Address to a group of pilgrims from Jakarta

ADDRESS OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
TO A GROUP OF PILGRIMS FROM JAKARTA

Thursday, 27 June 1985

My dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am happy to have this opportunity to greet you and welcome you to the Vatican. Having travelled all the way from Indonesia, from Jakarta, you did not wish to return without meeting the Pope. Let us thank our Lord Jesus Christ who has enabled us to share the mutual joy of this visit.

I pray that your pilgrimage to Rome, especially to the Tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul, will increase even more your love for the great gift of Faith, which you received at Baptism. Your whole Christian life is a development of that original gift. May you always bear witness to the spiritual strength which accompanies you as members of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church.

In your country the Church is a little flock, but also an energetic and hope-filled community united around your pastors and willingly serving the common good and the well-being of your fellow-citizens. In this respect the laity have a specific role to play, and I wish to encourage you to intensify your apostolic activity.

I ask you to take my greetings to your families, and to the whole community, especially to the sick and those in need. To all of you I impart my Apostolic Blessing, in particular to the Xaverian Missionaries accompanying you.

May Almighty God abundantly bless Indonesia!