Pope to tell Czechs: Christ is our strength, says papal spokesman

(Sept.23, 2009): Pope Benedict XVI's trip to the Czech Republic this weekend will encourage the Church to offer a contribution of vitality, hope and charity to the secularized society in which it finds itself," according to Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi. During a meeting with journalists on Tuesday, Fr. Lombardi gave details on the Pope's Saturday through Monday trip, which has the theme "The Love of Christ Is Our Strength." This is the 13th time the Holy Father will make an apostolic journey outside of Italy.
According to Father Lombardi, this trip, during which the Pontiff will celebrate the nation's patron, St. Wenceslaus, is framed in the historical context of the 20th anniversary of the fall of Communism. It will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of the canonization of St. Agnes of Prague.
Pope Benedict’s first stop in the Czech Republic will be to pay a visit to the image of the Infant Jesus of Prague. Over the course of the three-day trip, he will also meet with priests and religious, academics, youth and officials from the government. There will also be an ecumenical gathering. The Czech Republic has some 10.4 million inhabitants, of whom close to 3. 3 million are Catholics..
A total of some 15,900 students attend 79 Catholic education centers, from kindergarten to university. Other institutions belonging to the Church, or run by priests or religious in the Czech Republic, include 50 hospitals, 98 clinics, 134 homes for the elderly or disabled, 59 orphanages and nurseries, 58 family counselling centers and other pro-life centers, 170 centers for education and social rehabilitation, and 28 institutions of other kinds.