教宗向青年们说：让圣神将你们导向真正的生命

7月19日星期六，悉尼的夜晚被十字架的火星所照亮，教宗本笃十六世对聚集在Randwick马场的二十五万青年们的建议是“从内心开始改造”他们每一个人的生活，然后去改变整个世界。一个非常艰巨的计划，以至于包括对暴力，吸毒，消费主义，权位思想的排斥，这样在爱和责任内来进行建树。为了能做到这一点，需要不断的祈求天主圣神，就像在守夜礼中所做的一样，以标记，歌曲，生活见证，教宗的讲话，最后以朝拜圣体和彻夜祈祷来结束。

教宗在讲道结束的时候以不同的语言问候了在场的人们，其中也包括中国人在内（“亲爱的中国青年们，你们好吗？愿天主的祝福临在于你们身上！”）。

在守夜礼的开始，全场一片漆黑，此时有一个原住民女孩点燃了一把火炬，然后再相继点燃另外十二个年轻人手中的火炬，最后这些然人再将火 焰传到人群中和主教们中间。然后有七名青年－其中包括一名来自泰国的青年－当场做了生活的见证并祈求了天主圣神。在教宗的讲话结束后，又介绍了二十四名将 在明天的闭幕弥撒中领受坚振圣事的年轻人：其中十四名是澳大利亚人，其余十名来自不同的国家：两名欧洲人，其他则分别来自南非，越南，美国，乌拉圭，斐济 岛和大洋州。

青年们都自备睡袋，将会在体育馆度过整整一夜，用热饮料来驱除澳大利亚冬天的寒冷。明天将会宣布下一届世界青年节的举办城市。

以下为教宗讲话的全文：

亲爱的青年们，

今天晚上，我们再一次的听到了基督的伟大许诺“你们将充满圣神的德能”，我们也听到了他的命令“你们将要为我作证人…直到世界的终极”（宗，一，8）。 这些话也是耶稣在升天前所留下的最后遗言。当宗徒们听到这些话的时候都有什么样的反应，我们也只能是去想象而已。但我们知道他们对耶稣深深的爱和对他话的 信赖推动他们团聚在一起来期待他的来临；这不是一种毫无目的的等待，而是与妇女们和玛利亚一起团聚在晚餐厅中，在祈祷中的期待（参照宗，一，14）。 今晚，我们也做同样的团聚祈祷。大家团聚在我们这个经过许多不同地方的十字架前，围绕在玛利亚的像前，在十字架星光的照耀下我们共同祈祷。今晚，我为你们 祈祷，为世界各地的青年们祈祷。让你们个人主保的榜样来引导你们！在你们的心中和思想中接纳圣神七恩！承认并相信圣神在你们生命中的能力！

昨天我们谈了天主的受造物的合一与和谐以及我们在他内的位子。我们也回忆了，我们这些按照天主的肖像所创造的人是如何通过圣洗圣事的伟 大恩赐而重生并成为新的受造物－天主的义子。因此，我们就像基督之光的子女一样，正如我们手中所持的点燃的蜡烛，我们要向我们的世界做出光芒的见证，让黑 暗不能获得胜利（参照若，一，5）。

今晚我们的注意力要集中在“如何”成为真正的证人。 我们需要认识圣神的本性和它在我们生命中活生生的临现。这绝非一件容易的事！事实上，我们在圣经中所看到了有关圣神的不同的象征：风，火，气息等都说明我 们在表达他时的困难，只是我们为理解他所用的象征而已。事实上，我们都知道圣神虽然是沉默和看不见的，但他给人提供了一个我们自己见证耶稣基督方向和定 义。

你们已经清楚知道，我们基督徒的见证为这个在很多方面都处于脆弱状态的世界是一份礼物。天主的受造物的一致性被日益加深的创伤所消弱， 也就是说当社会关系发展破裂或人精神被剥削和虐待所粉碎的时候，其合一性也就随之而减弱。事实上，由于人们生来的目光短浅，思维狭窄，当代社会正走向一种 分裂，因为人们忽视了真理的内在方向－就是关于天主的和我们自己的真理。相对主义就其本质而言，很难看到事物的全面。它忽略了那些能使人找到生命的意义并 在共融，有序与和谐中使之成长的基本原则。

作为一名基督徒见证人，面对这样一个分裂社会应给予什么样的答复？我们如何能够给那些充满冲突，痛苦和紧张的“地方”提供和平，治愈与 和谐的希望？面对这些问题，你们是否想过要通过这个世界青年节的十字架来解决？合一与和好不可能因着我们自己的努力而实现。天主造了我们，为的是让我们能 彼此帮助（参照创，二，24）只有在天主和他的教会内我们可以找到我们所寻求的那种合一。然而，在面对人为的或非 认为的不完善和失望时，有时候我们会尝试着创建一个人为的“完美”团体。这并不是一个新的尝试。教会的历史中有着许许多多的例子，就是为了达到一个圆满的 合一，一个精神性的乌托邦，不断尝试着更新或超越软弱与人性失败的例子。

这种企图建构合一的想法事实上是在削弱它！将临在于教会圣统制中的天主圣神从基督内分裂出来对基督徒团体的合一是具有很大危险的，因为具体的来讲，合一是圣神的恩赐！这样做也就等于是在忽视天主圣神生活的宫殿－教会的本性（参照格前 三，16）。实际上，是天主圣神在引导教会走向完善的真理并在共融与奥妙工程中将她导向合一（参照教会宪章，4）。很可惜“单独前行”的诱惑还是会存在。有些人把他们当地的团体说的就像是教会体制外的一种东西，并将前者描绘成是向圣神开放的最灵活的团体，而后者则是最死板并缺乏圣神的引导团体。

合一是教会的本质（参照 天主教要理，813条）； 是我们应该承认并珍惜的一种礼物。今晚，让大家共同为我们所提倡的培养和建树合一而祈祷吧！也为抵制一切诱惑并将之驱走而祈祷！因为我们对信仰真正全面与 广阔的看法能够有助于我们的社会，这是一种既稳固而又开放，既一致而又活跃，既真实而又能不断的加深认识的信仰。亲爱的青年们，难道不是因为你们有信仰， 那些生活在困难中或在他们生活中寻找生命意义的朋友才来投奔你们吗？你们要警醒！要学会聆听！通过世界不和谐的音符和分裂，你们可以听到一致的声音吗？从 达尔富尔难民营中被遗弃的婴儿到陷入困境的青少年，再到城外任何一处生活在焦虑中的父母，或许此刻在你们心灵深处正有一种相同的人的哭诉声，这种哭声在期 待着一种接纳，归属与合一。谁能满足人类这一最基本的渴望，让他们感觉到自己是人类中的一员，沉浸在共融中，被建树并生活在真理的引导下呢？是天主圣神！ 这就是他的角色：将基督的工程带向圆满。如果你们用圣神的恩宠来充实自己，你们将会有力量去跨越自己有限的视野，走出空洞的乌托邦与稍纵即逝的思维，并做 出基督信徒合一与确切的生活见证。

Let Us Pray for the Resolve to Nurture Unity

Dear Young People,

Once again this evening we have heard Christ’s great promise – “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you”. And we have heard his summons – “be my witnesses throughout the world” – (Acts 1:8). These were the very last words which Jesus spoke before his Ascension into heaven. How the Apostles felt upon hearing them, we can only imagine. But we do know that their deep love for Jesus, and their trust in his word, prompted them to gather and to wait; to wait not aimlessly, but together, united in prayer, with the women and Mary in the Upper Room (cf. Acts 1:14). Tonight, we do the same. Gathered before our much-travelled Cross and the icon of Mary, and under the magnificent constellation of the Southern Cross, we pray. Tonight, I am praying for you and for young people throughout the world. Be inspired by the example of your Patrons! Accept into your hearts and minds the sevenfold gift of the Holy Spirit! Recognize and believe in the power of the Spirit in your lives!

The other day we talked of the unity and harmony of God’s creation and our place within it. We recalled how in the great gift of baptism we, who are made in God’s image and likeness, have been reborn, we have become God’s adopted children, a new creation. And so it is as children of Christ’s light – symbolized by the lit candles you now hold – that we bear witness in our world to the radiance no darkness can overcome (cf. Jn 1:5).

Tonight we focus our attention on how to become witnesses. We need to understand the person of the Holy Spirit and his vivifying presence in our lives. This is not easy to comprehend. Indeed the variety of images found in scripture referring to the Spirit – wind, fire, breath – indicate our struggle to articulate an understanding of him. Yet we do know that it is the Holy Spirit who, though silent and unseen, gives direction and definition to our witness to Jesus Christ.

You are already well aware that our Christian witness is offered to a world which in many ways is fragile. The unity of God’s creation is weakened by wounds which run particularly deep when social relations break apart, or when the human spirit is all but crushed through the exploitation and abuse of persons. Indeed, society today is being fragmented by a way of thinking that is inherently short-sighted, because it disregards the full horizon of truth– the truth about God and about us. By its nature, relativism fails to see the whole picture. It ignores the very principles which enable us to live and flourish in unity, order and harmony.

What is our response, as Christian witnesses, to a divided and fragmented world? How can we offer the hope of peace, healing and harmony to those “stations” of conflict, suffering, and tension through which you have chosen to march with this World Youth Day Cross? Unity and reconciliation cannot be achieved through our efforts alone. God has made us for one another (cf. Gen 2:24) and only in God and his Church can we find the unity we seek. Yet, in the face of imperfections and disappointments – both individual and institutional – we are sometimes tempted to construct artificially a “perfect” community. That temptation is not new. The history of the Church includes many examples of attempts to bypass or override human weaknesses or failures in order to create a perfect unity, a spiritual utopia.

Such attempts to construct unity in fact undermine it! To separate the Holy Spirit from Christ present in the Church’s institutional structure would compromise the unity of the Christian community, which is precisely the Spirit’s gift! It would betray the nature of the Church as the living temple of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 3:16). It is the Spirit, in fact, who guides the Church in the way of all truth and unifies her in communion and in the works of ministry (cf. Lumen Gentium, 4). Unfortunately the temptation to “go it alone” persists. Some today portray their local community as somehow separate from the so-called institutional Church, by speaking of the former as flexible and open to the Spirit and the latter as rigid and devoid of the Spirit.

Unity is of the essence of the Church (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 813); it is a gift we must recognize and cherish. Tonight, let us pray for the resolve to nurture unity: contribute to it! resist any temptation to walk away! For it is precisely the comprehensiveness, the vast vision, of our faith – solid yet open, consistent yet dynamic, true yet constantly growing in insight – that we can offer our world. Dear young people, is it not because of your faith that friends in difficulty or seeking meaning in their lives have turned to you? Be watchful! Listen! Through the dissonance and division of our world, can you hear the concordant voice of humanity? From the forlorn child in a Darfur camp, or a troubled teenager, or an anxious parent in any suburb, or perhaps even now from the depth of your own heart, there emerges the same human cry for recognition, for belonging, for unity. Who satisfies that essential human yearning to be one, to be immersed in communion, to be built up, to be led to truth? The Holy Spirit! This is the Spirit’s role: to bring Christ’s work to fulfilment. Enriched with the Spirit’s gifts, you will have the power to move beyond the piecemeal, the hollow utopia, the fleeting, to offer the consistency and certainty of Christian witness!

Friends, when reciting the Creed we state: “We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life”. The “Creator Spirit” is the power of God giving life to all creation and the source of new and abundant life in Christ. The Spirit sustains the Church in union with the Lord and in fidelity to the apostolic Tradition. He inspired the Sacred Scriptures and he guides God’s People into the fullness of truth (cf. Jn 16:13) In all these ways the Spirit is the “giver of life”, leading us into the very heart of God. So, the more we allow the Spirit to direct us, the more perfect will be our configuration to Christ and the deeper our immersion in the life of the Triune God.

This sharing in God’s nature (cf. 2 Pet 1:4) occurs in the unfolding of the everyday moments of our lives where he is always present (cf. Bar 3:38). There are times, however, when we might be tempted to seek a certain fulfilment apart from God. Jesus himself asked the Twelve: “do you also wish to go away?” Such drifting away perhaps offers the illusion of freedom. But where does it lead? To whom would we go? For in our hearts we know that it is the Lord who has “the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:67-68). To turn away from him is only a futile attempt to escape from ourselves (cf. Saint Augustine, Confessions VIII, 7). God is with us in the reality of life, not the fantasy! It is embrace, not escape, that we seek! So the Holy Spirit gently but surely steers us back to what is real, what is lasting, what is true. It is the Spirit who leads us back into the communion of the Blessed Trinity!

The Holy Spirit has been in some ways the neglected person of the Blessed Trinity. A clear understanding of the Spirit almost seems beyond our reach. Yet, when I was a small boy, my parents, like yours, taught me the Sign of the Cross. So, I soon came to realize that there is one God in three Persons, and that the Trinity is the centre of our Christian faith and life. While I grew up to have some understanding of God the Father and the Son – the names already conveyed much – my understanding of the third person of the Trinity remained incomplete. So, as a young priest teaching theology, I decided to study the outstanding witnesses to the Spirit in the Church’s history. It was on this journey that I found myself reading, among others, the great Saint Augustine.

