真福若望保祿一世

Bishop of Rome and Vicar of Jesus Christ,
263^th Successor of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles,
Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church,
Patriarch of the West, Primate of Italy,
Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province,
Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City.

His Holiness Pope John Paul I (Albino Luciani), Roman Pontiff, was born in Forno di Canala, diocese of Belluno, Italy, 17 October 1912; ordained priest, 7 July 1935; consecrated Bishop of Vittorio Veneto, 15 December 1958; made Patriarch of Venice, 15 December 1969; created Cardinal, 5 March 1973; elected Pope, 26 August 1978; initiation of his ministry as Supreme Pontiff, 3 September 1978.

耶穌基督代表兼羅馬主教，
宗徒長聖伯多祿之二六三任繼承者，
普世聖教會最高教長，
西方宗主教，義大利首席主教，
羅馬教省總主教兼首都主教，
梵蒂岡城邦元首。

一九一二年十月十七日，教宗若望保祿一世 (原名亞爾斌奴．魯士安尼) 誕生於意大利；一九三五年七月七日晉陞鐸品；一九五八年十二月十五日晉陞為主教；一九六九年十二月十五日特任為威尼斯宗主教；一九七三年三月五日受冊封為樞機主教；一九七八年八月廿六日膺選教宗；同年九月三日即位。

Habemus Papam John Paul I
Statement by Right Rev. Gabriel Lam Cheuk-wai and Right Rev. Secundo Einaudi, P.I.M.E, Vicars General of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong.

The Catholic Diocesan of Hong Kong has received the happy news that the Conclave of Cardinals, meeting in Rome, yesterday elected Cardinal Albino Luciani to be the new Bishop of Rome. Taking the name John Paul I, he is the new leader of the whole Roman Catholic Church and is acknowledged as the Vicar of Jesus Christ by more than 700 million Catholics throughout the world.

We thank Almighty God for giving us this new Holy Father. We join with countless people everywhere in praying for him, so that the Good News of God’s Love for all men may be proclaimed ever more widely and effectively under Pope Paul’s leadership in the coming years. Furthermore, we pledge ourselves to fully support the Holy Father in promoting justice for all people and peace among all nations.

At the same time, we Catholics of Hong Kong recognize that, under the leadership of Pope John Paul, we can foster the universal message of God’s Love only by continuing to open ourselves to and cooperating with fellow Christians and all men of good will. In this spirit, all Catholics of this Diocese take this joyous occasion of the election of Pope John Paul to renew our dedication in love and service to the whole community of Hong Kong.

(Bishop John Baptist Wu has been in Taipei to attend the funeral of Catdinal Yu Pin, but is expected to return to Hong Kong very soon. )
Sunday, 27 August 1978
1 September 1978

My family met him many times. He talked to me in May 1967, inquiring about the beautiful Mission of Hong Kong.

As Bishop of Vittorio Veneto, he came to my village many times to visit the parish and to see for himself its activities and its progress. He used to administer the Sacraments, hear Confessions, and examine how catechism was being taught in the school, and with what results.

He is still famous among the people for the beautifully simple yet profound doctrine of his short sermons. These sermons generally lasted seven minutes. They lasted ten minutes as longest, but this was rare.

Most moving of all were is personal visits to the poor and the sick in their homes, where he brought comfort, courage and confidence in God our Father.

I am especially grateful to him for visiting one of may seven sisters when she was sick, and with his fatherly presence preparing her to go joyfully to heaven.
1 September 1978

Pope John Paul was born in Forno di Canale, in the diocese of Belluno - in the Dolomites, a range of the Alps in North-East Italy - On 17 October 1912. His father was a socialist glassblower. The family was very poor and his mother had to go to Venice as a servant. The future Pope was put into a boys’ home, and he himself says that he was nearly expelled for naughtiness.

He received his primary education in the minor seminary of Feltre, and his secondary education in the major seminary of Belluno, where he also studied philosophy and theology.

He was ordained priest on 7 July 1935. Later he obtained a doctorate of theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome.

