Following his arrival in Benin, Pope Benedict travelled to the Cathedral of Our Lady
of Mercy. Here is the full transcript of his address there, translated in English:
Your
Eminences, Most Reverend Archbishop and Dear Brother Bishops, Reverend Father
Rector of the Cathedral, Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The ancient hymn, the
Te Deum, which we have just sung, expresses our praise to the thrice-holy God
who gathers us in this beautiful Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy. We pay homage as
well to the former Archbishops who are buried here: Archbishop Christoph Adimou and
Archbishop Isidore de Sousa. They were heroic workers in the vineyard of the Lord,
and their memory lives on in the hearts of Catholics and innumerable other citizens
of Benin. These two Bishops were, each in his own way, pastors full of zeal and charity.
They spent themselves, without counting the cost, in the service of the Gospel and
of the people of God, especially the most vulnerable. You know well that Archbishop
de Sousa was a friend of the truth and that he played a decisive role in your country’s
transition to democracy. As we praise God for the marvels which he never ceases
to bestow upon humanity, I invite you to meditate for a moment on his infinite mercy.
The history of salvation, which culminates in the incarnation of Jesus and finds its
fulfilment in the Paschal Mystery, is a radiant revelation of the mercy of God. In
the Son, the “Father of mercies” (2 Cor 1:3) is made visible; ever faithful
to his fatherhood, he “leans down to each prodigal child, to each human misery, and
above all to their moral misery, to their sins” (John Paul II, Dives in Misericordia,
6). Divine mercy consists not only in the remission of our sins; it also consists
in the fact that God, our Father, redirects us, sometimes not without pain, affliction
or fear on our part, to the path of truth and light, for he does not wish us to be
lost (cf. Mt 18:14; Jn 3:16). This double expression of divine mercy
shows how faithful God is to the covenant sealed with each Christian in his or her
baptism. Looking back upon the personal history of each individual and of the evangelization
of our countries, we can say together with the Psalmist, “I will sing of thy steadfast
love, O Lord, for ever” (Ps 88:1). The Virgin Mary experienced to the highest
degree the mystery of divine love: “His mercy is on those who fear him from generation
to generation” (Lk 1:50), she exclaimed in her Magnificat. By her yes
to the call of God, she contributed to the manifestation of divine love in the midst
of humanity. In this sense, she is the Mother of Mercy by her participation in the
mission of her Son: she has received the privilege of being our helper always and
everywhere. “By her manifold intercession, she continues to procure the gifts which
assure our eternal salvation. By her motherly love, she cares for her Son’s sisters
and brothers who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and difficulties, until
they are led into their blessed home” (Lumen Gentium, 62). Under the shelter
of her mercy, deadened hearts are healed, the snares of the devil are thwarted and
enemies are reconciled. In Mary, we have not only a model of perfection, but also
one who helps us to realize communion with God and with our brothers and sisters.
As Mother of Mercy, she is a sure guide to the disciples of her son who wish to be
of service to justice, to reconciliation and to peace. She shows us, with simplicity
and with a mother’s heart, the one Light and Truth: her Son, Jesus Christ who leads
humanity to its full realization in the Father. Let us not be afraid to invoke, with
confidence, her who ceaselessly dispenses to her children abundant divine graces: