Welcome Ceremony Address (30 June 1980)

On Monday 30 June 1980, the Holy Father gave an Address at the Brasilia Airport during the welcoming ceremony, speaking of his “mandate to confirm [his] brother bishops in their mission.” 

Excellency Mr. President of the Republic,
Cardinals,
Archbishops and Bishops,
dear friends:

1. With great and deep emotion I have recently kissed the good and generous Brazilian soil. This gesture, repeated three times already —in as many countries that I had the joy of visiting as Pope— I have just carried out with the warmth and spontaneity of something that is done for the first time and, therefore, with the same emotion. This gesture was intended to signify a first and silent gratitude for the welcome that this country gives me, and that, through many signs, more or less perceptible, I feel is full of fervor and affection.

Now, I thank you out loud for this welcome, the quality of which is admirably reflected in the words that Your Excellency, Mr. President, on your own behalf and on behalf of all the noble Brazilian people, has just addressed to me. My thanks are extended to those who here represent, under various titles, this nation and its people.

2. This visit to Brazil, which is now beginning to take place, was a long-cherished dream. I wanted, for many and different reasons, to know this land. I thank Divine Providence for allowing me to do so, thanks to the fraternal invitation of the Brazilian Episcopate and the courteous invitation of the President of the Republic, warmly seconded by the assent of all the Brazilian people, as evidenced by the countless letters that have reached me. in these lasts months. May the Lord of history be blessed and praised for the joy he bestows on me and which I wish to be your joy as well.

3. Here I am, on a clearly pastoral and religious mission. Mysterious and loving designs of God led me to be Bishop of Rome, Successor of the Apostle Peter and, therefore. Vicar of Christ and visible Head of his Church. I feel as if addressed to me the tremendous and consoling mandate to confirm my brother bishops in their mission (cf. Lk 22, 32) and to confirm, with them, the sons of the Catholic Church in an intrepid and radiant faith, which lead them to bear witness before the world to the reasons for their hope in Christ (cf. 1 Pet 3:15) and to communicate to the world the unfathomable riches of Christ's love (cf. Eph 2, 7). The visits that I have been making to various countries and continents respond to this purpose and, for this very reason, can be called pastoral visits or missionary pilgrimages.

4. And why, now, Brazil? In his delicate words, Your Excellency, Mr. President, has already alluded to several reasons. First of all, because your country, which emerged in the shadow of the cross, baptized with the name of Vera and Santa Cruz, and immediately nourished by the first Eucharist celebrated in Porto Seguro, became the nation with the largest number of Catholics of all the earth. The Church grew here and was consolidated to the point of being today a reason for joy and hope for the entire Catholic world. My visit intends to pay homage to that Church and encourage it to become more and more a sacrament of salvation, fulfilling its mission in the universal Church as a whole. To whom God gave much, much will be required (cf. Lk 12, 48).

I come, secondly, because this country, with its vast Catholic majority, obviously carries within itself a peculiar vocation in the contemporary world and in the concert of nations. In the midst of the anxieties and uncertainties and—why not say it?—of the sufferings and bitterness of the present time, a country can be formed that tomorrow offers much to the great international solidarity.

God willing that this perspective helps Brazil to build an exemplary social coexistence, overcoming imbalances and inequalities in justice and harmony, with clarity and courage, without clashes or ruptures. This will certainly be an eminent service to international peace and, therefore, to humanity. There will be no other to encourage him, in this regard, even with his presence, who has as an important task of his mission the construction of peace. I am glad that a series of events serve as a framework for this visit: with you, I feel great joy for the glory of the altars conferred on an advance in the evangelization of your people, Blessed José de Anchieta; with you, I adore the Most Holy Eucharist in the framework of the X National Eucharistic Congress, which I will inaugurate in Fortaleza in a few days; with you I express my filial devotion to the Mother of God in her majestic sanctuary of Aparecida; With you I give thanks for the existence of the Latin American Episcopal Council, established 25 years ago in Rio de Janeiro.

5. Your religious history —and your history as a nation, many times— was written by heroic, dynamic and virtuous missionaries and continued with the work of determined servants of God and men, your brothers. They all left deep grooves in the Brazilian soul and civilization. The Pope wants, with this quick allusion, to pay homage of gratitude, in the name of the Church, to all of them.

Thus, so intimately linked to the history of the country, the history of the Church in Brazil is marked above all by fidelity to Christ and his Church.

6. I hope, desire and ask God that my visit serve as a stimulus to an ever greater consolidation of the Church, a community of salvation in your midst, for the benefit of all Brazilians and the universal Church.

And since my itinerary of faith also wants to be a pilgrimage to meet man, human persons, at this moment I embrace —at least in spirit— every person who lives in this Brazilian homeland. I would like to be able to meet and talk with each and every one of you, beloved children of Brazil. To visit each family, to know all the States and territories, to go to all the ecclesial communities of this great and beloved nation. And how many have insistently invited me to do so!

You will certainly understand that this is not possible. For this reason, upon stepping on this Brazilian soil for the first time, my thoughts and my friendship are addressed, through those present here, to all those who are not present and would like to be; to those who are prevented from participating in meetings with the Pope, due to family, work, ministry and apostolate duties, or for reasons of poverty, illness or age. The Pope thinks of each of them. And he loves everyone and sends a very Brazilian greeting to all: "a hug"!

With this friendly gesture, receive my wishes for happiness: May God bless your Brazil. May God bless all of you Brazilians with peace and prosperity, serene concord in understanding and fraternity. Under the maternal gaze and protection of Our Lady Aparecida, Patroness of Brazil!

* L'Osservatore Romano. Weekly edition in Spanish, n.27, p.4, 6.

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