This morning's General Audience began at 10:00am in Saint Peter's Square where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every other part of the world.
Before arriving in Saint Peter's Square, at 9:00am, the Pope met with the sick and disabled who were gathered in the Paul VI Hall.
In his speech, the Pope provided a meditation on his recent Apostolic Voyage to Cuba and the United States, including a visit to the United Nations Headquarters and the VIII World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed greetings to each group of pilgrims in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.
Good morning!
I greet you all. Today's audience will be in two parts: here and in the Square. Since it seems that the weather is not too good, we decided that you should stay here, quiet, more comfortable, and you can see the audience on the large screens. Thank you all for your visit, and I ask you to please pray for me. Illness is hard, and there are doctors - they are very good! - nurses, medicines, all kinds of things, but it always seems to be difficult. But there is faith, faith that encourages us, and the thoughts that come to mind: God made himself sick for us - he sent his Son, who took on all our illnesses, including the cross. Gazing on Jesus, with his patience, our faith is strengthened.
And always when we are sick, we draw close to Jesus, we take Jesus' hand. He knows what it is to suffer, He understands and He consoles us and gives us strength.
Now, I will give you all a blessing, asking that the Lord may bless you and stay close to you. But first, let us pray to Our Lady.
Hail Mary ...
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today's audience will be in two parts: here in the Square and in the Paul VI Hall, where many sick people are following us on the large screens. I see that the weather is not so good, so we chose to allow them to gather in a place where they would be covered and more comfortable. Let us all say hello to them.
In recent days, I completed an Apostolic trip to Cuba and to the United States of America. This trip was born out of a long-time desire to participate in the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. This original nucleus was widened to include a visit to the United States of America and to the Headquarters of the United Nations, and then also to Cuba, which began the first part of the journey. I wish to renew my gratitude to President Castro, to President Obama and to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for the welcome they extended to me. I also wish to thank the bishops and all their collaborators for the work they did and for their love for the church which made it all possible.
A Missionary of Mercy: this is how I introduced myself in Cuba, a land that is rich in natural beauty, in culture and in faith. The mercy of God is greater than any wound, than any conflict, than any ideology; and with this eye of mercy, I was able to embrace all the Cuban people, both at home and abroad, beyond every division. The symbol of this profound unity of the Cuban soul is the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, who was proclaimed as the Patroness of Cuba one hundred years ago. I made a pilgrimage to the Shrine of this Mother of hope, Mother who guides us along the journey of justice, peace, freedom and reconciliation.
I was able to share with the Cuban people the hope of the fulfillment of the prophecy of Saint John Paul II - that Cuba would be opened to the world and that the world would be opened to Cuba. Never again closed, never again exploiting the poor - dignified freedom. This is the path that makes the hearts of so many Cuban youth vibrate: not a path of evasion or of easy money but of responsibility and service to others, of caring for those who are weak. A journey that draws strength from its Christian roots and from its people who have suffered so much. A journey along which I encouraged especially the priests and all the consecrated persons as well as students and families. May the Holy Spirit, with the intercession of Blessed Mary, help the seeds that we have planted to grow.
From Cuba to the United States of America: this was a symbolic step, a bridge which, thank God, is being rebuilt. God always wants to build bridges: we are the ones who build walls! Walls fall down, always!
And in the United States, there were three stops: Washington, New York and Philadelphia.
In Washington, I met with political authorities and with common people, with bishops, priests and consecrated people, with the poor and the marginalized. I remember that that country's greatest treasure, and that of her people is their spiritual and ethical heritage. In this way, I tried to encourage the progress of social construction in fidelity to its fundamental principle: that all men are created by God, equal and with inalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These values, shared by all, find their fulfillment in the gospel, as was demonstrated by the canonization of Father Junipero Serra, a Franciscan priest, the great evangelizer of California. Saint Junipero shows us the way to joy: the path that leads to sharing the love of Christ with others. This is the Christian way, but also the way of every person who has experienced love: do not keep it four yourself but share it with others. Upon this religious and moral base, the United States of America were born and have grown, and upon this base, they have been able to continue being a land of freedom, of welcome and of cooperation toward the construction of a more just and fraternal world.
In New York, I was able to visit the Headquarters of the United Nations, and to greet the personnel who work there. I spoke with the Secretary General and with those who have presided over the most recent General Assemblies as well as the Security Council. Speaking to Representatives of the various member nations, in the footsteps of my predecessors, I renewed the encouragement of the Catholic Church for that Institution and for its role in the promotion of growth and peace, recalling especially the need for unanimous and continued commitment to caring for creation. I also reaffirmed the call to stop and to prevent all violence against ethnic and religious minorities and against civilian populations.
