Apostolic Journeys of Pope Benedict XVI (Currently: Czech Republic)

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Benodette	Apostolic Visit to the Czech Republic - 26-28 September 2009 - Day 3	#1041	[url]	[-]
Member Posts: 7953 09/27/09 20:59:19	Monday, 28 September 2009 Stará Boleslav 8.50 Visit at the Church of Saint Wenceslaus in Stará Boleslav 9.45 Holy Mass on the liturgical memorial of Saint Wenceslaus, Patron of the Czech Republic at the Esplanade on the Way to Melnik in Stará Boleslav. Homily of the Holy Father Message to the young people at the Esplanade on the Way to Melnik in Stará Boleslav Address of the Holy Father Prague 13.15 Luncheon with the Bishops of the Czech Republic and the Papal Entourage at the Archbishop's House of Prague 16.45 Farewell from the Apostolic Nunciature of Prague 17.15 Farewell Ceremony at Stará Ruzyně International Airport of PragueAddress of the Holy Father 17.45 Departure by plane from Stará Ruzyně International Airport of Prague for Rome Rome 19.50 Arrival at Ciampino Airport (Rome). Visit to the Church of Saint Wenceslaus in Stará Boleslav Reuters The Pope venerated the relics of Saint Wenceslaus and the basilica in Stará Boleslav. Getty Afterwards he blessed the sick and religious gathered in the church. Reuters He then travelled by popemobile to the site of the Mass, a little outside the village. Reuters Mass on the liturgical memorial of Saint Wenceslaus, Patron of the Czech Republic at the Esplanade on the Way to Melnik in Stará Boleslav. Getty The Pope's Homily Dear Cardinals, My Brother Bishops and Priests, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Dear Young People, It gives me great joy to be with you this morning, as my apostolic visit to the beloved Czech Republic draws to a close, and I offer all of you my heartfelt greeting, especially the Cardinal Archbishop, to whom I am grateful for the words that he addressed to me in your name at the start of Mass. My greeting goes also to the other Cardinals, the Bishops, the priests and consecrated persons, the representatives of lay movements and associations, and especially the young people. I respectfully greet the President of the Republic, to whom I offer cordial good wishes on the occasion of his name-day; and I gladly extend these wishes to all who bear the name of Wenceslaus and to the entire Czech people on the day of this national feast. Reuters This morning, we are gathered around the altar for the glorious commemoration of the martyr Saint Wenceslaus, whose relics I was able to venerate before Mass in the Basilica dedicated to him. He shed his blood in your land, and his eagle, which - as the Cardinal Archbishop has just mentioned - you chose as a symbol for this visit, constitutes the historical emblem of the noble Czech nation. This great saint, whom you are pleased to call the "eternal" Prince of the Czechs, invites us always to follow Christ faithfully, he invites us to be holy. He himself is a model of holiness for all people, especially the leaders of communities and peoples. Yet we ask ourselves: in our day, is holiness still relevant? Or is it now considered unattractive and unimportant? Do we not place more value today on worldly success and glory? Yet how long does earthly success last, and what value does it have? Getty The last century - as this land of yours can bear witness - saw the fall of a number of powerful figures who had apparently risen to almost unattainable heights. Suddenly they found themselves stripped of their power. Those who denied and continue to deny God, and in consequence have no respect for man, appear to have a comfortable life and to be materially successful. Yet one need only scratch the surface to realize how sad and unfulfilled these people are. Only those who maintain in their hearts a holy "fear of God" can also put their trust in man and spend their lives building a more just and fraternal world. Today there is a need for believers with credibility, who are ready to spread in every area of society the Christian principles and ideals by which their action is inspired. This is holiness, the universal vocation of all the baptized, which motivates people to carry out their duty with fidelity and courage, looking not to their own selfish interests but to the common good, seeking God's will at every moment. Getty In the Gospel we heard Jesus speaking clearly on this subject: "What will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?" (Mt 16:26). In this way we are led to consider that the true value of human life is measured not merely in terms of material goods and transient interests, because it is not material goods that quench the profound thirst for meaning and happiness in the heart of every person. This is why Jesus does not hesitate to propose to his disciples the "narrow" path of holiness: "whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (16:25). And he resolutely repeats to us this morning: "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (16:24). Without doubt, this is hard language, difficult to accept and put into practice, but the testimony of the saints assures us that it is possible for all who trust and entrust themselves to Christ. Their example encourages those who call themselves Christian to be credible, that is, consistent with the principles and the faith that they profess. It is not enough to appear good and honest: one must truly be so. And the good and honest person is one who does not obscure God's light with his own ego, does not put himself forward, but allows God to shine through. Getty This is the lesson we can learn from Saint Wenceslaus, who had the courage to prefer the kingdom of heaven to the enticement of worldly power. His gaze never moved away from Jesus Christ, who suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in his steps, as Saint Peter writes in the second reading that we just heard. As an obedient disciple of the Lord, the young prince Wenceslaus remained faithful to the Gospel teachings he had learned from his saintly grandmother, the martyr Ludmila. In observing these, even before committing himself to build peaceful relations within his lands and with neighbouring countries, he took steps to spread the Christian faith, summoning priests and building churches. In the first Old Slavonic "narration", we read that "he assisted God's ministers and he