Speeches 1970 - Sydney, Australia
Thursday, 3 December 1970
We do not wish to leave the hospitable soil of Australia without addressing to all a greeting filled with emotion and gratitude for the remarkable welcome given Us.
First of all We express Our warm gratitude to His Excellency the Governor-General, to the Prime Minister and to the members of the national Government; also to the State authorities and those of the City of Sydney. We thank them for their courtesy and the care they have taken to make Our stay a pleasant one. Let them be assured that their efforts were crowned with complete success.
We thank Our venerable brother, the Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney, and the bishops of the whole of Australia and of places much more distant for the very many marks of respectful attachment which they have shown to Our humble person. We wished Our journey to be of a spiritual order, and this memorable meeting has enabled Us to see for Ourself here the magnitude of the task to be accomplished and the apostolic energy which is being applied to ensure a successful outcome.
Our thanks go to the priests, the religious, and all Our dear Catholic children of Australia for the loving eagerness with which they expressed their filial affection for Us. Our thanks go to all whom We had the opportunity to meet, men and women, young and old. We take away with Us a grand memory deep in Our heart. Great strides have been made here in a remarkably short time towards a better understanding between believers of different religions. The atmosphere of freedom and mutual respect which is found in your country has been a comfort to Us; We would like it to be found everywhere else in a similar degree for the greater benefit of the peoples themselves.
The dynamism characteristic of young countries permeates your whole life. May God keep it fresh within you, so that you may be able to face up to al1 your responsibilities, both within and beyond your frontiers. The hour has come for the great fellowship of men with each other, and for the setting up of a United and fraternal World community.
We thank God for so fruitful a stay, and We invoke upon you his abundant blessings.
Farewell, Australia.
Thursday, 3 December 1970
We are happy that this journey gives Us the occasion to make a stop in this great and beautiful land of Indonesia where none of Our predecessors ever set foot, but where Catholics have been present for more than four hundred years, striving to do good to those around them.
It was in fact in the year 1546 that one of our greatest saints, Francis Xavier, after skirting the coasts of Sumatra and Java, came to fix his residence for a while at Amboina and Ternate, laying the foundation of the future work of his brothers and successors.
In leaving family and country to come here, this servant of God acted not from political ambition. He was not trying to acquire riches by trade or to seek glory or the pleasure of seeing new things and speaking of them to the world. His wish was to do good, the greatest good possible to his fellowmen, because he knew that was what God wished of him.
We Ourself have no other intention on Our various journeys to all points of the globe. What We try to do with all Our poor strength is to work for the bettering of men’s lot, with the aim of bringing about the reign of peace and the triumph of justice, without which no peace is enduring.
As We approached your shores, We were able to admire from above the rich verdant lands of this endless chain of islands which make your beautiful country one of the world’s greatest in length.
Because of its extent, it is also a country in which many races, cultures and religions live side by side. All the great religions of the world meet here: Moslem, Buddhist, Hindu, Confucianist and Christian; all of them are recognized as official religions by the country’s Constitution, which moreover sets up as one of the five pillars of the country, faith in a «Divine Omnipotence».
We consider it consequently a duty and a joy to praise the Government and people for the fine example thus given to the world of a high religious sense, and of collaboration and reciprocal enrichment in diversity. In fact We have pleasure in repeating here: «We acknowledge with respect the spiritual and moral values of the various non-Christian religions, for we desire to join with them in promoting and defending common ideals in the spheres of religious liberty, human brotherhood teaching and education, social welfare, and civic order» (Ecclesiam suam, AAS., LVI (1963), p. 655). The Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in religions. «She looks with sincere respect upon those ways of conduct and of life, those rules and teachings which, though differing in many particulars from what she holds and teaches, nevertheless often bring a ray of the Truth that enlightens all men» (Nostra aetate NAE 2).
«Upon the Moslems the Church looks with esteem. They adore one God, living and subsisting in himself, merciful and all-powerful, one who has made heaven and earth and who has spoken to men» (Ibid., 3). She admires those who in Hinduism «seek release from the anguish of our condition through ascetical practices or deep meditation or a loving, trusting flight towards God» (Ibid., 2).
She recognizes that Buddhism «acknowledges the radical insufficiency of this shifting world and that it teaches a path by which men, in a devout and confident spirit, can either reach a state of absolute liberation or attain supreme enlightenment by their own efforts or by higher assistance» (Nostra aetate NAE 2).
It was with these sentiments that We stated: «The Church must enter into dialogue with the world in which it lives. It has something to say, a message to give, a communication to make» (Ecclesiam suam, A.A.S., LVI (1964), p. 639).
We are happy to have here beside Us a man of your people and of your blood: Cardinal Darmojuwono, in whose hands is the highest Catholic authority of your country. Besides him there are other bishops born in your country, and an ever-increasing number of priests are preparing themselves to succeed the missionaries. The latter too have generously given up all in order to help your people in every field within their power; they live your life, and have adopted as their own your customs and interests. The best reply that can be given to those who see in the Catholic Church a strictly European organization is this: the Church is catholic, that is to say, universal; in every land she gives the proof of it as you have here before your eyes.
