March 29, 2012.
(Romereports.com) (-ONLY VIDEO-) Benedict XVI departed Cuba with the Spanish saying “hasta siempre,” on his second trip to Latin America and his first to Cuba.
FULL TEXT:
Mr President,
Your Eminences, my Brother Bishops,
Distinguished Authorities,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,
I thank God for allowing me to visit this beautiful Isle which left so
deep a mark on the heart of my beloved predecessor, Blessed John Paul
II, when he came to these lands as a herald of truth and hope. I too
greatly have wished to come among you as a pilgrim of charity, in order
to thank the Virgin Mary for the presence of her venerable statue of the
Sanctuary of El Cobre, whence for four centuries she has accompanied
the journey of the Church in this nation and given encouragement to all
Cubans so that, from the hand of Christ, they might discover the true
meaning of the desires and aspirations found in the human heart and gain
the strength needed to build a fraternal society in which no one feels
excluded. "Christ, risen from the dead, shines in this world, and he
does so most brightly in those places where, in human terms, everything
is somber and hopeless. He has conquered death – he is alive – and faith
in him, like a small light, cuts through all that is dark and
threatening" (Prayer Vigil with Young People, Freiburg, 24 September
2011).
I thank the President and the other national authorities for the
interest and generous cooperation which they have shown in the the
preparation of this Journey. I am also deeply grateful to the members of
the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba, who spared no effort or
sacrifice in this regard, and to all those who have helped in various
ways, especially by their prayers.
I hold deep in my heart all the Cuban people, each and every one. You
have surrounded me with prayer and affection, offered me cordial
hospitality and shared with me your profound and rightful aspirations.
I came here as a witness to Jesus Christ, convinced that, wherever he is
present, discouragement yields to hope, goodness dispels uncertainties
and a powerful force opens up the horizon to beneficial and unexpected
possibilities. In Christ’s name, and as the Successor of the Apostle
Peter, I wished to proclaim his message of salvation and to strengthen
the zeal and pastoral concern of the Cuban Bishops, the priests, the
religious and all those preparing with enthusiasm for priestly ministry
and the consecrated life. May this Journey also serve as a new impulse
to all those who cooperate with perseverance and self-sacrifice in the
work of evangelization, particularly the lay faithful. By intensifying
their commitment to God at home and in the workplace, may they never
tire of offering their responsible contribution for the good and the
integral progress of their homeland.
The path which Christ points out to humanity, and to each particular
individual and people, is not a source of constraint, but rather the
primary and principal premise for their authentic development. The light
of the Lord, has shone brightly during these days; may that light never
fade in those who have welcomed it; may it help all people to foster
social harmony and to allow the blossoming of all that is finest in the
Cuban soul, its most noble values, which can be the basis for building a
society of broad vision, renewed and reconciled. May no one feel
excluded from taking up this exciting task because of limitations of his
or her basic freedoms, or excused by indolence or lack of material
resources, a situation which is worsened when restrictive economic
measures, imposed from outside the country, unfairly burden its people.
I now conclude my pilgrimage, but I will continue praying fervently that
you will go forward and that Cuba will be the home of all and for all
Cubans, where justice and freedom coexist in a climate of serene
fraternity. Respect and promotion of freedom which is present in the
heart of each person are essential in order to respond adequately to the
fundamental demands of his or her dignity and, in this way, to build up
a society in which all are indispensable actors in the future of their
life, their family and their country.
The present hour urgently demands that in personal, national and
international co-existence we reject immovable positions and unilateral
viewpoints which tend to make understanding more difficult and efforts
at cooperation ineffective. Possible discrepancies and difficulties will
be resolved by tirelessly seeking what unites everyone, with patient
and sincere dialogue, and a willingness to listen and accept goals which
will bring new hope.
Cuba, look again to the faith of your elders, draw from that faith the
strength to build a better future, trust in the Lord’s promises, and
open your heart to his Gospel so as to renew authentically your personal
and social life.
As I bid you a heartfelt adios, I ask our Lady of Charity of El Cobre to
protect all Cubans under her mantle, to sustain them in the midst of
their trials and to obtain from Almighty God the grace that they most
desire. Hasta siempre, Cuba, a land made beautiful by the maternal
presence of Mary. May God bless your future.
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