For some years he was assistant priest in the parish of Agordo, and then vice rector of the Gregorian Seminary, Belluno, where he taught dogmatic and moral theology, canon law and sacred art. In 1948 he was made pro-Vicar General and in 1954 Vicar General of Belluno.

Pope John appointed him Bishop of Vittorio Veneto on 15 December 1958 and personally conferred Episcopal orders on him in Rome.

The Cardinals went into conclave on Friday, 25 August. In the evening of Saturday, 26 August, they chose Cardinal Luciani as Pope. It had been the shortest conclave in modern history.

The Catholics of the world greeted this news with delight. Since the death of Pope Paul VI, the press had been filled with hints of delay - the large number of voters, opposing trends among the Cardinals, above all the lack of an outstanding candidate. The world at large agreed that there was no outstanding candidate; but things must have looked very different to the cardinal-electors. Within a few hours at least seventy five of them (two thirds plus one) had agreed on Cardinal Luciani, whose name had scarcely been mentioned in the great spate of press speculation. Evidently the Cardinals had been able to recognize an outstanding candidate and had voted for him without delay. No better augury could be found for a happy pontificate of unity and reconciliation.

Like St. Pius X and Pope John, the new Pope was Patriarch of Venice when he was elected. He has spend almost his whole life in the province of Venice. He was born there, the son of a socialist glass-blower. After priestly ordination in 1935 he served as an assistant parish priest, as a seminary professor and as vicar general in his native diocese of Belluno, then as Bishop of Vittoria Veneto and lastly as Patriarch of Venice. Not even his tenure of the great historic See of Venice could fill press files. For information about the new Holy Father, we are dependent on his choice of a name and his first papal addresses. Yet these seemingly meager data tell us a good deal.

Pope John Paul I! For over a thousand years no Pope had been the first of his name. In the long list since St. Peter, not a single Pope had chosen to be known by two names. Evidently Pope John Paul is not afraid of innovation. Moreover the two names he has chosen are full of meaning. They are a guarantee that the new Pope intends to put the decrees of Vatican Council II into effect in the spirit of Popes John and Paul.

The promise conveyed by his choice of a name was echoed in the two addresses he gave on the morning after his election, the long address given in Latin after Mass in the Sistine chapel and shorter informal talk on the great crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

In the more solemn first address, Pope John Paul I invited his ‘brothers in the whole world’ to join him in the quest for ever more perfect justice, more stable peace, more sincere co-operation. He warned against putting some idol in the place of God and turning the world into a desert, man into an atom and brotherly life into planned collectivization. He paid tribute to his two predecessors, pledged himself to put the decrees of the Council into practice and reminded the Church that evangelization is its first duty. He promised ecumenism, without doctrinal weakening, but without hesitation. He saluted families, the unborn and the suffering.

His second talk contained a personal description of his feelings at his election. In it he quoted the comforting whisper of some Cardinal: “Don’t be afraid. Many people in the world are praying for the new Pope.” Be it so!
1 September 1978

Bishop John Baptist Wu of Hong Kong, was principal celebrant at a Thanksgiving Mass for His Holiness Pope John Paul I at the Catholic Cathedral on Saturday, 2 September. About 50 priests concelebrated. Over 500 religious and lay folk participated in the Mass.

Bishop Wu began the service by asking the Lord to bless the water with which he would then sprinkle the whole congregation. “With the water we shall recall our incorporation into Christ in Baptism, and let us ask Him to keep us faithful to the Spirit He has given us,” he prayed.

Mr. George Hsueh led the Liturgy of the Word, reading in Cantonese from the Prophet Ezekiel. The second Scriptural text was from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians, read by Mr. Denis Chang in English. Deacon Peter Choi read from the Gospel according to St. John, in Cantonese.

After the Gospel, Father Ferdinand Lok, Spiritual Director of the Hong Kong Central Council of Catholic Laity, and Father Joseph Foley, S.J., Chairman of the Hong Kong Board of Catholic Education, preached the homilies, in Cantonese and English respectively.

