Pope Benedict talks Pentecost at May 7th Audience (Full Text with Pics)

Welcome to Opinionated Catholic's Weekly Papal Wednesday Audience Post

Translations from the usual sources have been slow to come out from yesterday's Papal Audience. Thankfully the Ratzinger Forum came through again and is one of the first that has a full English text up. Thanks!!! Also thanksforthe pics from yesterdays Wednesday Audience which I lifted from the Italian section.

The Holy Father did not do his usual talk on a Church Father. In anticipation of the great Feast of Pentecost this Sunday he gave a great talk on that. As you note we had guest at the Wednesday Audience and I am picking up through some news items that we might see some significant developments as to the Armenians!!! So it is fitting this visit occur when the Pope is talking about Pentecost. Anyway here we go

Bowling Green is in the House!!!!

The Holy Father held his regular General Audience today at St. Peter's Square, at which His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenia, was present. First, he greeted the Armenian Patriarch, in English:

It is my great joy today to greet His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and the distinguished delegation accompanying him. Your Holiness, I pray that the light of the Holy Spirit will illumine your pilgrimage to the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the important meetings you will have here, and particularly our personal conversations. I ask all who are present today to pray for God’s blessing upon this visit. Your Holiness, I thank you for your personal commitment to the growing friendship between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Catholic Church. In 2000, soon after your election, you came to Rome to meet Pope John Paul II, and a year later, you graciously received him in Holy Etchmiadzin. You came once again to Rome together with many Church leaders from East and West, for the funeral liturgy of Pope John Paul II. I am sure that this spirit of friendship will be further deepened during the coming days.

Silly Italian Journalist Catches the Pope again In his Superman Pose

In an external niche of Saint Peter’s Basilica, there is a fine statue of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, founder of the Armenian Church. It serves to remind us of the severe persecutions suffered by Armenian Christians, especially during the last century. Armenia’s many martyrs are a sign of the power of the Holy Spirit working in times of darkness, and a pledge of hope for Christians everywhere. Your Holiness, dear Bishops and dear friends, together with you I implore Almighty God, through the intercession of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, to help us grow in unity, in one holy bond of Christian faith, hope and love.

Afterwards, he gave his catechesis, this week on the subject of "The action of the Holy Spirit in the service of unity". Here is a translation.

Dear brothers and sisters, As you see, with us this morning is His Holiness, Catholicos Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians, accompanied by a distinguished delegation. I renew my expression of joy for the possibility given me today to welcome him: his presence today revives hope in the full unity of all Christians. I gladly take the occasion to thank him for the friendly welcome that he gave in Armenia recently to my Cardinal Secretary of State. It is a pleasure for me to recall the unforgettable visit that the Catholicos made to Rome in the year 2000, shortly after his election. Meeting him, my beloved predecessor John Paul II gave him a notable relic of St. Gregory the Illuminator, and subsequently, he went to Armenia to reciprocate the visit.

The commitment of the Apostolic Church of Armenia to ecumenical dialog is well-known, and I am sure that even this visit of the venerated Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians will contribute to intensify the relationship of brotherly friendship which links our Churches. These days of immediate preparation for the Solemnity of Pentecost stimulate us to revive hope in the help of the Holy Spirit to advance along the road of ecumenism.

We have the certainty that the Lord Jesus will never abandon us in the search for unity, since his Spirit is tirelessly at work to sustain our efforts to overcome every division and to repair every laceration in the living fabric of the Church. This was exactly what Jesus promised to the disciples in the last days of his earthly mission, as we heard earlier today in the Gospel reading: He assured them of the assistance of the Holy Spirit, which he would send so that they would continue to feel his presence (cfr Jn 14,16-17).

This promise became reality when, after the Resurrection, Jesus entered the Cenacle, greeted the disciples with the words "Peace be with you" and, breathing on each of them, he said, "Receive the Holy Spirit" (Jn 20,22), and he authorized them to forgive sins. Thus, the Holy Spirit appears here as a force for the forgiveness of sins, for the renewal of our hearts and our existence; and thus, he renews the earth and creates unity where there has been division. Then on the feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit manifested himself through other signs: a strong wind, tongues of fire, and the Apostles spoke in all the languages.

