Pope Benedict XVI Blog

Pope in Brno: Christ is certain hope for the Czech people, Europe and all humanity

» 09/27/2009 14:54
VATICAN – CZECH REPUBLIC

The history of the Czech lands is a symbol for the whole of humanity. Nazism and Communism appear when man “excludes God.” Today, in a society where faith is restricted to the private sphere, “progress is ambiguous”, with possibilities for good as well as evil. The Pontiff offers all Christians the message of hope in the crucified and risen Christ. He remembers John Paul II.

Brno (AsiaNews) – In celebrating a Mass “of hope’ near Brno airport (southern Moravia), Pope Benedict XVI turned his thoughts to “the people of this beloved land as well as Europe and the whole of humanity, thirsting as it does for something on which to base a firm future.” In doing so, he revealed the reasons underlying his trip to the Czech Republic. In his address to almost half a million faithful, in front of cardinals, bishops and priests from across Europe, he spoke to the whole of humanity. He travelled to the heart of Europe to tell the Czech people, Europe and all of humanity that “the only "certain" and "reliable" hope (see Spe Salvi. No. 1) is founded on God.”

Such certainty is self-evident in the past of the Czech lands, which saw the horrors of Nazism and Communism. “History has demonstrated the absurdities to which man descends when he excludes God from the horizon of his choices and actions, and how hard it is to build a society inspired by the values of goodness, justice and fraternity, because the human being is free and his freedom remains fragile.”

“Freedom,” he said, “has constantly to be won over for the cause of good, and the arduous search for the ‘right way to order human affairs’ is a task that belongs to all generations.”

To the Czech people, which is only 27 per cent Catholic against 57 per cent atheist (or perhaps agnostic), Benedict XVI offers “the message of salvation, ancient and ever new, that the Church proclaims from generation to generation: Christ crucified and risen, the Hope of humanity!”
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See also from YouTube-Vatican's Channel:

Benedict XVI: Christ saves us from the ills of the spirit
September 27, 2009



Pope Benedict XVI: Europe is the spiritual home of liberty
September 27, 2009

posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 12:27 PM