Augustine’s understanding of the Holy Spirit evolved gradually; it was a struggle. As a young man he had followed Manichaeism – one of those attempts I mentioned earlier, to create a spiritual utopia by radically separating the things of the spirit from the things of the flesh. Hence he was at first suspicious of the Christian teaching that God had become man. Yet his experience of the love of God present in the Church led him to investigate its source in the life of the Triune God. This led him to three particular insights about the Holy Spirit as the bond of unity within the Blessed Trinity: unity as communion, unity as abiding love, and unity as giving and gift. These three insights are not just theoretical. They help explain how the Spirit works. In a world where both individuals and communities often suffer from an absence of unity or cohesion, these insights help us remain attuned to the Spirit and to extend and clarify the scope of our witness.

So, with Augustine’s help, let us illustrate something of the Holy Spirit’s work. He noted that the two words “Holy” and “Spirit” refer to what is divine about God; in other words what is shared by the Father and the Son – their communion. So, if the distinguishing characteristic of the Holy Spirit is to be what is shared by the Father and the Son, Augustine concluded that the Spirit’s particular quality is unity. It is a unity of lived communion: a unity of persons in a relationship of constant giving, the Father and the Son giving themselves to each other. We begin to glimpse, I think, how illuminating is this understanding of the Holy Spirit as unity, as communion. True unity could never be founded upon relationships which deny the equal dignity of other persons. Nor is unity simply the sum total of the groups through which we sometimes attempt to “define” ourselves. In fact, only in the life of communion is unity sustained and human identity fulfilled: we recognize the common need for God, we respond to the unifying presence of the Holy Spirit, and we give ourselves to one another in service.

Augustine’s second insight – the Holy Spirit as abiding love – comes from his study of the First Letter of Saint John. John tells us that “God is love” (1 Jn 4:16). Augustine suggests that while these words refer to the Trinity as a whole they express a particular characteristic of the Holy Spirit. Reflecting on the lasting nature of love – “whoever abides in love remains in God and God in him” (ibid.) – he wondered: is it love or the Holy Spirit which grants the abiding? This is the conclusion he reaches: “The Holy Spirit makes us remain in God and God in us; yet it is love that effects this. The Spirit therefore is God as love!” (De Trinitate, 15.17.31). It is a beautiful explanation: God shares himself as love in the Holy Spirit. What further understanding might we gain from this insight? Love is the sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit! Ideas or voices which lack love – even if they seem sophisticated or knowledgeable – cannot be “of the Spirit”. Furthermore, love has a particular trait: far from being indulgent or fickle, it has a task or purpose to fulfil: to abide. By its nature love is enduring. Again, dear friends, we catch a further glimpse of how much the Holy Spirit offers our world: love which dispels uncertainty; love which overcomes the fear of betrayal; love which carries eternity within; the true love which draws us into a unity that abides!

The third insight – the Holy Spirit as gift – Augustine derived from meditating on a Gospel passage we all know and love: Christ’s conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. Here Jesus reveals himself as the giver of the living water (cf. Jn 4:10) which later is explained as the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 7:39; 1 Cor 12:13). The Spirit is “God’s gift” (Jn 4:10) – the internal spring (cf. Jn 4:14), who truly satisfies our deepest thirst and leads us to the Father. From this observation Augustine concludes that God sharing himself with us as gift is the Holy Spirit (cf. De Trinitate, 15, 18, 32). Friends, again we catch a glimpse of the Trinity at work: the Holy Spirit is God eternally giving himself; like a never-ending spring he pours forth nothing less than himself. In view of this ceaseless gift, we come to see the limitations of all that perishes, the folly of the consumerist mindset. We begin to understand why the quest for novelty leaves us unsatisfied and wanting. Are we not looking for an eternal gift? The spring that will never run dry? With the Samaritan woman, let us exclaim: give me this water that I may thirst no more! (cf. Jn 4:15).

Dear young people, we have seen that it is the Holy Spirit who brings about the wonderful communion of believers in Jesus Christ. True to his nature as giver and gift alike, he is even now working through you. Inspired by the insights of Saint Augustine: let unifying love be your measure; abiding love your challenge; self-giving love your mission!

Tomorrow, that same gift of the Spirit will be solemnly conferred upon our confirmation candidates. I shall pray: “give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgement and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence … and fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe”. These gifts of the Spirit – each of which, as Saint Francis de Sales reminds us, is a way to participate in the one love of God – are neither prizes nor rewards. They are freely given (cf. 1 Cor 12:11). And they require only one response on the part of the receiver: I accept! Here we sense something of the deep mystery of being Christian. What constitutes our faith is not primarily what we do but what we receive. After all, many generous people who are not Christian may well achieve far more than we do. Friends, do you accept being drawn into God’s Trinitarian life? Do you accept being drawn into his communion of love?

The Spirit’s gifts working within us give direction and definition to our witness. Directed to unity, the gifts of the Spirit bind us more closely to the whole Body of Christ (cf. Lumen Gentium, 11), equipping us better to build up the Church in order to serve the world (cf. Eph 4:13). They call us to active and joyful participation in the life of the Church: in parishes and ecclesial movements, in religious education classes, in university chaplaincies and other catholic organizations. Yes, the Church must grow in unity, must be strengthened in holiness, must be rejuvenated, must be constantly renewed (cf. Lumen Gentium, 4). But according to whose standard? The Holy Spirit’s! Turn to him, dear young people, and you will find the true meaning of renewal.

Tonight, gathered under the beauty of the night sky, our hearts and minds are filled with gratitude to God for the great gift of our Trinitarian faith. We recall our parents and grandparents who walked alongside us when we, as children, were taking our first steps in our pilgrim journey of faith. Now many years later, you have gathered as young adults with the Successor of Peter. I am filled with deep joy to be with you. Let us invoke the Holy Spirit: he is the artisan of God’s works (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 741). Let his gifts shape you! Just as the Church travels the same journey with all humanity, so too you are called to exercise the Spirit’s gifts amidst the ups and downs of your daily life. Let your faith mature through your studies, work, sport, music and art. Let it be sustained by prayer and nurtured by the sacraments, and thus be a source of inspiration and help to those around you. In the end, life is not about accumulation. It is much more than success. To be truly alive is to be transformed from within, open to the energy of God’s love. In accepting the power of the Holy Spirit you too can transform your families, communities and nations. Set free the gifts! Let wisdom, courage, awe and reverence be the marks of greatness!

教宗与澳大利亚神职人员举行弥撒

悉尼当地时间星期六上午，教宗与澳大利亚主教及诸神职人员在悉尼主教座堂举行了弥撒。以下为教宗在弥撒中的讲道：

We Can Be Tempted to Make Faith a Matter of Sentiment

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In this noble cathedral I rejoice to greet my brother Bishops and priests, and the deacons, religious and laity of the Archdiocese of Sydney. In a very special way, my greeting goes to the seminarians and young religious who are present among us. Like the young Israelites in today’s first reading, they are a sign of hope and renewal for God’s people; and, like those young Israelites, they will have the task of building up the Lord’s house in the coming generation. As we admire this magnificent edifice, how can we not think of all those ranks of priests, religious and faithful laity who, each in his or her own way, contributed to the building up of the Church in Australia? Our thoughts turn in particular to those settler families to whom Father Jeremiah O’Flynn entrusted the Blessed Sacrament at his departure, a “small flock” which cherished and preserved that precious treasure, passing it on to the succeeding generations who raised this great tabernacle to the glory of God. Let us rejoice in their fidelity and perseverance, and dedicate ourselves to carrying on their labours for the spread of the Gospel, the conversion of hearts and the growth of the Church in holiness, unity and charity!

We are about to celebrate the dedication of the new altar of this venerable cathedral. As its sculpted frontal powerfully reminds us, every altar is a symbol of Jesus Christ, present in the midst of his Church as priest, altar and victim (cf. Preface of Easter V). Crucified, buried and raised from the dead, given life in the Spirit and seated at the right hand of the Father, Christ has become our great high priest, eternally making intercession for us. In the Church’s liturgy, and above all in the sacrifice of the Mass consummated on the altars of the world, he invites us, the members of his mystical Body, to share in his self-oblation. He calls us, as the priestly people of the new and eternal covenant, to offer, in union with him, our own daily sacrifices for the salvation of the world.

In today’s liturgy the Church reminds us that, like this altar, we too have been consecrated, set “apart” for the service of God and the building up of his Kingdom. All too often, however, we find ourselves immersed in a world that would set God “aside”. In the name of human freedom and autonomy, God’s name is passed over in silence, religion is reduced to private devotion, and faith is shunned in the public square. At times this mentality, so completely at odds with the core of the Gospel, can even cloud our own understanding of the Church and her mission. We too can be tempted to make the life of faith a matter of mere sentiment, thus blunting its power to inspire a consistent vision of the world and a rigorous dialogue with the many other visions competing for the minds and hearts of our contemporaries.

Yet history, including the history of our own time, shows that the question of God will never be silenced, and that indifference to the religious dimension of human existence ultimately diminishes and betrays man himself. Is that not the message which is proclaimed by the magnificent architecture of this cathedral? Is that not the mystery of faith which will be proclaimed from this altar at every celebration of the Eucharist? Faith teaches us that in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, we come to understand the grandeur of our own humanity, the mystery of our life on this earth, and the sublime destiny which awaits us in heaven (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 24). Faith teaches us that we are God’s creatures, made in his image and likeness, endowed with an inviolable dignity, and called to eternal life. Wherever man is diminished, the world around us is also diminished; it loses its ultimate meaning and strays from its goal. What emerges is a culture, not of life, but of death. How could this be considered “progress”? It is a backward step, a form of regression which ultimately dries up the very sources of life for individuals and all of society.

We know that in the end – as Saint Ignatius of Loyola saw so clearly – the only real “standard” against which all human reality can be measured is the Cross and its message of an unmerited love which triumphs over evil, sin and death, creating new life and unfading joy. The Cross reveals that we find ourselves only by giving our lives away, receiving God’s love as an unmerited gift and working to draw all men and women into the beauty of that love and the light of the truth which alone brings salvation to the world. It is in this truth – this mystery of faith – that we have been “consecrated” (cf. Jn 17:17-19), and it is in this truth that we are called to grow, with the help of God’s grace, in daily fidelity to his word, within the life-giving communion of the Church. Yet how difficult is this path of consecration! It demands continual “conversion”, a sacrificial death to self which is the condition for belonging fully to God, a change of mind and heart which brings true freedom and a new breadth of vision. Today’s liturgy offers an eloquent symbol of that progressive spiritual transformation to which each of us is called. From the sprinkling of water, the proclamation of God’s word and the invocation of all the saints, to the prayer of consecration, the anointing and washing of the altar, its being clothed in white and apparelled in light – all these rites invite us to re-live our own consecration in Baptism. They invite us to reject sin and its false allure, and to drink ever more deeply from the life-giving springs of God’s grace.

Dear friends, may this celebration, in the presence of the Successor of Peter, be a moment of rededication and renewal for the whole Church in Australia! Here I would like to pause to acknowledge the shame which we have all felt as a result of the sexual abuse of minors by some clergy and religious in this country. These misdeeds, which constitute so grave a betrayal of trust, deserve unequivocal condemnation. They have caused great pain and have damaged the Church’s witness. I ask all of you to support and assist your Bishops, and to work together with them in combating this evil. Victims should receive compassion and care, and those responsible for these evils must be brought to justice. It is an urgent priority to promote a safer and more wholesome environment, especially for young people. In these days marked by the celebration of World Youth Day, we are reminded of how precious a treasure has been entrusted to us in our young people, and how great a part of the Church’s mission in this country has been dedicated to their education and care. As the Church in Australia continues, in the spirit of the Gospel, to address effectively this serious pastoral challenge, I join you in praying that this time of purification will bring about healing, reconciliation and ever greater fidelity to the moral demands of the Gospel.

I wish now to turn to the seminarians and young religious in our midst, with a special word of affection and encouragement. Dear friends: with great generosity you have set out on a particular path of consecration, grounded in your Baptism and undertaken in response to the Lord’s personal call. You have committed yourselves, in different ways, to accepting Christ’s invitation to follow him, to leave all behind, and to devote your lives to the pursuit of holiness and the service of his people.

In today’s Gospel, the Lord calls us to “believe in the light” (Jn 12:36). These words have a special meaning for you, dear young seminarians and religious. They are a summons to trust in the truth of God’s word and to hope firmly in his promises. They invite us to see, with the eyes of faith, the infallible working of his grace all around us, even in those dark times when all our efforts seem to be in vain. Let this altar, with its powerful image of Christ the Suffering Servant, be a constant inspiration to you. Certainly there are times when every faithful disciple will feel the heat and the burden of the day (cf. Mt 20:12), and the struggle of bearing prophetic witness before a world which can appear deaf to the demands of God’s word. Do not be afraid! Believe in the light! Take to heart the truth which we have heard in today’s second reading: “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and for ever” (Heb 13:8). The light of Easter continues to dispel the darkness!