also adorned many churches" and that "he was benevolent to the poor, clothed the naked, gave food to the hungry, welcomed pilgrims, just as the Gospel enjoins. He did not allow injustice to be done to widows, he loved all people, whether poor or rich". He learned from the Lord to be "merciful and gracious" (Responsorial Psalm), and animated by the Gospel spirit he was even able to pardon his brother who tried to kill him. Rightly, then, you invoke him as the "heir" of your nation, and in a well-known song, you ask him not to let it perish. Reuters Wenceslaus died as a martyr for Christ. It is interesting to note that, by killing him, his brother Boleslaus succeeded in taking possession of the throne of Prague, but the crown placed on the heads of his successors did not bear his name. Rather, it bears the name of Wenceslaus, as a testimony that "the throne of the king who judges the poor in truth will remain firm for ever" (cf. today's Office of Readings). This fact is judged as a miraculous intervention by God, who does not abandon his faithful: "the conquered innocent defeated the cruel conqueror just as Christ did on the cross" (cf. The Legend of Saint Wenceslaus), and the blood of the martyr did not cry out for hatred or revenge, but rather for pardon and peace. Dear brothers and sisters, together let us give thanks to the Lord in this Eucharist for giving this saintly ruler to your country and to the Church. Let us also pray that, like him, we too may walk along the path of holiness. It is certainly difficult, since faith is always exposed to multiple challenges, but when we allow ourselves to be drawn towards God who is Truth, the path becomes decisive, because we experience the power of his love. May the intercession of Saint Wenceslaus and of the other patron saints of the Czech Lands obtain this grace for us. May we always be protected and assisted by Mary, Queen of Peace and Mother of Love. Amen! Pope wraps up Czech trip with Mass near Prague Pope says fall of communism proved man needs God Address to Young People Reuters At the end of the Mass the Pope addressed the young people. Voa News - Pope Benedict has wrapped up a three-day visit to the Czech Republic where he used an outdoor mass to urge young people to remain faithful to Christianity, despite the hardship that can bring. The 82-year-old pontiff was often interrupted as he addressed a cheering crowd of tens of thousands of mainly young people who packed a meadow in Stara Boleslav, a pilgrimage destination northeast of the Czech capital Prague. The leader of the world's one billion Catholics urged young people not to walk away from Christianity. He reminded youngsters of the suffering of Saint Wanceslas, who was commemorated Monday during the Czech Republic's annual national holiday. Catholics believe the 10th century Czech ruler was killed by his pagan brother because of his Christian faith in 935 at the gate of his church in Stara Boleslav. The pope, who visited the site Monday, told pilgrims that although Christians can face persecution, those who deny God and appear to lead a comfortable life are in reality "sad and unfulfilled" people. Speaking in Czech, the pontiff urges youngsters to view Saint Wanceslas as an example and "to make more sense"of their young life by "following the teachings of Jesus Christ." He asks them "to make a plan for their life," which he believes can include establishing families based on Christian values or otherwise serving the Catholic Church. His three-day visit to the Czech Republic, which ends Monday, comes as the country prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of the overthrow of a communist regime that persecuted the Roman Catholic Church.... Pope Ends Czech Visit With Appeal to Youth The Pope's Address Dear Young Friends, At the conclusion of this celebration I turn to you directly and I greet you warmly. You have come here in great numbers from all over the country and from neighbouring countries; you camped here yesterday evening and you spent the night in tents, sharing an experience of faith and companionship. Thank you for your presence here, which gives me a sense of the enthusiasm and generosity so characteristic of youth. Being with you makes the Pope feel young! I extend a particular word of thanks to your representative for his words and for the wonderful gift. Dear friends, it is not hard to see that in every young person there is an aspiration towards happiness, sometimes tinged with anxiety: an aspiration that is often exploited, however, by present-day consumerist society in false and alienating ways. Instead, that longing for happiness must be taken seriously, it demands a true and comprehensive response. At your age, the first major choices are made, choices that can set your lives on a particular course, for better or worse. Unfortunately, many of your contemporaries allow themselves to be led astray by illusory visions of spurious happiness, and then they find themselves sad and alone. Yet there are also many young men and women who seek to transform doctrine into action, as your representative said, so as to give the fullness of meaning to their lives. I invite you all to consider the experience of Saint Augustine, who said that the heart of every person is restless until it finds what it truly seeks. And he discovered that Jesus Christ alone is the answer that can satisfy his and every person's desire for a life of happiness, filled with meaning and value (cf. Confessions, I.1.1). As he did with Augustine, so the Lord comes to meet each one of you. He knocks at the door of your freedom and asks to be welcomed as a friend. He wants to make you happy, to fill you with humanity and dignity. The Christian faith is this: encounter with Christ, the living Person who gives life a new horizon and thereby a definitive direction. And when the heart of a young person opens up to his divine plans, it is not difficult to recognize and follow his voice. The Lord calls each of us by name, and entrusts to us a specific mission in the Church and in society. Dear young people, be aware that by Baptism you have become children of God and members of his Body, the Church. Jesus constantly renews his invitation to you to be his disciples and his witnesses. Many of you he calls to marriage, and the preparation for this Sacrament constitutes a real vocational