This is a sign that the Babylonian dispersion [the tower of Babel] - fruit of the pride that separates men - is overcome in the Spirit, who is charity and who gives unity in diversity. From the first moment of its existence then, the Church spoke in all the languages - thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit and the tongues of fire - and lives in all cultures. He does not destroy anything of their various gifts, of different charisms, but brings together everything and everyone in a great new unity which reconciles: unity and multiformity.

The Dark Lords of the Sith Come Over From the Dark Side

The Holy Spirit, who is eternal charity, the link of unity in the Trinity, unites dispersed men in divine charity through his power, thus creating the great multiform community of the Church in the whole world. In the days between the Ascension of our Lord to Pentecost Sunday, the disciples and Mary gathered in the Cenacle to pray. They knew that they themselves could not create and organize the Church: the Church had to be born and be organized by divine initiative - it is not a creation of ours but a gift of God. Thus, only the Church can create unity, a unity which should grow.

The Church in every age - in particular, during these nine days between Ascension and Pentecost - unites spiritually in the Cenacle with the Apostles and Mary to implore incessantly for the effusion of the Holy Spirit. Impelled by his strong wind, it can thus be capable of announcing the Gospel up to the extreme ends of the earth. That is why, even in the face of difficulties and divisions, Christians cannot resign themselves to discouragement nor yield to it.

This is what the Lord asks of us: to persevere in prayer in order to keep alive the flame of faith, charity and hope, which nourish the desire for full unity. Ut unum sint!, says the Lord - that they may be one. This invitation of Christ always resounds in our heart: an invitation that I had a chance to make again during my recent apostolic journey to the United Sates of America, where I referred to the centrality of prayer in the ecumenical movement. In this age of globalization but also of fragmentation, "without prayer, ecumenical structures, institutions and programs would be devoid of heart and soul" (Ecumenical encounter in the Church of St. Joseph, New York, April 18, 2008).

Let us give thanks to the Lord for the goals we have reached so far in the ecumenical dialog thanks to the action of the Holy Spirit. Let us remain obedient, listening to his voice, so that our hearts, filled with hope, may continue without pause along the road that leads to the full communion of all the disciples of Christ. St. Paul, in his Letter to the Galatians, recalls that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (5,22-23) These are the gifts of the Holy Spirit that even we invoke today for all Christians, so that in a common and generous service to the Gospel, they may be a sign in the world of God's love for mankind. Let us trustingly turn our eyes to Mary, Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit, and through her, let us pray, "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love". Amen.

In English, he said:

Today we welcome to our Audience His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, together with a delegation from the Armenian Apostolic Church. His presence among us, in these days before the Solemnity of Pentecost, spurs us to pray more fervently for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all Christians as we seek to advance along the path of ecumenism. The Risen Lord sent the Spirit upon his disciples, and from the day of Pentecost, the Church has constantly implored the Spirit’s gifts, which impel her to proclaim the Gospel before all the world.

The presence and activity of the Spirit remind us that Christ never abandons his Church. The Spirit sustains our efforts to overcome division, to persevere in prayer and to work for Christian unity. Prayer is the heart and soul of the ecumenical movement. Today, let us join in thanking the Lord for the Spirit’s work in fostering ecumenical dialogue and inspiring the hope of full unity. May the gifts of the Spirit lead all Christians to serve the Gospel with generosity and to be a sign of God’s love for all humanity. With Mary, let us pray: "Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love! Amen."

I offer a warm welcome to the Delegates taking part in the Annual Conference of the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland. I am also pleased to greet the pilgrims from Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Qatar. Upon all the English-speaking pilgrims, especially those from England, Scotland, Australia, India, Indonesia, Korea, Canada, Guam and the United States, I cordially invoke Almighty God’s abundant blessings of joy and peace.

At the very end, the Holy Father made this appeal in behalf of the people of Myanmar:

I personally take on the cry of sorrow and help from the dear people of Myanmar who have seen the unexpected destruction by the violence of cyclone Nargis of numerous lives, in addition to properties and means of subsistence. As I assured in my message expressing solidarity to the president of the Myanmar bishops conference, I am spiritually close to all affected persons. Moreover, I wish to repeat to all my invitation to open your heart to mercy and generosity so that, thanks to the cooperation of everyone who are able and willing to give aid, the sufferings caused by this immense tragedy may be alleviated.