At the Closure of the Tenth National Eucharistic Congress (13 July 1980)

At the close of the Tenth National Eucharistic Congress of Brazil, in Fortaleza (9-13 July 1980), the Holy Father sent the following Message.

My dear brother
Cardinal Aloísio Lorscheider,
Archbishop of Fortaleza;
Dear brother cardinals, archbishops and bishops of Brazil,
brother priests,
men and women religious of the many congregations and institutes,
dear pilgrims participating in the X National Eucharistic Congress in Fortaleza:

Once again I wish to find myself in your midst, at the moment when this Congress closes, which I had the good fortune to open on July 9 , and which constituted the final objective of my pilgrimage through the immense spaces of your homeland, through Brazil, the country-continent.

Stopping in various places, in centers especially important for the life of the nation and of the Church, I asked myself and those present gathered around me, as well as those who accompanied me, the same question which was chosen as the motto and motto of your Eucharistic Congress in Fortaleza: "Where are you going?"

With that question in your heart, you approached and went with Christ, who left this earth having gone with the Father, but at the same time, remained in this world, in our midst, in the Most Holy Eucharist, in the sacrament of love. And he remained not only as a testimony of the history of man, of peoples and of nations, but as the most faithful Friend, with a fidelity to all tests, as the One who accompanies us along all our paths, especially through along the difficult paths and with greater responsibility.

I am convinced, then, that this question —"Where are you going?"—, a very important question for the contemporary generations of your country, for the multitudes of Brazilians, especially those who find themselves in more difficult living conditions, I see that the Church of Brazil tries to give the answer at the feet of the Eucharist. And I hope you found that answer; and I also hope that you will continue to find it constantly, listening to the Word of the Lord, entering your heart and drinking in that love, which is stronger than all evils, and persevering in brotherhood and peace that only He, Jesus Christ, can give to man and to the world.

With the thought of this great event, which was the X National Eucharistic Congress in Fortaleza, I once again unite with all of you, dear brothers and sisters, and once again I embrace all of Brazil with my heart and with my prayers. And I want to perform for all of you that service that was entrusted to me by the Lord, blessing you in the spirit of truth and love:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!

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