Greeting during the visit to Peru May 16, 1988

St. John Paul II

Lima, May 16, 1988

During his apostolic visit to Peru, in the city of Lima, the Pope addressed this greeting to Neocatechumenal communities and families that for more than one year have been working in the “Young Towns”, in the midst of the poor.

«I thank everyone present and all those who have contributed to the organization and performance of this great Bolivian Eucharistic congress, especially those who yesterday contributed to its conclusion.

I think of everyone, not just those present, but I think of Lima and of the entire nation. I wish to greet the various groups, associations and movements, some of which are very active. This activity has been demonstrated through invitations to the Pope to visit their headquarters, but private visits could not be made, being a general visit to the entire city of Lima, to the entire capital, which has about six or seven million inhabitants. I am grateful for these invitations, especially for the apostolic activities of these movements, such as the Neocatechumens. They truly deserved a visit, they honestly deserved more; but this visit has not been possible.

I want to bless everything you do to promote evangelization in this nation, as well as to promote vocations. We know very well that there are several itinerants among you who, as Cardinal Landázuri tells me, work very well. I thank you all and bless you with all my heart.»