journey. Consider seriously the divine call to raise a Christian family, and let your youth be the time in which to build your future with a sense of responsibility. Society needs Christian families, saintly families! And if the Lord is calling you to follow him in the ministerial priesthood or in the consecrated life, do not hesitate to respond to his invitation. In particular, in this Year of Priests, I appeal to you, young men: be attentive and open to Jesus's call to offer your lives in the service of God and his people. The Church in every country, including this one, needs many holy priests and also persons fully consecrated to the service of Christ, Hope of the world. Hope! This word, to which I often return, sits particularly well with youth. You, my dear young people, are the hope of the Church! She expects you to become messengers of hope, as happened last year in Australia, during World Youth Day, that great manifestation of youthful faith that I was able to experience personally, and in which some of you took part. Many more of you will be able to come to Madrid in August 2011. I invite you here and now to participate in this great gathering of young people with Christ in the Church. Dear friends, thank you again for being here and thank you for your gift: the book of photographs recounting the lives of young people in your dioceses. Thank you also for the sign of your solidarity towards the young people of Africa, which you have presented to me. The Pope asks you to live your faith with joy and enthusiasm; to grow in unity among yourselves and with Christ; to pray and to be diligent in frequenting the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Confession; to take seriously your Christian formation, remaining ever obedient to the teachings of your Pastors. May Saint Wenceslaus guide you along this path through his example and his intercession, and may you always enjoy the protection of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus and our Mother. I bless all of you with affection! * * * So srdca vítam pútnikov zo Slovenska, osobitne mladých. Milí mladí, bratia a sestry, ďakujem sa vašu účasť na dnešnom slávení. Nezabúdajte: Božia láska je vašou silou! Ochotne žehnám vás i vašich drahých. Pochválený buď Ježiš Kristus! [I extend a warm welcome to the pilgrims who have come from Slovakia, especially the young people. Dear young people, dear brothers and sisters, I thank you for your presence at today's celebration. Do not forget: let the love of God be your strength! I gladly bless you and your loved ones. May Jesus Christ be praised!] Słowa pozdrowienia kieruję do obecnych tu Polaków, szczególnie do młodych, którzy towarzyszą braciom Czechom w duchu żywej przyjaźni. Wspierajcie się wzajemnie radosnym świadectwem wiary, abyście wzrastali w miłości Chrystusa i w mocy Ducha Świętego ku pełni waszego człowieczeństwa i ku świętości! Niech Bóg wam błogosławi! [I address a word of greeting to the Poles here present, and especially to the young who have come to join their Czech brothers and sisters in a spirit of warm friendship. Support one another by a joyful testimony of faith, growing in Christ's love and in the power of the Holy Spirit, so as to reach the fullness of humanity and holiness. May God bless you!] Ganz herzlich grüße ich die Jugendlichen und alle Pilger aus den deutschsprachigen Nachbarländern. Danke für euer Kommen! Eure Teilnahme an diesem Fest des Glaubens und der Hoffnung ist ein Zeichen dafür, daß ihr in Jesus Christus und in der Gemeinschaft der Kirche die Antworten auf eure Fragen und inneren Wünsche sucht. Christus selbst ist der Weg, die Wahrheit und das Leben (vgl. Joh 14,6). Er ist der Grund, der wirklich unser Leben trägt. Auf diesem Fundament können christliche Familien entstehen und junge Menschen auf ihre Berufung zum Priester und zum geweihten Leben antworten. Die persönliche Freundschaft mit Christus erfüllt uns mit echter, bleibender Freude und macht uns bereit, Gottes Plan für unser Leben zu verwirklichen. Dazu erbitte ich euch allen den Beistand des Heiligen Geistes. [I offer warm greetings to the young people and to all the pilgrims who have come from neighbouring German-speaking countries. Thank you for your presence! Your participation in this feast of faith and hope is a sign that you are seeking answers to your questions and inner desires in Jesus Christ and in the community of the Church. Christ himself is the way, the truth and the life (cf. Jn 14:6). He is the foundation that truly supports our life. On this firm basis, Christian families can be raised and young people can respond to their vocation to the priesthood and the consecrated life. Personal friendship with Christ fills us with genuine, lasting joy and makes us ready to put into effect God's plan for our life. To this end, I invoke upon all of you the assistance of the Holy Spirit.] Milovaní mladí přátelé, vaše nadšení pro křesťanskou víru je znamením naděje pro církev žijící a působící v těchto zemích. Abyste dali plnější smysl svému mládí, následujte odvážně a štědře Pána Ježíše, který klepe na dveře vašeho srdce. Kristus od vás žádá, abyste jej přijali jako přítele. Nechť vám Pán žehná a naplní každý váš dobrý životní plán! [Dear young friends, your enthusiasm for the Christian faith is a sign of hope for the Church that is present and active in these lands. In order to give a fuller meaning to your youth, follow the Lord Jesus with courage and generosity as he knocks on the door of your hearts. Christ asks you to welcome him as a friend. May the Lord bless you and bring to fulfilment every good plan that you make for your lives!] From John Allen - Celebrating the feast day of the most famous figure in Czech history, a 10th century ruler known around the world as "Good King Wenceslas" thanks to the popular Christmas carol, Pope Benedict XVI closed his three-day visit to the Czech Republic this morning with a Mass in honor of St. Wenceslas, the country's patron saint. The Mass was held in Stará Boleslav, a pilgrimage destination about 15 miles outside Prague believed to be the site of the death of Wenceslas in 935. (In Czech, "Wenceslas" is rendered as "Václav" and remains perhaps the most common first name in the country.) The early history of Christianity in the Czech lands is thoroughly intertwined with the story, and at times the legend, of Wenceslas. Tradition