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[Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults] [Pope Benedict XVI]
  Pope
Benedict XVI
Apostolic Journey to the United States
April 15 - 20, 2008
Here are Pope Benedict’s remarks to
reporters on his plane. His remarks in Italian have been translated into
English.
(Introductory remarks)
My trip has above all two objectives. The first objective is the visit to
the church in America, in the United States, naturally to the entire
nation. There’s a particular reason: the Archdiocese of Baltimore 200
years ago was elevated to a metropolitan see, and at (the) same time three
other dioceses were born, as far as I recall Philadelphia, Boston and
Louisville. So it’s a great jubilee for this nucleus of the church in the
United States, a moment of reflection about the past, and above all also a
reflection about the future and how to respond to the great challenges of
our time, of the present and the future.
Naturally the interreligious and ecumenical meetings also are part of this
visit, and particularly the meeting in the synagogue with our Jewish
friends on the vigil of their celebration of Passover. So (there is) this
religious and pastoral aspect — the church in the United States in this
moment of our history — and the meetings with all the others, in this
common fraternity that connects us and in our common responsibility. In
this moment I would also like to thank President Bush who is coming to the
airport and is reserving much time for our discussion, and who is also
receiving me on the occasion of my birthday.
The second objective is the visit to the United Nations. Here, too, there
is a particular reason: It has been 60 years since the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. This is the anthropology, the founding
philosophy, of the United Nations and the spiritual and human foundation
on which it is constructed. So it is truly a moment of reflection, of
regaining awareness of this important moment in history. In this
declaration of human rights, diverse cultural traditions came together in
an anthropology that recognizes in man a subject of rights that come
before all the institutions, and (that recognizes) common values that must
be respected by all. So this visit, precisely in a moment of a crisis of
values, seems to me important in order to reconfirm together what was
begun in that moment and to develop it for our own time and for the
future.
(In response to the question about the sex abuse scandal and the need for
healing.)
Really it is a great suffering for the church in the United States and for
the church in general and for me personally that this could happen. If I
read the histories of these victims, it’s difficult for me to understand
how it was possible that priests betrayed in this way their mission to
give healing, to give the love of God to these children. We are deeply
ashamed and we will do all possible that this cannot happen in the future.
I think we have to act on three levels. The first is the level of justice,
a juridical level. We have now also norms to react in a just way. I would
not speak in this moment about homosexuality but pedophilia, which is
another thing. We will absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred
ministry. This is absolutely incompatible, and who is really guilty of
being a pedophile cannot be a priest. So this first level is, (as much) as
we can, do justice and help clearly the victims because they are deeply
touched. So there are two sides of the justice, on one hand that
pedophiles cannot be priests and on the other hand to help in possible
ways the victims.
The second level is a pastoral level, a level of healing and help, of
assistance and reconciliation. This is a big pastoral engagement, and I
know that the bishops and the priests and all the Catholic people in the
United States will do (what is) possible to help, to assist and to heal
and to help that in the future these things cannot happen.
This is the third point: prevention. We have made a visitation of the
seminaries, and we will do also (what is) possible in the education of the
seminarians for the deep, spiritual, human and intellectual formation … so
that only really sound persons can be admitted to the priesthood, and only
persons who have a deep personal love for Christ and have a deep
sacramental love, to exclude that this can happen. So I know that the
bishops and the rectors of seminaries will do all that is possible so that
we have a strong, strong discernment because it’s more important to have
good priests than to have many priests. This is also our third level, and
we hope that we can do, and we have done and will do in the future, all
that is possible to heal this wound.
(Responding to challenges and problems connected with immigration in the
United States; he was asked to say something in Spanish if possible):
(In Italian) Unfortunately, I don’t feel capable of speaking in Spanish
(begins speaking in Spanish) but I send blessings and greetings to
everyone. (Back to Italian) Certainly the pope is ready (to address) this.
I recently had “ad limina” visits with the bishops of Central America, and
South America, too, and I saw the dimensions of this problem. Above all
the great problem of the separation of families, and this is something
truly dangerous for the social, moral and human fabric of these countries.
I think we need to distinguish between measures that need to be taken
immediately and long-term solutions. The fundamental solution is that
there would be no more need to emigrate, that there would be a sufficient
number of jobs and an adequate social fabric so that no one would have to
emigrate to find these things.
We all need to work together toward this objective, that social
development be such that (those countries) themselves have all the
possibilities to offer work and a future to their citizens. I would like
to talk to the president about this point, too, because above all the
United States also needs to help so countries can develop in this way.
This is in the interest of everyone, not only in the interest of
(developing) countries but of the world and precisely of the United
States.
Then, as for short-term measures, for me it is very important above all to
help the families. This follows from discussions I had with the bishops on
the primary problem, that the families be protected and that they not be
destroyed, and on what can and should be done. And then naturally to do
what is possible against precarious situations and against all forms of
violence, and to help so that these people can truly have a worthy life
where they find themselves at present.
But I would also like to say that there are many problems and much
suffering, but also much hospitality. I know, especially, that the U.S.
bishops’ conference cooperates very much with the bishops’ conferences of
Latin America in order to bring assistance in a joint manner — the priests
help, the laypeople help. So therefore with all the painful things, let’s
not forget so much real humanity, and so much positive action that exists.
(Responding to a question on the role of religion in the United States,
comparing it to church-state relations in Europe.)
Certainly we in Europe cannot simply copy the United States. We have our
own history. But we should all learn from one another. What I find
fascinating about the United States is that it began with a positive
concept of secularism. Because this new people was composed of communities
and individuals who had fled from state churches and who wanted to have a
lay, secular state that would open the possibilities for all the churches
and for all forms of religious practice. So it was designed as a secular
state, it was really against a state church, but secular specifically for
love of religion and of its authenticity, which can only be lived freely.
And so we find a combination of a state that is sincerely and by design
secular, but precisely for a religious reason, in order to give
authenticity to religion. And we know that Alexis de Toqueville, studying
America, saw that these secular institutions live according to the de
facto moral consensus that exists among its citizens. This seems to me to
be a fundamental and positive model that should also be considered in
Europe.
In the meantime, more than 200 years have passed, with many developments.
Now even in the United States there is the attack of a new secularism, a
new secularism that is completely different, and therefore new problems. …
Therefore the situation has been complicated, made different by history.
But the fundamental model seems to be still today worthy of consideration.
(Responding to a question about whether the United Nations is capable of
protecting the values that the church says are based on natural law.)
This is precisely the fundamental objective of the United Nations, that it
should protect the common values of humanity on which is based the
peaceful coexistence among nations, the respect for justice and
development in justice. I consider it very important that the foundation
of the United Nations is precisely the idea of human rights, the rights
that express nonnegotiable values that precede all the institutions, and
which are the foundation of all the institutions. It’s important that here
there is this convergence among cultures, which found a consensus that
these values are fundamental and are truly inscribed in man himself. And
renew this awareness that the United Nations with its peacemaking function
can work only if it has a common foundation of values, which are expressed
in rights that are observed by all. To confirm this fundamental idea and
to update it as far as possible is an objective of my mission.
(His closing remarks):
As for my sentiments, I am going really with joy. I have been several
times in the United States, I know this great country, and I also know the
great liveliness of the church despite all the problems. At this historic
moment for the church and for the United Nations, I am happy to meet this
great people and this great church. Thank you all. |