VOLUNTAS DEI PAX NOSTRA
His Eminence
The Lord Cardinal
Ennio Antonelli
Cardinal Priest of “San Andrea delle Fratte’
Archbishop Emeritus of Florence
President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Family
Interview: Friday, 25.2.2001, 11.00
H.E. Cardinal Ennio Antonelli with Frank Zammit during the interview
Your
Eminence, when did it happen your first opportunity
to meet with Pope John Paul II for the first time and what were your impressions
of that meeting?
My first meeting was very common to all of us,
and it happened on television some minutes after his election, and I was struck
immediately by his great devotion to the Virgin Mary from the first moment and
then through nice expression "if I'm wrong you can correct me." Then
his Installation Mass at the beginning of his Pontificate. I was struck so much
by his passionate cry, then the first of many future screams "Do not be
afraid ... open the doors to Christ ... open wide .." beautiful words
which struck me so deeply.
Then during my first meeting with him, in a
personal visit, when I was paying my first "Ad limina Apostolorum' visit
as a bishop of Gubbio. I
think it happened back in 1985, during the lunch hour I was struck by his
response that he gave to one of us, to a bishop from Umbria, we were a total of
seven or eight ... the archbishop of Perugia asked him what he thought of
Russia, the Soviet Union and he with a pensive face, but with great conviction
said these words to us: 'The economic crisis will force Russia to change its
course so quickly and so deeply that we cannot imagine. 'This was back in 1985,
so many years before 1989 when effectively happenned the collapse of the Berlin
Wall fell.
So he had a deep perception, I am sure that he
knew what was about to happen. I was so impressed with his great foresight and
it seems that I am seeing him again saying those words!
Your
Eminence, in your opinion, what from Pope John Paul II's work will pass to history?
First
of all it will pass to history, his personality, his charm on humanity, and his
holiness. Soon the Church will beatify him. One can also forecat big crowds for
this historical event. For
the multitude of people who will travel ... You see when his person hit people. One can still not the great
impact this personality has left on humanity.
Then I
can definitely say that it
will surely go down in history his defense of human rights and later on he was
instrumental for the collapse of communism. It makes me think of the famous
stone of the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, falling from the mountain and shatters
the big statue. Something very similar to this happened once again in our time.
Then
certainly will also pass to history his
apostolic journeys so exciting that so many people have been approached by the
Pope No? He had turned to be the pastor of the whole Church, but his
pontificate became an electrifying experience,,,,,, I once heard about his
program during a dinner in
Orvieto. His program was that as bishop of Rome he would visit all the
parishes, later, as Primate of Italy he would visit all the Italian dioceses,
and after possibly would visit all the nations of the Earth. And he hoped to
accomplish all this in about three or four years. He could not do this ... but
almost. And so this is of great importance for the unity of the Church, as well
as the missionary zeal that has managed to convey in the local churches.
Then I
would point out the Jubilee of course, the Great Jubilee. There have never been
a jubilee so great as that of the
year two thousand.
I also
include the dialogues, the inter-religious dialogues, especially the
inter-religious meeting at Assisi. It was a new activity, it was not a meeting
to pray together but a time together for prayer. Turning to God according to
our various traditions..He saw in this the possibilitiy of a collaborative
dialogue, an imperfect union but respectful of the diversity of the vaious
traditions. Clearly the Church proposed the Gospels as it proposes to all the
conversion to Our Lord Jesus Christ but in all religions, in all men of
goodwill the Lord is already working in their hearts.
Obviously
even his overwhelming feeling to the youth. I would say so.
General
Secretary of the Italian Bishops Conference, Cardinal and Archbishop of
Florence. Roles entrusted to you by John Paul II. What can you comment on this?
With
this list I can add my episcopal ordination because when Karol Wojtyla was
elected Pope , I was a simple country priest. I used to live in community with
two other priests in the country and also taught theology in Assisi ... but I
was a country priest, unknown to anyone outside of my diocese. Then my
appointment to the Bishopric of Gubbio, years later the appointment of
Archbishop of Perugia, the appointment of General Secretary of CEI, the
appointment of Archbishop of Florence and my elevation to the College of
Cardinals.
I have
started this journey during the ponificate of this foreign Pope when I was a
simple country priest and concluded
when I was presiding a Pontifical Council as a cardinal. I am the first to be
amazed, astonished and wonder about the games of providence. That's fun. I also
think about the Lord God, right? He opens the streets that no one would have ever imagined.
How
many bridges did in fact Pope John Paul II rebuilt during his long pontificate?
He did
re-built the important bridge with the people of God spread over the whole
earth through his apostolic journeys. The Pope has reached out to every nation.
Going to Mexico, I could verify the Mexican's attachment to this Pope, but also
in Malta the same thing occurred again to me. But in Mexico I was struck by the
fact that every time one mentions John Paul II in any context, in any
discussion there was immediately a round of applause.
And
this it impressed me a lot. So I would say this Pope's closeness to all people
and then also I need to
mention another bridge built by him, the inter-religious dialogue, the dialogue
with all people of good will. I think this was also a very important bridge
erected by him.
What did the
family mean to this great Pope?
Well, I guess that with the youths, the family was
his pastoral priority. He indicated so to the Church, to all the diocese and to
all the Episcopal conferences. And not just a pastoral strategy to the family because in today’s world there are very strong challenges, very hard ones on the
family, but for theological reasons, I would say first of all, the Pope reflected
at length on the sacramentality of the family and indicated primordial
sacramentality, marriage as a sacrament of creation, the primordial sacrament
of creation, that is, an 'image, a participation in the life of God because God
is one but three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He created man in His
own image and likeness, male and female he created them. This image is also in
the couple. And this fact is true for all families to the extent that they are
true families where they live a true
marriage participate even if they did not know the life of God, they are an
image of God. Marriage is not only Eros
but even Agape' that is the donation,
dedication, sacrifice to each other.
Then also the deepening of the sacrament of
marriage as a sacrament of the New Alliance for which the family was able to
strongly emphasize as the little church concept not only as a vague analogy, but because it
is the real implementation of the mystery of the Church. And as the church is called
to make Christ present in the midst of the members of the family and through
the family environment, in society, in the Church. “Where two or more are gathered in
My name, I am there among them”! This is achieved not only for the good
will but for the grace of Christ. Himself who calls the spouses to share the love with whom he loves the Church.
He donates,
provides this power of love with which we believe to take seriously, whom really cooperate with
the Lord and becomes and produces that small
Church and becomes a sign of Christ's presence, in the world. This is
truly the Church’s mission. Then the family is that little Church so to
speak.
Then he
dedicated to the family that splendid document 'the' Familiaris Consortio '. It
is all about marriage preparation, education, love, sexuality built on true
love, serious preparation for marriage with an itinerary of Christian
experience and then after marriage the additional accompaniment that the
parishes through their pastoral works need to offer to families by providing
them with opportunities to meet with a permanent and continuous community
formation.
All this had indicated that the family was not only
one of the many things that the Pope was in charge of. but was so deeply to his
heart.
Thanks
The Apostolic Exhortation "Familiaris Consortio"
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