holds that his grandfather was converted by St. Cyril and Methodius, the legendary "apostles to the Slavs," thereby becoming the first Christian prince of the Czechs. His grandmother Ludmilla, today venerated as a saint, was strangled to death by a pagan servant in a dynastic dispute... A day to honor 'Good King Wenceslas' The Pope then left for lunch at the Archbishop's residence in Prague. After returning to the Nuncio's residence the Pope received local officials and religious before appearing on the balcony to bid farewell to the waiting crowd. He departed for the airport where he was met by President Vaclav Klaus. During the farewell ceremony at Ruzyne airport , Pope Benedict XVI ended his three-day Czech pilgrimage by declaring its martyred patron saint a model for leaders, saying the world needs God-fearing people prepared to follow the ethical principles of Christianity. Reuters The President's Address Let me begin by thanking you on behalf of our entire country for your memorable visit. Your stay in our country, the message that you have brought us so convincingly, your call for mutual understanding, tolerance, peace, the importance of reason, faith and ethical principles, was given clearly and we have understood. We will remember it and always keep this message in mind. You gave us - to use your words - a new hope! Your great faith, your courage in expressing views that are not always politically correct and shared by all, your commitment to respecting the ideas and fundamental principles of our civilization and Christianity are give us all an example and encouragement. Tens of thousands of Czech citizens and the people of the neighbouring countries have had the extraordinary opportunity to see you in person, millions of people have followed these three days hour after hour on television. I can ceratinly say - in the belief that this is not just my personal opinion - that this visit has been successful and will have a lasting effect. Relations between the Czech Republic and the Vatican City Stae have been strengthened: I am pleased to say that they are very good and that they will remain so in the future. The Pope's Address Pane prezidente, páni kardinálové, bratři v biskupské službě, Vaše Excelence, dámy a pánové! Ve chvíli slavnostního rozloučení vám chci vyjádřit své poděkování za štědrou pohostinnost, které se mi dostalo během krátkého pobytu v této nádherné zemi. [Mr President, Dear Cardinals, Brother Bishops, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, As I come to bid farewell, I wish to thank you for your generous hospitality during my short stay in this beautiful country.] Reuters I am especially grateful to you, Mr President, for your words and for the time spent at your residence. On this feast of Saint Wenceslaus, your country's guardian and patron, allow me once again to offer you my sincere good wishes for your name-day. As today is also the name-day of Bishop Václav Malý, I offer my greetings to him too, and I wish to thank him for all his hard work in coordinating the arrangements for my pastoral visit to the Czech Republic. To Cardinal Vlk, Archbishop Graubner, and all who did so much to ensure the smooth unfolding of the series of meetings and celebrations, I am deeply grateful. Naturally I include in my thanks the public authorities, the media, the many volunteers who helped to direct the crowds, and all the faithful who have been praying that this visit might bear fruit for the good of the Czech nation and for the Church in the region. I shall treasure the memory of the moments of prayer that I was able to spend together with the Bishops, priests and faithful of this country. It was particularly moving this morning to celebrate Mass at Stará Boleslav, site of the martyrdom of the young duke Wenceslaus, and to venerate him at his tomb on Saturday evening in the majestic Cathedral that dominates Prague's skyline. Yesterday in Moravia, where Saints Cyril and Methodius launched their apostolic mission, I was able to reflect in prayerful thanksgiving on the origins of Christianity in this region, and indeed throughout the Slavic territories. The Church in this country has been truly blessed with a remarkable array of missionaries and martyrs, as well as contemplative saints, among whom I would single out Saint Agnes of Bohemia, whose canonization just twenty years ago providentially heralded the liberation of this country from atheist oppression. Reuters My meeting yesterday with representatives of other Christian communities brought home to me the importance of ecumenical dialogue in this land which suffered so much from the consequences of religious division at the time of the Thirty Years' War. Much has already been achieved in healing the wounds of the past, and decisive steps have been taken along the path towards reconciliation and true unity in Christ. In building further on these solid foundations, there is an important role for the academic community to play, through its uncompromising search for truth. I was glad to have the opportunity to spend time yesterday with representatives of the nation's universities, and to express my esteem for the noble vocation to which they have dedicated their lives. Reuters I was especially delighted to meet the young people, and to encourage them to build on the best traditions of this nation's past, particularly its Christian heritage. According to a saying attributed to Franz Kafka, "Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old" (Gustav Janouch, Conversations with Kafka). If our eyes remain open to the beauty of God's creation and our minds to the beauty of his truth, then we may indeed hope to remain young and to build a world that reflects something of that divine beauty, so as to inspire future generations to do likewise. Reuters Mr President, dear friends: I thank you once again and I promise to remember you in my prayers and to carry you in my heart. May God bless the Czech Republic! Ať Pražské Jezulátko je i nadále vaší inspirací a vede všechny rodiny vašeho národa. Kéž vám všem Bůh žehná! [May the Holy Infant of Prague continue to inspire and guide you and all the families of this nation! May God bless all of you!] Reuters Getty The Pope landed safely at Ciampino airport after his 13th Apostolic Voyage. AFP Getty Last Edited By: Benodette 09/29/09 01:04:43. Edited 5 times.
