VATICAN - The Pope at the General Audience reflected on the events of his apostolic journey to the United States of America: “To this Church, which now faces the challenges of the present, I have had the joy of announcing anew 'Christ Our Hope' of yesterday, today and forever.”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “Although several days have passed since my return, I still wish to dedicate today’s catechesis, as is customary, to the apostolic journey that took me to the United Nations Organization and the United States of America, April 15-21,” the Holy Father Benedict XVI said in the General Audience on Wednesday, April 30. The Pope reiterated his recognition of the United States Catholic Bishops’ Conference, President Bush, and all those present, for their warm welcome. “However, I also wish to extend my ‘thank you’ to all those who, in Washington and New York, came to greet me and to show their love for the Pope, and for those who have accompanied and supported me with their prayers and with their sacrifices.”
Reflecting on the highlights of his apostolic journey, the Pope first recalled his meeting with President Bush, in which he was able to pay homage “to that great country, which from its beginnings was built on the foundation of a harmonious union between religious, ethical and political principles, and which still constitutes a valid example of healthy laicism, where the religious dimension, in the diversity of its expressions, is not only tolerated but turned to advantage as the 'soul' of the nation and the fundamental guarantee of the rights and duties of human beings.”
In his meeting with the Bishops, at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, in Washington, he was able to support his brother bishops, “in their difficult task of spreading the Gospel in a society marked by no small number of contradictions, which also threaten the coherence of Catholics and even of the clergy. I encouraged them to make their voices heard on the moral and social questions of the day, and to form the lay faithful so they become good 'leavening' in the civil community on the base of that fundamental cell which is the family... Reflecting upon the painful question of sexual abuse of minors by ordained ministers, I told the bishops of my closeness, and encouraged them in the task of binding wounds and strengthening their relationships with their priests.”
During the Eucharistic celebration held in the Nationals Stadium in Washington, the Holy Spirit was invoked, “upon the Church in America that she may face current and future challenges with courage and hope.” One of these challenges is certainly that of education, Pope Benedict XVI said, recalling his encounter at the Catholic University of America with its professors and students. “The educational task is an integral part of the mission of the Church, and the U.S. Church community has always been very committed in this field, offering at the same time a great social and cultural service to the entire country. It is important that this can continue. And it is in the same way important to take care of the quality of the Catholic educational centers.”
The meetings with representatives of other religions, “formed an important part” of his trip, the Pontiff said, as they offered an occasion for confirming their “common commitment to dialogue and to promoting peace and spiritual and moral values. In what may be considered as the homeland of religious freedom, I recalled how such freedom must be defended with congruous efforts to avoid all forms of discrimination and prejudice. I also highlighted the great responsibility religious leaders have, both in teaching respect and non-violence and in upholding the deepest questions of the human conscience.”
During his visit to U.N. headquarters, on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Holy Father was able “to confirm, in the most great and authoritative supranational assembly, the value of this declaration, recalling its universal basis, that is, the dignity of the human person created by God in his image and likeness to cooperate in the world with his great design of life and peace. Respect for human rights is rooted, as well as in peace, in 'justice,' that is, in an ethical order valid in all times and for all peoples.”
Among the other important moments of his apostolic journey, Pope Benedict XVI recalled the Mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral, in the heart of Manhattan, with priests and consecrated persons from all over the country: “I will never forget the warmth with which they congratulated me for the third anniversary of my election to the See of Peter. It was a moving moment, in which I experienced in a tangible way all of the support of the Church for my ministry.” To the youth and seminarians, the Pope presented them with “the figures of several men and women who have born witness to the Gospel in an exemplary manner, in the land of America...Facing the darkness today that threatens the lives of young people, the young people can find in the saints the light that dispels this darkness: the light of Christ, the hope for every man!”
“This hope, which is stronger than sin and death, filled that emotionally intense moment I lived in the silence of the chasm of Ground Zero, where I lit a candle and prayed for all the victims of the terrible tragedy. Finally, my visit culminated with the celebration of the Eucharist in Yankee Stadium in New York: I still carry in my heart that festival of faith and brotherhood, with which we celebrated the 200 years of the oldest dioceses of North America. The original little flock has progressed enormously, enriching itself with the faith and the traditions of successive waves of immigration. To this Church, which now faces the challenges of the present, I have had the joy of announcing anew 'Christ Our Hope' of yesterday, today and forever.” With these words, the Holy Father concluded his discourse. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 2/5/2008; righe 71, parole 952)