The Meaning of our Holy Father’s visit to the United States
We are all used to reading about the visits of dignitaries to the United
States. In fact, the concept of a head of state visiting other countries
is historically very well-established. These visits generally take place
to promote good will, solve difficulties and share concerns. As we prepare
to celebrate the visit of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI to the
United States, we recall that the Pope is the head of an independent
state, the smallest in the world, known as the Vatican City State. This
is in order to give him complete freedom to fulfill his mission independent
of any one country. As a head of state, you will notice that the United
States government will honor him as such. However, it is most important
to remember that the visit of a Pope to a country is not the mere visit
of a dignitary or head of state. For Catholics, and for all men and
women of good will, the Pope’s visit to our country from April
15 to April 20 will mean so much more.
The Second Vatican Council speaks of the role of the Pope in the life
of the Church when it teaches that “the Roman Pontiff, as the
successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible principle and foundation
of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful”
(Lumen Gentium, 23). I had the great privilege of accompanying Pope
Paul VI on his pastoral journey to Iran, Dhaka (then East Pakistan),
the Philippines, Australia, Samoa, American Samoa, Indonesia, Hong Kong
and Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). I was further privileged to accompany Pope
John Paul II on a number of his pastoral journeys, between the years
1979-1987, including his two major pastoral visits to the United States
in 1979 and 1981. In January 1999, as Archbishop of St. Louis, I welcomed
Pope John Paul II to that Archdiocese on his visit there, the only diocese
in the United States that he visited on that journey.
Among the many different cultures and peoples I have witnessed welcoming
the Holy Father, it was so clear to me that, even if they could not
explain it in theological terms, they were indeed conscious in some
way that they were welcoming the “visible principle and foundation
of their unity.” Likewise, many non-Catholics welcome the visit
of a Pope because they see in him a great moral voice and the personification
of the remarkable work of the Catholic Church throughout the world for
the past 2,000 years.
Confirming our faith
In the many Papal journeys that I have witnessed and in observing the
extraordinary teaching ability of our present Holy Father, I am sure
that his great mission during his pastoral visit to us will be to confirm
us in our faith. This is one of the principal tasks Jesus entrusts to
Peter and his successors. Speaking to Peter—and in speaking to
Peter Jesus is speaking to Benedict XVI—Jesus says: “I have
prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back,
you must strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). It is very interesting
to note that Jesus makes this statement to Peter before his denial.
Jesus is clearly not removing the human ability to fall into sin or
to make poor judgments, which belong to every child of Adam, but He
is guaranteeing that the faith of His Vicar on earth will not fail.
“No one in the Church enjoys absolute power by himself, as man.
In the Church there is no leader other than Christ. And Christ constituted
a vicar of His — the Roman Pontiff — for his pilgrim spouse
on earth. Love for the Pope must be in us a beautiful passion, because
in him we see Christ” (Josemaría Escrivá, In Love
with the Church, 13).
In the course of his Pastoral journey to Colombia in South America in
1986, Pope John Paul II commented on the text of Saint Luke we have
just quoted. In doing so, he gave a magnificent summary of the purpose
of Papal apostolic journeys. Of these words spoken to Peter, he said:
“These words of Christ have particular meaning for me as the Successor
of Saint Peter. For they indicate the specific mission in the Church
given to Peter and to all those who were to come after him and continue
his office. They indicate my own mission in the Church today: namely,
to strengthen my brothers and sisters in the faith. It is because of
this mission entrusted to me by Christ that I feel called to undertake
my pastoral journeys, to visit the local Churches around the world.
This is why I am here with you today: I come as the Successor of Saint
Peter, to encourage you in the name of Jesus and to confirm you in your
faith” (Homily, Mass for the Faithful at Reduit Park, 7 July 1986).
Just as the faithful see their unity confirmed in the person of the
Pope, he wants to acknowledge their identity and unity within the Church.
This is why the Pope respects local cultures and customs and why he
makes an effort to speak in the language of the peoples he is visiting.