The Lord also calls us to walk in the light (cf. Jn 12:35). Each of you has embarked on the greatest and the most glorious of all struggles, to be consecrated in truth, to grow in virtue, to achieve harmony between your thoughts and ideals, and your words and actions. Enter sincerely and deeply into the discipline and spirit of your programmes of formation. Walk in Christ’s light daily through fidelity to personal and liturgical prayer, nourished by meditation on the inspired word of God. The Fathers of the Church loved to see the Scriptures as a spiritual Eden, a garden where we can walk freely with God, admiring the beauty and harmony of his saving plan as it bears fruit in our own lives, in the life of the Church and in all of history. Let prayer, then, and meditation on God’s word, be the lamp which illumines, purifies and guides your steps along the path which the Lord has marked out for you. Make the daily celebration of the Eucharist the centre of your life. At each Mass, when the Lord’s Body and Blood are lifted up at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, lift up your own hearts and lives, through Christ, with him and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, as a loving sacrifice to God our Father.

In this way, dear young seminarians and religious, you yourselves will become living altars, where Christ’s sacrificial love is made present as an inspiration and a source of spiritual nourishment to everyone you meet. By embracing the Lord’s call to follow him in chastity, poverty and obedience, you have begun a journey of radical discipleship which will make you “signs of contradiction” (cf. Lk 2:34) to many of your contemporaries. Model your lives daily on the Lord’s own loving self-oblation in obedience to the will of the Father. You will then discover the freedom and joy which can draw others to the Love which lies beyond all other loves as their source and their ultimate fulfilment. Never forget that celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom means embracing a life completely devoted to love, a love that enables you to commit yourselves fully to God’s service and to be totally present to your brothers and sisters, especially those in need. The greatest treasures that you share with other young people – your idealism, your generosity, your time and energy – these are the very sacrifices which you are placing upon the Lord’s altar. May you always cherish this beautiful charism which God has given you for his glory and the building up of the Church!

Dear friends, let me conclude these reflections by drawing your attention to the great stained glass window in the chancel of this cathedral. There Our Lady, Queen of Heaven, is represented enthroned in majesty beside her divine Son. The artist has represented Mary, as the new Eve, offering an apple to Christ, the new Adam. This gesture symbolizes her reversal of our first parents’ disobedience, the rich fruit which God’s grace bore in her own life, and the first fruits of that redeemed and glorified humanity which she has preceded into the glory of heaven. Let us ask Mary, Help of Christians, to sustain the Church in Australia in fidelity to that grace by which the Crucified Lord even now “draws to himself” all creation and every human heart (cf. Jn 12:32). May the power of his Holy Spirit consecrate the faithful of this land in truth, and bring forth abundant fruits of holiness and justice for the redemption of the world. May it guide all humanity into the fullness of life around that Altar, where, in the glory of the heavenly liturgy, we are called to sing God’s praises for ever. Amen.

悉尼世青节18日摘要

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与青年代表共进午餐（可惜我不在，嘿）

“最后晚餐”

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头戴刺冠

十字架苦路

整个拜苦路的过程，超过1百多演员参加

教宗会见残障青年时的讲话

今天教宗在悉尼主教座堂与十二位青年代表共进午餐后，到了圣母大学的康复团体会见了一些残障青年，并向他们发表了如下讲话：

Choose the Path of Life and Shun the Path of Death

Dear Young Friends,

I am pleased to be with you at Darlinghurst today, and I warmly greet all those taking part in the “Alive” programme, as well as the staff who run it. I pray that you will all benefit from the assistance offered by the Archdiocese of Sydney’s Social Services Agency, and that the good work being done here will continue long into the future.

The name of the programme you are following prompts us to ask the question: what does it really mean to be “alive”, to live life to the full? This is what all of us want, especially when we are young, and it is what Christ wants for us. In fact, he said: “I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10). The most basic instinct of all living things is to stay alive, to grow, to flourish, and to pass on the gift of life to others. So it is only natural that we should ask how best to do this.

For the people of the Old Testament, this question was just as urgent as it is for us today. No doubt they listened attentively when Moses said to them: “I set before you life or death, blessing or curse. Choose life, then, so that you and your descendants may live in the love of the Lord your God, obeying his voice, clinging to him – for in this your life consists” (Dt 30:19-20). It was clear what they had to do: they had to turn away from other gods and worship the true God who had revealed himself to Moses – and they had to obey his commandments. You might think that in today’s world, people are unlikely to start worshipping other gods. But sometimes people worship “other gods” without realizing it. False “gods”, whatever name, shape or form we give them, are nearly always associated with the worship of three things: material possessions, possessive love, or power. Let me explain what I mean.

Material possessions, in themselves, are good. We would not survive for long without money, clothing and shelter. We must eat in order to stay alive. Yet if we are greedy, if we refuse to share what we have with the hungry and the poor, then we make our possessions into a false god. How many voices in our materialist society tell us that happiness is to be found by acquiring as many possessions and luxuries as we can! But this is to make possessions into a false god. Instead of bringing life, they bring death.

Authentic love is obviously something good. Without it, life would hardly be worth living. It fulfils our deepest need, and when we love, we become most fully ourselves, most fully human. But how easily it can be made into a false god! People often think they are being loving when actually they are being possessive or manipulative. People sometimes treat others as objects to satisfy their own needs rather than as persons to be loved and cherished. How easy it is to be deceived by the many voices in our society that advocate a permissive approach to sexuality, without regard for modesty, self-respect or the moral values that bring quality to human relationships! This is worship of a false god. Instead of bringing life, it brings death.

The power God has given us to shape the world around us is obviously something good. Used properly and responsibly, it enables us to transform people’s lives. Every community needs good leaders. Yet how tempting it can be to grasp at power for its own sake, to seek to dominate others or to exploit the natural environment for selfish purposes! This is to make power into a false god. Instead of bringing life, it brings death.

The cult of material possessions, the cult of possessive love and the cult of power often lead people to attempt to “play God”: to try to seize total control, with no regard for the wisdom or the commandments that God has made known to us. This is the path that leads towards death. By contrast, worship of the one true God means recognizing in him the source of all goodness, entrusting ourselves to him, opening ourselves to the healing power of his grace and obeying his commandments: that is the way to choose life.

A vivid illustration of what it means to turn back from the path of death onto the path of life is found in a Gospel story that I am sure you all know well: the parable of the prodigal son. When that young man left his father’s house at the beginning of the story, he was seeking the illusory pleasures promised by false “gods”. He squandered his inheritance on a life of indulgence, and ended up in abject poverty and misery. When he reached the very lowest point, hungry and abandoned, he realized how foolish he had been to leave his loving father. Humbly, he returned and asked forgiveness. Joyfully his father embraced him and exclaimed: “This son of mine was dead, and has come back to life; he was lost, and is found” (Lk 15:24).

Many of you must have had personal experience of what that young man went through. Perhaps you have made choices that you now regret, choices that led you down a path which, however attractive it appeared at the time, only led you deeper into misery and abandonment. The choice to abuse drugs or alcohol, to engage in criminal activity or self-harm, may have seemed at the time to offer a way out of a difficult or confusing situation. You now know that, instead of bringing life, it brings death. I wish to acknowledge your courage in choosing to turn back onto the path of life, just like the young man in the parable. You have accepted help – from friends or family, from the staff who run the “Alive” programme: from people who care deeply for your well-being and happiness.

Dear friends, I see you as ambassadors of hope to others in similar situations. You can convince them of the need to choose the path of life and shun the path of death, because you speak from experience. All through the Gospels, it was those who had taken wrong turnings who were particularly loved by Jesus, because once they recognized their mistake, they were all the more open to his healing message. Indeed, Jesus was often criticized by self-righteous members of society for spending so much time with such people. “Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?”, they asked. He responded: “It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick … I did not come to call the virtuous but sinners” (cf. Mt 9:11-13). It was those who were willing to rebuild their lives who were most ready to listen to Jesus and become his disciples. You can follow in their footsteps, you too can grow particularly close to Jesus because you have chosen to turn back towards him. You can be sure that, just like the Father in the story of the prodigal son, Jesus welcomes you with open arms. He offers you unconditional love – and it is in loving friendship with him that the fullness of life is to be found.

I mentioned earlier that when we love we are fulfilling our deepest need and becoming most fully ourselves, most fully human. Loving is what we are programmed to do, what we were designed for by our Creator. Naturally, I am not talking about fleeting, shallow relationships, I am talking about real love, the very heart of Jesus’ moral teaching: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” and “You must love your neighbour as yourself” (cf. Mk 12:30-31). This, if you like, is the programme that is hard-wired into every human person, if only we had the wisdom and generosity to live by it, if only we were ready to sacrifice our own preferences so as to be of service to others, to give our lives for the good of others, and above all for Jesus, who loved us and gave his life for us. That is what human beings are called to do, that is what it means to be truly alive.

Dear young friends, my message to you today is the same one that Moses proposed all those years ago. “Choose life, so that you and your descendants may live in the love of the Lord your God”. Let his Spirit guide you onto the path of life, so that you obey his commandments, follow his teachings, leave behind the wrong turnings that lead only to death, and commit yourselves to a lifelong friendship with Jesus Christ. In the power of the Holy Spirit, choose life and choose love, and bear witness before the world to the joy that it brings. That is my prayer for each one of you this World Youth Day. May God bless you all.

犹太教辣比欢迎教宗

今天上午，教宗在接见各宗教代表时，犹太教辣比 Jeremy Lawrence 代表澳大利亚犹太教向教宗致欢迎词。以下为全文：

Our Shared Points of Origin Should Bind Us Together

Your Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
Our host, his Eminence Cardinal Pell
Your eminences & reverend brethren.

Shalom.

It is my great pleasure and a great honour to welcome you to Sydney on behalf of the Australian Jewish community.

With me, I am delighted to present our elected federal and state lay leaders, Robert Goot and David Knoll, senior clerical colleagues, Rabbi Jeffery Kamins & Rabbi Zalman Kastel; our executive leaders, Josie Lacey and John Landerer, and our youth representatives, Judith Levitan, and Josh Levin.

Ours is a historic community, which can trace its origins to individuals who arrived in Sydney in 1788 on the First Fleet. Ours is a community which has enjoyed unbroken acceptance and equality from those initial days. Our community has flourished under the opportunities this beautiful country has afforded it. Our community has been proud to serve Australia. It has seen Jewish Governors General, distinguished law officers, leaders of education, welfare, medicine and philanthropy.

For some weeks, I have been asked from all quarters what it means to participate in this historic event. There is of course, delight, in any encounter with a person of great stature, who has devoted so much of his life to the spiritual enrichment of our world. On a personal level, I am bound to reflect that my grandparents, who were born in Berlin had to flee from there, just 70 years ago. Their parents, grandparents and siblings perished. When I am asked what it means for me to participate in this historic event, my very first reaction is that for them, and for their generation, such an encounter as today’s would have been unthinkable; it would be quite beyond their imagination. So here we are in what is a different world, and in this respect a better world. It is a world which has become enriched and improved to a great part through the endeavours and enterprises of you and your worthy predecessors at the Vatican.

We recall, in particular, the humanity and wisdom of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II. We reflect upon the landmark of Nostra Aetate, whose 40th anniversary we celebrated in October 2005 at my synagogue, The Great Synagogue, just across the park. It was our pleasure, then, to host a number of your distinguished Cardinals, amongst them, Cardinal Cassidy, whose personal contribution to interfaith work, and whose excellent relations with our Jewish community have helped to chart these new, positive, fraternal paths.

We recall, too, the significant acknowledgement by your predecessor, that anti-Semitism is a sin, with no place in Catholicism, no place in civilisation. We welcome his endorsement, that “at all levels of Christian instruction and education” be it teaching, preaching or dramatisation “Catholic teaching. . . presents Jews and Judaism… in an honest and objective manner, free from prejudices and without any offenses… an awareness of our common heritage” to “uproot the remains of anti-Semitism amongst the faithful.”

Your Holiness,

Our Jewish liturgy contains blessings for seeing powerful leaders and great scholars – shenatan michvodo uchochmato levasar vedam – We bless God, who has imparted of his glory and his wisdom to flesh and blood. What do we mean, he has imparted of His glory? When God gives of His glory and His wisdom, it is no empty gift. God’s glory and wisdom are purposeful and focused; they are a mandate, a charge. Though entrusted to us, they should remain His wisdom and His Glory. They are perceived and worthy of blessing when they are applied for the betterment of humanity and of His world.

Your Holiness, such is our welcome and blessing. That you may continue to illuminate humankind in the love of their fellows, their brothers, their sisters and love of God. That through such encounters as these, the positives of faith are emphasised over the disagreements. Our shared concerns for the environment, for the preservation of our climate and biodiversity… Our reverence for the sanctity of life, for the dignity of humankind in the home and in the workplace; for social justice, freedom from oppression, discrimination or persecution… Our faiths teach that we are all children of one body cast in God’s image. Our two faiths revere that moment almost 3,500 years ago, when the people of Israel heard the voice of God at Sinai. There, he entrusted us with the mission and the message of holy living and the celebration of God in all aspects of our lives and to share it with our world.

Though we may differ profoundly in the details or interpretations, our shared points of origin should bind us together with an amity which is greater than the discord from our point of departure and our points of disagreement.

Your Holiness,

Faith is a teacher, a healer and a well-spring of peace. The Catholic community’s celebration of World Youth Day, the magnificent program and enthusiastic participation by so many, highlights the continuing significance of faith in our world and among its youth. They have come in their hundreds of thousands to be close to you. They shall leave, richer and wiser, infused with the messages you impart.

