Acta Benedicti Pp. XVI 551

ALLOCUTIONES

I

Sydneii ad iuvenes in Internationali eorum Die.*

Dear Young People,

What a delight it is to greet you here at Barangaroo, on the shores of the

magnificent Sydney harbour, with its famous bridge and Opera House. Many

of you are local, from the outback or the dynamic multicultural communities

of Australian cities. Others of you have come from the scattered islands of

Oceania, and others still from Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Amer-

icas. Some of you, indeed, have come from as far as I have, Europe! Wherever

we are from, we are here at last in Sydney. And together we stand in our

world as God's family, disciples of Christ, empowered by his Spirit to be

witnesses of his love and truth for everyone!

I wish firstly to thank the Aboriginal Elders who welcomed me prior to

my boarding the boat at Rose Bay. I am deeply moved to stand on your land,

knowing the suffering and injustices it has borne, but aware too of the heal-

ing and hope that are now at work, rightly bringing pride to all Australian

citizens. To the young indigenous - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

- and the Tokelauans, I express my thanks for your stirring welcome.

Through you, I send heartfelt greetings to your peoples.

Cardinal Pell and Archbishop Wilson, I thank you for your warm words of

welcome. I know that your sentiments resonate in the hearts of the young

gathered here this evening, and so I thank you all. Standing before me I see a

vibrant image of the universal Church. The variety of nations and cultures

from which you hail shows that indeed Christ's Good News is for everyone; it

has reached the ends of the earth. Yet I know too that a good number of you

are still seeking a spiritual homeland. Some of you, most welcome among us,

are not Catholic or Christian. Others of you perhaps hover at the edge of

parish and Church life. To you I wish to offer encouragement: step forward

into Christ's loving embrace; recognize the Church as your home. No one need

remain on the outside, for from the day of Pentecost the Church has been one

and universal.

* Die 17 Iulii 2008.