Posted on 09/27/2015 4:36:53 PM PDT by markomalley
Here is the text of the address Pope Francis gave this evening in Philadelphia shortly before departing for Rome.
* * *
Mr. Vice-President,
Distinguished Authorities,
My Brother Bishops,
Dear Friends,
My days with you have been brief. But they have been days of great grace for me and, I pray, for you too. Please know that as I prepare to leave, I do so with a heart full of gratitude and hope.
I am grateful to all of you and to the many others who worked so hard to make my visit possible and to prepare for the World Meeting of Families. In a particular way I thank Archbishop Chaput and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the civil authorities, the organizers, and all the many volunteers and benefactors who assisted in ways large and small.
I also thank the families who shared their witness during the Meeting. It is not so easy to speak openly of one’s life journey! But their honesty and humility before the Lord and each of us showed the beauty of family life in all its richness and diversity. I pray that our days of prayer and reflection on the importance of the family for a healthy society will inspire families to continue to strive for holiness and to see the Church as their constant companion, whatever the challenges they may face.
At the end of my visit, I would also like to thank all those who prepared for my stay in the Archdioceses of Washington and New York. It was particularly moving for me to canonize Saint Junípero Serra, who reminds us all of our call to be missionary disciples, and I was also very moved to stand with my brothers and sisters of other religions at Ground Zero, that place which speaks so powerfully of the mystery of evil. Yet we know with certainty that evil never has the last word, and that, in God’s merciful plan, love and peace triumph over all.
Mr. Vice-President, I ask you to renew my gratitude to President Obama and to the Members of Congress, together with the assurance of my prayers for the American people. This land has been blessed with tremendous gifts and opportunities. I pray that you may all be good and generous stewards of the human and material resources entrusted to you.
I thank the Lord that I was able to witness the faith of God’s people in this country, as manifested in our moments of prayer together and evidenced in so many works of charity. Jesus says in the Scriptures: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me”. Your care for me and your generous welcome are a sign of your love for Jesus and your faithfulness to him. So too is your care for the poor, the sick, the homeless and the immigrant, your defense of life at every stage, and your concern for family life. In all of this, you recognize that Jesus is in your midst and that your care for one another is care for Jesus himself.
As I leave, I ask all of you, especially the volunteers and benefactors who assisted with the World Meeting of Families: do not let your enthusiasm for Jesus, his Church, our families, and the broader family of society run dry. May our days together bear fruit that will last, generosity and care for others that will endure! Just as we have received so much from God –gifts freely given us, and not of our own making – so let us freely give to others in return.
Dear friends, I embrace all of you in the Lord and I entrust you to the maternal care of Mary Immaculate, Patroness of the United States. I will pray for you and your families, and I ask you, please, to pray for me. May God bless you all. God bless America!
Buh bye
A reminder to live our lives for Christ.
First time he’s ever been here and seen it, and not a word about America being a fine country.
Sad that he only saw DC, New York, and Philly. Three American cesspools. Someone shoulda made sure he saw normal America.
When the Pope spoke to Congress he did not mention Jesus, he did not pray, he did not call people to repentance, he did not present the Gospel and spoke as if the world’s problems could be solved without Christ... Who exactly is supposed to be representing? I think maybe he is the vicar of Marx.
Shame on you all
I see that the Pope bashing continues, sadly.
Thank-you and God Bless.
Haters gotta hate.
You got that right.
Take a closer look at today’s closing Sunday mass homily, and your concerns are answered there.
Good riddance is right. In NYC, we were told not to use the busses or private transportation; we were told to work from home (not very applicable to postmen, teachers, hotel workers, or other middle-class or poorer workers, is it?); we were told to stock up on food and other supplies, like for a snow storm, because truck deliveries of food and packages would be curtailed.
Penn Station was roped off because the Pope was scheduled to give an address nearby in Madison Square Garden, so that the commuters from New Jersey had to get off in Jersey City, take the Path train in to Manhattan, and then try to get into a subway car which was packed to the gills because no other transportation was available.
This lasted for the four days the Pope was here. Thanks a lot, Mr. Pope. For someone who professes to be concerned with poverty, you don’t think very much about causing a four-day nightmare in which people can’t get to their jobs or get their children to school.
Has he gone yet?
Last I checked he was still on the way to leaving. I have never seen such huge media coverage, comparable maybe in extent to North Korea media’s coverage of Kim Jong-Il’s funeral.
Good that you’re a FORMER pastor!
He did that with Congress.
Hope it was really short so he didn’t miss his flight and burden us with another week of MSM pope pimping!!!!!!!!!
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