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Cardenal Francisco Javier Errázuriz, entrevista Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz during the interview Kardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz im Interview Foto: POS Fischer © 2005 |
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Juan Pablo II - un hombre anclado en Dios, un hombre al que todos pueden llegar John Paul II – a person embodied in God, a person who attracts all Johannes Paul II – ein Mensch, der verankert ist in Gott und zu dem alle Menschen Zugang haben Foto: Mari © 2005 |
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Benedicto XVI: Tenemos en él un colaborador de Jesucristo, un colaborador de Juan Pablo II, también ahora. Benedict XVI: He is a co-worker of Jesús Christ, a co-worker of John Paul II, still. Benedikt XVI: Wir haben in ihm einen Mitarbeiter Jesu Christi, einen Mitarbeiter Johannes Paul II. auch jetzt Foto: Rüttgers © 2005 |
SCHOENSTATT/ROME Before returning to Chile and after participating in the conclave in Rome, Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz, the Archbishop of Santiago, Chile and the President of the Episcopal Council of Latin America (CELAM), visited Schoenstatt on the 29th and 30th of April. After celebrating Mass in the Original Shrine he met with his Community of Schoenstatt Fathers. The Schoenstatt Press Office did not miss this opportunity to have an exclusive interview with him. The first part of the interview follows:
- During the last weeks, Rome was the center of the world. Millions of people went to say farewell to John Paul II. And we ask ourselves: Why did this happen? What does this action indicate? Is the Church changing its image before the world?
It is necessary to ask oneself these questions. I was there when the pilgrims came to mass: it was something quite astounding. In a long line stretching for hundreds of metres the pilgrims waited ten, twelve, fifteen hours, just to say farewell to this great Pope. We asked ourselves what did this great man move, awaken, plant in the hearts and lives of these people? What were they thirsting for, that was sated by this great personality?
I believe there are two or perhaps three answers: the thirst for fatherhood, the thirst for God and also the thirst for values. Today, everything fluctuates and changes so much, which in the past was stable. Many people are afraid to think of the future, and then they ask themselves this question: What are the values that make us happy, that help us as humans, as people? What are the values that better express that we are authentic men? All these questions stir us at the same time.
In John Paul II they have discovered a man with convictions, who was not afraid of the world or the future; a man full of hope. They noticed that there was a great consistency between what he proclaimed and how he lived. First and foremost he was a man who lived in God. He came from God, spoke to and about God.
Last but not least: he was a father in the real sense of the word. There are all kinds of fathers, but John Paul II was a man anchored in God, a man everyone could reach. He wanted to work for everyone through his words and example. Many Catholics came to say farewell, many Christians, non-Catholics, many people who did not believe in God. They were all united in their thoughts about this great personality.
- A phrase that was often repeated: "We feel like orphans." What is behind this feeling?
There is much more, a more profound meaning in its message. Many representatives of youth leaders believe that the youth did not want this clarity or this security, but in reality, it is not like that! Normally the youth have great values; they have great ideals of life, of the society of life, of community, of family. The youth are always radical, they want a total giving of self, and they want to embrace great ideals. It could be that the manner that some youth have for looking for happiness, can be reached for a short time, and is based on insignificant things. But behind this there is a thirst for happiness, of truth, justice, peace. This Pope was very brave to speak about these things. He naturally had something of Father Kentenich’s thoughts, because like him he was able to accomplish tying his words with what these people were searching for. He could speak to them according to their dignity and according to their longings. I recall his words in Toronto very well. Youth is searching for happiness and he spoke of the beatitudes: that is the way. At the beginning he affirmed the search, then he went directly to these people and then he elevated their sights, so that they would have access to what God was offering them. And that is what makes the youth happy. He spoke to the youth in such a way that they were able to be open to the supernatural values, which he preached and lived, rather than the human values. This is the extraordinary thing, which we all lived through during this time.
This is very important: without a personality of this magnitude we would not have discovered how profound men's search is. It was very beautiful to see parents take their children to see the Pope and how they bid him farewell greeting him waving their hands, sending him a kiss, among many other signs of love. It was really something moving. They truly felt like orphans.
