Text of Pope John Paul II's speech upon his arrival at Denver's Stapleton
International Airport on Thursday, August 12, 1993:
I greatly appreciate your generous words of welcome. The World Youth
Day being celebrated this year in Denver gives me the opportunity to meet
you, and through you to express once again to the American people my
sentiments of deep esteem and friendship. I thank you and Mrs. Clinton for
your kind gesture in coming here personally to welcome me.
I take this opportunity to greet the other representatives of the
federal government of the state of Colorado and of the city of Denver who
are present here, and to thank all those who have contributed in any way
to preparing this visit. I am grateful to the bishops of the United States
for their part in organizing the eighth World Youth day, and in particular
to Archbishop (J. Francis) Stafford of Denver and the Catholic church in
Colorado for serving as the local hosts for this important international
event.
I am aware that the United States is suffering greatly from the recent
flooding in the Midwest. I have felt close to the American people in their
tragedy and have prayed for the victims. I invoke Almighty God's strength
and comfort upon all who have been affected by this calamity.
There is a special joy in coming to America for the celebration of this
World Youth Day. A nation which is itself still young according to
historical standards is hosting young people gathered from all over the
world for a serious reflection on the theme of life: the human life which
is God's marvelous gift to each one of us, and the transcendent life which
Jesus Christ our Savior offers to those who believe in his name.
I come to Denver to listen to the young people gathered here, to
experience their inexhaustible quest for life. Each successive World Youth
Day has been a confirmation of young people's openness to the meaning of
life as a gift received, a gift to which they are eager to respond by
striving for a better world for themselves and their fellow human beings.
I believe that we would correctly interpret their deepest aspirations
by saying that what they ask is that society -- especially the leaders of
nations and all who control the destinies of peoples -- accept them as
true partners in the construction of a more humane, more just, more
compassionate world. They ask to be able to contribute their specific
ideas and energies to this task.
The well-being of the world's children and young people must be of
immense concern to all who have public responsibilities. In my pastoral
visits to the church in every part of the world I have been deeply moved
by the almost universal conditions of difficulty in which young people
grow up and live. Too many sufferings are visited upon them by natural
calamities, famines, epidemics, by economic and political crises, by the
atrocities of wars. And where material conditions are at least adequate,
other obstacles arise, not the least of which is the breakdown of family
values and stability.
In developed countries, a serious moral crisis is already affecting the
lives of many young people, leaving them adrift, often without hope, and
conditioned to look only for instant gratification. Yet everywhere there
are young men and women deeply concerned about the world around them,
ready to give the best of themselves in service to others and particularly
sensitive to life's transcendent meaning.
But how do we help them? Only by instilling a high moral vision can a
society ensure that its young people are given the possibility to mature
as free and intelligent human beings, endowed with a robust sense of
responsibility to the common good, capable of working with others to
create a community and a nation with a strong moral fiber.
America was built on such a vision, and the American people possess the
intelligence and will to meet the challenge of rededicating themselves
with renewed vigor to fostering the truths on which this country was
founded and by which it grew. Those truths are enshrined in the
Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and
they still today receive a broad consensus among Americans. Those truths
sustain values which have led people all over the world to look to America
with hope and respect.
To all Americans, without exception, I present this invitation: Let us
pause and reason together. To educate without a value system based on
truth is to abandon young people to moral confusion, personal insecurity
and easy manipulation. No country, not even the most powerful, can endure
if it deprives its own children of this essential good.
Respect for the dignity and worth of every person, integrity and
responsibility, as well as understanding, compassion and solidarity
towards others survive only if they are passed on in families, in schools
and through the communications media.
America has a strong tradition of respect for the individual, for human
dignity and human rights. I gladly acknowledged this during my previous
visit to the United States in 1987 and I would like to repeat today the
hope I expressed on that occasion: "America, you are beautiful and blessed
in so many ways ... But your best beauty and your richest blessing is
found in the human person: in each man, woman and child, in every
immigrant, in every native born son and daughter ... The ultimate test of
your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the
weakest and most defenseless ones. The best traditions of your land
presume respect for those who cannot defend themselves. If you want equal
justice for all, and true freedom and lasting peace, then, America, defend
life! All the great causes that are yours today will have meaning only to
the extent that you guarantee the right to life and protect the human
person."'
Text of Pope John Paul II's prepared remarks to about 85,000 young people
at Mile High Stadium on Thursday night.
Dear young people,
The Spirit of God has brought us to this Eighth World Youth Day. On
eight successive occasions young people from all parts of the world have
heard the call of the church and have traveled in order to be together --
to be together with their bishops and the pope: fellow travelers on the
path of life in search of Christ.
