Below is a ZENIT translation of Pope Francis’ address to the John Paul II Foundation this morning in the Vatican:
***
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I am very happy to receive you. The occasion is to commemorate the 35th anniversary of your activity, which enables you to evaluate the work carried out and, at the same time, to look to the future with new goals and new objectives. I greet you warmly, beginning with the President, Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, whom I thank for the words with which he introduced this meeting. I also greet Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, whom I believe knew Saint John Paul II quite well!
The objective of your Foundation is to support initiatives of an educational, cultural, religious and charitable character, inspired by the figure of Saint John Paul II, whose Liturgical Memorial we celebrate tomorrow. By now, your action embraces several nations, especially in Eastern Europe, and numerous students have benefitted from your support to complete their studies. I encourage you to continue in the commitment of promotion and support in favor of the young generations, so that they can face life’s challenges animated always by evangelical sensibility and a spirit of faith. The formation of youth is an investment for the future: young people must never be robbed of hope for tomorrow!
The Jubilee Year we are concluding has spurred us to reflect and meditate on the greatness of Divine Mercy at a time when man, because of progress in various fields of technology and science, tends to feel self-sufficient, as if he were emancipated from all higher authority, believing that everything depends on himself. Instead, as Christians we are aware that everything is a gift of God and true wealth is not money, which can even render us slaves, but the love of God, which makes us free.
Still alive in me is the memory of the trip to Poland, where I experienced the joy of the faith in the World Youth Day. The Polish land has had two great children in Saint Faustina Kowalska and Saint John Paul II, both apostles of Divine Mercy. The Holy Pope expressed himself thus on the Encyclical Dives in Misericordia: “Especially through His lifestyle and through His actions, Jesus revealed that love is present in the world in which we live – an effective love, a love that addresses itself to man and embraces everything that makes up his humanity. This love makes itself particularly noticed in contact with suffering, injustice and poverty – in contact with the whole historical «human condition,» which in various ways manifests man’s limitation and frailty, both physical and moral.»(n. 3). In her diary, Saint Faustina noted an exhortation addressed to her by the Lord Jesus: “My daughter, look into My Merciful Heart and reflect its compassion in your own heart and in your deeds, so that you, who proclaim My mercy to the world, may yourself be aflame with it.” (n. 1688).
May the words, and especially the examples of life of these two luminous witnesses always inspire your generous commitment. May the Virgin Mary, Mater Misericordiae, protect and accompany you. I bless you all from my heart and your families and communities and I ask you, please, to pray for me. Thank you.
[Original text: Italian]
[Translation by ZENIT]
