Proclaiming the Family, Pope Benedict XVI -EWTN Document Library

Proclaiming the Family

Pope Benedict XVI

The Church must proclaim and protect the family's unique social place

On Saturday morning, 8 July, after a two-hour flight, the Holy Father landed at the International Airport of Valencia-Manises for the Fifth World Meeting of Families.

At the airport, King Juan Carlos de Borbón of Spain welcomed the Holy Father on his first Apostolic Visit to the Country. Also awaiting him were Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, the Archbishop and three Auxiliaries of Valencia and the nine Spanish Cardinals.

The following is a translation of the Holy Father's Welcome Address at the Arrival Ceremony, which was given in Spanish.

Your Majesties,
Mr. President of the Government,
Distinguished Authorities,
My Brother Cardinals and Bishops,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

With great joy I come today to Valencia, to the noble and much-loved Land of Spain, which has given me so many grateful memories from my earlier visits for Congresses and meetings.

I cordially greet all of you, those here present and all those following this ceremony through the communications media.

I am grateful to His Majesty King Juan Carlos for his presence, together with the Queen, and in particular I thank him for his words of welcome in the name of the Spanish People.

I express my respectful appreciation to the President of the Government and to the other national, autonomous-regional and municipal Authorities. I am grateful for their cooperation in the organization of this Fifth World Meeting.

I greet with affection the Archbishop of Valencia, Monsignor Agustín Garcia-Gasco, his Auxiliary Bishops, and the whole "levantine" Archdiocese for their warm welcome to this World Meeting. I know that in these days you are grieving with the families mourning their dear ones who were victims of a tragic accident, and are also close to the injured.

My affectionate greeting also goes to the President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, and to the other Cardinals, the President and members of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, the priests, the consecrated persons and all the lay faithful.

Family based on marriage

My reason for this long-awaited Visit is to take part in the Fifth World Meeting of Families, whose theme is "The Transmission of Faith in the Family". I wish to set forth the central role, for the Church and for society, proper to the family based on marriage.

The family is a unique institution in God's plan, and the Church cannot fail to proclaim and promote its fundamental importance, so that it can live out its vocation with a constant sense of responsibility and joy.

My venerable Predecessor, a great friend of Spain, the beloved John Paul II, convoked this Meeting. Prompted by the same pastoral solicitude, tomorrow I will have the privilege of concluding it with the celebration of Holy Mass in the City of Arts and Sciences.

In union with all taking part, I will implore from the Lord, through the intercession of our Most Holy Mother and the Apostle Saint James, plentiful graces for the families of Spain and of the whole world.

May the Lord abundantly bless all of you and your beloved families!

Taken from:
L'Osservatore Romano
Weekly Edition in English
12 July 2006, page 3

L'Osservatore Romano is the newspaper of the Holy See.
The Weekly Edition in English is published for the US by:

The Cathedral Foundation
L'Osservatore Romano English Edition
320 Cathedral St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
Subscriptions: (410) 547-5315
Fax: (410) 332-1069
lormail@catholicreview.org