It is he, Jesus Christ, the true life who gives hope and purpose to our
earthly existence, opens our minds and hearts to the goodness and beauty
of the world around us, to solidarity and friendship with our fellow human
beings, to intimate communion with God himself, in a love that goes beyond
all limits of time and space, to eternal unassailable happiness.
This World Youth Day has brought us to Denver, a stupendous setting in
the heart of the United States of America.
I greet each one of you: "A great multitude which no man could number,
from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues." I greet your
bishops, your priests, your spiritual guides, your families.
I thank you for being here. I thank everyone: Archbishop Stafford of
Denver and his fellow workers; Archbishop Keeler, the president of the
Bishops' Conference, and all the bishops; the Bishops' Commission for the
organization of this World Youth Day; Cardinal Pironio and the Pontifical
Council for the Laity; the civil authorities; the people of Denver and
Colorado who are our gracious hosts; the volunteers who are making sure
that everything runs smoothly -- I thank you all for your kindness, your
hospitality and your good will.
Most of you are members of the Catholic Church; but others are from
other Christian churches and communities, and I greet each one with
sincere friendship. In spite of divisions among Christians, "all those
justified by faith through baptism are incorporated into Christ ...
brothers and sisters in the Lord," one of discovering together ever more
fully the riches of the Gospel message of life and love.
I greet all of you who have come from ever corner of the United States,
from every diocese of this vast country. Among you there is one group
which I wish to mention with particular esteem: the Native American
peoples. Thank you for bringing the richness and color of your special
heritage to the World Youth Day. May Christ truly be the way, the truth
and the life of your peoples!
Many are from the other two countries of North America: from Canada;
and so many from Mexico. Some of you are from the Caribbean. Others from
Central America. And from all the countries of South America. Many more
are from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Pacific, and so many from Europe.
At this point I wish to greet some of the groups present. (In
Spanish) An especially affectionate greeting to all the Spanish-speaking
young people present: those from the United States, those from Latin
America and from Spain. You are united, as heirs of a vibrant Catholic
tradition, for which the church is giving special thanks to God on the
occasion for the fifth centenary of the evangelization of the Americas.
May your generation be as constant and generous as past generations in
making Jesus Christ known and loved.
(In French) To the French-speaking pilgrims, I hope that this journey
of faith will strengthen your resolve to be ever more committed apostles
to the world of youth. I greet those of you from France, and from Canada.
A special word of encouragement to the young people of Haitian origin, and
I pray for the peace and harmony of your country.
(In Italian) To the young people from Italy: thanks for responding to
the invitation to come to Denver in such large numbers. I am aware of the
serious spiritual preparations you have made for this pilgrimage, and I am
confident that you will reap benefits for your Christian life and witness.
(In German) I cordially greet the German-speaking young people who have
come to express their faith in Jesus Christ, who came to give life in its
fullness. May these days of prayer and reflection, of meeting and joyful
friendship with young people from all over the world, help you to be ever
stronger and more confident in your service to the church and to the
world.
(In Portuguese) Dear friends from Portugal and from Brazil, Jesus
Christ is the hope of the world. May you discover his friendship and
company ever more deeply during these days in Denver.
(In Polish) Praise be Jesus Christ! ... Denver is the continuation of
Czestochowa. There we watched with the Black Madonna. Today, in Denver, we
invoke her intercession on the Polish nation, especially on its young
people who must face the challenge of restoring truth and energy to
society. ... May Christ's promise of life, and life in abundance come
fully true in your lives and in your works of apostolate and service.
(In Russian) Young people of the Russian language, be always open to
the light of Christ, so that you can be his faithful witnesses.
(In Lithuanian) Young people from Lithuania: I am eagerly looking
forward to my visit to your homeland in September. May the life and light
of Christ illumine your hearts and give you courage!
(In Croatian) Dear young people from Croatia, all of us gathered here
for the World Youth Day are close to you in the very difficult situation
of conflict which is causing so much suffering in the Balkans. May God
inspire the leaders of the region and the international community to bring
a speedy and just peace, and thus avoid further casualties and
destruction.
(In Arabic) The peace of Christ be with all the Arab-speaking young
people who are here.
(In Tagalog) I cordially greet all the young people from the
Philippines and of Philippine descent. May Christ always be the light of
your lives and may he strengthen you for the challenges before you as
witnesses to other young people.
(In Swahili) God bless you all with faith and hope and love. (In
Korean) May you be worthy heirs of Saint Andrew Kim and his companion
martyrs. They loved Christ to the end. May you too be his faithful
disciples.
(In Vietnamese) Vietnamese young people, be strong and courageous in
your Christian life.
