March 26, 2012
(Romereports) (-ONLY VIDEO-) After a three day apostolic visit, the Pope has said 'farewell' to Mexico. He
was greeted by thousands of people in Guanajuato's airport, where he
called on Mexicans to not be intimidated by the powers of evil.
READ FULL TEXT:
Mr President,
Distinguished Authorities,
Your Eminences,
Dear Brother Bishops,
Dear Mexican friends,
“My
brief but intense visit to Mexico is now coming to an end. Yet this is
not the end of my affection and my closeness to a country so very dear
to me. I leave full of unforgettable experiences, not the least of which
are the innumerable courtesies and signs of affection which I have
received. With all my heart I thank the President for his kind words to
me, and for all that the authorities have done for this memorable
Journey. And I thank the many people who have helped, even in the
smallest details, to make the events of these days go smoothly. I beg
the Lord that all these efforts may not be in vain, and that with his
help, they may produce abundant and long-lasting fruits in the life of
faith, hope and charity of León and Guanajuato, in Mexico and the other
countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Recognizing the
faith in Jesus Christ which I have felt resounding in your hearts, and
your affectionate devotion to his Mother, invoked here with beautiful
titles like Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Lady of Light, a light I have
seen reflected in your faces, I wish to reiterate clearly and with vigor
a plea to the Mexican people to remain faithful to yourselves, not to
let yourselves be intimidated by the powers of evil, but to be valiant
and to work to ensure that the sap of your Christian roots may nourish
your present and your future.
I have also seen for myself
expressions of concern for various aspects of the life in this beloved
country, some more recent and others longstanding, which continue to
cause such great distress. I take them with me as well, as I share in
the joys and the suffering of my Mexican brothers and sisters, so as to
place them in prayer at the foot of the Cross, in the heart of Christ,
from which flow the blood and water of redemption.
In these
circumstances, I strongly urge Mexican Catholics, and all men and women
of good will, not to yield to a utilitarian mentality which always leads
to the sacrifice of the weakest and most defenseless. I invite you to a
common effort so that society can be renewed from the ground up, in
order to attain a life of dignity, justice and peace for everyone. For
Catholics, this contribution to the common good is also a requirement of
that essential dimension of the Gospel which is human promotion and a
supreme expression of charity. For this reason, the Church exhorts all
her faithful to be good citizens, conscious of their responsibility to
be concerned for the good of all, both in their personal lives and
throughout society.
Dear Mexican friends, I say to you "Adios!"
in the traditional sense of this fine Hispanic expression: remain with
God! Yes, "Adios!"; for ever in the love of Christ, in which we meet
each other and will again meet with one another. May the Lord bless you
and may Mary Most Holy protect you!
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