Archbishop of Sydney

Homily Of Cardinal Pell

at the vocational meeting for young people of the Neocatechumenal Way

By + Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
21/7/2008

(The Cardinal begins in Italian)

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

I want to say one or two brief things about this Gospel passage for a moment.

But before that I want to begin with a few words of thanks once again: thanks for the contribution that the Way has made to the life of the Church throughout the world. I have already expressed my gratitude so many times for you, especially for your contribution here in Australia, with the priests, with the brothers and sisters, and especially the families in mission. We are very, very grateful for this.

But there is another particular reason for gratitude. It is the fact that you have passed through every part of Australia before this World Youth Day preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In almost all the dioceses of Australia, certainly in all the provinces, you have gone preaching in the streets the person and the teaching of our brother and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Young people in Australia, so many of them, understand very little of religion. But, in many ways, I think that many of them are like Zacchaeus. They are rich enough, interested in the person of Jesus, and want to hear what we have to say about Jesus, our Redeemer. And they will listen when there are those there who are preaching the gospel.

But I also want to say a word of thanks for your presence here at this World Youth Day. Perhaps we are 40,000 here today. There have been some 110,000 foreign pilgrims here in Australia, but we only reached this great number because of your presence. For this with all my heart I thank you.

I visited a number of countries before this World Youth Day inviting the young people to come to Australia, but I always said that one goes on pilgrimage to reinforce one’s own faith. However, I told you to come to Australia to reinforce the faith and goodness of the young in Australia, especially young Catholics of Australia. And you have done exactly that. A thousand thousand thanks!

Now I want to say a few words in English, especially for my Australian brothers and sisters.

(He continues in English):

It’s an interesting thing, but the Neocatechumenal Way has not made as spectacular  progress in the English-speaking peoples as it has in other parts of the world. The ways of providence are strange. But it is wonderful to see so many Australians from the Way here this afternoon and in such good voice. I thank God for your presence.

I think here in Australia that, in the church, with yourselves - I think the tide is changing. I think our fellow Catholics are understanding that you are not people with two heads, that you are not a threat, but that you are truly people of the Gospel, followers of Jesus Christ, trying to do his will in our somewhat difficult situation.

It’s not the worst of times. It’s not the best of times. But I believe that the finger of God is upon the Neocatechumenal Way, and I believe that the breath of the Spirit is blowing through you.

The ways of providence are mysterious. I don’t understand them, but I do know that the pressures against our Christian way of life are so strong that we need extra community strength - to strengthen one another and especially to pass on the treasures that we have received, to pass them on to the next generation - and in your communities we have that presence.

(Toto starts to translate into Italian)

I want now to say a word or two about Zacchaeus. I think I would have liked Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was rich and he was probably unpopular - I think he was a tax collector or something like that. The people did not like him. But he had no fear. He wanted to see Jesus. Despite the fact that he was a rich man he just went up the tree. He didn’t worry about his human dignity. He wanted to do something and he did it. Now I think, as I have said earlier, that a lot of us are (or perhaps we like to think we are) something like Zacchaeus. If we have something to say we usually say it.

And if we want to do something we’re usually not too worried about our dignity. And Zacchaeus underwent a conversion and decided to follow Christ, and Christ came and stayed with him and lived with him, just as Christ and the Spirit have come and visited us here in this World Youth Day.

I also recall hearing one preacher adding to the Gospel story, and suggesting that, when Zacchaeus went home, Mrs Zacchaeus was furious. Because Zacchaeus had become converted and had promised to give fourfold money to all the people that he had defrauded. I remember once a rich man was listening in my congregation when I said that. And he came to me later, smiling, and said ‘I am sure there is a lot of truth in that story.’

And that is one of the things that has always convinced me that  the people of the Neocatechumenal Way are Gospel people - is the regular contributions they make at different stages to help the poor and the very poor. And I thank God for that.

There are many ways to God within the Catholic Church. And all of us are united in proclaiming the love of the one good God for us all. This conviction that God loves each one of us is the foundation for all religious belief and all religious living.

Secondly, of course, we proclaim our brother Jesus Christ who lived and died and rose for us to redeem us. And we are members in what is primarily and substantially the one Church of Christ united around the successor of Peter and the Apostles.

I often say this: Jesus didn’t say: “There are five or six good and different holiday packages. It doesn’t matter which one you choose.’ He didn’t say that. Jesus said: ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Come, follow me. Because I bring the treasure, the pearl of great price and the treasure hidden in the field.”

I should conclude now… I just remind you that there is no other organization in the world that could have brought together so many beautiful and wonderful, good young people to a gathering like World Youth Day. I don’t say that to make you proud or arrogant, but to remind you that we do have this precious truth which is knowledge of Jesus and the love of his Father - and also to remind you, in all humility, that of those to whom much is given much is required.

When we know and understand that Jesus does not expect us to live just like people who never really heard or understood his mission - that is the reason for the theme of World Youth Day: “When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will receive power, and you will be my witness to the ends of the earth.”

Many people from other countries say that we in Australia are at the end of the earth. When even Cardinal Ratzinger said that to an Australian bishop, Archbishop Darcy, who had been a professional philosopher, Darcy replied: “Archbishop, it depends where you start from”. And Cardinal Ratzinger said: “We do not want that type of relativism here!”

No matter where the ends of the earth might be found, I pray tonight that with the power of the Spirit, through the power of the Spirit all of you will in fact be true witnesses to God’s love everywhere, and especially to the ends of the earth.

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