At the end of today’s catechesis, in his greetings to pilgrims from different countries, the Pope gave a special mention to the priests of the diocese of Orleans, France, accompanied by Bishop Jacques Blaquart, and cordially greeted pilgrims from the Netherlands, especially seminarians from the archdiocese of Utrecht and the diocese of Rotterdam and Breda, as well as representatives of the Council of Churches of the Netherlands and the Grootkoor Holanda. Among Portuguese-speaking pilgrims, he recalled the parish groups from Mogi Guaçu and Pereiras, and among the German speakers, those belonging to the choir of the cathedral of Mainz and the many young people, students and altar boys, especially the large group from the Damme Lyceum.
“Today the liturgy remembers the blessed martyr Don Popieluszko”, he said to Polish faithful. “He personally expounded the cause of workers and their families, asking for justice and dignified living conditions, civil liberty and the religious freedom for his homeland. The words of St. Paul, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” were the motto of his ministry. May these words also be for all families and the Polish people today a challenge for building a just social order in the daily life, in the search for evangelical good”.
The Holy Father affectionately greeted pilgrims from Slovakia, especially the parish groups and the Salesian Youth of Bratislava, noting that next Sunday will be World Missionary Day, “a valuable opportunity to reflect on the urgency of the missionary effort of the Church and of every Christian. We too are called to evangelise in the places where we live and work”.
He went on to address the Italians present from various dioceses including Caltagirone, with their bishop Calogero Peri, which is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its founding; Faenza-Modigliana, with a group of recently confirmed faithful accompanied by their bishop Mario Toso, and the faithful of Mistretta. He also mentioned those attending the seminar organised by the University of the Holy Cross and the young people of Catholic Action Brindisi-Ostuni, and the pilgrimage of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist on the occasion of the canonisation of St. Alfonso Maria Fusco, expressing his hope that the charism of their founder be disseminated in today’s society too. He greeted the officials of the Academy of Modena, the Centre of National Creativity Foundation, the “Differently able” association and the participants in the second “Women, Middle East and Mediterranean” meeting.
His final greetings were reserved for the young, the ailing and newly-weds. “Today the liturgy celebrates St. Paul of the Cross, priest and founder of the Passionists”, he said. “Dear young people, especially those participating in the Festival of Diplomacy: may the meditation on the Passion of Jesus teach you the greatness of His love for others; dear sick, bear your cross in union with Christ to have relief in times of difficulty; and you, dear newly-weds, dedicated time to prayer, so that your married life may be a journey of Christian perfection”.