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Benodette	Apostolic Visit to the Czech Republic - 26-28 September 2009 - Ecumenical Meeting 28 September	#1042	[url]	[-]
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Benodette	Apostolic Visit to the Czech Republic - 26-28 September 2009	#1047	[url]	[-]
Member Posts: 7962 09/29/09 10:35:17	A great weekend for affirmative orthodoxy in Prague From John Allen Pope Benedict XVI's Sept. 26-28 trip to the Czech Republic in some ways loomed as a potential minefield, given that it's one of the most secular societies on earth, as well as a land that harbors a traditional animus against both Germans and the Catholic church. Getty For a one-sentence summary of how things went, here it is: Affirmative orthodoxy is alive and well, and it had a great weekend in Prague. Th at one sentence is a bit of linguistic sleight of hand, of course, because it requires explaining what "affirmative orthodoxy" means: No compromise on essential points of doctrine and discipline, but the most positive, upbeat presentation possible. Christianity is framed not as a dry book of rules, but as the answer to, as Benedict put it Monday morning, "the profound thirst for meaning and happiness in the heart of every person." Over his three days here, Benedict XVI repeatedly offered variations on a core theme: Congratulations to the peoples of Eastern Europe on recovering their freedom two decades ago, along with an invitation to ponder what goals that freedom is meant to serve. In effect, Benedict presented himself as a sort of Erasmus for the 21st century, pitching Christian humanism as the key to integrating freedom and truth, faith and reason, and creating a common set of values in an increasingly complicated world. The three-day swing began on Saturday with a speech to politicians and diplomats in Prague, then continued on Sunday with an open-air Mass in Brno, the largest city in the heavily Catholic Moravia region, which drew an estimated 120,000 people, including large numbers of Poles, Slovaks, Austrians and Germans. It was described by organizers as the largest Catholic Mass in the history of the Czech Republic. (Bear in mind, however, that this history only dates from the so-called "Velvet Divorce" with Slovakia in 1993.) Benedict also delivered major addresses to ecumenical leaders and to academics on Sunday evening, and closed the trip with a Mass marking the national feast of St. Wenceslas, the "Good King Wenceslas" of the popular Christmas carol, on Monday before returning to Rome. Popular enthusiasm for the pontiff sometimes seemed tepid, symbolized by the fact that, unlike other cities that host papal visits, Prague did not festoon its streets with Vatican flags or posters with Benedict's image. Events were broadcast live on national television, but otherwise media discussion was limited. Nevertheless, Fr. Jan Balík, press coordinator for the visit, told NCR that what coverage the trip drew was largely positive. Getty The pope's commitment to affirmative orthodoxy over these three days seemed to embody a deliberate effort to get back "on message." In many ways, Benedict's surprisingly positive tone was the early storyline of his papacy. It seemed to go into eclipse in early '09, however, with a furor over lifting the excommunications of four traditionalist bishops, including one who's a Holocaust denier, and controversial comments on AIDS and condoms during a trip to Africa. Pundits hinted that the "real Ratzinger," the hard-line figure familiar from his years as the Vatican's top doctrinal enforcer, was finally coming to the fore. Prior to arriving in Prague on Saturday morning, Benedict's trip here likewise seemed fated to beckon the finger-wagging, fire-breathing pope of popular stereotypes. The Czech Republic is perhaps the mother ship of European secularization, a point even the Mayor of Prague, Pavel Bem, conceded when he told Benedict on Saturday that his country "has the reputation of being one of the most atheistic societies on earth.".... Getty During a Saturday visit to the famed statue of the Infant of Prague, Benedict delivered an entire address devoted to the family without so much as mentioning abortion or gay marriage - normally staples of Vatican rhetoric on family matters. When the pope's lieutenants touched on church/state disputes, it was merely to confirm comments from interim Prime Minister Jan Fischer to the effect that the two sides agreed that resolving their standoff is not an "urgent priority." (That lack of urgency was apparently not shared by Cardinal Miloslav Vlk of Prague, who described his 18-year tenure as a "failure" on national television Sunday because of his inability to reach a deal on the restitution of property and a Vatican/Czech treaty.) Lest any of this seem accidental, Vatican spokesperson Fr. Federico Lombardi all but acknowledged that "affirmative orthodoxy" was the marching order for the trip in a Sunday evening session with reporters in Prague. "It's important for Czech society to understand the positive attitude of the Catholic church," Lombardi said, describing the spirit with which Benedict XVI approach the visit. "We want to collaborate in a positive way and contribute to the life of the society." "The church has a friendly attitude, and the pope is demonstrating this with his presence," Lombardi said. "The