8th April, 2005

DAVID ADAMS

Pope John Paul II visited Australian twice during his pontificate - the first time in 1986, when he became only the second pope ever to set foot on Australian soil (Pope Paul VI had visited in 1970), and again in 1995 when he beatified Mother Mary MacKillop, founder of the Josephite order of sisters.

Below is some of what he said during his visits:

To all Australians
"To all Australians, people of undoubted good will, I come as a friend: to urge you to pursue in your lives all those values worthy of the human person; to encourage you to be open-hearted, generous to the unfortunate and caring towards those who are pushed to the margins of life." - Arriving in Canberra, 1986.

"The message that I bring and offer to all those who would freely listen to my voice is not mine. It is the message of Jesus Christ." - Mass in Canberra, 1986

"To all those who have wandered from their spiritual home I wish to say: Come back! The church opens her arms to you, the Church loves you!" - Open air Mass, Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, 1986.

"Mary MacKillop embodied all that is best in your nation and in its people - a genuine openness to others, hospitality to strangers, generosity to the needy, justice to those unfairly treated, perseverance In the face of adversity, kindness and support to the suffering. I pray that her example will inspire many Australians to take new pride in their Christian heritage and to work for a better society for all." - On the beatification of Mother Mary MacKillop, Sydney, 1995.

"Dear people of Australia, I say farewell with great confidence in your future. May God protect you and your country. Advance Australia Fair." Leaving Australia, 1986.

To the young
"Oh, they have many questions!" - joke during an impromptu press conference with grade four children at St Leo's Parish School, North Altona, Victoria, 1986.

"Dear young people: the Risen Christ is offering his peace to the whole world, and he wants to make you his instruments of peace." - Address to youth, Sydney Cricket Ground, 1986.

"Young people of Australia: I ask you - does God have a part in your hopes and ambitions for the Australia of tomorrow? Do you dream of an Australia in which the poor and the downtrodden, the disadvantaged and the lonely, the spiritually blind and those struggling to make sense out of their lives will be sustained by the hands of a
loving God? And do you realise that God has no other hands but yours to stretch out to those in need?" - Mass at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, 1986.

On ageing and illness
"Your ability to cherish life for its own sake, in spite of lessening energy and mobility, challenges others to reflect not only on the value of doing, but on the value of being." - Glendalough, Western Australia, 1986.

To indigenous Australians
"Dear Aboriginal people: the hour has come for you to take on new courage and new hope. You are called to remember the past, to be faithful to your worthy traditions and to adapt your living culture whenever this is required by  our own needs and those of your fellow man." - Alice Springs, Northern Territory, 1986.

Source: Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.