Both speakers thanked God for giving the Church a new Pope and asked everyone to pray for the Holy Father. Father Lok urged Catholics in Hong Kong to continue cooperating for the good for the Diocese, regarding the Pope as a symbol of unity. Father Foley exhorted the congregation to support Pope John Paul despite the difficulties he may come across in carrying out his mission.

The Prayers of the Faithful were led by Miss Tam Lai-sheun in English and Mr. Ip Tak-lam in Cantonese. Participants of the Mass prayed for the new Pope, the whole Church, leaders of the Church, the Churches of Silence, especially in China, North Korea and Cambodia, those who are ill, those who are persecuted for the Gospel and those who cry out for justice.

All Diocesan parishes devoted their Saturday evening and Sunday Masses on 2 and 3 September to special celebrations of the Eucharist to pray for the new Holy Father.

All four television channels in Hong Kong relayed live the satellite telecast of the Papal Inaugural Mass from the Vatican on Sunday, 3 September. Father Vincent Lau, Director of Hong Kong Catholic Social Communications Office, provided the Chinese commentary on the TVB Jade channel. Fathers Ciaran Kane, S.J., and Edward Hong added to the English commentary transmitted from Rome on TVB Pearl.
15 September 1978

Pope John Paul I pledged to the College of Cardinals on 30 August that he will be “totally open to the action of the Spirit for the good of the Church.”

He made the pledge in a speech prepared for delivery in the frescoed Consistory Hall. He discarded the text as he spoke, but left it to be distributed to the press and published in L’Osservatore Romano as the official text of his talk.

In this text he told the cardinal that he envied those who would soon be returning to the people of their dioceses. “This is a joy which we will not have.

“The Lord knows the sadness which this renunciation brings to our heart. But he in his kindness knows how to temper the bitterness of separation with a vision of an even more extensive fatherhood.”

Pope John Paul I said that he is counting on help from the cardinals in the Roman Curia, the Church’s central administration, in governing the Church.

“Our pastoral offices of the past,” he said, “were always carried out far away from these complex offices.

“We should like only to reconfirm with all of you at this moment the commitment to be totally open to the action of the Spirit for the good of the Church, which on the day of our elevation to the cardinalitial purple each of us promised to serve ‘usque ad sanguinis equsionem’ (even to the shedding of our blood).”

The new Pope said that he had “frail shoulders” with which to bear the papal burdens.

He and they must “trust with virile tenacity, even in the travail of the present hour, in the never failing help of Christ.”

All the bishops of the world, said the new Pope, are tied “with strong bonds in a communion which transcends space, ignores racial differences, enriches itself with real values present in different cultures, and makes of people who are separated by geographical distance, language and way of thinking, one big family.

“Before such a wonderful spectacle how can we not feel pervaded by a reassuring wave of trust?” asked the Pope.

“We realize that we have been called to be a sign and instrument of this unity,” said Pope John Paul, “and it is our aim to dedicate all our energies to its defense and to its growth.”
15 September 1978

Papal Impromptu

Tossing away the formal papal “we” and with it his prepared text, Pope John Paul I asked College of Cardinals to “have mercy on the poor new Pope who really never expected to rise to this post.”

“Today there’s a great need for the world to see us unified,” he said. “Let us try” together to give the world a good show of unity, by sacrificing something now and then.

In his ad lib remarks the Pope said that “in a certain sense I am sad that I cannot return to the life of a limited apostolate which I liked so much.

“I always had small dioceses. Vittorio Veneto is a small diocese and even Venice for all its great history is small - 430,000 inhabitants.

He asked the cardinals not to think solely of their own dioceses but also of the universal Church.

“Some of you are presidents of Episcopal conferences and behind you I see your bishops and conferences which in the climate begun by the council must five strong support to the Pope.”

He stressed that different dioceses have different gifts which they should share. ‘One dioceses can help another, and even far-off dioceses can help Rome itself.”
15 September 1978

The election of Pope John Paul I took the press and all publicists by surprises. Practically nothing was known about the new Pope. Feverish activity produced some striking statements from his writings and his pastorals in Vittorio Veneto and Venice. His pictures display unstudied friendliness and charm. Several things since his election have hinted at a readiness to ignore convention - his name, impromptu speeches, the use of “I” instead of the papal “We”. The world press seems pleased with what it has been able to discover. Already it is showing towards Pope John Paul I warmth that it seldom showed to Pope Paul VI.

