Warsaw, Poland, May 24, 2006 / 22:00 pm
This afternoon at Saint John’s Cathedral in Warsaw, Pope Benedict met with close to 1,000 representatives of the Polish clergy and emphasized that the task of strengthening the faith of Polish Catholics rested largely on their shoulders.
He first greeted Cardinal Józef Glemp, Archbishop of Warsaw and Primate of Poland,
Then, remembering the troubled history of the country in the past century, the pope paid tribute to the often-heroic endurance of Polish priests and Poles in calling to mind "heroic witnesses to the faith, who gave their lives to God and to their fellow human beings, both canonized saints and ordinary people who persevered in rectitude, authenticity and goodness, never giving way to despair."
Now speaking directly to the priests he said they “ have been chosen from among the people, appointed to act in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. Believe in the power of your priesthood! Immerse yourselves in his love, and give him your love!”