We prayed for peace and fraternity at the Ground Zero Memorial, together with representatives of various religions, the relatives of many of those who have died and with the people of New York, who are so rich in their cultural varieties ... and we prayed for peace and justice during a Mass celebrated in Madison Square Garden.
Both in Washington and in New York, I met some really charitable and informative people, examples of the enormous service that the Catholic community - priests, religious men and women and lay people - have to offer.
The culmination of the trip was the Meeting with Families in Philadelphia, where the horizon was expanded to include the entire world, through the prism, so to speak, of the family. The family, the fertile covenant between a man and a woman, is the response to the great challenge facing our world, a twofold challenge: fragmentation and standardization, two extremes which coexist and support one another. Together, they support the consumerist economic model. Family is the answer because it is the cell of a society that balances the personal and community dimensions, and which at the same time can provide a model for sustainable management of the goods and resources of creation. The family is the principal agent of an integrated ecology, since it is the primary social subject, which contains within itself the two basic principles of human civilization on earth: the principle of communion and the principle of fertility. Biblical humanization presents us with this icon: the human couple, united and fruitful, placed by God in the garden of the world in order to cultivate it and to care for it.
I want to express my fraternal and sincere gratitude to Archbishop Chaput of Philadelphia, for his commitment, for his piety, for his enthusiasm and for his great love for the family, expressed through the organization of this gathering. Upon closer inspection, it is by no accident, but rather providential that the message, indeed the testimony of the World Meeting of Families took place at this moment in the United States of America, in the country which during the last century experienced the greatest economic and technological development without renouncing its religious roots. Now, these same roots call us to begin with the family in order to re-think and to change the model for our development, for the good of the entire human family.
The above catechesis was then summarized in various languages and the Holy Father offered greetings to each group of pilgrims present. To English-speaking pilgrims, the Holy Father said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including those from England, Scotland, Denmark, Norway, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, the Philippines, American Samoa, Canada and the United States. I ask you to pray for the Synod on the Family, and to be witnesses of God’s presence in the world through your family life. God bless you all!
Before arriving in Saint Peter's Square, at 9:00am, the Pope met with the sick and disabled who were gathered in the Paul VI Hall.
In his speech, the Pope provided a meditation on his recent Apostolic Voyage to Cuba and the United States, including a visit to the United Nations Headquarters and the VIII World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed greetings to each group of pilgrims in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
addressed to the sick and disabled in the Paul VI Hall
Good morning!
I greet you all. Today's audience will be in two parts: here and in the Square. Since it seems that the weather is not too good, we decided that you should stay here, quiet, more comfortable, and you can see the audience on the large screens. Thank you all for your visit, and I ask you to please pray for me. Illness is hard, and there are doctors - they are very good! - nurses, medicines, all kinds of things, but it always seems to be difficult. But there is faith, faith that encourages us, and the thoughts that come to mind: God made himself sick for us - he sent his Son, who took on all our illnesses, including the cross. Gazing on Jesus, with his patience, our faith is strengthened.
And always when we are sick, we draw close to Jesus, we take Jesus' hand. He knows what it is to suffer, He understands and He consoles us and gives us strength.
Now, I will give you all a blessing, asking that the Lord may bless you and stay close to you. But first, let us pray to Our Lady.
Hail Mary ...
Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today's audience will be in two parts: here in the Square and in the Paul VI Hall, where many sick people are following us on the large screens. I see that the weather is not so good, so we chose to allow them to gather in a place where they would be covered and more comfortable. Let us all say hello to them.
In recent days, I completed an Apostolic trip to Cuba and to the United States of America. This trip was born out of a long-time desire to participate in the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. This original nucleus was widened to include a visit to the United States of America and to the Headquarters of the United Nations, and then also to Cuba, which began the first part of the journey. I wish to renew my gratitude to President Castro, to President Obama and to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for the welcome they extended to me. I also wish to thank the bishops and all their collaborators for the work they did and for their love for the church which made it all possible.
A Missionary of Mercy: this is how I introduced myself in Cuba, a land that is rich in natural beauty, in culture and in faith. The mercy of God is greater than any wound, than any conflict, than any ideology; and with this eye of mercy, I was able to embrace all the Cuban people, both at home and abroad, beyond every division. The symbol of this profound unity of the Cuban soul is the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, who was proclaimed as the Patroness of Cuba one hundred years ago. I made a pilgrimage to the Shrine of this Mother of hope, Mother who guides us along the journey of justice, peace, freedom and reconciliation.