Today’s encounter reflects your Holiness’ commitment to our ongoing dialogue. It is my prayer that its witnesses will learn from it, not only that faith is alive and is relevant and that it wears many robes… May they also learn from you, that faith is about respect for the humanity in us all, respect for the soul with which God has endowed each one of us; that we are each born the image of God, whatever creed, whatever colour… Our Scriptures elaborate on our love for our fellows, our neighbours and the stranger. Our world is shrinking and draws us all closer. For the sake of humanity, we must turn the strangers into our neighbours and our neighbours into our friends. We must celebrate the pioneers and the programs, who bring children of different backgrounds together to embark on shared projects of care and welfare; in the classroom, the Sunday school and the youth movements; who turn stereotypes of Jews, Christians and Moslems into human beings into friends and partners in a shared global village. We must follow their example, turn discussion into deed, ideas into action, together for humanity.

Your Holiness,

In the words of Deuteronomy, Baruch atah bevoecha – May the Almighty bless your coming here – for raising the spiritual profile of our city and awareness of faith in our society. Uvaruch atah betzaytecha – may you be blessed upon your departure, to return to your home in health. There, may you continue your dialogue with our religious leadership, with the rabbis and scholars who have facilitated the last four decades of rapprochement. When our time comes and our souls meet the souls of those who came before; I think of my grandparents and great-grandparents… They will see that we were fortunate to live in better times than they. May they also see as our legacy that we have made our world an even better world for our children and all God’s children; and that through our endeavours we have made God’s name greater for all humanity.

Your Holiness,

On behalf of the Jewish community, it is my honour and my pleasure, to welcome you to Sydney.

Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence
Senior Rabbi
The Great Synagogue, Sydney

教宗与各宗教代表见面

星期五早上，教宗在接见各基督信仰团体代表后。接着，教宗又同四十位犹太教、佛教、印度教等宗教团体领导人亲切会晤。以下为教宗发言全文：

Schools Could Do Even More to Nurture the Spiritual Dimension

Dear Friends,

I extend cordial greetings of peace and goodwill to all of you who are here representing various religious traditions in Australia. Grateful for this encounter, I thank Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence and Sheikh Shardy for the words of welcome which they expressed in their own name and on behalf of your respective communities.

Australia is renowned for the congeniality of its people towards neighbour and visitor alike. It is a nation that holds freedom of religion in high regard. Your country recognizes that a respect for this fundamental right gives men and women the latitude to worship God according to their conscience, to nurture their spirits, and to act upon the ethical convictions that stem from their beliefs.

A harmonious relationship between religion and public life is all the more important at a time when some people have come to consider religion as a cause of division rather than a force for unity. In a world threatened by sinister and indiscriminate forms of violence, the unified voice of religious people urges nations and communities to resolve conflicts through peaceful means and with full regard for human dignity. One of the many ways religion stands at the service of mankind is by offering a vision of the human person that highlights our innate aspiration to live generously, forging bonds of friendship with our neighbours. At their core, human relations cannot be defined in terms of power, domination and self-interest. Rather, they reflect and perfect man’s natural inclination to live in communion and accord with others.

The religious sense planted within the human heart opens men and women to God and leads them to discover that personal fulfilment does not consist in the selfish gratification of ephemeral desires. Rather, it leads us to meet the needs of others and to search for concrete ways to contribute to the common good. Religions have a special role in this regard, for they teach people that authentic service requires sacrifice and self-discipline, which in turn must be cultivated through self-denial, temperance and a moderate use of the world’s goods. In this way, men and women are led to regard the environment as a marvel to be pondered and respected rather than a commodity for mere consumption. It is incumbent upon religious people to demonstrate that it is possible to find joy in living simply and modestly, generously sharing one’s surplus with those suffering from want.

Friends, these values, I am sure you will agree, are particularly important to the adequate formation of young people, who are so often tempted to view life itself as a commodity. They also have an aptitude for self-mastery: indeed, in sports, the creative arts, and in academic studies, they readily welcome it as a challenge. Is it not true that when presented with high ideals, many young people are attracted to asceticism and the practice of moral virtue through self-respect and a concern for others? They delight in contemplating the gift of creation and are intrigued by the mystery of the transcendent. In this regard, both faith schools and State schools could do even more to nurture the spiritual dimension of every young person. In Australia, as elsewhere, religion has been a motivating factor in the foundation of many educational institutions, and rightly it continues to occupy a place in school curricula today. The theme of education frequently emerges from the deliberations of the Interfaith Cooperation for Peace and Harmony, and I warmly encourage those participating in this initiative to continue the conversation about the values that integrate the intellectual, human and religious dimensions of a sound education.

The world’s religions draw constant attention to the wonder of human existence. Who can help but marvel at the power of the mind to grasp the secrets of nature through scientific discovery? Who is not stirred by the possibility of forming a vision for the future? Who is not impressed by the power of the human spirit to set goals and to develop ways of achieving them? Men and women are endowed with the ability not only to imagine how things might be better, but to invest their energies to make them better. We are conscious of our unique relationship to the natural realm. If, then, we believe that we are not subject to the laws of the material universe in the same way as the rest of creation, should we not make goodness, compassion, freedom, solidarity, and respect for every individual an essential part of our vision for a more humane future?

Yet religion, by reminding us of human finitude and weakness, also enjoins us not to place our ultimate hope in this passing world. Man is “like a breath, his days are like a passing shadow” (Ps 144:4). All of us have experienced the disappointment of falling short of the good we wish to accomplish and the difficulty of making the right choice in complex situations.

The Church shares these observations with other religions. Motivated by charity, she approaches dialogue believing that the true source of freedom is found in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Christians believe it is he who fully discloses the human potential for virtue and goodness, and he who liberates us from sin and darkness. The universality of human experience, which transcends all geographical boundaries and cultural limitations, makes it possible for followers of religions to engage in dialogue so as to grapple with the mystery of life’s joys and sufferings. In this regard, the Church eagerly seeks opportunities to listen to the spiritual experience of other religions. We could say that all religions aim to penetrate the profound meaning of human existence by linking it to an origin or principle outside itself. Religions offer an attempt to understand the cosmos as coming from and returning to this origin or principle. Christians believe that God has revealed this origin and principle in Jesus, whom the Bible refers to as the “Alpha and Omega” (cf. Rev 1:8; 22:1).

My dear friends, I have come to Australia as an ambassador of peace. For this reason, I feel blessed to meet you who likewise share this yearning and the desire to help the world attain it. Our quest for peace goes hand in hand with our search for meaning, for it is in discovering the truth that we find the sure road to peace (cf. Message for World Day of Peace, 2006). Our effort to bring about reconciliation between peoples springs from, and is directed to, that truth which gives purpose to life. Religion offers peace, but more importantly, it arouses within the human spirit a thirst for truth and a hunger for virtue. May we encourage everyone – especially the young – to marvel at the beauty of life, to seek its ultimate meaning, and to strive to realize its sublime potential!

With these sentiments of respect and encouragement, I commend you to the providence of Almighty God, and I assure you of my prayers for you and your loved ones, the members of your communities, and all the citizens of Australia.

教宗在接见各基督徒团体时的讲话

悉尼时间星期五早晨，教宗在悉尼主教座堂接见了澳大利亚天主教会、圣公会、路德教派、美尔基特礼等基督信仰团体代表，并发表了讲话。以下是讲话全文：

The Ecumenical Movement Has Reached a Critical Junctur

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I give heartfelt thanks to God for this opportunity to meet and pray with all of you who have come here representing various Christian communities in Australia. Grateful for Bishop Forsyth’s and Cardinal Pell’s words of welcome, I joyfully greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus, the “cornerstone” of the “household of God” (Eph 2:19-20).

I would like to offer a particular greeting to Cardinal Edward Cassidy, former President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, who, due to ill health, could not be with us today. I recall with gratitude his steadfast dedication to improving mutual understanding among all Christians, and I would ask all of you to join me in praying for his speedy recovery.

Australia is a country marked by much ethnic and religious diversity. Immigrants arrive on the shores of this majestic land hoping to find happiness and opportunities for employment. Yours, too, is a nation which recognizes the importance of religious freedom. This is a fundamental right which, when respected, allows citizens to act upon values which are rooted in their deepest beliefs, contributing thus to the well-being of society. In this way, Christians cooperate, together with members of other religions, for the promotion of human dignity and for fellowship among all nations. Australians cherish cordial and frank discussion. This has served the ecumenical movement well. An example would be the Covenant signed in 2004 by the members of the National Council of Churches in Australia. This document recognizes a common commitment, sets out goals, and acknowledges points of convergence without glossing over differences.

Such an approach demonstrates not only the possibility of formulating concrete resolutions for fruitful cooperation in the present day, but also the need to continue patient discussion on theological points of difference. May your ongoing deliberations in the Council of Churches and in other local forums be sustained by what you have already achieved.

This year we celebrate the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of Saint Paul, a tireless worker for unity in the early Church. In the scripture passage we have just heard, Paul reminds us of the tremendous grace we have received in becoming members of Christ’s body through baptism. This sacrament, the entryway to the Church and the “bond of unity” for everyone reborn through it (cf. Unitatis Redintegratio, 22), is accordingly the point of departure for the entire ecumenical movement. Yet it is not the final destination. The road of ecumenism ultimately points towards a common celebration of the Eucharist (cf. Ut Unum Sint, 23-24; 45), which Christ entrusted to his Apostles as the sacrament of the Church’s unity par excellence. Although there are still obstacles to be overcome, we can be sure that a common Eucharist one day would only strengthen our resolve to love and serve one another in imitation of our Lord: for Jesus’ commandment to “do this in memory of me” (Lk 22:19) is intrinsically ordered to his admonition to “wash one another’s feet” (Jn 13:14). For this reason, a candid dialogue concerning the place of the Eucharist – stimulated by a renewed and attentive study of scripture, patristic writings, and documents from across the two millennia of Christian history (cf. Ut Unum Sint, 69-70) – will undoubtedly help to advance the ecumenical movement and unify our witness to the world.

Dear friends in Christ, I think you would agree that the ecumenical movement has reached a critical juncture. To move forward, we must continually ask God to renew our minds with the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 12:2), who speaks to us through the scriptures and guides us into all truth (cf. 2 Pet 1:20-21; Jn 16:13). We must guard against any temptation to view doctrine as divisive and hence an impediment to the seemingly more pressing and immediate task of improving the world in which we live. In fact, the history of the Church demonstrates that praxis is not only inseparable from, but actually flows out of didache or teaching. The more closely we strive for a deeper understanding of the divine mysteries, the more eloquently our works of charity will speak of God’s bountiful goodness and love towards all. Saint Augustine expressed the nexus between the gift of understanding and the virtue of charity when he wrote that the mind returns to God by love (cf. De Moribus Ecclesiae Catholicae, XII, 21), and that wherever one sees charity, one sees the Trinity (De Trinitate, 8, 8, 12).

For this reason, ecumenical dialogue advances not only through an exchange of ideas but by a sharing in mutually enriching gifts (cf. Ut Unum Sint, 28; 57). An “idea” aims at truth; a “gift” expresses love. Both are essential to dialogue. Opening ourselves to accept spiritual gifts from other Christians quickens our ability to perceive the light of truth which comes from the Holy Spirit. Saint Paul teaches that it is within the koinonia of the Church that we have access to and the means of safeguarding the truth of the Gospel, for the Church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets” with Jesus himself as the cornerstone (Eph 2:20).

In this light, perhaps we might consider the complementary biblical images of “body” and “temple” used to describe the Church. By employing the image of a body (cf. 1 Cor 12:12-31), Paul draws attention to the organic unity and diversity that allows the Church to breathe and grow. Equally significant, however, is the image of a solid, well-structured temple composed of living stones rising on its sure foundation. Jesus himself brings together in perfect unity these images of “temple” and “body” (cf. Jn 2:21-22; Lk 23:45; Rev 21:22).

Every element of the Church’s structure is important, yet all of them would falter and crumble without the cornerstone who is Christ. As “fellow citizens” of the “household of God”, Christians must work together to ensure that the edifice stands strong so that others will be attracted to enter and discover the abundant treasures of grace within. As we promote Christian values, we must not neglect to proclaim their source by giving a common witness to Jesus Christ the Lord. It is he who commissioned the apostles, he whom the prophets preached, and he whom we offer to the world. Dear friends, your presence fills me with the ardent hope that as we pursue together the path to full unity, we will have the courage to give common witness to Christ. Paul speaks of the importance of the prophets in the early Church; we too have received a prophetic calling through our baptism. I am confident that the Spirit will open our eyes to see the gifts of others, our hearts to receive his power, and our minds to perceive the light of Christ’s truth. I express heartfelt thanks to all of you for the time, scholarship and talent which you have invested for the sake of the “one body and one spirit” (Eph 4:4; cf. 1 Cor 12:13) which the Lord willed for his people and for which he gave his very life. All glory and power be to him for ever and ever. Amen!

