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'The
witness value of our efforts is always a sign of hope for everyone'
On the
afternoon of Saturday, 19 April [2008], the Holy Father visited new
York's St Joseph's Seminary, established in 1896. He was met by Cardinal
Edward Egan, Archbishop of New York, and the Seminary Rector, Bishop
Gerald T. Walsh.
In the
large Chapel the Pope blessed about 50 disabled young people. After a
greeting by a representative, the Pope delivered the following Address
to the group.
Your Eminence,
Bishop Walsh,
Dear Friends,
I am very happy to have this opportunity to spend a brief moment with
you. I thank Cardinal Egan for his welcome and especially thank your
representatives for their kind words and for the gift of the drawing.
Know that it is a special joy for me to be with you. Please give my
greetings to your parents and family members, and your teachers and
caregivers.
God has blessed you with life, and with differing talents and gifts.
Through these you are able to serve him and society in various ways.
While some people's contributions seem great and others' more modest,
the witness value of our efforts is always a sign of hope for everyone.
Sometimes it is challenging to find a reason for what appears only as a
difficulty to be overcome or even pain to be endured. Yet our faith
helps us to break open the horizon beyond our own selves in order to see
life as God does. God's unconditional love, which bathes every human
individual, points to a meaning and purpose for all human life. Through
his Cross, Jesus in fact draws us into his saving love (cf. Jn 12:32)
and in so doing shows us the way ahead
—
the way of hope which transfigures us all, so that we too, become
bearers of that hope and charity for others.
Dear friends, I encourage you all to pray every day for our world. There
are so many intentions and people you can pray for, including those who
have yet to come to know Jesus. And please do continue to pray for me.
As you know I have just had another birthday. Time passes!
Thank you all again, including the Cathedral of Saint Patrick Young
Singers and the members of the Archdiocesan Deaf Choir. As a sign of
strength and peace and with great affection in our Lord, I impart to you
and your families, teachers and caregivers my Apostolic Blessing.
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