(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has told young people that he doesn’t know whether he will still be around for the next World Youth Day, “but Peter certainly will”.
In the last address of his 5-day visit to Poland as he thanked World Youth Day volunteers for their hard work, the Pope handed over his prepared remarks and spoke off-the-cuff, touching on a number of questions.
He reminded the young people that if they want to represent hope for the future they must remember their origins.
“I must ask myself where I come from… the memory of my people, the memory of my family, and the memory of my history. […] The memory of a path that has already been trodden and all that we have received from adults. A young person with no memory cannot be a beacon of hope for the future” he said.
And the Pope invited all young people to speak and to listen to their parents, to their grandparents and to elderly people in general whom – he said – represent the wisdom of a people.
Another necessary condition if you want to be a beacon of hope for the future, the Pope said, is to live the present with courage, ‘not to be afraid’.
He said these two requisites: ‘memory and courage’ are necessary for your presence at the next World Youth Day in Panama.
“I don’t know whether I will be in Panama, but I can assure you that Peter will be!” he said.
And, the Pope concluded: “Peter will ask you if you have conversed with your grandparents and with elder people to acquire memory; he will ask you if you have had the courage and the audacity to live the present; he will want to know whether you have sown seeds for the future”.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Our correspondent in Krakow, Lydia O’Kane, looks back at the highlights and gives her personal impressions of Pope Francis’ 5-day visit to Poland during which he attended the World Youth Day gathering, visited the site of the former Nazi death camp at Auschwitz and travelled to Poland’s most revered shrine, the Jasna Gora at Czestochowa.
Listen to Lydia O’Kane’s report:
See text below:
The fields of the Campus Misercordiae and Blonia Park are empty now in Krakow, but the echoes of Pope Francis’ rallying cries remain in both these grounds; the encouragement to dream big, not to be afraid to take risks, not to be discouraged, and to get up off one’s comfortable sofa and leave a mark on life.”
The Pope came to Poland, the beloved homeland of his predecessor St John Paul II with a message; a message of hope, mercy, and compassion for young people here at a time when the world is experiencing deep suffering and terrible cruelty.
This was a visit to celebrate the bringing together of young pilgrims from all over the world with one thing in common the love of God, but it was also a pastoral visit with unforgettable images.
The Pope’s slow solemn walk through the infamous gate at Auschwitz and his silent prayer in the cell of St Maximillian Kolbe will endure for years to come. As will his emotional visit to pay homage to the Black Madonna of Czestochowa.
But where there are tears there can also be joy, such as the unforgettable scenes of youth enthusiastically encountering other pilgrims from around the world at Blonia Park and Campus Misericordiae. There was also a delighted Pope Francis who looked positively thrilled to be taking public transport once again in the form of a tram ride through Krakow, and the little girl at the paediatric hospital in the city who literally melted the Pope’s heart by drawing him one.
At the final Mass of this youth meeting, Pope Francis told the young pilgrims that “World Youth Day begins today and continues tomorrow, in your homes, since that is where Jesus wants to meet you from now on.”
What is clearly evident here in Krakow is that the youth are ready and willing for the challenge. They want to show people back in their own countries that it’s ok to stand up and express one’s faith with pride. They want show that there is a cheerful aspect to the Church and they want to let it shine through just like here at World Youth Day. They also want to tell their communities back home that Jesus is alive and his mercy never ends.
Before leaving Poland, Pope Francis gave the World Youth Day pilgrims here an appointment for Panama City in 2019. Many have already planned to go, but until then, the seeds have been planted; now it’s up to them to help them grow.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said a ‘surprise’ goodbye to the people of Poland on Sunday evening before departing from Krakow at the end of his 5-day apostolic journey.
Appearing unexpectedly at the balcony of the Archbishop’s House for the fourth time in the past five days, the Pope had words of thanks and farewell to the many, especially young people, gathered in the Square below.
Speaking Spanish, Pope Francis thanked everyone for the ‘warm welcome’ received and for the ‘good company’!
He asked those present not to forget to pray for him and recited Our Lady’s prayer before blessing the crowd which he left with a final “Do Widzenia!”.
Pope Francis then travelled to Krakow International Airport where he met privately for a short while with the President of Poland before boarding Poland’s LOT Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplane bringing him home at the end of an official farewell ceremony.
The Pope arrives back in the Vatican on Sunday evening at the conclusion of his 15th Apostolic Journey abroad.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) As World Youth Day 2016 drew to a close, Pope Francis greeted volunteers whose hard work made the event such a resounding success.
“Before returning to Rome,” he said, “I wanted to meet you and to thank each of you for your commitment, generosity and dedication in guiding, helping and serving the thousands of young pilgrims. Thank you too for your witness of faith that, together with that of so many young people from every part of the world, is a great sign of hope for the Church and the world.”
Pope Francis read only the first few lines of his speech, before speaking to the volunteers “off-the-cuff”. The full text of the Pope’s prepared remarks, which was made available to the volunteers in translation, can be found below:
Greeting of His Holiness Pope Francis
to the World Youth Day Volunteers
Krakow , 31 July 2016
Before returning to Rome, I wanted to meet you and to thank each of you for your commitment, generosity and dedication in guiding, helping and serving the thousands of young pilgrims. Thank you too for your witness of faith that, together with that of so many young people from every part of the world, is a great sign of hope for the Church and the world. By giving of yourselves for love of Christ, you have experienced the beauty of commitment to a noble cause. You have also seen how enriching it is to join with so many friends of both sexes in a project that, while tiring, repays your efforts with joy and a wealth of new knowledge and openness to Jesus, to our neighbours, and to important life decisions.