教宗正式公开与青年见面

B 16: “哪来的野人？” 谁可以告诉我，这张照片中是。。。（点击照片，看大图）

B 16: “别挤！” 呵呵:-P

B 16: “我来了”

B 16: “哇噢！这么多孩子呀”

B 16：“这些年轻人喊啥呢？”

（照片均来自：WYD2008官方网）

教宗欢迎并告诫青年“你们要向一个厌倦了虚假承诺的世界见证基督”

教宗本笃十六世首次主持第二十三届世界青年节活动，十五万世界各国青年欢聚在悉尼。教宗乘船穿越悉尼海岸抵达世青节主场。向原住民致意、鼓励人们热衷信仰以摆脱相对主义的“毒害”。后者摧毁和污染受造物、将青年变成“市场的消费者”。教宗鼓励青年积极向非基督信徒传教

教宗本笃十六世在主持第二十三届世界青年节首次正式活 动时指出，“我们的世界厌倦了贪婪、剥削和分离、虚假偶像的困扰和片面的答案以及虚假的承诺。我们的心灵和头脑渴望充满了爱的生活。在这种生活中，一切都 共同分享、努力建设合一、在真理中真正展示了自由的意义、在倍受尊重的共融中找到了各自的身份。这是圣神的工程！这是耶稣基督的福音所赐予的希望！你们在 圣洗中重生、通过坚振圣事所得到的圣神的鼓舞，就是为了见证这一事实。希望你们把这一希望从悉尼带给世界”！首次正式活动中，教宗为世界各国青年们揭示了一个不仅仅只限于这几天的活动计划，而是他们毕生的蓝图——见证人类强 烈渴望的信仰的新意：“亲爱的朋友们，在家中、学校、大学、工作和各种场所的朋友们，你们要牢记，你们是新的受造物”。“作为基督信徒，你们深知在这个世 界上，天主有着人性的容颜——耶稣基督——满足人类各种渴望的‘道路’、我们蒙召在他的光芒的照耀下去见证这条‘道路’”。教宗乘坐“悉尼2000”号，在身着各种民族服装的青年们簇拥下抵达巴兰加罗。几条小船，为教宗的“悉尼2000”领先开道、断后。海面上溅起朵朵浪花、笛声阵阵，场面热烈隆重。悉尼总主教区总主教佩尔枢机代表全体向教宗致意，特别强调澳大利亚自诞生首位本地主教至今，从未见过如此隆重壮观的欢迎场面。登船前，教宗本笃十六世欣然阅纳了澳大利亚原住民的歌舞表演。向地方当局发表讲话时，教宗本笃十六世特别感谢勘培拉政府就文化和种族迫害向土著民族致歉的“勇敢”之举。

清晨，十五万世界各国青年在等待教宗本笃十六世亲临时分别参加了要理讲座，并载歌载舞、挥动着五彩缤纷的旗帜、满怀激情和友谊，展示五大洲世界各个民族与文化。

教宗向青年们发表的讲话中，广泛涉及了方方面面的内容——从满怀诗意地赞美大自然、受造物，到对受造物的守卫者人类 的敬意；沉痛揭示混乱不堪的环境和社会秩序；谴责没有真理和美善可言、将天主搁置起来、排斥生命、践踏自然和人性尊严的相对主义。同时，教宗也努力慰藉有 时茫然不知所措的青年们，语重心长地告诫他们，生命是受到天主降福的、是受热爱的；生命有其目的。

受造物的环境以及相对主义的毒害

教宗本笃十六世提到了他在飞抵澳大利亚的飞机上默想地球上大自然的美好，而近来几天，他又得以亲身体验了澳大利亚的自然风光。“在美好的受造物中间，有按照天主的肖像创造的你们和我”（参见创1，26）。

接着， 教宗也谈到了地区的“创伤”，从滥砍滥伐森林、到肆无忌惮地开采地下资源无所不包。有的国家，遭到了“水位上涨的威胁”、有的国家却倍受“严重干旱”的困 扰。教宗强调，受造物受到了毒害。而无视真理与美善、自讪自由与宽容、将天主完全排斥在公众生活之外的相对主义，助长了此类毒害。“一旦天主被排斥了，我 们认出自然秩序的能力逐渐开始淡薄了”。

教宗还指出，排斥那些没有声音的穷人、老人和移民；针对“妇女和儿童的”家庭暴力、堕胎等也是相对主义的恶果。

教宗继续指出，“人类生命绝非是命运主宰的。我们每一个人的存在……都是天主的意愿。你们不要被那些仅将你们视为消费者的人们所欺骗。……基督所赐予要远远超出了这一切！确切地说，基督赐予一起！只有本身是真理的基督内，才能有道路和生命”。

也要做不信者的传教士

教宗在 为青年们指出世界的见证和再造时，特别以当年将福音带给了澳大利亚的传教士们为榜样：“让我们想想那些司铎、修女和修士等福传先锋们。……他们中的绝大部 分人当时都非常年轻；他们告别了父母、兄弟、姐妹、朋友，并深知自己可能再也无法回到家乡了。……他们是谦逊而顽强的建设者”，创造了巨大的精神和社会财 富。“他们征服了整整一代人”。

讲话中，教宗 本笃十六世建议青年至少邀请一名朋友，这不仅是信仰的关怀，也是生活意义上的关怀。为此，教宗强调，“今天晚上，我愿意将那些没有在我们中间的（青年们） 也包括进来。我特别想到病人、智障人员、被关在监狱里的青年、那些被我们的社会边缘化的人、那些因各种因素而远离了教会的人。我要向他们说：耶稣在你身 边！去感受祂那可以治愈创伤、关怀怜悯和仁慈的臂膀吧”！“你们中的很多人，至今仍在探索着精神生活的归宿。尽管你们中的有些人不是天主教徒或者基督信 徒，但我们欢迎你们来到我们中间。你们中间还有一些活跃在教会和堂区生活”。事实上，聚集在巴兰加罗的青年中，不仅是天主教徒，还有许多圣公会、福音教 派、穆斯林、印度教和佛教徒。教宗向他们表示，“我愿意鼓励你们——不断接近基督充满友爱的怀抱吧；把教会当作你们的家吧”

以下为讲话全文：

Dear Young People,

What a delight it is to greet you here at Barangaroo, on the shores of the magnificent Sydney harbour, with its famous bridge and Opera House. Many of you are local, from the outback or the dynamic multicultural communities of Australian cities. Others of you have come from the scattered islands of Oceania, and others still from Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. Some of you, indeed, have come from as far as I have, Europe! Wherever we are from, we are here at last in Sydney. And together we stand in our world as God’s family, disciples of Christ, empowered by his Spirit to be witnesses of his love and truth for everyone!

I wish firstly to thank the Aboriginal Elders who welcomed me prior to my boarding the boat at Rose Bay. I am deeply moved to stand on your land, knowing the suffering and injustices it has borne, but aware too of the healing and hope that are now at work, rightly bringing pride to all Australian citizens. To the young indigenous – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders – and the Tokelauans, I express my thanks for your stirring welcome. Through you, I send heartfelt greetings to your peoples.

Cardinal Pell, Cardinal Ryłko, Archbishop Wilson, I thank you for your warm words of welcome. I know that your sentiments resonate in the hearts of the young gathered here this evening, and so I thank you all. Standing before me I see a vibrant image of the universal Church. The variety of nations and cultures from which you hail shows that indeed Christ’s Good News is for everyone; it has reached the ends of the earth. Yet I know too that a good number of you are still seeking a spiritual homeland. Some of you, most welcome among us, are not Catholic or Christian. Others of you perhaps hover at the edge of parish and Church life. To you I wish to offer encouragement: step forward into Christ’s loving embrace; recognize the Church as your home. No one need remain on the outside, for from the day of Pentecost the Church has been one and universal.

This evening I wish also to include those who are not present among us. I am thinking especially of the sick or
mentally ill, young people in prison, those struggling on the margins of our societies, and those who for whatever reason feel alienated from the Church. To them I say: Jesus is close to you! Feel his healing embrace, his compassion and mercy!

Almost two thousand years ago, the Apostles, gathered in the upper room together with Mary and some faithful women, were filled with the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:14; 2:4). At that extraordinary moment, which gave birth to the Church, the confusion and fear that had gripped Christ’s disciples were transformed into a vigorous conviction and sense of purpose.

They felt impelled to speak of their encounter with the risen Jesus whom they had come to call affectionately, the Lord. In many ways, the Apostles were ordinary. None could claim to be the perfect disciple. They failed to recognize Christ (cf. Lk 24:13-32), felt ashamed of their own ambition (cf. Lk 22:24-27), and had even denied him (cf. Lk 22:54-62). Yet, when empowered by the Holy Spirit, they were transfixed by the truth of Christ’s Gospel and inspired to proclaim it fearlessly.

Emboldened, they exclaimed: repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 2:37-38)! Grounded in the Apostles’ teaching, in fellowship, and in the breaking of the bread and prayer (cf. Acts 2:42), the young Christian community moved forward to oppose the perversity in the culture around them (cf. Acts 2:40), to care for one another (cf. Acts 2:44-47), to defend their belief in Jesus in the face of hostility (cf Acts 4:33), and to heal the sick (cf. Acts 5:12-16). And in obedience to Christ’s own command, they set forth, bearing witness to the greatest story ever: that God has become one of us, that the divine has entered human history in order to transform it, and that we are called to immerse ourselves in Christ’s saving love which triumphs over evil and death. Saint Paul, in his famous speech to the Areopagus, introduced the message in this way: “God gives everything – including life and breath – to everyone … so that all nations might seek God and, by feeling
their way towards him, succeed in finding him. In fact he is not far from any of us, since it is in him that we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17: 25-28).

And ever since, men and women have set out to tell the same story, witnessing to Christ’s truth and love, and
contributing to the Church’s mission. Today, we think of those pioneering Priests, Sisters and Brothers who came to these shores, and to other parts of the Pacific, from Ireland, France, Britain and elsewhere in Europe. The great majority were young – some still in their late teens – and when they bade farewell to their parents, brothers and sisters, and friends, they knew they were unlikely ever to return home. Their whole lives were a selfless Christian witness. They became the humble but tenacious builders of so much of the social and spiritual heritage which still today brings goodness, compassion and purpose to these nations. And they went on to inspire another generation. We think immediately of the faith which sustained Blessed Mary MacKillop in her sheer determination to educate especially the poor, and Blessed Peter To Rot in his steadfast resolution that community leadership must always include the Gospel. Think also of your own grandparents and parents, your first teachers in faith. They too have made countless sacrifices of time and energy, out of love for you.

Supported by your parish priests and teachers, they have the task, not always easy but greatly satisfying, of guiding you towards all that is good and true, through their own witness – their teaching and living of our Christian faith.

Today, it is my turn. For some of us, it might seem like we have come to the end of the world! For people of your age, however, any flight is an exciting prospect. But for me, this one was somewhat daunting! Yet the views afforded of our planet from the air were truly wondrous. The sparkle of the Mediterranean, the grandeur of the north African desert, the lushness of Asia’s forestation, the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, the horizon upon which the sun rose and set, and the majestic splendour of Australia’s natural beauty which I have been able to enjoy these last couple of days; these all evoke a profound sense of awe. It is as though one catches glimpses of the Genesis creation story – light and darkness, the sun and the moon, the waters, the earth, and living creatures; all of which are “good” in God’s eyes (cf. Gen 1:1 – 2:4). Immersed in such beauty, who could not echo the words of the Psalmist in praise of the Creator: “how majestic is your name in all the earth?” (Ps 8:1).

And there is more – something hardly perceivable from the sky – men and women, made in nothing less than God’s own image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26). At the heart of the marvel of creation are you and I, the human family “crowned with glory and honour” (Ps 8:5). How astounding! With the Psalmist we whisper: “what is man that you are mindful of him?” (Ps 8:4). And drawn into silence, into a spirit of thanksgiving, into the power of holiness, we ponder. What do we discover? Perhaps reluctantly we come to acknowledge that there are also scars which mark the surface of our earth: erosion, deforestation, the squandering of the world’s mineral and ocean resources in order to fuel an insatiable consumption. Some of you come from island nations whose very existence is threatened by rising water levels; others from nations suffering the effects of devastating drought. God’s wondrous creation is sometimes experienced as almost hostile to its stewards, even something dangerous. How can what is “good” appear so threatening?

And there is more. What of man, the apex of God’s creation? Every day we encounter the genius of human achievement. From advances in medical sciences and the wise application of technology, to the creativity reflected in the arts, the quality and enjoyment of people’s lives in many ways are steadily rising. Among yourselves there is a readiness to take up the plentiful opportunities offered to you. Some of you excel in studies, sport, music, or dance and drama, others of you have a keen sense of social justice and ethics, and many of you take up service and voluntary work. All of us, young and old, have those moments when the innate goodness of the human person – perhaps glimpsed in the gesture of a little child or an adult’s readiness to forgive – fills us with profound joy and gratitude.

Yet such moments do not last. So again, we ponder. And we discover that not only the natural but also the social environment – the habitat we fashion for ourselves – has its scars; wounds indicating that something is amiss. Here too, in our personal lives and in our communities, we can encounter a hostility, something dangerous; a poison which threatens to corrode what is good, reshape who we are, and distort the purpose for which we have been created. Examples abound, as you yourselves know. Among the more prevalent are alcohol and drug abuse, and the exaltation of violence and sexual degradation, often presented through television and the internet as entertainment. I ask myself, could anyone standing face to face with people who actually do suffer violence and sexual exploitation “explain” that these tragedies, portrayed in virtual form, are considered merely “entertainment”?

