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Pope praises 'courageous' apology

17 July 2008 - POPE Benedict XVI has praised the Rudd Government's apology to Aborigines during his first public address in Sydney to celebrate World Youth Day.

"Thanks to the Australian Government's courageous decision to acknowledge the injustices committed against the indigenous peoples in the past, concrete steps are now being taken to achieve reconciliation based on mutual respect,'' the Pope said.

The Pontiff said the Aboriginal "ancient heritage'' formed an essential part of modern Australia's landscape.

The Pope left his central Sydney residence in St Mary's Cathedral house as part of a 17-car motorcade shortly before 9am (AEST) and made the short journey along Macquarie Street to the official residence of the New South Wales Governor, where he was met by Governor-General Michael Jeffery, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his wife Therese.

The Pope welcomed efforts to bridge the gap in life expectancy, education and economic opportunity between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.

"This example of reconciliation offers hope to peoples all over the world who long to see their rights affirmed and their contribution to society acknowledged and promoted."

He said those who came to Australia from Europe had "always included a significant proportion of Catholics and they may be ... proud of the contributions they have made to the building up of the nation."

The Pope said since it began in 1986, World Youth Day had given young pilgrims the chance to come together to "deepen their faith in Christ" and return home filled with hope of building a "better world".

"World Youth Day fills me with confidence for the future of the church and the future of the world," he said.

"It seems particularly appropriate to celebrate World Youth Day here, since the church in Australia, as well as being the youngest of any continent, is also one of the most cosmopolitan.
"Since the first European settlement here in the late 18th Century, this country has become a home not only to generations of Europeans but to people from every corner of the globe."

Source: news.com.au

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