focus is not on tensions and debates, but on working together." In part, this option for affirmative orthodoxy may be little more than a return to form for Benedict XVI after what has been, by most accounts, a rocky year so far. In part, too, it was a no-brainer for a German pope coming into the Czech Republic, where nationhood is often defined in terms of resistance to 300 years of rule by the Catholic Austro-Hungarian Empire and occupation by the Nazis, and whose national hero, medieval preacher Jan Hus, was burned at the stake by the Council of Constance in 1415. More basically, however, affirmative orthodoxy seems to be one component of Benedict's two-pronged strategy for meeting the challenge posed by secularization and the contemporary crisis of faith in Europe. For secular society, Benedict's aim is to present Christianity as the best guarantee of the values which even the most ardently secular agnostic also prizes: peace, tolerance, dialogue, and freedom. To make that case, the pope seems to believe he can't start the conversation with flash-points of controversy, but rather with a positive vision of what Christianity has to offer. Getty For the local church, meanwhile, Benedict's prescription boils down to embracing life as a "creative minority." Gone are the days of Christianity as the culturally dominant force; today it's fated to be a subculture, with fewer priests and nuns, lower levels of Mass attendance, and a generally shrunken sociological footprint. The key question, from the pope's point of view, is what kind of subculture it will turn out to be. Borrowing a phrase from the British historian Arnold Toynbee, Benedict is pressing the church to be a "creative minority." Toynbee's contention was that in any civilization, renewal happens when a small subgroup works out fresh responses to new challenges, which are eventually copied by the majority. On the papal plane en route to Prague, the pontiff was asked what his message would be for a thoroughly secularized country where Christians have been reduced to a minority. His answer was vintage Benedict: "It's normally the creative minorities that determine the future," he said. The key question, of course, is whether that strategy will succeed. It's not clear in the immediate aftermath of Benedict's trip that the outing offered any clear evidence one way or the other. Trying to reach such snap judgments is especially complicated with this pope, given his penchant for thinking in the long run. Benedict is legendarily indifferent to tomorrow's headlines; his tendency is instead to be concerned with how things will stand two or three centuries down the line. That's probably just as well in the Czech Republic, where the ambivalence of several centuries vis-à-vis the Catholic church was always unlikely to dissolve over a lone weekend in late September. Alas, however, it also means that we may have to wait a couple of centuries to know whether affirmative orthodoxy actually worked. A great weekend for affirmative orthodoxy in Prague Czech Cardinal Vlk casts critical eye on years in office Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the Czech Republic at the weekend may have been a success but the occasion nevertheless prompted some to take a hard look at their own careers in the Church. Speaking to Czech Television on Sunday, Cardinal Miloslav Vlk - whose mandate ends in the autumn - cast a harsh eye on his 20 years in office, saying he had achieved very little. Not for a lack of trying, he suggested, but often because of a difficult political climate. Almost none - that is how Cardinal Vlk, Prague's archbishop, assessed his number of successes in office over the last twenty years or so. When first appointed, back in 1991, a much younger Miloslav Vlk questioned whether he would have enough strength for the tasks ahead, tasks which remain unresolved to this day. .. Czech Cardinal Vlk casts critical eye on years in office Though Pope Benedict XVI visited the Czech Republic in the past three days, commentaries in Czech dailies all but ignored the event. Czech press survey - September 29
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Quirin	"Affirmative orthodoxy"???	#1048	[url]	[-]
Member Posts: 81 09/29/09 13:01:41	"Affirmative orthodoxy" - what shall this be? I can't imagine Pater Lombardi giving this interpretation to the speeches of the Pope in Prague. So it must be a creation of John Allen. Why are journalists not doing their job and are only reporting of what the Vatican puts out? Why will they be interpretators of what the Pope says and what this means? Mostly they are going beside with their comments. Such comments are bringing the theology of Pope Benedict XVI. to a side which is not fair, namely to a ultra-orthodox, right-wing and stubborn position. This journey of the Pope was nothing special. It was just the same termination as for example in Austria two years ago or in Germany three years ago. I have met nobody who is reviving the old resentments at the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire or of the Nazi dictatorship. By the way who emphasized so much that the Austro-Hungarian Empire was "catholic"??? Nobody stigmatisized Germans during the visit of the Pope to Prague. Perhaps they sticked Italians and Americans? Are this old resentments and stereotypes of Italians and Americans against Germans?