I was able to share with the Cuban people the hope of the fulfillment of the prophecy of Saint John Paul II - that Cuba would be opened to the world and that the world would be opened to Cuba. Never again closed, never again exploiting the poor - dignified freedom. This is the path that makes the hearts of so many Cuban youth vibrate: not a path of evasion or of easy money but of responsibility and service to others, of caring for those who are weak. A journey that draws strength from its Christian roots and from its people who have suffered so much. A journey along which I encouraged especially the priests and all the consecrated persons as well as students and families. May the Holy Spirit, with the intercession of Blessed Mary, help the seeds that we have planted to grow.
From Cuba to the United States of America: this was a symbolic step, a bridge which, thank God, is being rebuilt. God always wants to build bridges: we are the ones who build walls! Walls fall down, always!
And in the United States, there were three stops: Washington, New York and Philadelphia.
In Washington, I met with political authorities and with common people, with bishops, priests and consecrated people, with the poor and the marginalized. I remember that that country's greatest treasure, and that of her people is their spiritual and ethical heritage. In this way, I tried to encourage the progress of social construction in fidelity to its fundamental principle: that all men are created by God, equal and with inalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These values, shared by all, find their fulfillment in the gospel, as was demonstrated by the canonization of Father Junipero Serra, a Franciscan priest, the great evangelizer of California. Saint Junipero shows us the way to joy: the path that leads to sharing the love of Christ with others. This is the Christian way, but also the way of every person who has experienced love: do not keep it four yourself but share it with others. Upon this religious and moral base, the United States of America were born and have grown, and upon this base, they have been able to continue being a land of freedom, of welcome and of cooperation toward the construction of a more just and fraternal world.
In New York, I was able to visit the Headquarters of the United Nations, and to greet the personnel who work there. I spoke with the Secretary General and with those who have presided over the most recent General Assemblies as well as the Security Council. Speaking to Representatives of the various member nations, in the footsteps of my predecessors, I renewed the encouragement of the Catholic Church for that Institution and for its role in the promotion of growth and peace, recalling especially the need for unanimous and continued commitment to caring for creation. I also reaffirmed the call to stop and to prevent all violence against ethnic and religious minorities and against civilian populations.
We prayed for peace and fraternity at the Ground Zero Memorial, together with representatives of various religions, the relatives of many of those who have died and with the people of New York, who are so rich in their cultural varieties ... and we prayed for peace and justice during a Mass celebrated in Madison Square Garden.
Both in Washington and in New York, I met some really charitable and informative people, examples of the enormous service that the Catholic community - priests, religious men and women and lay people - have to offer.
The culmination of the trip was the Meeting with Families in Philadelphia, where the horizon was expanded to include the entire world, through the prism, so to speak, of the family. The family, the fertile covenant between a man and a woman, is the response to the great challenge facing our world, a twofold challenge: fragmentation and standardization, two extremes which coexist and support one another. Together, they support the consumerist economic model. Family is the answer because it is the cell of a society that balances the personal and community dimensions, and which at the same time can provide a model for sustainable management of the goods and resources of creation. The family is the principal agent of an integrated ecology, since it is the primary social subject, which contains within itself the two basic principles of human civilization on earth: the principle of communion and the principle of fertility. Biblical humanization presents us with this icon: the human couple, united and fruitful, placed by God in the garden of the world in order to cultivate it and to care for it.
I want to express my fraternal and sincere gratitude to Archbishop Chaput of Philadelphia, for his commitment, for his piety, for his enthusiasm and for his great love for the family, expressed through the organization of this gathering. Upon closer inspection, it is by no accident, but rather providential that the message, indeed the testimony of the World Meeting of Families took place at this moment in the United States of America, in the country which during the last century experienced the greatest economic and technological development without renouncing its religious roots. Now, these same roots call us to begin with the family in order to re-think and to change the model for our development, for the good of the entire human family.
The above catechesis was then summarized in various languages and the Holy Father offered greetings to each group of pilgrims present. To English-speaking pilgrims, the Holy Father said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including those from England, Scotland, Denmark, Norway, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, the Philippines, American Samoa, Canada and the United States. I ask you to pray for the Synod on the Family, and to be witnesses of God’s presence in the world through your family life. God bless you all!
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