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Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
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                               VIS-Press releases

THE MISSION DEPENDS UPON OUR EFFORTS AND UPON DIVINE GRACE

VATICAN CITY, APR 21, 2007 (VIS) - Shortly after 3 p.m. today, Benedict XVI
departed from Rome's Ciampino airport bound for the northern Italian town of
Vigevano, on the first stage of his two-day pastoral visit to the dioceses of
Vigevano and Pavia.

At 4.40 p.m., after a brief stopover in the airport of Milan, the Pope's
helicopter landed in Vigevano's "Dante Merlo" stadium from where he travelled
by popemobile to the town center. Along the route, he passed in front of the
convent of cloistered nuns of the Sisters Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament who
came out to greet him. At 5.15, he arrived at the bishop's residence where he
was welcomed by the local religious and civil authorities.

The Pope appeared at the balcony of the episcopal residence, overlooking Piazza
Sant'Ambrogio, to greet the thousands of people gathered there, including many
young people and groups of sick. "I thank you," he said, "for your cordial and
enthusiastic welcome. As I descended from the helicopter, I could almost hear
the echo of the bells of all the churches in the diocese which rang out at
midday today to wish me a choral welcome."

"Here in Vigevano, the only diocese in Lombardy not visited by my venerated
predecessor John Paul II, I have chosen to begin my pastoral pilgrimage within
Italy. Thus it is as if I am resuming the path he followed, to continue to
proclaim to the men and women of Italy the announcement, ancient yet ever new,
that resounds with particular vitality in this time of Easter: Christ is risen!
Christ is alive! Christ is with us today and forever."

After his greetings, Benedict XVI went to Piazza Ducale where he presided at a
Eucharistic concelebration with Lombard bishops and priests of the diocese of
Vigevano.

In his homily he recalled the words from the Gospel reading, "cast the net ...
and you will find" which Jesus addressed to His disciples on Lake Tiberias
after a fruitless fishing expedition that had lasted all night. The empty net,
the Pope remarked, must have appeared to the Apostles "as the outcome of their
experience with Jesus: they had known Him and accompanied Him, and He had
promised them so much, and yet there they were with their nets empty of fish."

Christ came out to meet them, though the disciples did not recognize Him.
Nonetheless "they trusted Jesus and the result was a miraculously abundant
catch of fish." It was then that John became aware of the presence of the Risen
One and exclaimed: "'It is the Lord!' This spontaneous profession of faith,"
said Pope Benedict, "is also an invitation for us to proclaim that the Risen
Christ is the Lord of our lives."

"I have come here among you," the Holy Father continued, "above all to
encourage you to be zealous witnesses to Christ. It is faithful adherence to
His word that will make your pastoral activities fruitful. When the work in the
Lord's vineyard seems in vain, like the Apostles nighttime efforts, it must not
be forgotten that Jesus is capable of overturning everything in a moment. This
evangelical episode ... reminds us, on the one hand, that we must commit
ourselves to pastoral activities as if the outcome depended entirely upon our
own efforts; on the other hand, it brings us to understand that the true
success of our mission is entirely a gift of Grace. In the mysterious designs
of His wisdom, God knows when it is time to intervene."

"What does Christ's invitation to 'cast the net' actually mean?" the Pope
asked. "In the first place it means, as it did for the disciples, believing in
Him and trusting in His word. Jesus asks you, as He asked them, to follow Him
with a sincere and firm faith. Listen, then, to His word and meditate upon it
every day. ... Following the fundamental guidelines of the Synod and the
instructions of your pastor, remain united and open yourselves to the vast
horizons of evangelization. ... Sharing, collaborating and a feeling of joint
responsibility, this is the spirit that must constantly animate your community.

"Such a community requires everyone's contribution" he added. "Individual
parishes - like the tiles of a mosaic and in full harmony among themselves -
will form a living Church that is an organic part of the People of God."
Moreover, "an indispensable contribution to evangelization comes from lay
associations, communities and groups."

Benedict XVI also encouraged his listeners "to continue to look after young
people, both those who are 'near' and those who are 'far away.' In this context
tirelessly promote ... a form of vocational pastoral care that helps the young
in their search for a true meaning to give to their lives." The Pope also
recalled that the family "is the principal element of social life, and so only
by working in support of families can we renew the fabric of the ecclesial
community and of civil society itself."

The Pope concluded his homily by mentioning the patron saints of Vigevano: St.
Ambrose, St. Charles Borromeo and Blessed Matteo Carreri, and he also referred
to other people from the local area whose causes of beatification are currently
underway. These include Fr. Francesco Pianzola who "went out to meet the
spiritual poverty of his time with a courageous missionary style," and Teresio
Olivelli, a layman of Catholic Action "who died at the age of just 29 in the
Hersbruck concentration camp, a sacrificial victim of a brutal form of violence
which he tenaciously opposed with the ardor of charity."

Finally, the Holy Father commended the community to the Mother of God "that a
renewed effusion of the Holy Spirit" may descend upon the diocese. He also
reiterated how the "disciples' tiring and fruitless night's fishing is a
perennial admonishment for the Church of all times: alone, without Jesus, we
can do nothing!"

Following the Mass, the Pope travelled by helicopter to Pavia where he arrived
at 8.15 p.m.
PV-ITALY/HOMILY/VIGEVANOVIS 070423 (1010)

SUMMARY

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