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Benodette	Apostolic Visit to the Czech Republic - 26-28 September 2009	#1049	[url]	[-]
Member Posts: 7965 09/30/09 18:06:25	Getty VIS - During his general audience, celebrated this morning in St. Peter's Square, the Pope reminisced about his recent apostolic trip to the Czech Republic, which took place from 26 to 28 September. The Holy Father gave thanks to God for his journey which "was a true pilgrimage and, at the same time, a mission into the heart of Europe" on the theme: "The love of Christ is our strength". This strength, he explained, "inspires and animates true revolutions, peaceful and liberating, and upholds us in moments of crisis, enabling us to arise once more when the freedom, so arduously regained, risks losing itself and the truth it contains". On the first stage of his journey, in the church of Our Lady Victorious where the famous statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague is venerated, Benedict XVI gave assurances that he had prayed "for all children, for parents, for the future of the family. The true 'victory' we ask of Mary today is the victory of love and life in families and in society", he said. The Pope then recalled how, in his address to the political and civil authorities and members of the diplomatic corps, he had mentioned "the indissoluble bond that must always exist between freedom and truth. We must not be afraid of truth, because it is a friend of man and his freedom. Indeed, only by sincerely seeking truth, goodness and beauty can we truly offer a future to the young people of today and to future generations". "Leaders in the fields of politics and education must know how to draw from the light of that truth which is the reflection of the eternal wisdom of the Creator. And they are called to bear witness in person to this with their own lives". The Holy Father went on: "For the communities of Central and Eastern Europe this a difficult time: to the consequences of the long winter of atheist totalitarianism are being added the harmful effects of a certain form of Western secularisation and consumerism. Hence, I encouraged everyone to draw fresh energy form the risen Lord in order to become evangelical leavening in society and commit themselves, as is already happening, to charitable work and, even more so, to education". During the two Eucharistic celebrations of his Czech trip - first in Brno then in Stara Boleslav, site of the martyrdom of St. Wenceslas - the Pope "presented a message of hope founded upon faith in Christ". Talking then about the ecumenical meeting he had attended, the Holy Father highlighted how "the struggle to proceed towards ever fuller and more visible unity among believers in Christ makes our shared commitment to rediscovering the Christian roots of Europe stronger and more effective". During the encounter with the academic community "I underlined the role of universities, ... as a vital institution for society, a guarantee of freedom and development", said Pope Benedict. "Twenty years after the so-called 'Velvet Revolution'", he concluded, "I again presented the idea of integral human formation, based on a unity of knowledge rooted in truth, in order to counter a new dictatorship, that of relativism linked to the dominance of technology. Humanistic and scientific culture cannot be separated, they are two sides of the same coin. The Czech lands themselves remind us of this, being home to great writers like Kafka and to abbot Mendel, pioneer of modern genetics".
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Quirin	Re: A great weekend for affirmative orthodoxy in Prague	#1050	[url]	[-]
Member Posts: 88 10/01/09 13:19:40	The speech of the Pope Benedict XVI. at the audience on 30th september 2009 shows that the Pope does not refer on Arnold Toynbee. Perhaps Mister John Allen will notice that. But to find out at whom the Pope refers is the business of a scientist and I will not betray this secret.
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Benodette	Apostolic Visit to the Czech Republic - 26-28 September 2009	#1051	[url]	[-]
Member Posts: 7978 10/02/09 05:43:22	Filip Kotek Prague Post - Pope Benedict XVI ended a three-day visit to the Czech Republic on the feast day of St. Wenceslas by holding up the country's patron saint as a role model.President Václav Klaus attended a farewell ceremony at Prague's Ruzyně Airport, where he said the pope had brought hope to the nation with his message of faith, understanding and tolerance.On the final day of his visit, Sept. 28, the pope, 82, visited Stará Boleslav, about 25 kilometers northeast of Prague, to bless relics at a shrine to St. Wenceslas, who was murdered by his brother in 935.... The highlight of the visit was a Mass in Brno Sept. 27 that attracted more than 120,000 people. Many had camped out the night before in tents in a field near Brno Tuřany Airport, and 20,000 people were already waiting before dawn. During the Mass, the pontiff spoke of the need to remember and value what he called the Continent's Christian heritage. He stressed that society is based on more than just scientific advances or monetary consideration. He is the first pope to go to Brno since the local diocese was established in 1777. The pope had been welcomed on his arrival, his first papal visit to the Czech Republic, on the morning of Sept. 26 by Klaus at Ruzyně Airport. He hailed the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe. I join you and your neighbors in giving thanks for your liberation from those oppressive regimes. If the collapse of the Berlin Wall marked a watershed in world history, it did all the more so for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, enabling them to take their rightful place as sovereign actors in the concert of nations." Now that religious freedom has been restored, I call upon the citizens of this republic to rediscover the Christian traditions that have shaped their culture," he said. Klaus said the trip was as important as the visit by his predecessor, John Paul II, in 1990, one year after the fall of the Iron Curtain. The pope's entourage then left the airport to travel to Prague where he prayed at the statue of the Infant of Prague at the Church of Our Lady in Victory in Malá Strana where, police estimate, there were 5,000 people waiting. Among the throng were two young students from Croatia, both named Ivan, who had come to Prague to see the pope. It is the Holy Father after all, and it is a terrific experience for us," one said. Mike, a Catholic from Atlanta who was holidaying in Prague, said the papal visit could usher in a new era. I am just a tourist here, but I am impressed that he is actually here. I know the Czech Republic is not as religious as the U.S.; however, I believe this visit will open the door to new possibilities." Though frail, pensioner Jan Fuka, from Hronov on the Polish border, was determined to see the pope. "This whole thing is having a tremendous impact on me. We are all blessed to have the opportunity to see the Holy Father. I actually saw him; I came all the way from Hronov." After Malá Strana, the pope lunched at the Apostolic Nunciature on Voršilská street before emerging at 4:10 p.m. to briefly greet about 300 people who had waited for up to three hours to see him, but he spent less than two minutes waving to onlookers. Many expressed their disappointment that he did not spend more time meeting people who had waited so long. "I know he is a busy man, but he could have said a few words or spoken to people here," one young mother said, carrying her small boy. He then went up to Prague Castle, where he met government leaders and diplomats. Again, a crowd of about 300 who had waited outside was disappointed as the pope left the castle a couple of hours later by the back entrance. The visit was not entirely about spiritual affairs. Relations between Prague and the Vatican have been cool in recent years as a treaty on ties has not been ratified, stalling any progress on settling claims by the church for land and property seized by the communists. After a meeting with Vatican officials on the evening of Sept. 26, Prime Minister Jan Fischer said both sides had agreed to revisit the issue at a later date when the economic climate was more favorable toward reaching a possible settlement. Klaus praises pontiff for bringing hope to the nation
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Quirin	Re: Thousands flock to see the pope	#1052	[url]	[-]
Member Posts: 89 10/02/09 14:14:49	"Many expressed their disappointment that he did not spend more time meeting people who had waited so long. "I know he is a busy man, but he could have said a few words or spoken to people here," one young mother said, carrying her small boy." I have seen the pontiff several times and mostly just for seconds and minutes. People sometimees are thinking the pope should be there only for them. I have never seen any statesman or priest holding a speech to waiting people just standing arround when he is passing. And additionally to that how shold this be pracitcable holding a speech to 300 people without a microphone. The best opportunity to see the Pope very near is to watch TV at home. Somethimes people are thinking mostly on themselves and their egoistic wishes.