For deeper understanding of the new Pope we turn to his programme, the lengthy address he made to the conclave on the day after his election. It is an interesting address, but it contains no shocks, no promises of sudden changes of policy. His choice of a name had already indicated his wish to follow in the footsteps of John XXIII and Paul VI. In his address he adds a reference to the pastoral guidance of Popes Pius XI and Pius XII. It is perhaps significant that he did not cite the revered name of Benedict XV. Benedict was a great Pope, who is remembered partly for sudden changes of policy immediately after his election. Our new Holy Father has made it clear that he will not follow Benedict in this. Instead he takes up one after the other the main themes of recent pontificates - unity and reconciliation, implementation of the decrees of the Council, evangelization, ecumenism, peace, and the quest for a just social order - and promises to pursue them with zeal and tenacity, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

The pervading spirit of his address is not innovation: it is unity. The Holy Father sees the tasks before him as the tasks of the whole Church. We are all united in Christ. We have the common task of bearing witness to him, spreading his word and copying his charity. Nearly half of his address is taken up with greetings and calls for co-operation. He wants to unite us, not in a ghetto spirit of separation from the world, but in the spirit of cooperation arising from consciousness of the common task of bringing Christ to the world. He wants us our prayers; but he wants more than our prayers. He wants to open our hearts to one another and to all the world, that Christ may be in us, and that through us Christ may be brought to the hearts of all men, and with Christ, His love and His peace.
15 September 1978

Having been called by the mysterious and paternal goodness of God to this awesome responsibility of the Papacy, we extend to you our greetings. At the same time we greet everyone in the world, all who hear us. Following the teachings of Gospel, we would wish to think of you as friends, as brothers and sisters. To all of you, we wish good health, peace, mercy and love: “May the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”

Servants of God
We are still overwhelmed at the thought of this tremendous ministry for which we have been chosen: like Peter, we seem to have stepped out on treacherous waters. We are battered by a strong wind. So we turn towards Christ saying: “Lord, save me” (Mt. 14:30). Again we hear his voice encouraging and at the same time lovingly reminding us: “Why do you doubt, oh you of little faith.” If human forces alone cannot be adequate to the task before us, the help of Almighty God who has guided his Church throughout the centuries in the midst of great conflicts and opposition will certainly not desert us, this humble and most recent servant of the servants of God. Placing our hand in that of Christ, leaning on him, we have now been lifted up to steer that ship which is the Church; it is safe and secure, though in the midst of storms, because the comforting, dominant presence of the Son of God is with it. In the words of St. Augustine, using an image dear to the ancient Fathers of the Church, the ship of the Church must not fear, because it is guided by Christ and by his Vicar: “Although the ship is tossed about, it is still a ship. It carries the disciples and it receives Christ. Yes, it is tossed on the sea but without it, one would immediately perish” (Sermon 75,3; PL 38, 475). Only in the Church is salvation: without it one perishes!

We process then in this faith. God’s assistance will not be wanting to us, according to his promise: “I am with you always even to the end of the world” (Mt. 28:20). The common response and willing co-operation of all of you will make the wright of our daily burden lighter. We gird ourself for this awesome task, realizing the uniqueness of the Catholic Church. Its tremendous spiritual power is the guarantee of peace and order; as such it is present in the world; as such it is recognized in the world. The echo of its daily life gives witness to that. Despite all obstacles, it lives in the hearts of men, even those who do not share its truth or accept its message. As the Second Vatican Council (to whose teachings we wish to commit our total ministry, as priest, as teacher, as pastor) has said: “Destined to extend to all regions of the earth, the Church enters into human history, though it transcends at once all time and all racial boundaries. Advancing through trials and tribulations, the Church is strengthened by God’s grace, promised to her by the Lord so that she may not waver from perfect fidelity, but remain the worthy bride of the Lord, until, through the cross, she may attain to that light which knows no setting.” (Lumen Gentium 9).

