bishops from the Fraternity of St Pius X.
“In
the homily I pronounced at the outset of my Pontificate” began the Pope”, “I affirmed
that the call to unity is the “explicit” duty of a Pastor”. Moreover, he added,
it is the a qualifying aspect of the ministry of St Peter’s Successor. Pope Benedict
said that he arrived at his decision to lift the excommunication of the four prelates,
because they had made known to him on repeated occasions “the suffering caused them
by their situation”. “I decided to carry out this act out of paternal mercy” he said,
adding that he hopes his gesture will lead to their commitment “to realise full communion
with the Church, by their fidelity to and full recognition of the Magisterium and
authority of the Pope and the Second Vatican Council”.
Pope Benedict’s thoughts
then turned to the Shoah, the memorial of which was celebrated this week. He said
“the memories and images of my many visits to Auschwitz come back to me in these days,
a death camp in which blind racial and religious hatred led to the ferocious extermination
of millions of Jews and other innocent victims”.
Then Pope Benedict firmly
said “While I renew my affection for and complete solidarity with our Brothers of
the First Alliance, I urge that the memory of the Shoah lead humanity to reflect on
the unforeseeable power of evil when it conquers the Human Heart. May the Shoah be
a warning to all against oblivion, against denial or revisionism, because violence
committed against any one single human being is violence against all humanity. No
man is an island, a well known poet once wrote. The Shoah teaches both the new and
older generations, that only the demanding journey of listening and dialogue, of love
and forgiveness can lead the world’s peoples, cultures and religions towards the
desired goal of brotherhood and peace in truth. Never again may violence humiliate
the dignity of man!”.
The Holy Father also greeted news of the election of
the new Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, the Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad,
Kirill; invoking upon him and the entire Russian Orthodox Church the light of the
Holy Spirit.