Pope Benedict XVI sends message to the Second World Congress on the Pastoral Care
of Pilgrimages and Shrines
To Our Venerable Brothers Most Rev. Antonio Maria Vegliò, President of the Pontifical
Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, and Most Rev.
Julián Barrio Barrio, Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela
On the occasion
of the Second World Congress on the Pastoral Care of Pilgrimages and Shrines, to be
held in Santiago de Compostela from September 27-30, I wish to express my cordial
greetings to you which I extend to our venerable Brothers in the Episcopate, the members
of the Fraternal Delegation, the participants in this important meeting, and the civil
Authorities who collaborated in the preparation of the Congress. I also express my
deferential greetings to His Majesty the King of Spain who has honored this initiative
by accepting its Honorary Presidency.
With the theme, “So he went in to stay
with them” (Lk 24:29), taken from the Gospel passage of the disciples of Emmaus, you
are preparing to study in depth the importance of pilgrimages to the shrines as a
manifestation of Christian life and a space of evangelization.
With great pleasure
I would like to express my spiritual closeness to the congress participants to encourage
and accompany them in carrying out a pastoral task of such great importance in ecclesial
life. I will personally make a pilgrimage soon to the tomb of the Apostle Saint James,
the “Lord's friend”, in the same way that I have made my way to other places in the
world which many of the faithful visit with fervent devotion. In this regard, from
the beginning of my pontificate, I have wanted to live my ministry as the Successor
of Peter with the sentiments of a pilgrim who travels over the roads of the world
with hope and simplicity bringing on his lips and in his heart the saving message
of the Risen Christ, and strengthening his brothers in faith (cf. Lk 22:32). As an
explicit sign of this mission, my coat-of-arms includes the pilgrim's shell, among
other elements.
In these historic moments in which we are called, with greater
force if possible, to evangelize our world, the riches offered to us by the pilgrimage
to shrines should be highlighted. First of all, for its great ability to summon and
bring together a growing number of pilgrims and religious tourists, some of whom are
in complicated human and spiritual situations, somewhat distant from living the faith
and with a weak ecclesial affiliation. Christ speaks to all of them with love and
hope. The desire for happiness that is imbedded in the soul finds its answer in Him,
and human suffering together with Him has a meaning. With his grace, the noblest causes
also find their complete fulfillment. As Simeon met with Christ in the temple (cf.
Lk 2:25-35), so too a pilgrim should have the opportunity to discover the Lord in
the shrine.
For this purpose, efforts should be made so that visitors may not
forget that shrines are sacred places in order to be in them with devotion, respect
and propriety. In this way, the Word of Christ, the Son of the living God, can ring
out clearly, and the event of his death and resurrection, the foundation of our faith,
can be proclaimed completely. Very careful attention should also be given to welcoming
the pilgrims, by highlighting, among other elements, the dignity and beauty of the
shrine, the image of “God's dwelling... with the human race” (Rev 21:3), the moments
and spaces for both personal and community prayer, and attention to devotional practices.
In the same way, it can never be stressed enough that shrines should be lighthouses
of charity, with unceasing dedication to the neediest through concrete works of solidarity
and mercy, and constant readiness to listen, favoring in particular the faithful's
reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and taking part worthily in the Eucharistic
celebration, making this the center and apex of all the pastoral activity of the shrines.
In this way it will be made manifest that the Eucharist is indeed the pilgrim's nourishment,
the “Sacrament of the God who does not leave us alone on the journey but stays at
our side and shows us the way” (Homily on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, May 22,
2008).
In fact, different from a wanderer whose steps have no established final
destination, a pilgrim always has a destination, even if at times he is not explicitly
aware of it. And this destination is none other than the encounter with God through
Christ in whom all our aspirations find their response. For this reason, the celebration
of the Eucharist can really be considered the culmination of the pilgrimage.
As
“God's co-workers” (1 Co 3:9), I exhort all of you to be dedicated to this beautiful
mission so that through your pastoral care, you will favor in pilgrims the knowledge
and imitation of Christ who continues to walk with us, enlighten our lives with his
Word, and share with us the Bread of Life in the Eucharist. In this way, the pilgrimage
to the shrine will be a favorable occasion to strengthen the desire in those who visit
it to share the wonderful experience with others of knowing they are loved by God
and sent to the world to give witness to that love.
With these sentiments,
I entrust the fruits of this Congress to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary
and the Apostle James as I direct my prayer to Jesus Christ, “the Way and the Truth
and the Life” (Jn 14:6), to whom I present all those who seek His face as they peregrinate
through life:
Lord Jesus Christ, pilgrim of Emmaus, you make yourself close
to us for love, even if, at times, discouragement and sadness prevent us from
discovering your presence. You are the flame that revives our faith. You are
the light that purifies our hope. You are the force that stirs our charity. Teach
us to recognize you in the Word, in the house and on the Table where the Bread
of Life is shared, in generous service to our suffering neighbor. And when
evening falls, Lord, help us to say: “Stay with us”. Amen.
I impart to
all the implored Apostolic Blessing, a pledge of abundant celestial graces.