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Benodette	Benedict in Bohemia	#1053	[url]	[-]
Member Posts: 8084 10/18/09 15:52:51	Inside Catholic by Andrew Cusack The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, recently travelled to the Czech Republic in a journey he described as "both a pilgrimage and a mission." The ancient land of Bohemia was once at the very center of Christian civilization. It was from here that the brother saints Cyril and Methodius launched their mission to convert the Slavic world. From Prague, the realms of the Přemyslid and then Luxembourg dynasties were ruled, followed by the most illustrious house of Hapsburg. Centuries later, long after the nucleus of Hapsburg power had moved to Vienna, it was to Prague that the Emperor Ferdinand came following his abdication and remained until his death in 1875. But of course there is the other Prague -- the city of heresy, rebellion, and warfare. Curiously, this capital has probably experienced more defenestrations than any other city: the killing of seven councilors, including the burgomaster, by Hussites in 1419; the killing of the portreeve and several aldermen by rebels in 1483; the non-fatal defenestration of two governors and their scribe, again by Protestants, in 1618, sparking the Thirty Years' War; and long-time Czechoslovak politician Jan Masaryk was found dead after a fall from a window in 1948, presumably at the instigation of the Communists who took over. Bohemia is a land that has been lost to the Faith and regained more than once. There were the Hussite wars of more than 15 years, in which the Taborite extremists raised their arms against their Catholic neighbors, the pope, and the Holy Roman Empire, before their ultimate defeat. Then, the Thirty Years' War in which Protestants, with Ottoman Muslim support, gained the upper hand. One of the greatest miracles of the Society of Jesus was that so many lands in which Catholicism had almost collapsed -- Poland, Hungary, southern Germany, the Spanish Netherlands, and, yes, Bohemia -- were returned to the fullness of the Christian religion through their arduous and unceasing efforts. (The Jesuits also brought to the Czech lands the Baroque architecture for which it is justly famous.)... And so, recalling that liberation 20 years ago, the Holy Father came to the Czech Republic both on pilgrimage to a land with a deeply Christian history and on mission to a society that feels the very absence of God. "The coming months will see the twentieth anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, which happily brought a peaceful end to a time of particular hardship for this country, a time in which the flow of ideas and cultural influences was rigidly controlled," the pope said on arriving in Prague. Despite the happiness that comes with political liberation, the pope noted, "the cost of forty years of political repression is not to be underestimated," in particular the "ruthless attempt [by the Communist government] to silence the voice of the Church." Throughout his speeches during his visit, the pope was keen to remember and celebrate the 1989 revolution -- a transfer of power that took place without violence or bloodshed -- and to give thanks for the Church's regained freedom. But the Holy Father also reminded believers that, as he remarked during Vespers at St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, "Society continues to suffer from the wounds caused by atheist ideology, and it is often seduced by the modern mentality of hedonistic consumerism amid a dangerous crisis of human and religious values and a growing drift towards ethical and cultural relativism." The Communist perpetrator may have disappeared, but his crimes still reverberate throughout the Czech Republic, and indeed all of Eastern Europe and the world. It is obvious to Benedict that sanctity -- the personal love of God and the living-out of that encounter -- is the ultimate dignity to which all mankind must aspire, and the ultimate adversary that Communism sought to pervert. The pope's mission-pilgrimage to the Czech Republic has served to challenge the Czech people (and Christians everywhere following the collapse of Soviet Communism) not to rest on the laurels of having defeated a foe, but rather to continue to fight and build a society in which the dignity of humanity, the sanctity of humanity, is paramount. Benedict in Bohemia
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Benodette	The Pope in the Czech Republic - Day 1	#1054	[url]	[-]
Member Posts: 8237 11/10/09 08:59:06	(C) Benodette I have posted the first part of an account of the Pope in the Czech Republic on the Seeing Benedict in Person thread.
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