Sacrament of Saving Unity
According to God’s plan: “All those, who in faith look towards Jesus, the author of salvation and the principle of unity and peace, God has gathered together and established as the Church, that it may be for each and for all the visible sacrament of this saving unity.” (ibid)

In that light we place ourselves interiorly, putting all of our physical and spiritual strength at the service of the universal mission of the Church, that is to say, at the service of the world. In other words we will be at the service of truth, of justice, of harmony, of collaboration within nation and of rapport among peoples. We call especially on the children of the Church to understand their responsibility better: “You are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world” (Mt. 5:13). Overcoming internal tension which can arise here and there, overcoming the temptation of identifying ourselves with the ways of the world or the appeal of easily won applause, we are, rather, united in the unique bond of love which forms the inner life of the Church as also its external order. Thus, the faithful should be ready to give witness of their own faith to the world: “Always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Pt. 3:15).

The Church, in this common effort to be responsible and so respond to the pressing problems of the day, is called to give to the world that “strengthening of the spirit” which is so needed and which alone can ensure salvation. The world awaits this today: it knows well that the sublime perfection to which it has attained by research and technology has already reached a peak, beyond which yawns the abyss, blinding the eyes with darkness. There is a temptation to substitute for God one’s own decisions, decisions that would prescind from moral laws. The danger for modern man is that he may reduce the earth to a desert, the person to an automation, brotherly love to planned collectivization, often introducing death where God wishes life.

The Church, admiring yet lovingly protesting against such “achievements”, intends, rather, to safeguard the world, which thirsts for a life of love, from dangers that would attack it. The Gospel calls all of its children to place their full strength, indeed their life, at the service of mankind in the name of the charity of Christ: “Greater love than this no man has than that he would lay down his life for his friends” (Jn. 15:13). In this solemn moment, we intend to consecrate all that we are and all that we can achieve to this supreme goal. We will do so until our last breath, aware of the task insistently entrusted to us by Christ: “Confirm your brothers” (Luke 22:32).

Example of Predecessors
He helps then by strengthening us in our difficult challenge. We remember the example of our Predecessors, whose lovable gentle ways bolstered by a relentless strength, provide both the example and programme for the papacy: we recall in particular the great lessons of pastoral guidance left by the most recent Popes, Pius XI, Pius XII, John XXIII. With wisdom, dedication, goodness and love of the Church and the world, they left an indelible mark on our time, a time that is both troubled and magnificent. Most of all the pontifical pastoral plan of Paul VI, our immediate Predecessor, left a strong impression on our heart and in our memory. His sudden death was crushing to the entire world. In the manner of his prophetic style, which marked his unforgettable pontificate, he placed in clear light the extraordinary stature of a great yet humble man. He cast an extraordinary light upon the Church, even in the midst of controversy and hostility these past fifteen years. Undertaking immense labours, he worked indefatigably and without rest. He extended himself to carry into effect the Second Vatican Council and to seek world peace, the tranquility of order.

Programme
Our Programme will be to continue his; and his in turn was in the wake of that drawn from the great heart of John XXIII.

We wish to continue to put into effect the heritage of the Second Vatican Council. Its wise norms should be followed out and perfected. We must be wary of an effort that though generous perhaps, is unwarranted. It would not achieve the content and meaning of the Council. On the other hand, we must avoid an approach that is hesitant and fearful - which thus would not realize the magnificent impulse of the renewal and of life.

We wish to preserve the integrity of the great discipline of the Church in the life of priests and of the faithful. It is a rich treasure in history. Throughout the ages, it has presented an example of holiness and heroism, both in the exercise of the evangelical virtues and in service to the poor, the humble, the defenseless. To achieve that we assign a priority to the revision of the two codes of canon law, that of the oriental tradition and that of the Latin tradition, to ensure the blessed liberty of children of God, through the solidarity and firmness of juridical structures.