We have come to Denver as pilgrims. We are continuing the journey made
by millions of young people in the previous World Youth Days: to Rome, to
Buenos Aires, to Santiago de Compostela, to Czestochowa. Pilgrims set
out for a destination. In our case it is not so much a place or a shrine
that we seek to honor. Ours is a pilgrimage to a modern city, a symbolic
destination: the "metropolis" is the place which determines the lifestyle
and the history of a large part of the human family at the end of the 20th
century.
This modern city of Denver is set in the beautiful natural surroundings
of the Rocky Mountains as if to put the work of human hands in
relationship with the works of the Creator. We are therefore searching for
the reflection of God not only in the beauty of nature but also in
humanity's Christ: "I came that they may have life, and have it
abundantly."
My purpose in this first meeting with you is to invite you to enter
into the depths of your hearts, and to live the next few days as a real
encounter with Jesus Christ.
Of course we are here to listen to one another: I to you, and you to
the pope. But above all we are in Denver to hear the one true word of life
-- the eternal word who was in the beginning with God; "through whom all
things were made, and without whom nothing was made that was made."
Young people of America and of the world, listen to what Christ the
redeemer is saying to you! "To all who received him, who believe in his
name, he gave power to become children of God."
The World Youth Day challenges you to be fully conscious of who you are
as God's dearly beloved sons and daughters.
Your pilgrimage through the city of Denver will lead you to
meditate on Christ's promise of abundant life at different places along
the way.
At St. Elizabeth's Church the Holy Year Cross will remind you where to
look for the true life that Jesus gives. Jesus says: "Whoever does not
take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." He says this, not
because he does not love you enough, but because he is leading you to the
discovery of authentic life and love. The life which Jesus gives can only
be experiences through self-giving love, and self-giving love always
implies some form of self-sacrifice: "Unless a grain of wheat falls into
the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much
fruit."
At Holy Ghost Church your pilgrimage will lead you to Christ in the
blessed eucharist. In prayer before the blessed sacrament exposed you can
pour out your hearts to him, but especially you must listen to what he has
to say to each one of you. Christ's favorite words to young people are
"Fear not" and "Come follow me." Who knows what the Lord will ask of you,
young people of America, young men and women from Europe, Africa, Asia,
Oceania?
At the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception your pilgrimage will lead
you to the icon of Our Lady of the New Advent. Mary, the mother of the
redeemer, was her son's first and best disciple. She will be present at
every state of our pilgrimage. She is the best guide we can have: she
leads us to Christ and says: "Do whatever he tells you."
Tomorrow, Friday, is meant to be a day of solidarity and penance. As a
gesture of love towards our less fortunate brothers and sisters we are all
asked to make a sacrifice at tomorrow's midday meal and to give what we
save for St. Joseph's Hospital of Kitovu in Uganda, where many AIDS
patients are being cared for with great love and attention.
That region has been drastically affected by this dreaded disease and
thousands of children have been left orphans as a result of it. Our
gesture is a small sign of our love, an invitation to society not to
neglect those who are suffering, especially when that suffering, which
Jesus takes to himself, can only be alleviated by the close, personal,
caring presence of others.
Jesus has called each one of you to Denver for a purpose! You must live
these days in such a way that, when the time comes to return home, each
one of you will have a clearer idea of what Christ expects of you. Each
one must have the courage to go and spread the good news among the people
of the last part of the 20th century, in particular among young people of
your own age, who will take the church and society into the next century.
Lord Jesus Christ, send your Holy Spirit upon the young people who have
set out to find you in the heart of the modern metropolis, especially
during the catecheses of these days.
Be with us all at the great gathering of the pilgrims on the path of
life, when at the vigil of the Feast of Mary's Assumption into heaven and
at the Mass on that day, the young people of the United States of America,
of the world, will proclaim and celebrate their faith in you, you who
alone have the words which unlock the depths of the mystery of true life.
O Mary, Our Lady of the New Advent, who kept all these things,
pondering them in your heart, teach these young people to be good
listeners to your son, the word of life.
Pray for them that no barriers will stand in the way of their
discovering the new life which your son brought into the world.
Virgin daughter of Sion, guide each step of our way along the path that
leads to life!
Young people of the Eighth World Youth Day, rise to the challenge which
Denver sets before you: Follow the "pilgrim" cross; go in search of God,
because he can also be found in the heart of a modern city; recognize him
in so many young people full of hope and nobel ideals; feel the breath of
the Holy Spirit among so many different races and cultures, all united in
acknowledging Christ as the way, the truth and life of every human being.
Dear young friend, in the name of Jesus Christ, I greet you and bless
you! With great joy I look forward to our next meeting. Hasta la vista!
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