"In this land of freedom and opportunities, the Church united very different herds into the preaching of faith, and paid a remarkable contribution also to the growth of American society on the whole, by means of its numerous educational, charitable and social deeds". Those words were spoken by the Pope yesterday. In the homily of the Mass at the Yankee Stadium in New York, he stated that "all the external signs of identity, all the structures, associations or programmes, exist only to promote and support the deepest unity" of the Church. Even though words such as "authority" and "obedience", admitted the Pope, "cannot be easily pronounced today", or rather, they are "obstacles" in a society which "gives personal freedom a high value", it is necessary to keep in mind that just "in the light of faith, within the communion of the Church, we may find also inspiration, and the strength to become the yeast of the Gospel in this world". Then, there was an examination of the 200 years of the American Catholic history, "land of religious freedom", in which "the Catholics have found the freedom to practice their faith as well as the freedom to fully participate in civil life": therefore, here is the exhortation to "go on using the benedictions of freedom wisely, with firm determination, to build up a future of hope for future generations".” “