Our appreciative greeting goes to the devoted missionaries scattered throughout your islands. We greet with no less emotion the growing generation of priests and bishops of your own country. As father We give Our blessing to the numerous faithful around Us and to the many more who have not been able to come. We greet with respect the representatives elf all the other religions who have honoured us by their presence. We thank the authorities of the country who made this meeting possible and who have welcomed Us with so much courtesy. Let them rest assured that they will find in all their Christian subjects most devoted helpers for the realization of the noble ideals which they have conceived for the ever greater and ever more rapid progress of Indonesia, which is so generously endowed by God with beauty, and an abundance of resources of every kind.
With all Our heart, We invoke upon all of you the blessing of God, the Almighty.
Thursday, 3 December 1970
We would not have satisfied Our desire of meeting the great peoples of Asia if We had not included this stop at Djakarta, the capital of Indonesia. We were happy to greet the Indonesian people on Our arrival at the airport. We wish, dear sons and daughters, in this cathedral which is your temple for prayer to say a very special word to you. It is in this raising of our souls together for an act of thanksgiving to God that we are gathered here, enlivened by the same faith and the same will to bring men the good news of salvation.
We have come from afar. You know that Our concern it for all the Churches, and that Our affectionate and prayerful thought never ceases to go out from Rome to each of Our brothers in the faith. Today We are given the joy of speaking to you, Our brothers in the episcopate, and to you too, priests and religious, who represent in a privileged way the mission of evangelization entrusted to every disciple of Christ (Cfr. Lumen gentium LG 17). We know your love for Jesus Christ and his Church. We appreciate your zeal for the Gospel. We tell of Our hope of seeing the truth of salvation spread wider still in Asia; it is destined no less for this continent, since the Gospel must be preached to all creation (Cfr. Marc. 16: 16). May the Lord sustain your courage. May he unceasingly increase your love.
You who are priests must appreciate the greatness of your priesthood, which makes you like Christ the eternal high priest (Cfr. Hebr.5: 1-10). Like him, go about doing good, urged on by his love (2Co 5,14), proclaiming the Word, sanctifying your faithful people and presenting to God the needs and the prayers of all (Cfr. Hebr. 5: 1-10).
You who are religious must live in faith and in the joy of your self-giving for the good of the whole Church. May God assist you in your work, each according to his powers and according to the form of his own vocation, of implanting and strengthening the kingdom of Christ in souls and of extending that kingdom to every land (Cfr. Lumen gentium LG 44).
We greet with paternal affection the Christian people. Before the world you are the living witness of the universality of the Gospel message. The Church which has the mission of spreading that message is not bound to any one race or culture; every people finds in it the principles that will raise it up, for the Church in carrying out its mission cooperates with and stimulates the work of civilization (Gaudium et spes GS 58).
May God lavish his grace upon you. With all Our heart We give you Our paternal Apostolic Blessing. Semoga Tuhan selalu melindungi Saudara-Saudara sekalian!
Thursday, 3 December 1970
Mister President,
It was with much satisfaction that We accepted your pressing invitation to stop at Djakarta. In spite of the length of this journey it was Our wish to do so, as a sign of Our esteem for your numerous people, who are so dear to Us, and as a mark of appreciation of the friendly relations established on an official level between the Indonesian nation and the Holy See. To you and to the members of your Government We express Our warm gratitude for the gracious welcome We have received in your country.
We also wished to express to the Indonesian people both Our appreciation of their dynamism and their desire for progress, and also Our respect for their spiritual traditions. Is not belief in one God inscribed at the head of the five basic principles of your national life?
Because of Our office We have felt it Our duty to extend a special greeting to those who share Our faith, the Catholics of Indonesia. Under the guidance of their bishops and of the Indonesian clergy, and with the assistance elf worthy missionaries, the Catholics of this country lead their lives, faithful both to the Christian principles they share with all their brothers in the faith throughout the world and also to the values that belong to their own national culture. They are sons and daughters of Indonesia-as loyal as all the others-anxious to build, along with their fellow-countrymen, a nation able to ensure for all men conditions of life which befit their dignity as human beings. While the Catholic Church asks to be able to spread her faith freely and to see her faithful free to fulfil their religious duties, within the framework of the institutions set up by the State, she desires at the same time to give clear expression to her confidence in and her admiration for the human and religious destiny of the Indonesian people. It is because she earnestly wishes to make her contribution to the attainment of an integral development of the whole man and of every man that she offers her services through her various social institutions (Cfr. Populorum progressio PP 42). Accordingly, although Church and State are not situated on the same plane-since the State pursues aims belonging to the temporal order, while the Church is concerned above all with spiritual uplifting-a happy collaboration between the two is possible and desirable, for the activities of both are complementary and work together for man’s full self-realization in every respect.