As an expression of my gratitude, I would like to share with you a gift offered us by the Virgin Mary, who has today come to visit us in the miraculous image of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, so dear to the heart of Saint John Paul II. In the Gospel mystery of the Visitation (cf. Lk 1:39-45), we can see an icon of all Christian volunteer work. I would take three attitudes shown by Mary and leave them to you as an aid to interpreting the experience of these days and an inspiration for your future commitment to service. These three attitudes are listening, deciding and acting .
First, listening . Mary sets out after hearing the word of the angel: “Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son…” ( Lk 1:36). Mary knows how to listen to God. It is not simply about hearing, but about listening attentively and receptively, and being ready to help. Think of how many times we come before the Lord or other people, but fail to really listen. Mary also listens to events , to things that happen in life. She is attentive to practical realities; she does not stop at the surface, but seeks to grasp their meaning. Mary knew that Elizabeth, now elderly, was expecting a child. She saw in this the hand of God, a sign of his mercy. The same thing also happens in our own lives. The Lord stands at the door and knocks in any number of ways; he posts signs along our path and he calls us to read them in the light of the Gospel.
The second attitude we see in Mary is deciding . Mary listens and reflects, but she also knows how to take a step forward: she is decisive. This was the case with the fundamental decision of her life: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” ( Lk 1:38). So too, at the wedding feast of Cana, when Mary sees the problem, she decides to speak to Jesus and ask him to do something: “They have no wine” ( Jn 2:3). In life, it is often hard to make decisions. We tend to postpone them, even allowing others decide in our place, or else we let ourselves be dragged along by the course of events and to follow the “trend” of the moment. At times, we know well what we have to do, but we lack the courage to do it, since we think it is too difficult to go against the grain… Mary is not afraid to go against the grain. With a steadfast heart she listens and decides, accepting the risks, never on her own, but with God!
Finally, acting . Mary set out on her journey and “went with haste…” ( Lk 1:39). Despite the hardships and the criticisms she may have heard, she didn’t hesitate or delay, but “went with haste”, because she had the strength of God’s Word within her. Her way of acting was full of charity, full of love: this is the mark of God. Mary went to Elizabeth not to have other people praise her, but to be helpful, useful, in her service. And in setting out from her home, from herself, with love, she brought along the most precious thing she possessed: Jesus, the Son of God, the Lord. Elizabeth realizes this immediately: “Why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?” ( Lk 1:43). The Holy Spirit awakens faith and joy within her: “For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy” ( Lk 1:44).
In volunteer work too, every act of service we provide, even the most simple, is important. Ultimately, it is an expression of openness to the presence of Jesus . It makes us experience the love from on high that set us on our way and fills us with joy . World Youth Day volunteers are not only a “workers”, but evangelizers , because the Church exists and serves to evangelize.
Once Mary had finished assisting Elizabeth, she went back home to Nazareth. Quietly and with no fuss, she left in the same way that she came. You too, dear volunteers, will not see all the fruits of your work here in Krakow or during the “twinnings”. Your brothers and sisters whom you served will see them in their lives and rejoice in them. That is the “gratuitousness” of love! Yet God knows your dedication, your commitment and your generosity. You can be sure that he will not fail to repay you for everything you have done for this Church of the young assembled in these days in Krakow with the Successor of Peter. I commend you to God and to the word of his grace (cf. Acts 20:32). I entrust you to Mary, our Mother, model of all Christian volunteer service. And I ask you, please, to remember to pray for me.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Sunday announced that Panama is to host the 2019 edition of World Youth Day. He made the announcement at the conclusion of the closing Mass for WYD Krakow 2016, just ahead of the Angelus prayer.
The full text of the Holy Father’s prepared remarks, including the announcement, can be found below
******************************************************
At the conclusion of this celebration, I join all of you in thanking God, the Father of infinite mercy, for allowing us to experience this World Youth Day. I thank Cardinal Dziwisz and Cardinal Ryłko for their kind words and especially for the work and prayer with which they have prepared for this event. I also thank all those who have contributed to its successful outcome. Also, a big word of thanks goes to you, dear young people! You filled Krakow with the contagious enthusiasm of your faith. Saint John Paul II has rejoiced from heaven, and he will help you spread the joy of the Gospel everywhere.
In these days, we have experienced the beauty of our universal fraternity in Christ, the centre and hope of our lives. We have heard his voice, the voice of the Good Shepherd who dwells in our midst. He has spoken to each of you in your heart. He has renewed you by his love and he has shown you the light of his forgiveness, the power of his grace. He has made you experience the reality of prayer. These days have given you a spiritual “breath of fresh air” that will help you live lives of mercy once you return to your own countries and communities.
Here, beside the altar, is the image of the Virgin Mary venerated by Saint John Paul II in the shrine of Kalwaria. Mary, our Mother, teaches us how we can make our experience here in Poland be productive. She tells us to do what she did: not to squander the gift you have received, but to treasure it in your heart so it can grow and bear fruit, with the help of the Holy Spirit. In this way, each of you, for all your limitations and failings, can be a witness to Christ wherever you live: at home, in your parishes, in your associations and groups, and your places of study, work, service, entertainment… wherever God’s providence will lead you.
God’s providence is always one step ahead of us. Think: it has already determined the next stop in this great pilgrimage begun in 1985 by Saint John Paul II! So now I am happy to announce that the next World Youth Day – after the two that will be held on the diocesan level – will take place in 2019 in Panama.
Trusting in the intercession of Mary, let us ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten and sustain the journey of young people in the Church and in the world, and make you disciples and witnesses to God’s mercy.
(from Vatican Radio)…