To
the
Most Reverend Father
JOSEPH WILLIAM TOBIN
Superior
General
of the
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
1.
I am very pleased to learn that your religious
Family is preparing to celebrate an extraordinary
“Year of St. Gerard”, which notes the happy
coincidence of two anniversaries concerning
one of its more illustrious children, Saint
Gerard Majella: the centennial of his canonization
(December 11, 1904) and the 250th anniversary
of his death (October 16, 1755). I joyfully
join you, Most Reverend Father, the Confreres
and the devotees of so great a disciple of
Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori in giving
praise and thanks to the Lord for the “great
things” that God never ceases to accomplish
in the little ones and in the poor (cf. Lc
1, 46-50).
Truly Gerard Majella is one of the little ones
in whom God has made shine the power of his
mercy! He entered the Institute of Redemptorist
missionaries at a young age with the express
intention “to become a saint.” The cheerful
and confident “yes” to the divine will, supported
by constant prayer and a strong penitential
spirit, produces in him a charity ever attentive
to the spiritual and material needs of his
neighbor, especially the most underprivileged.
Even without any formal education, Gerard
penetrated the mystery of the Kingdom of heaven,
which, because of his simplicity, shown to
all who approached him. He felt compelled
by the urgency of the conversion of sinners
and worked for this untiringly; he showed
the same zeal in supporting and encouraging
those called to religious life.
The fame of his holiness and confidence in
his intercession continued to grow after his
death. Even today his tomb is the destination
of numerous pilgrimages from Italy and from
many countries on all the continents. Countless
believers turn to him confidently in their
times of trial.
2.
The Year of St. Gerard represents for the
whole Redemptorist Family a propitious occasion
to renew, individually and communally, the
pledge to respond to the present challenges
of evangelization with the same swiftness
and creativity as did Saint Gerard and your
Founder, Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori,
in their own era.
Beloved Redemptorists, as I had occasion to recall in the Message addressed
to the members of the recent General Chapter,
“the people that meet you must see you as
‘men of God’ and, in their contact with you,
experience the love of the merciful Father
in heaven who did not hesitate to give his
only begotten Son for the salvation of all
people (cf. 1 Jn 4, 9-10). You must be seen
to have the interior disposition of Jesus
the Good Shepherd, always in search of the
lost sheep and ready to rejoice when it is
found (cf. Lc 15, 3-7)” (n. 3).
Saint Gerard is a dazzling example of such a
spiritual attitude through his love for the
Crucified and the Eucharist and for his devotion
to the Mary. I urge you to follow his same
spiritual journey and, like him, to remain
faithful to your charism without fearing the
inevitable difficulties that accompany every
true renewal. I addressed this point in the
abovementioned Message to your recent General
Chapter: “The Constitutions of your Institute
invite you to identify the urgent pastoral
needs of the moment, keeping in mind that
your ministry is not characterized by any
specific type of activity, but rather by loving
service to people and groups who are most
abandoned and poor because of their social
and spiritual condition.” (n. 4)
3. Our world today awaits an open and honest witness to the truth,
wisdom and power of the Cross (cf. 1 Cor 1,
17-25). The inculturation of the faith and
rapid social change present many challenges
to the proclamation of the Gospel. Hence,
the clear proclamation of the wisdom of the
Cross should always
be united to an energetic commitment to proclaim
the “Gospel of charity”, above all to the
little ones and the poor, as did Saint Gerard
Majella, who understood so well the mystery
of the Cross, a mystery that sheds light on
the dramatic force of sin and, at the same
time, proclaims the liberating and healing
force of divine mercy. Thus he prayed: “Oh
my God, if I could but convert to you as many
sinners as there are grains of sand in the
seas across the earth, as the branches of
the trees, as the leaves of the fields, as
the atoms of the air, as the stars of the
heavens, or the rays of the sun and of the
moon, all creatures of the earth!” (Scritti Spirituali,
Materdomini 2001, 155).
4. Gerard did not spare energy, prayers or penance for sinners.
His love did not allow him to remain indifferent
before their choices and their condition;
his heartfelt desire was to draw all to a
fruitful reception of the sacrament of Reconciliation.
A pervasive weakening of a sense of sin and,
consequently, of the importance of the sacrament
of the Reconciliation, permeates society today.
This challenges the pastoral work of the Church
and, particularly, the apostolic action of
your religious Congregation, which truly finds
in the announcement of redemption in Christ
one of its essential elements. Dear Redemptorists,
continue to imitate your saintly Founder by
remaining, always sensitive to sinners and
ready to welcome them in the sacrament of
Reconciliation with the tenderness of a father
and the wisdom of a physician. Continue to
nourish the same passion of Saint Gerard,
who spent himself completely for the salvation
of souls.
5. If he was concerned that sinners would recover their spiritual
life through conversion and the sacrament
of Penance, Saint Gerard Majella also nurtured
a particular care for newborn life and expectant
mothers, especially those in physical and
spiritual difficulties. This is why even today
he is invoked as special Protector of pregnant
women. Such loving concern, which is so typical
of him, constitutes for you and for all faithful
believers an incentive
to love, defend and always serve human life.
The threats that continue to arise against life
are well known, especially those that menace
the life at its very beginning. We must reflect,
above all, on the worrisome spread of a “culture
of the death” that pushes a large sector of
public opinion to justify crimes against life
in name of the rights of personal freedom
and, for that reason, claims its legitimization
by the State (cf. Evangelium
vitae, 4).
I hope that the Year of St. Gerard may contribute
to make even more convincing the effort of
Christians to oppose this culture of death
and bring about concrete and persuasive gestures
that serve the culture of life. Therefore,
Most Reverend Father, on such a significant
occasion I would like to entrust to you and
to all Redemptorists the mission to work in
an even more decisive way to spread the “Gospel
of life.” In fidelity to the Alphonsian tradition,
let your theological and moral reflection
be at the service of life, developing such
reflection from the starting point of those
situations where life is less protected and
defended. This is a concrete way to continue
the work of Saint Gerard Majella and be witnesses
of hope and builders of a new humanity.
Moved by such sentiment and hopes, I implore from the Giver of all good
abundant graces and heavenly gifts for you,
Most Reverend Father, for the whole Alphonsian
family and for all who entrust themselves
to the intercession of Saint Gerard, sending
with affection a special Blessing for all.
Given at Castel Gandolfo, August 6, 2004
Joannes Paulus II
This is not an official translation
of the original text in Italian.