There is also something sinister which stems from the fact that freedom and tolerance are so often separated from truth. This is fuelled by the notion, widely held today, that there are no absolute truths to guide our lives. Relativism, by indiscriminately giving value to practically everything, has made “experience” all-important. Yet, experiences, detached from any consideration of what is good or true, can lead, not to genuine freedom, but to moral or intellectual confusion, to a lowering of standards, to a loss of self-respect, and even to despair.

Dear friends, life is not governed by chance; it is not random. Your very existence has been willed by God, blessed and given a purpose (cf. Gen 1:28)! Life is not just a succession of events or experiences, helpful though many of them are.

It is a search for the true, the good and the beautiful. It is to this end that we make our choices; it is for this that we exercise our freedom; it is in this – in truth, in goodness, and in beauty – that we find happiness and joy. Do not be fooled by those who see you as just another consumer in a market of undifferentiated possibilities, where choice itself becomes the good, novelty usurps beauty, and subjective experience displaces truth.

Christ offers more! Indeed he offers everything! Only he who is the Truth can be the Way and hence also the Life. Thus the “way” which the Apostles brought to the ends of the earth is life in Christ. This is the life of the Church. And the entrance to this life, to the Christian way, is Baptism.

This evening I wish therefore to recall briefly something of our understanding of Baptism before tomorrow
considering the Holy Spirit. On the day of your Baptism, God drew you into his holiness (cf. 2 Pet 1:4). You were adopted as a son or daughter of the Father. You were incorporated into Christ. You were made a dwelling place of his Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 6:19). Baptism is neither an achievement, nor a reward. It is a grace; it is God’s work. Indeed, towards the conclusion of your Baptism, the priest turned to your parents and those gathered and, calling you by your name said: “you have become a new creation” (Rite of Baptism, 99).

Dear friends, in your homes, schools and universities, in your places of work and recreation, remember that you
are a new creation! Not only do you stand before the Creator in awe, rejoicing at his works, you also realize that the sure foundation of humanity’s solidarity lies in the common origin of every person, the high-point of God’s creative design for the world. As Christians you stand in this world knowing that God has a human face – Jesus Christ – the “way” who satisfies all human yearning, and the “life” to which we are called to bear witness, walking always in his light (cf. ibid., 100).

The task of witness is not easy. There are many today who claim that God should be left on the sidelines, and that religion and faith, while fine for individuals, should either be excluded from the public forum altogether or included only in the pursuit of limited pragmatic goals. This secularist vision seeks to explain human life and shape society with little or no reference to the Creator. It presents itself as neutral, impartial and inclusive of everyone. But in reality, like every ideology, secularism imposes a world-view. If God is irrelevant to public life, then society will be shaped in a godless image, and debate and policy concerning the public good will be driven more by consequences than by principles grounded in truth.

Yet experience shows that turning our back on the Creator’s plan provokes a disorder which has inevitable
repercussions on the rest of the created order (cf. 1990 World Day of Peace Message, 5). When God is eclipsed, our ability to recognize the natural order, purpose, and the “good” begins to wane. What was ostensibly promoted as human ingenuity soon manifests itself as folly, greed and selfish exploitation. And so we have become more and more aware of our need for humility before the delicate complexity of God’s world.

But what of our social environment? Are we equally alert to the signs of turning our back on the moral structure
with which God has endowed humanity (cf. 2007 World Day of Peace Message, 8)? Do we recognize that the innate dignity of every individual rests on his or her deepest identity – as image of the Creator – and therefore that human rights are universal, based on the natural law, and not something dependent upon negotiation or patronage, let alone compromise?

And so we are led to reflect on what place the poor and the elderly, immigrants and the voiceless, have in our societies. How can it be that domestic violence torments so many mothers and children? How can it be that the most wondrous and sacred human space – the womb – has become a place of unutterable violence?

My dear friends, God’s creation is one and it is good. The concerns for non-violence, sustainable development,
justice and peace, and care for our environment are of vital importance for humanity. They cannot, however, be understood apart from a profound reflection upon the innate dignity of every human life from conception to natural death: a dignity conferred by God himself and thus inviolable. Our world has grown weary of greed, exploitation and division, of the tedium of false idols and piecemeal responses, and the pain of false promises. Our hearts and minds are yearning for a vision of life where love endures, where gifts are shared, where unity is built, where freedom finds meaning in truth, and where identity is found in respectful communion. This is the work of the Holy Spirit! This is the hope held out by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is to bear witness to this reality that you were created anew at Baptism and strengthened through the gifts of the Spirit at Confirmation. Let this be the message that you bring from Sydney to the world!

教宗的特殊客人及世青节的国旗

今天教宗在经过三天的休息后离开了主业会的避静中心，前往悉尼主教座堂。明天将开始世青节的公开活动。没想到今天的第一批客人居然是。。。:-P。参见该新闻：澳大利亚动物园小动物“拜访”教宗，世青节要理正式开课

相关视频：

参加世青节的多国旗帜。（注意一下晃动的‘五星红旗’）

教宗在澳大利亚政府欢迎仪式上的讲话

星期四早上，澳大利亚政府为教宗举行了欢迎仪式。在欢迎仪式上，教宗发表了以下讲话：

“Young People Today Face a Bewildering Variety of Life-Choices”

Your Excellencies,
Dear Australian Friends,

It is with great joy that I greet you today. I would like to thank the Governor-General, Major-General Michael Jeffery and Prime Minister Rudd for honouring me by their presence at this ceremony and for welcoming me so graciously. As you know, I have been able to enjoy some quiet days since my arrival in Australia last Sunday. I am most grateful for the hospitality that has been extended to me. Now I look forward to this evening’s “Welcome to Country” by the indigenous people and to celebrating the great events which form the purpose of my Apostolic Visit: the Twenty-Third World Youth Day.

Some might ask what motivates thousands of young people to undertake what is for many a long and demanding journey in order to participate in an event of this kind. Ever since the first World Youth Day in 1986, it has been evident that vast numbers of young people appreciate the opportunity to come together to deepen their faith in Christ and to share with one another a joyful experience of communion in his Church. They long to hear the word of God, and to learn more about their Christian faith. They are eager to take part in an event which brings into focus the high ideals that inspire them, and they return home filled with hope and renewed in their resolve to contribute to the building of a better world. For me it is a joy to be with them, to pray with them and to celebrate the Eucharist with them. World Youth Day fills me with confidence for the future of the Church and the future of our world.

It seems particularly appropriate to celebrate World Youth Day here, since the Church in Australia, as well as being the youngest of any continent, is also one of the most cosmopolitan. Since the first European settlement here in the late eighteenth century, this country has become a home not only to generations of Europeans, but to people from every corner of the globe. The immense diversity of the Australian population today gives a particular vibrancy to what may still be considered, in comparison with much of the rest of the world, a young nation. Yet for thousands of years before the arrival of Western settlers, the sole inhabitants of the land were indigenous peoples, the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. Their ancient heritage forms an essential part of the cultural landscape of modern Australia. Thanks to the Australian Government’s courageous decision to acknowledge the injustices committed against the indigenous peoples in the past, concrete steps are now being taken to achieve reconciliation based on mutual respect. Rightly, you are seeking to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians regarding life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity! This example of reconciliation offers hope to peoples all over the world who long to see their rights affirmed and their contribution to society acknowledged and promoted.

The settlers who came here from Europe have always included a significant proportion of Catholics, and we may be justly proud of the contribution they have made to the building up of the nation, particularly in the fields of education and healthcare. One of the most outstanding figures in this country’s history is Blessed Mary MacKillop, at whose tomb I shall pray later this morning. I know that her perseverance in the face of adversity, her plea for justice on behalf of those unfairly treated and her practical example of holiness have become a source of inspiration for all Australians. Generations have reason to be grateful to her and to the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart and other religious congregations for the network of schools that they established here and for the witness of their consecrated life. In today’s more secular environment, the Catholic community continues to make an important contribution to national life, not only through education and healthcare, but especially by highlighting the spiritual dimension of the questions that feature prominently in contemporary debate.

With many thousands of young people visiting Australia at this time, it is appropriate to reflect upon the kind of world we are handing on to future generations. In the words of your national anthem, this land “abounds in nature’s gifts, of beauty rich and rare”. The wonder of God’s creation reminds us of the need to protect the environment and to exercise responsible stewardship of the goods of the earth. In this connection I note that Australia is making a serious commitment to address its responsibility to care for the natural environment. Likewise with regard to the human environment, this country has generously supported international peace-keeping operations, contributing to conflict resolution in the Pacific, in South-East Asia and elsewhere. Owing to the many religious traditions represented in Australia, this is particularly fertile ground for ecumenical and interreligious dialogue. I look forward to meeting local representatives of different Christian communities and other religions during my stay, so as to encourage this important work, a sign of the reconciling action of the Spirit who impels us to seek unity in truth and charity.

First and foremost, though, I am here to meet the young, from Australia and from all over the world, and to pray for a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all those taking part in our celebrations. The theme chosen for World Youth Day 2008 is taken from words spoken by Jesus himself to his disciples, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses to the ends of the earth” (1:9). I pray that the Holy Spirit will bring spiritual renewal to this land, to the Australian people, to the Church throughout Oceania and indeed to the ends of the earth. Young people today face a bewildering variety of life-choices, so that they sometimes find it hard to know how best to channel their idealism and their energy. It is the Spirit who gives the wisdom to discern the right path and the courage to follow it. He crowns our poor efforts with his divine gifts, just as the wind filling the sails sweeps the ship forward, far surpassing what the oarsmen can achieve through their laborious rowing. In this way, the Spirit enables men and women in every land and in every generation to become saints. Through the Spirit’s action, may the young people gathered here for World Youth Day have the courage to become saints! This is what the world needs more than anything else.

Dear Australian friends, once again I thank you for your generous welcome and I look forward to spending these days with you and with the young people of the world. May God bless all who are present, all the pilgrims and all who live in this land. And may he always bless and protect the Commonwealth of Australia.

悉尼青年迎来新的圣神降临

来自世界一百六十个国家和地区的至少十五万名青年，参加了悉尼总主教区总主教佩尔枢机主持的世界青年节开幕式。世界各国青年聚集在一起，并肩负着用基督信仰改变世界的责任。担心与激进势力和无神论青年团体发生矛盾。澳大利亚总理陆克文发表欢迎词 （照片来自世青节官方网站；文字来自亚洲新闻；视频来自“H2O小时新闻”的世青节官方媒体）

专门负责世界青年节组织筹备工作的圣座平信徒委员会主席理尔科枢机，将15万名各国青年参加的澳大利亚悉尼世界青年节开幕式隆重弥撒圣祭喻为“一个崭新的圣神降临”。从当地时间下午四时开始，青年们便陆陆续续聚集向悉尼海岸边的巴拉加鲁港口。“新的圣神降临”，是指淹没在各国青年友谊之中的语言和文化，以至于令澳大利亚保安感到惊讶，甚至无所世事了。悉 尼总主教区总主教佩尔枢机，主持了世青节开幕式的圣道礼仪。其间，充斥着原住民的舞蹈、新西兰毛利族人的歌舞；以及英语、法语、西班牙语和意大利语读经； 土著民族乐器和专业乐队演奏的音乐。青年们都兴高采烈地穿起了体现民族特色的盛装，从秘鲁的帽子、日本的和服、美国的棒球帽和草帽、朝鲜族服饰、菲律宾衬 衫；到简单的牛仔装和印度尼西亚的蜡染服饰。最后，来自世界160个国家和地区的青年，按照弥撒圣祭中歌舞的节奏挥舞着本届世界青年节的旗帜。 此外，“新的圣神降临”还意味着获得圣神的力量。正如本届世青节主题所展示的，在当今世界中做基督信仰的见证。

讲道中，佩尔枢机祈求圣神让在场青年们“成为一支圣人的队伍”，更新这片大地；要求他们“勇敢地”“到远方去”，迈向最终目的，拥抱圣召、与那些还不相信的人们相遇。

佩尔枢机在弥撒圣祭前致欢迎词时还表示，我不仅要欢迎你们，还要欢迎所有感到迷失、感到倦怠的青年们。基督的召叫是面向所有人的，为此，也是面向那些不信的人们的。悉尼总主教的这番话，似乎特别是献给倍受世俗主义和冷漠困扰的澳大利亚人的。全国两千万人口中，仅有500万天主教徒（大约占26%）。而且，17%的人没有宗教信仰或者是公开声明的无神论者。通常，这一群体还十分激进。

世界青年节开幕前，许多身着“天主不存在”套衫的示威群体一度令当地气氛紧张。接着，警方又出台了冒犯世青节青年的特别规章。所幸，联邦法院已于昨天推翻。种种现象，可能会促使“向教宗说不”组织举行示威或者散发宣扬堕胎和避孕的物品。

悉尼世青节组委会宣布，截止到今天，共有25万名青年注册参加第二十三届世界青年日。此外，星期六和主日教宗主持的弥撒圣祭以及守夜祈祷期间，将有50万名青年参加。

开幕式上，澳大利亚总理陆克文发表讲话向世界各国青年表示欢迎。他说，“有人说，二十一世纪没有信仰的位置。我说，他们错了”。他还表示，“你们是受欢迎的客人。我希望在澳大利亚度过的这段时间里，你们能够得到充实；而澳大利亚也能从你们的身上得到充实”。

以下为佩尔枢机的讲道全文：（读经选自：则34：1－14；咏23；哥5：16－17，22－25；路8：4－15）

We all know that Christ Our Lord is often described as the Good Shepherd of today’s responsorial psalm. We are told that he leads us near restful waters, revives our flagging spirits, enables us to rest peacefully.

