Rijeka, (IKA) – In the Pope’s homily on Pentecost Sunday, June 8, in Rijeka, he reflected that the Church “is always, so to speak, in a situation of Pentecost: she is always gathered in the Upper Room in prayer, and at the same time, driven by the powerful wind of the spirit, she is always on the streets preaching.” The Pope greeted “with special affection that portion of the Church which makes the pilgrim way in the land of Croatia, gathered here around its pastors and represented in its richness and variety by the faithful coming from different regions of this country.” He then greeted the Croatian archbishops and bishops, as well as other church and state officials. He offered a special greeting to the many families present “on this day dedicated to the family,” as an important part of society and the Church. In reference to the Shrine of Trsat, the Holy Father spoke of the Nazareth family: “In contemplating Mary ad Joseph as they present the Child Jesus in the Temple or on their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Christian parents can see a reflection of themselves as they take part in the Sunday Eucharist with their children or gather in prayer at home,” said the Pope. He then recalled a program initiated by the bishops in Nin for the Croatian Catholic family to pray daily and celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday, and that for this to happen “it is essential to show respect for the sacredness of Sunday.” The Holy Father also stated that “concrete policies” are required in Croatia aimed at promoting and protecting the essential nature of the family, its development and stability, particularly regarding “the serious problems associated with housing and employment. It must not be forgotten that in helping the family, we also help to resolve other important problems, such as providing assistance to the sick and the elderly, stopping the spread of crime, and finding a remedy to drug use,” said the Pope. The Holy Father called the family “to present to others, first and foremost by the witness of your lives, God’s authentic plan for the family as a community of life founded on marriage.” It is the family’s responsibility to provide for the “human and Christian education” of children, with the assistance of “well-trained educators and catechists,” said the Pope. As an example, the Holy Father spoke of St. Vitus, the patron saint of Rijeka, who “as a young man did not hesitate to give his life in order to preserve that fidelity to Christ which he had learned from his holy parents. . . . Do not tire of repeating the invocation that for centuries the citizens of Rijeka have confidently raised before the miraculous Crucifix venerated in their Cathedral: ‘May the Holy Cross of St. Vitus come to our aid!’”
The Holy Father invoked the gifts of the Holy Spirit on all the Christian married couples in Croatia, so that they “may be in the world a sign of God’s love for humanity” and upon all the participants at the Mass in Rijeka. At the end of the sermon, Pope John Paul II said: “Society today is tragically fragmented and divided. This is why it is so desperately unfulfilled. But Christians do not become resigned to weariness or paralyzed by inertia.” He called upon Christians to pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit. “The Spirit is tirelessly at work, overcoming every division and healing every wound.” The Pope concluded with the invocation: “Come, Holy Spirit!”