September 2, 2004 - Remarks Archbishop O'Malley
offered at the Papal Audience in Rome
Ad
Limina Visit
Greetings to the Holy Father
As the Pastors of Provinces of Boston and Hartford we present ourselves
to you representing the 3,776,000 Catholics, 3,149 priests, 5,645
religious, and 582 deacons of New England. The first Mass was celebrated
in our region in 1604 on the Island of Sainte Croix in the State
of Maine. Over the centuries we have grown from a small persecuted
minority into a large and vibrant community. Today we are comprised
of many different ethnic groups, and we continue to welcome new immigrants.
Our recent history is one of great pain because of the tragedy
of clerical sexual abuse with its all devastating consequences. As
a Church we are striving
to bring healing to all of those affected by this crisis. Oftentimes the
victims and their families were among those most committed to the
life of the Church,
and so the abuse has been experienced as the most serious betrayal.
Our Catholic faith assures us that our God is so loving and powerful
that He brings good out of evil. We are humbled by our sins and offenses
but confident
that God does not forsake us and calls us to strive for healing and reconciliation.
The pain of these recent years has certainly convinced us of the
importance of prayer in our lives. As you reminded us in Novo Millenio
Ineunte, Christians
cannot survive in today’s world on a superficial prayer life. All of
our pastoral programs must have prayer as their foundation in order that we
find the strength to carry out the mission of the Church, with humility, love
and mercy.
We thank you for all that you do to confirm our faith and to lead
the Church of Christ on the path of fidelity and service. Your many
writings,
your
outreach to the youth, and your missionary journeys have inspired us
all in our pastoral
ministry. We are particularly grateful for your unceasing defense of
human life when it is most vulnerable, the life of the unborn and of
those whose
lives are slipping away.
From Apostolic times the Church has sprung up around the celebration
of Mass as when those first Christians came together in fellowship and
prayer
and
for the breaking of the bread. We thank you for your encyclical Ecclesia
de Eucharistia
and the gift of a Eucharistic Year. May this time leading up to the Synod
be a special grace for all Catholics and a call to renew our Eucharistic
devotion,
to reaffirm the centrality of Sunday Mass and to promote priestly vocations.
Finally, we commend your ministry to the loving care of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Good Shepherd. May she continue to
watch over
and protect you and obtain for you the grace and wisdom you need to serve
God’s people
as the successor of Saint Peter.
|