In developing this image on one occasion, Jesus explained that such a shepherd was prepared to leave the ninety-nine sheep to search out the one who was lost.

Few countries today have a shepherd who cares for only 20 or 30 sheep, and in Australia with large farms and huge flocks Our Lord’s advice is not very practical. If the lost sheep was valuable and probably healthy, it might make sense to take the time to search for it. More usually it would be left behind or its absence not even noticed.

Jesus was saying that both He and His Father are not like this, because He knows each one of His sheep and like a good father he goes searching for the lost one he loves, particularly if he is sick, or in trouble, or unable to help himself.

Earlier in this Mass I welcomed you all to this World Youth Day week and I repeat that welcome now. But I do not begin with the ninety-nine healthy sheep, those of you already open to the Spirit, perhaps already steady witnesses to faith and love. I begin by welcoming and encouraging any one, anywhere who regards himself or herself as lost, in deep distress, with hope diminished or even exhausted.

Young or old, woman or man, Christ is still calling those who are suffering to come to him for healing, as he has for two thousand years. The causes of the wounds are quite secondary, whether they be drugs or alcohol, family breakups, the lusts of the flesh, loneliness or a death. Perhaps even the emptiness of success.

Christ’s call is to all who are suffering, not just to Catholics or other Christians, but especially to those without religion. Christ is calling you home; to love, healing and community.

Our first reading today was from Ezekiel, with Isaiah and Jeremiah one of the three greatest Jewish prophets. Many parts of Australia are still in drought, so all Australians understand a valley of dry bones and fleshless skeletons. But this grim vision is offered first of all to any and all of you who are even tempted to say “our hope is gone, we are as good as dead”.

This is never true while we can still choose. While there is life there is always the option of hope and with Christian hope come faith and love. Until the end we are always able to choose and act.

This vision of the valley of the dry bones, the most spectacular in the whole of the Bible, was given when the hand of God came upon Ezekiel while the Jews were in captivity in Babylon, probably earlier rather than later in the sixth century B.C. For about 150 years the political fortunes of the Jewish people had been in decline, first of all at the hands of the Assyrians. Later in 587 B.C. came the final catastrophic defeat and their transportation into exile. The Jewish people were in despair, powerless to change their situation.

This is the historical background to Ezekiel’s dramatic vision where the dead were well dead, whitened skeletons as the birds of prey had long finished their ghastly business of stripping off the flesh. It was an immense battlefield of the unburied.

A hesitant and reluctant Ezekiel was urged by God to prophesy to these bones and as he did so the bones rushed together noisily, accompanied by an earthquake. Sinews knitted them together, flesh and then skin clothed the corpses.

Another stage was needed and the breath, or Spirit, came from the four corners of the earth as the bodies came “to life again and stood up on their feet, a great and immense army”.

While we now see this vision as a pre-figuration of the resurrection of the dead, the Jews of Ezekiel’s time did not believe in such a conception of the afterlife. For them the immense resurrected army represented all the Jewish people, those from the northern kingdom taken off to Assyria, those at home and those in Babylon. They were to be reconstituted as a people in their own land and they would know that the one true God alone had done this. And all this came to pass.

Over the centuries we Christians have used this passage liturgically at Easter, especially for the baptism of catechumens on Holy Saturday night and it is, of course, a powerful image of the one true God’s regenerative power for this life and eternity.

Secular wisdom claims that leopards do not change their spots, but we Christians believe in the power of the Spirit to convert and change persons away from evil to good; from fear and uncertainty to faith and hope.

Believers are heartened by Ezekiel’s vision, because we know the power of God’s forgiveness, the capacity of Christ and the Catholic tradition to cause new life to flourish even in unlikely circumstances.

That same power glimpsed in Ezekiel’s vision is offered to us today, to all of us without exception. You young pilgrims can look ahead to the future stretching out before you, so rich in promise. The Gospel parable of the sower and the seen reminds you of the great opportunity you have to embrace your vocation and produce an abundant harvest, a hundredfold crop.

Matthew, Mark and Luke all place this story of the sower at the beginning of their collection of Jesus’ parables. It explains some fundamental truths about the challenges of Christian discipleship and lists the alternatives to a fruitful Christian life. Fidelity is not automatic or inevitable.

One detail makes the parable more plausible, because it seems the Jews in Our Lord’s time threw the seed on the ground before they ploughed it, so explaining a little better the seed being in unlikely places rather than just in the furrows.

Are we amongst those whose faith has already been snatched away by the devil, as Our Lord explained the image of the birds of the sky gobbling up the seed? No one at this Mass would be in that category. Some might be like the seed on rocky ground which could not put down roots. Those here in this second category are likely to be striving to start again in the spiritual life, or at least examining the possibility of doing so. But most of us are in the third and fourth categories, where the seed has fallen on good soil and is growing and flourishing; or we are in danger of being choked off by the worries of life. All of us, including those who are no longer young, have to pray for wisdom and perseverance.

I have no problem in believing that Our Lord spelt out the meaning of this parable to his closest followers and that he would have been asked by them regularly to do so. But the disciples’ enquiries provoked a disconcerting response, when Our Lord divides his listeners into two groups; those to whom the mysteries of the Kingdom are revealed and the rest for whom the parables remain only parables. This second group is described in words from the prophet Isaiah as those who “may see but not perceive, listen but not understand”. Probably the background to this is the amazement of Our Lord’s disciples at the large number who did not accept his teaching.

Why is this still so? What must we do to be among those for whom the mysteries of the Kingdom are revealed?

The call of the one true God remains mysterious, especially today when many good people find it hard to believe. Even in the time of the prophets many of their hearers remained spiritually deaf and blind, while any number over the ages have admired the beauty of Jesus’ teaching, but never been moved to answer his call.

Our task is to be open to the power of the Spirit, to allow the God of surprises to act through us. Human motivation is complex and mysterious, because sometimes very strong Catholics, and other strong Christians, can be prayerful and regularly good, but also very determined not to take even one further step. On the other hand, some followers of Christ can be much less zealous and faithful, but open to development, to change for the better because they realize their unworthiness and their ignorance. Where do you stand?

Whatever our situation we must pray for an openness of heart, for a willingness to take the next step, even if we are fearful of venturing too much further. If we take God’s hand, He will do the rest. Trust is the key. God will not fail us.

How can we work to avoid slipping from the last and best category of the fruit bearers into those “who are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life” and so do not produce much fruit at all?

The second reading from Paul’s letter to the Galatians points us in the correct direction, reminding us all that each person must declare himself in the age-old struggle between good and evil, between what Paul calls the flesh and the Spirit. It is not good enough to be only a passenger, to try to live in “no-mans land” between the warring parties. Life forces us to choose, eventually destroys any possibility of neutrality.

We will bring forth good fruit by learning the language of the Cross and inscribing it on our hearts. The language of the Cross brings us the fruits of the Spirit which Paul lists, enables us to experience peace and joy, to be regularly kind and generous to others. Following Christ is not cost free, not always easy, because it requires struggling against what St. Paul calls “the flesh”, our fat relentless egos, old fashioned selfishness. It is always a battle, even for old people like me!

Don’t spend your life sitting on the fence, keeping your options open, because only commitments bring fulfilment. Happiness comes from meeting our obligations, doing our duty, especially in small matters and regularly, so we can rise to meet the harder challenges. Many have found their life’s calling at World Youth Days.

To be a disciple of Jesus requires discipline, especially self discipline; what Paul calls self control. The practice of self control won’t make you perfect (it hasn’t with me), but self control is necessary to develop and protect the love in our hearts and prevent others, especially our family and friends, from being hurt by our lapses into nastiness or laziness.

I pray that through the power of the Spirit all of you will join that immense army of saints, healed and reborn, which was revealed to Ezekiel, which has enriched human history for countless generations and which is rewarded in the after-life of heaven.

Let me conclude by adapting one of the most powerful sermons of St. Augustine, the finest theologian of the first millennium and a bishop inthe small North African town of Hippo around 1600 years ago.

I expect that in the next five days of prayer and celebration that your spirits will rise, as mine always does, in the excitement of this World Youth Day. Please God we shall all be glad that we participated, despite the cost, hassles and distances travelled. During this week we have every right to rejoice and celebrate the liberation of our repentance, the rejuvenation of our faith. We are called to open our hearts to the power of the Spirit. And to the young ones I give a gentle reminder that in your enthusiasm and excitement you do not forget to listen and pray!

Many of you have travelled such a long way that you may believe that you have arrived, indeed, at the ends of earth! If so, that’s good, for Our Lord told his first apostles that they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth. That prophesy has been fulfilled in the witness of many missionaries to this vast southern continent, and it is fulfilled yet again in your presence here.

But these days will pass too quickly and next week we shall return to earth. For a time some of you will find the real world of home and parish, work or study, flat and disappointing.

Soon, too soon, you will all be going away. Briefly we are now here in Sydney at the centre of the Catholic world, but next week the Holy Father will return to Rome, we Sydneysiders will return to our parishes, while you, now visiting pilgrims, will go back to your homes in places near and far.

In other words during next week we shall be parting from one another. But when we part after these happy days, let us never part from our loving God and his Son Jesus Christ. And may Mary, Mother of God, whom we invoke in this World Youth Day as Our Lady of the Southern Cross, strengthen us in this resolution.

And so I pray. Come, come O Breath of God, from the four winds, from all the nations and peoples of the earth and bless our Great South Land of the Holy Spirit.

Empower us also to be another great and immense army of humble servants and faithful witnesses.

And we make this prayer to God our Father in the name of Christ his Son. Amen. Amen.

George Cardinal Pell
Archbishop of Sydney

教宗在悉尼机场的简短答记者问

14日，教宗到达悉尼。在悉尼机场，教宗回答了记者的五个问题，以下是全文：

“I Am Going With Sentiments of Great Joy to Australia”

Q: Holiness, this is your second World Youth Day, the first — let’s say — that is entirely yours. With what sentiments are you ready to live it and what is the principal message you wish to give young people? Then, do you think the World Youth Day has a profound influence on the life of the Church that hosts it? And finally, do you think that the formula of these mass gatherings of young people is still up-to-date?

Benedict XVI: I am going with sentiments of great joy to Australia. I have beautiful memories of the World Youth Day of Cologne. It was not simply a mass event. Above all, it was a great celebration of the faith, a human encounter of communion in Christ. We saw how the faith opens borders and there was truly a capacity of union between the different cultures, and it created joy.

And I hope the same thing will now happen in Australia. So I am happy to see many young people, and to see them united in their desire for God and for a truly human world. The principal message is indicated by the words that make up the slogan of this World Youth Day: we speak of the Holy Spirit that makes us witness of Christ.

Therefore, I would like to focus my message precisely on this reality of the Holy Spirit, who appears in different dimensions: He is the Spirit operating in creation. The dimension of creation is very present, because the Spirit is creator. It seems to me to be a very important topic at our present moment.

However, the Spirit is also the inspirer of Scripture: On our journey, in the light of Scripture, we can go together with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, hence he guides us in communion with Christ and finally shows himself, according to St. Paul, in charisms, namely, in a great number of unexpected gifts that change the different times and give new strength to the Church. And, therefore, these dimensions invite us to see the traces of the Spirit and to make the Spirit visible also to others.

A World Youth Day is not simply an event of this moment. It is prepared with a long journey with the cross and the icon of the Madonna, which among other things, is prepared from the organizational, but also from the spiritual point of view. Hence, these days are only the culminating moment of a long preceding journey. All is the fruit of a journey, of a being together on the journey to Christ.

World Youth Day then creates a history, that is, friendships are created, new inspirations are created: And so the World Youth Day continues. This seems to me to be very important: Not to see only these three-four days, but to see the whole journey that precedes them and the one that follows.

In this connection, it seems to me that World Youth Day — at least for the near future — is a valid formula that prepares us to understand that from different points of view and from different parts of the earth we go forward toward Christ and toward communion. Thus we appreciate a new journeying together. In this connection, I hope it will also be a formula for the future.

[English Original]

Q: The Australian newspaper, Holy Father, I’d like to ask my question in English: Australia is a very secular land, with low religious practice and much religious indifference. I’d like to ask whether you are optimistic about the future of the Church in Australia, or are worried and alarmed that the Australian Church may follow the European path to decline? What message would you offer Australia to overcome its religious indifference?

Benedict XVI: I will do my best in English, but I beg your pardon for my insufficiencies in English.

I think Australia in its present historical configuration is a part of the “Western world,” economically and politically, and so it is clear that Australia shares also the successes and the problems of the Western world.

The Western world has had in the last 50 years great successes — economic successes, technical successes; yet religion — Christian faith — is in a certain sense in crisis. This is clear because there is the impression that we do not need God, we can do all on our own, that we do not need God to be happy, we do not need God to create a better world, that God is not necessary, we can do all by ourselves.

On the other hand we see that religion is always present in the world and will always be present because God is present in the heart of the human being and can never disappear. We see how religion is really a force in this world and in countries. I would not simply speak about a decline of religion in Europe: Certainly there is a crisis in Europe, not so much in America but nevertheless there too, and in Australia.