We pray Almighty God to bless you, your collaborators in the leadership of this immense country, and the whole Indonesian people. Sekian dan terima kasih.
*AAS 63 (1970), p.75-76.
Insegnamenti di Paolo VI, vol. VIII, p.1377-1378.
L’Osservatore Romano, 4.12.1970, p.2.
ORa n.51 p.7, 8.
Friday, 4 December 1970
The hour of Our departure from Indonesian soil has come. Allow Us to say to you in these few words all the appreciation which fills Our heart at the thought of the wonderful reception you have given Us. Once again the traditional hospitality of Asia has been proved true.
We extend Our respectful greeting to the authorities of the country. They have shown Us so much courtesy. We will not cease to pray for the prosperity, concord and happiness of the Indonesian people; notwithstanding our differences in civilization and religion this will be the best way to be united. For when hearts have succeeded in drawing close to each other to address the Almighty, men begin straightway to set up bonds of brotherhood-and that is a condition for the happy fulfilment of a shared task.
We thank all who have welcomed Us, and those who have taken part in organizing this swift encounter.
Terima kasih. Selamat tinggal. Sampai berdjumpa lagi.
International Airport of Hong Kong
Friday, 4 December 1970
The Lord be with you!
This is our greeting: the greeting that We bring to you from Catholic Rome-so far away in distance, so near in spirit-the greeting We express to you, the good people of Hong Kong, whelm We have the honour and pleasure of visiting today.
The time of Our presence among you is brief, but it is sufficient to make Us enjoy profoundly a sense of fellowship, a brotherhood, that fills Our heart and will always remain with Us. The wisdom of China has produced the saying «All Men are Brothers», and We are experiencing the meaning of this. Greetings to you all, Our brothers.
Although We have seen only little of Hong Kong, We know of the vast progress you have made in recent years. We shall invoke God’s blessing on your continued efforts to promote justice, prosperity and peace.
To the civil authorities of Hong Kong, especially to you, Sir Hugh, goes Our deep gratitude for having welcomed Us with such courtesy. Our sincere respect and best wishes to all who have received Us so kindly.
To all the people We have met, and to the unnumbered we seem to see beyond this room, We express Our cordial and sincere greetings.
T’in chue po yau.
Friday, 4 Decemeber 1970
On our return journey, We have the joy of being able to call at Colombo to greet «the pearl of the Indian Ocean» and. in this way to respond to the gracious invitation which has been extend to Us.
We offer Our greetings to the Governor-General, His Excellency Mr William Gopallawa, the representative of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, to the Prime Minister, the Honourable Mrs Bandaranaike, to the Members of the Government, and at the same time to the national and local authorities who have honoured us by coming to welcome us. We are aware of your determination to implement in your country a courageous social policy, designed to ensure better living conditions and prosperity for all. By the grace of God and Our words of encouragement, may this Our visit contribute to strengthen among us, especially among Our Catholic brethren, an awareness of that duty towards society which is binding on all.
We greet with fraternal affection Cardinal Thomas Cooray, the bishops of the Island and their Catholic people. We thank God for having given Us the satisfaction of this meeting to unite Ourself with you in prayer, to encourage you in the service of God and of your neighbour. As you know, you cannot have one without the other, and no Christian conscience could neglect one without thereby damaging the other, for professing the faith involves witnessing to a brotherhood that is really part of one’s life.
We greet al1 the noble people of Ceylon who have come in such numbers to show their warm hospitality. From Our heart, We thank them and assure them of the deep affection of the Pope.
May God bless this land of Ceylon and may he protect its entire people.
Jayave sri lanka.
International Airport of Colombo
Saturday, 5 December 1970
At the end of this long journey, We are now about to leave for Rome. It is among you, dear people of Ceylon, that We end these unforgettable days of travelling. Before leaving, however, We could not fail to express Our profound gratitude for having been permitted to bring to a conclusion in your midst Our visits to the Christian communities of the vast continents of Asia and Oceania. God has drawn Us to undertake this journey to show first of all to Our brothers in the faith Our will to share in their labours and anxieties. We wished to show Our desire to see the Catholic Church accomplish her mission in harmony with the traditions and cultures of Asia-traditions and cultures which are so worthy of respect. This journey was meant also as a sign to the members of other religious confessions, and indeed to all men of goodwill, of the earnest desire of the Catholic Church to make her contribution in a spirit of mutual respect, understanding and esteem, to the task of ensuring for the inhabitants of these regions-particularly for the young and for the poor-the conditions necessary for the full development of their God-given potential.
We wish Our prayer to join with yours in imploring the Almighty for the justice, peace and happiness of individuals and families, of social groups and of nations so that men may begin to live at last as brothers.
Thank you again for your welcome. In imparting to you Our fatherly Apostolic Blessing, We call down upon all of you the richest favours of God.
Siyal’u denatema bohome isthuthi.
Speeches 1970 - Sydney, Australia