Benedict XVI will be in Mexico this Friday through Monday, before going on to Cuba. While there, he wants to encourage Mexicans, especially young people, observed Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Holy Father's Secretary of State.
Cardinal Bertone was interviewed by Mexican television Televisa and by El Sol de México newspaper. The text of his talk was published by Vatican Radio.
The Pope will be taking “a message of encouragement, especially to young people, so that they will not allow themselves to be discouraged, to be enticed by easy goals of gain or social climbing, but instead, that they be committed to building a supportive society, an honest society, a society where each one has his place, his recognition -- a message of love and of great encouragement and, hence, of optimism,” he said.
Regarding the challenges facing Mexico’s society, the Italian cardinal suggested that the Pope might appeal for an end to violence, for the protection of human life, and for the promotion of the family.
Benedict XVI is well aware of the situation in a country marked by the challenges “of violence, of corruption, of drug trafficking,” which implies the commitment by everyone,”of both social and religious forces, to “re-found” Mexico on the Christian values imprinted in its DNA: peaceful coexistence, fraternity, solidarity and honesty.
He described Mexicans’ faith as “solid, not superficial,” and observed that, to surmount the challenges of the moment, “there is need of help from above, greater rootedness in the faith, more prayer and greater personal commitment.”
In regard to the project on religious liberty, Cardinal Bertone said that “if the right to religious liberty is firm, the other rights are also protected. If the right to religious liberty collapses, given that it is fundamental, the other rights also vacillate.”
No comments:
Post a Comment