But on the other hand, there’s always a presence of the faith in new forms, and in new ways; in the minority, perhaps, but always present for all the society to see. And now in this historical moment, we begin to see that we do need God. We can do so many things, but we cannot create our climate.

We thought we could do it, but we cannot do it. We need the gift of the Earth, the gift of water, we need the Creator; the Creator re-appears in his creation. And so we also come to understand that we cannot be really happy, cannot be really promoting justice for all the world, without a criterion at work in our own ideas, without a God who is just, and gives us the light, and gives us life. So, I think there will be in a certain sense in this “Western world” a crisis of our faith, but we will always also have a revival of the faith, because Christian faith is simply true, and the truth will always be present in the human world, and God will always be truth. In this sense, I am in the end optimistic.

Q: Holy Father, I’m sorry but I don’t speak Italian well. So I’ll be asking my question in English. There has been a call from Australian victims of sexual abuse by clergy for Your Holiness to address the issue and to offer an apology to the victims during your visit to Australia.

Cardinal Pell himself has said that it would be appropriate for the Pope to address the issue, and you, yourself made a similar gesture on your recent trip to the United States. Will Your Holiness be speaking on the issue of sexual abuse and will you be offering an apology?

Benedict XVI: Yes, the problem is essentially the same as in the United States. I felt obliged to speak about it in the United States because it is essential for the Church to reconcile, to prevent, to help and also to see guilt in these problems, so I will essentially say the same things as I said in America.

As I said we have three dimensions to clarify: The first I mention is our moral teaching. It must be clear, it was always clear from the first centuries that priesthood, to be a priest, is incompatible with this behavior, because the priest is in the service of Our Lord, and Our Lord is holiness in person, and always teaching us — the Church has always insisted on this.

We have to reflect on what was insufficient in our education, in our teaching in recent decades: There was, in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, the idea of proportionalism in ethics: It held that no thing is bad in itself, but only in proportion to others; with proportionalism it was possible to think for some subjects — one could also be pedophilia — that in some proportion they could be a good thing.

Now, it must be stated clearly, this was never Catholic doctrine. There are things which are always bad, and pedophilia is always bad. In our education, in the seminaries, in our permanent formation of the priests, we have to help priests to really be close to Christ, to learn from Christ, and so to be helpers, and not adversaries of our fellow human beings, of our Christians.

So, we will do everything possible to clarify what is the teaching of the Church and help in the education and in the preparation of priests, in permanent formation, and we will do all possible to heal and to reconcile the victims. I think this is the essential content of what the word “apologize” says. I think it is better, more important to give the content of the formula, and I think the content has to say what was insufficient in our behavior, what we must do in this moment, how we can prevent and how we all can heal and reconcile.

[Translation from Italian]

Q: One of the arguments of the last Group of Eight meeting in Japan was the struggle against climate change. Australia is a country that is very sensitive to this topic because of the acute drought and dramatic climatic events in this region of the world. Do you think that the decisions taken in this field are up to the measure of the challenge? Will you address this argument during your trip?

Benedict XVI: As I already pointed out in my first answer, this problem will certainly be very present in this World Youth Day, because we speak of the Holy Spirit and, consequently, we speak of creation and of our responsibility in encounters with creation.

I do not presume to enter into the technical questions that politicians and specialists must resolve, but to give the essential impetus to see the responsibilities, to be capable of responding to this great challenge: To rediscover in creation the face of the creator, to rediscover our responsibility before the creator for his creation, which he has entrusted to us, to form the ethical capacity for a lifestyle that must be assumed if we wish to address the problems of this situation and if we really want to arrive at positive solutions. Hence, to awaken consciences and see the great context of this problem, in which later are placed the detailed answers that it is not for us to give, but for politics and specialists.

Q: While you are in Australia, the bishops of the Anglican Communion, which is very widespread also in Australia, are meeting in Lambeth Palace. One of the main arguments will be possible ways to consolidate communion between the provinces and to find a way to ensure that one or more provinces do not take initiatives that others see as contrary to the Gospel and tradition.

Is there the risk of a fragmentation of the Anglican Communion and the possibility that some will ask to be received into the Catholic Church. What is your hope for the Lambeth Conference and for the archbishop of Canterbury?

Benedict XVI: My essential contribution can only be prayer and with my prayer I will be very close to the Anglican bishops meeting in Lambeth Conference.

We cannot and must not intervene immediately in their discussions, we respect their own responsibility and it is our hope that schisms and new breaks can be avoided, and that a responsible solution will be found given our times, but also in fidelity to the Gospel. These two things must go together.

Christianity is always contemporary and lives in this world, in a certain time, but it renders present in this time the message of Jesus Christ and, hence, offers a true contribution for this time only be being faithful — in a mature and creative way — but faithful to the message of Christ.

We hope, and I personally pray, that together they will find the way of the Gospel for our day. This is my wish for the archbishop of Canterbury: That the Anglican Communion in communion with the Gospel of Christ and the Word of the Lord will find the answers to the present challenges.

[Translation by ZENIT原文为意大利文]

教宗给澳大利亚及朝圣青年的信息

13日，澳大利亚电视台转播了一个视频信息，其内容是教宗本笃十六世要求参加世界青年节的年轻人要将对耶稣基 督的信仰通传给他们的同龄人。在此，教宗也特别感谢澳大利亚人民，因为他们慷慨的接受了在自己国家举行今年的世界青年节。以下为信息全文：

致敬爱的澳大利亚人民和所有参加二零零八年世界青年节的年轻朝圣者们： “当圣神降临到你们身上时，你们将充满圣神的德能，并为我作证人”（宗，一，8）

愿我们的父天主和主耶稣基督的恩宠与平安与你们同在！再过几天我将开始对你们国家的牧灵访问，并在悉尼举行第二十三届世界青年节。我一直期待着与你们在一起的这个日子，特别是与来自世界各地的青年们一起祈祷和反思的日子。

首先，我要感谢所有那些为这次大会能成功举行所付出各方面努力的人们，他们有的付出了自己的时间，有的提供了物质上的帮助，有的通过祈祷来默默的给予支持。澳大利亚政府和新南威尔士州政府，组织所有活动的负责人，和企业界提供赞助的成员们 – 总 之，凡是慷慨支持这次大会的人们，在此，我代表所有参加这次世界青年节的年轻人们对你们表示真诚的感谢。很多年轻人为了能够来澳大利亚参加青年大会付出了 巨大的牺牲，在此我也祈望他们的付出能得到相应的赏报。许多堂区，学校和家庭在接待朝圣青年一事上都表现的非常慷慨，这些人也很值得感谢和赞赏。

“当圣神降临到你们身上时，你们将充满圣神的德能，并为我作证人”（宗，一，8）。 这是第二十三届世界青年节的主题。我们的世界是多么需要一个新的圣神的泉源啊！仍然有许多人还没听到耶稣基督的喜讯；也有许多人，由于种种原因，他们没有 从这个喜讯中认识到救恩的真理，而这项真理也正是他们内心深处所向往的那种渴望。圣咏的作者祈祷说：“你一嘘气万物造成，你使大地焕然一新”（咏，一〇 四，30）。我坚信年轻人都被召叫做这种更新工作的工具，他们可以把认识和追随耶稣经验的喜乐带给他们的同龄人，同时也将圣神倾注在他们心中的爱与周围的人分享，好使他们也充满希望并对他们从天主父那里所接受的美好事物表达其感恩之心。

生活在今天这个时代的许多年轻人都缺乏希望。面对世界上那些紧迫而又混乱的问题，他们感到非常的迷茫，他们 在寻求这些问题的解答时，往往不知道何去何从。看到贫穷和不正义的现象之后，他们都希望能够找到一个解决之道。他们的思维受到了那些否认天主存在者们论点 的影响，也不知道该如何面对这些问题。他们看到了由于人类的贪婪给自然环境所带来的巨大损害，他们设法寻求与大日然和其它事物之间最大的和谐生活。

究竟从哪里我们才可以找到正确的答案？圣神指给我们一条路，这条路将带领我们走向生命，爱和真理。圣神也会带领我们走向耶稣基督。圣奥斯定给我们留下一句明言说：“如果你想保持年轻，那就应该去寻找基督”。 在他内我们可以得到我们所寻找的答案，我们会发现值得我们去生活的目标，也会找到继续往前走的力量，正是这种不断前进的精神使这个世界变的更完美。圣奥斯 定在叙述他年轻时生活的名著“忏悔录”的开始说到，只有在天主内，我们的心才会得到安宁。我所做的祈祷是，希望来悉尼参加世界青年节的年轻人们的心能够在 天主内得到真正的安宁，充满喜悦并怀着极大的信心在朋友，家庭和所接触的人们中宣扬福音的喜讯。

亲爱的澳大利亚朋友们，虽然我在你们国家的时间只有短短的几天，我也不可能去悉尼以外的其它城市，但我的心 会临到该国的每一个角落，其中也包括患病的人或生活在各种困境中的人们。我代表所有的青年们再次感谢你们对我个人的使命所给予的支持，我也请求你们继续为 这些青年人祈祷。最后，我再次邀请全世界青年人都来澳大利亚与我相会，因为这里是“圣神的南方之城”。我希望在那里能看到你们！愿天主降福你们。

二零零八年七月四日发自梵蒂冈

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you: and you will be my witnesses” (Act 1:8）

The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you! In a few days from now, I shall begin my Apostolic Visit to your country, in order to celebrate the Twenty-Third World Youth Day in Sydney. I very much look forward to the days that I shall spend with you, and especially to the opportunities for prayer and reflection with young people from all over the world.

First of all, I want to express my appreciation to all those who have offered so much of their time, their resources and their prayers in support of this celebration. The Australian Government and the Provincial Government of New South Wales, the organizers of all the events, and members of the business community who have provided sponsorship – all of you have willingly supported this event, and on behalf of the young people taking part in the World Youth Day, I thank you most sincerely. Many of the young people have made great sacrifices in order to undertake the journey to Australia, and I pray that they will be rewarded abundantly. The parishes, schools and host families have been most generous in welcoming these young visitors, and they too deserve our thanks and our appreciation.

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you: and you will be my witnesses” (Act 1:8). This is the theme of the Twenty-Third World Youth Day. How much our world needs a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit! There are still many who have not heard the Good News of Jesus Christ, while many others, for whatever reason, have not recognized in this Good News the saving truth that alone can satisfy the deepest longings of their hearts. The Psalmist prays: “when you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth” (Ps 104:30). It is my firm belief that young people are called to be instruments of that renewal, communicating to their peers the joy they have experienced through knowing and following Christ, and sharing with others the love that the Spirit pours into their hearts, so that they too will be filled with hope and with thanksgiving for all the good things they have received from our heavenly Father.

Many young people today lack hope. They are perplexed by the questions that present themselves ever more urgently in a confusing world, and they are often uncertain which way to turn for answers. They see poverty and injustice and they long to find solutions. They are challenged by the arguments of those who deny the existence of God and they wonder how to respond. They see great damage done to the natural environment through human greed and they struggle to find ways to live in greater harmony with nature and with one another.

Where can we look for answers? The Spirit points us towards the way that leads to life, to love and to truth. The Spirit points us towards Jesus Christ. There is a saying attributed to Saint Augustine: “If you wish to remain young, seek Christ”. In him we find the answers that we are seeking, we find the goals that are truly worth living for, we find the strength to pursue the path that will bring about a better world. Our hearts find no rest until they rest in the Lord, as Saint Augustine says at the beginning of the Confessions, the famous account of his own youth. My prayer is that the hearts of the young people who gather in Sydney for the celebration of World Youth Day will truly find rest in the Lord, and that they will be filled with joy and fervour for spreading the Good News among their friends, their families, and all whom they meet.

Dear Australian friends, although I will only be able to spend a few days in your country, and I will not be able to travel outside Sydney, my heart reaches out to all of you, including those who are sick or in difficulties of any kind. On behalf of all the young people, I thank you again for your support of my mission and I ask you to continue praying for them especially. It remains only for me to renew my invitation to the young people from all over the world to join me in Australia, the great “southern land of the Holy Spirit”. I look forward to seeing you there! May God bless you all.

From the Vatican, 4 July 2008

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

本届世青节主题曲中文及国际版

《领受神恩》

每一个国家，每一个民族，
相聚为敬拜你。
我们喜悦地来到你跟前，
我们要跟随你到地极。
对歌：阿肋路亚！阿肋路亚！
领受圣神的德能！
阿肋路亚！阿肋路亚！
领受圣神的德能，成为世界的光！
你的圣神召唤我们，
我们答复你的召唤和承行你的旨意。
我们将为你的仁慈和生生不息的爱
作永恒的见证。
对歌：阿肋路亚！阿肋路亚！
领受圣神的德能！
阿肋路亚！阿肋路亚！
领受圣神的德能，成为世界的光！

副歌：天主的羔羊，我们敬拜你，
神圣的主，我们敬拜你，
生命之粮，我们敬拜你，
厄马努尔，我们敬拜你。

天主的羔羊，我们敬拜你，
神圣的主，我们敬拜你，
生命之粮，我们敬拜你，
厄马努尔，我们敬拜你。

对歌：阿肋路亚！阿肋路亚！
领受圣神的德能！
阿肋路亚！阿肋路亚！
领受圣神的德能，成为世界的光！

国际版〈Receive the Power〉