May 14, 2010. Thousands of people filled the streets of Porto, an industrial city heavily affected by the crisis, to greet the pope on the last day of his visit to Portugal.
In a mass celebrated outside, the third of the trip, Benedict XVI said the Church should “dialogue with different cultures and religions” and said the Church never imposes, but that it always propones.
Benedict XVI
“We must overcome the temptation to restrict ourselves to what we already have or think we have safely in our possession. This would mean inevitable death for the Church's presence in the world.”
The pope said Christians are called to “serve humanity” always having Jesus as our guide to transform each situation of weakness and death. He also said he regretted “lost time” and the “work he hasn’t done.”
For this reason he asked all of the people to become witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus in their daily lives. Because no one can replace the testimony of another.
At the end of mass the pope said goodbye to Portugal and gave thanks to all who collaborated in the organization of his visit.
Benedict XVI
“Thank you for your presence and for the testimony of your faith. Again, many thanks to everyone who has collaborated, in some form, in the preparation and realization of my visit.”
Benedict XVI greeted two youths who gave him interesting gifts made at city’s universities. One was an electric shirt that measures heart rate and the other was a guitar made from aerospace material.
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