VATICAN CITY, Nov. 8, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is the translation of the homily delivered to pilgrims from Radio Maria-Poland who were in Rome on a pilgrimage of thanksgiving for their 20th Anniversary.
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Welcoming address by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State
Radio Maria, Poland’s Pilgrimage to Rome
November 7, 2012
Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and the Priesthood,
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
At the beginning of this solemn celebration, I wish to greet cordially all of you here present, especially the Bishops, the Superiors of the Redemptorist Fathers and the organizers of the Family of Radio Maria.
So many of you have come from Poland and from other countries, responding to the call of Pope Benedict XVI to make special pilgrimages to Rome and the Holy Land during the Year of Faith. These pilgrimages are a privileged expression of personal and communal faith, a witness to the love of God and to charity towards one’s neighbor, and a sign of hope that life’s journey finds its goal by allowing oneself to be guided by the merciful hands of the Heavenly Father. You have come, therefore, to the tomb of the Apostle Peter and to the remembrance of so many saints of every age, and – among them – of the great Pope Blessed John Paul II, in order to learn the faith from them. Faith, in fact, beyond being a knowledge of the truth, is also and above all a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life.
In a special way, dear brothers and sisters, you wish today to thank the Lord for twenty years of Radio Maria’s activities in Poland, and to ask for his blessing on the future of this station together with TRWAM TV. The Lord knows how much good has been sown in the hearts of listeners through common prayer, the proclamation of the Gospel, catecheses, information on the life of the Church and the live broadcast of papal celebrations and travels. I wholeheartedly join you in this thanksgiving!
In the modern world, radio and television have become not only means of transmitting information, but also and increasingly so, means of communication and formation. As such, they are important tools for the new evangelization; that is, for the proclamation of Christ in a manner well suited to the culture, needs and sensibilities of people today. In order that they may effectively fulfill this mission, it is necessary that all the persons involved – managers, editors and indeed listeners themselves – be inspired by the Holy Spirit, and faithful followers of Christ ready to bear witness to him with love before all, both to brothers and sisters in the faith as well as to those who do not share the same beliefs.
Therefore, during this Holy Mass I ask the Lord, through the intercession of the Most Holy Virgin and the Apostle Peter, abundantly to renew his blessings upon the Family of Radio Maria, in order that the Radio and Television it supports may be an increasingly effective means of evangelization for the good of mankind, of your homeland and of the universal Church.
[Translation by Diane Montagna]
