Farewell Ceremony
ShareADDRESS OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
On Sunday, 8 September 1985. at Vaduz, the Holy Father bade farewell to the dignitaries and people of Liechtenstein.
Your Serene Highness, Your Honor, Your Bishop,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. At the end of this blessed day, we offer our heartfelt thanks and praise to God, the Giver of all good things, whose goodness has granted us, under the special protection of Mary, today's solemn celebration of our faith and the joyful experience of our fraternal communion in Christ; may he, by his grace, allow it to bear abundant fruit for the religious and social life of this beloved land.
In response to the honorable farewell words, I would then like to thank Your Serene Highness, the Hereditary Prince and Representative of the Serene Highness, as the spokesman for the civil authorities of the Principality of Liechtenstein, for the hospitable reception that the leaders in the state and church as well as the people of this country have given me and my companions. I say a sincere "thank you!" to everyone who contributed to the solid preparation and successful implementation of my pastoral visit.
2. Today I leave this beautiful and friendly country full of lasting memories. I think of the wonderful landscape with the majestic mountains and the carefully tended meadows and fields; of the numerous churches and chapels, wayside and mountain crosses that bear witness to the long Christian tradition here and to the faith of the people. But above all I think of the many people from home and abroad whom I was able to meet today during my pastoral visit. The celebrations and encounters we had together have left a deep impression on my heart.
In the light of the mystery of the Nativity of Mary, we have become, with joy, once again aware of our calling as children of God and members of the Church. God has also done "great things" in each of us. At the same time, he has invited us all to contribute to the establishment of his kingdom in this world through our own personal commitment, in accordance with the gift of grace we have received: as priests, members of the order, as lay people responsible for world service, as young people and adults, as sick, disabled or elderly people. God needs each of us, each in his or her place.
I sincerely hope that our common prayer and reflection of today will continue and deepen in the upcoming popular mission and thus initiate a courageous spiritual and religious "awakening" that will lead to a more conscious and fuller life in Christ. We are aware that today's world and society need powerful impulses from the heart of our Christian existence - an apostolate that can convince more through lived Christian example than through words. I assure you of my special prayers for the coming important days of your popular mission.
3. When I, as a messenger of the Good News of Jesus Christ, encourage and inspire believers to lead an intensive and developed religious life, I also wish peace and prosperity for their community, for the state and for society. A good Christian is always a good citizen. The cultivation of the Christian heritage is always an important contribution to a humane coexistence in one's own national community and a good guarantee of lasting peace with other peoples. This precious asset is entrusted in a special way to the care and responsibility of young people, who are responsible for shaping and guaranteeing a hopeful future for their country.
Dear people of God in the Principality of Liechtenstein! The natural circumstances in which you live give you a special feeling for the small and the needy. Maintain the virtues of modesty and generosity. Regain them if you have lost them; strengthen them if they have become weak! You naturally have an eye for your neighbors. Sharpen your eye for your fellow human beings and their character! Make room for your neighbor in your heart! Share with him what you possess in such abundance!
In this temporal world on the way to our eternal homeland, we all bear a great responsibility for one another, for our own salvation and for the salvation of other people. Although we have no permanent place here and everything in this world is only temporary, we take our responsibility for this world very seriously; for this is the God-willed path to our eternal homeland. Therefore, in the spirit of Christ and the Church, take care of your country and remember: "This dear homeland, the dear fatherland, God's wise hand has planned for you" (national anthem).
God bless and protect the Principality of Liechtenstein! God bless all its inhabitants!
© Copyright 1985 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Copyright © Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