It is because the Pope wants to bring the Gospel to “every nation
and every people.” In this, he acknowledges himself as a servant.
We know that one of the most ancient titles of the Pope is the servus
servorum Dei, “the servant of the servants of God.” This
is also why Pope Benedict XVI referred to himself as a “simple
and humble laborer in the vineyard of the Lord” when he spoke
from the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica immediately after his
election was announced to the world.
Proclaiming the truth
We will certainly read and hear interesting commentaries on what our
Holy Father says and does during his visit to our country. It is important
for us to remember that having pointed out the role of the Pope as servant,
we also remind ourselves that he is always at the service of truth.
He acts and speaks in order to proclaim the truth to all who will receive
it. He is not a spokesman for a cause or a product but the one who proclaims
the truth in his role as the Vicar of Christ on earth. This truth can
involve the purity of doctrine, the dignity of the human person, the
value of human life, the justice that earthly structures and societies
must display and many other issues topical to our time. However, the
Pope does all this as a servant, and as a servant of the truth revealed
by Jesus Christ. What he says does not depend on the expediency of the
moment nor is he motivated by telling people what they want to hear.
His only desire is to proclaim the truth as it is proclaimed by Christ.
Each of us should make every effort to keep this in mind as we listen
to his words when he visits our beloved country.
Christ our Hope
The theme for our Holy Father’s pastoral journey to the United
States is “Christ our Hope.” This is a reference to Pope
Benedict’s recent encyclical letter “Saved by Hope”
(Spe Salvi). As we have just mentioned, the Pope does not make up doctrine.
It is for him to hand on what he himself has received (cf. 1 Corinthians
15:3). However, he does have the responsibility to read the signs of
the times and present the teachings of Jesus in a manner that is both
understandable and topical to the present age. It would seem that the
virtue of hope is one that is particularly needed today. We often read
of a sense of hopelessness that grasps entire portions of society, especially
the young, who are the ones who should be filled with the greatest hope!
The Pope reminds us that without knowing Christ and His message we will
easily fall into hopelessness. He reminds us that His message of hope
and mercy is always there for us to accept, bringing with it the peace
of Christ, which is His special Easter gift. In a recent homily, the
Holy Father reminds us that Christ does not take away the joy of life,
He fulfills and completes it. Indeed, without hope in Him, no joy can
be genuine or lasting.
Our spiritual preparation
It is very important that we be in a frame of mind and heart that will
make each of us responsive to the truth of Jesus that Pope Benedict
will proclaim. Let us remember that, even during the time of His public
ministry, there were those who saw the works of the Lord and heard His
words and yet did not receive them. The reason I am writing about this
topic this week is so that we may make our preparation for this visit
with prayer and serenity and with hearts open to receive the truth of
Christ. I would like to suggest some practical means of preparation
as the visit draws near.
We should begin now to pray for the spiritual success of our Holy Father’s
visit. Offer your Masses, Holy Communions, Rosaries and visits to the
Blessed Sacrament for the Pope, that his visit may bear much fruit in
the United States. I especially ask the sick and the suffering to offer
their union with the crucified Jesus as their special offering for the
Holy Father’s intentions.
As individuals, we should ask for the light of the Holy Spirit to be
receptive to the words of Pope Benedict and the humility to recognize
that in him we hear the words of Jesus, whose Vicar he is. Even if you
are not able to attend any of the Papal functions personally, the marvelous
means of communication will enable you to follow the Pope’s activities
and messages very easily. You may want to attend daily Mass during the
Pope’s visit to pray for him and to increase the life of grace
in your soul, making you more receptive to the truth he will proclaim.
This is certainly the attitude that we who are Bishops must also have
as we prepare to welcome the Pope and listen to him with humility, love
and filial respect.
In this Easter season, when we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ,
our hope, we await with prayerful anticipation the arrival in our midst
of His Vicar on earth!
April 3, 2008