I had the same experience when our Father and Founder died. The sense of being an orphan could be felt. Surely, it is a warning from God so that we will search for Him and his fatherhood, and that we will be open to the new Pope. But rarely has the world experienced a paternal personality like this one.
- Do you have the impression that something of all that has emerged will be sustained and will develop in the Church so that he will lead us forward in a similar manner?
This always happens: there are always some people, communities and societies, which are understood, and others that are not even noticed.
The same happens in the Church: there will always be certain personalities who are able to transform things. They are never simultaneously revealed to all men, but are sometimes obvious of the eminent cases: it can also happen through the force of a personality exercised over many men. It is important that many people understand the charisma and the message of this personality and that they will want to live their lives in a similar manner. Then this personality will also have an attractive force for them in the future.
For me the encounter with our Father in Milwaukee was crucial. My first reaction was: Just now I understand the depth and the transcendence of our Father's words. I had not discovered that before the experience of my encounter with him. I was able to truly understand what the pedagogy of confidence was in Schoenstatt, because he gave me much confidence. And what the pedagogy of freedom, ideal, of Covenant was: I had discovered in the experience with him, the depth and the extent of his words. The words of our Father can be read and learned and still one does not understand how much truth they contain, how much depth they have.
The same happened with the Pope. It is probable that many bishops, many priests, many fathers and mothers who had experienced his paternity, could then live their own paternity and maternity more radically and with more boldness, they could live at a greater depth and without fear. There is another quality of life after such an encounter. And I hope that many cardinals, bishops, fathers, mothers, and youth who experienced this, will then reach a higher level in their life and in their actions.
- A comment was heard: that the Church now has two Popes, one in heaven - "in the window of the house of the heavenly Father" and another on earth, in the Vatican, who is very humbly behind John Paul II. Do you also see it this way?
There is some truth in this! This cardinal was a close collaborator of John Paul II, a completely humble colleague. It is known which cardinals saw the Pope every week, but nothing was known of him. Now it is known, but this did not appear in the press, it was not mentioned: he was a loyal and humble colleague. He was the senior in the College of Cardinals and as such he presided over funerals, where he excellently preached. At the beginning of the conclave it was again noticed that there was a total continuity between the two different personalities.
Both were very different. Cardinal Ratzinger has not only been a close colleague of John Paul II, but his associate. That is surely - on one side - the reason he was elected: they wanted to deepen all that Pope John Paul II had done, but on the other side, because Cardinal Ratzinger was Cardinal Ratzinger! The cardinals and many other persons know him well and they are not impressed by what the press says, that presents him as a hard man, as an inquisitor and who knows what else...Many foolish things have been written! For the cardinals this is simply not true. We know him. We have met with him frequently. The cardinals pondered on what they know of him when they elected him: that at the beginning he would without doubt have to overcome a difficulty: what is happening right now, the first reaction.
It is true and authentic when he says: John Paul II is now in heaven and he is blessing us from the window of the house of the heavenly Father. He has also said that he blesses him, himself. That is his experience. That is how it was last Wednesday, in the general audience. There he said that he wanted to continue the homilies that John Paul II had already prepared about the Psalms. He does not want to do anything else, he wants to continue everything, but with his own originality. He has the spirit and the honesty to speak about matters that he has examined throughout his long life. He lived in a spiritual atmosphere, in prayer, and now this is made transparent as a harvest of spirit for the Church, which is extraordinary! This will be given by a totally humble man, in a person who has had good contacts with people, and who lives simply, who is willing to listen. It is impressive how he receives people, how he receives each person who comes to him, how he listens, for example. His dialogue with current events is very intense. There are few cardinals who have read, like he, the modern authors, who have studied so much the modern currents as has Pope Benedict. We will be surprised by all that he will give us. We have in him a true follower of Jesus Christ, also a colleague of John Paul II.
second part
Translation: Celina M Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA/ Pat McEvoy, Liverpool, England