Evangelization
We wish to remind the entire Church that its first duty is that of evangelization. Our Predecessor, Paul VI, presented the directions for this in his memorable document: animated by faith, nourished by the Word of God, and strengthened by the heavenly food of the Eucharist, one should study every way, seek every means, “in season and out of seasons” (2 Tim 4:2), to spread the word, to proclaim the message, to announce that salvation which creates in the soul a restlessness to pursue truth and at the same time offers strength from above. If all the sons and daughters of the Church knew how to be tireless missionaries of the Gospel, a new flowering of holiness and renewal would spring up in this world that thirsts for love and for truth.

Ecumenism
We wish to continue the ecumenical thrust, which we consider a final directive from our immediate Predecessors. We watch with unchanging faith, with dauntless hope and with endless love for the realization of that great command of Christ: “That they may all be one” (Jn. 17:21). His heart anxiously beat for this on the eve of his sacrifice on Calvary. The mutual relationship among the Churches of the various denominations have made constant and extraordinary advances as anyone can see; yet division remains a cause for concern, and indeed a contradictions and scandals in the eyes of non Christians and non-believers. We intend to dedicate our prayerful attention to everything that would favour union. We will do so without diluting doctrine but, at the same time, without hesitancy.

We wish to pursue with patience but firmness that serene and constructive dialogue that Paul VI had at the base of his plan and programme for pastoral action. The principal theme for this was set forth in his great Encyclical Ecclesiam Suam, namely, that men, as men, should know one another, even those who do not share our faith. We must always be ready to give witness to the faith that is ours and to the mission that Christ has given to us, “that the world may believe” (Jn. 17:21)

Peace
We wish finally to express our support for all the laudable, worthy initiatives that can safeguard and increases peace in our troubled world. We call upon all good men, all who are just, honest, true of heart. We ask them to help build up a dam within their nations against blind violence, which can only destroy and sow seeds of ruin and sorrow. So, too, in international life, they may bring men to mutual understanding, to combing efforts that will further social progress, overcome hunger of body and ignorance of the mind and advance those who are less endowed with goods of this earth, yet rich in energy and desire.

Brothers and dearest sons and daughters, in this awesome moment for us, yet a moment enriched by God’s promise, we extend our greeting to all of our sons and daughters: we wish we could see all of them face to face, embrace them, give them courage and confidence, while asking for their understanding and prayers for us.

Greetings
To all then, our greeting: to the Cardinals of the Sacred College, with whom we have shared this decisive hour. We depend upon them now, as we will in the future. We are grateful to them for their wise counsel. We appreciate the strong support that they will continue to offer us, as an extension of their consent, which, through God’s will, has brought us to the summit of the Apostolic Office;

To Bishops and Co-Workers
To all the Bishops of the Church of God, “each of whom represents his own Church, whereas all, together with the Pope, represent the entire Church in a bond of peace, love and unity” (Lumen Gentium, 23), and whose collegiality we strongly value. We value their efforts in the guidance of the universal Church both through the synodal structure and through the curial structure in which they share by right according to the norms established.

To all of our co-workers called to a strict response to our will and thus to an honoured activity which brings holiness of life, called to a spirit of obedience, to the works of the apostolate and to a most exemplary love of the Church. We love each of them and we encourage them to stay close to us as they were to our Predecessors in proved faithfulness. We are certain to be able to rely on their highly esteemed labours, which will be for us a great joy.

To Rome, Belluno and Venice
We salute the priests and faithful of the diocese of Rome, given to us upon our succession to the chair of Peter and to the unique and singular title of this Roman See “which presides over the whole society of love (cfr. s. Ignat, Ep. and Rom., Funk 1,252).

We salute in a special way the members of our native diocese of Belluno and those who were entrusted to our care at Venice. They are remembered as most beloved sons and daughters, and of them we think now with a sincere longing, conscious of their magnificent work for the Church and of their common commitment to the cause of the Gospel.

To Priests
And we embrace all priests - especially parish priests and those dedicated to the direction of souls, often in difficult conditions or genuine poverty, yet radiating the grace of their vocation in their heroic following of Christ, “the pastoral of our souls” (1 Peter, 2:25).

To Religious
We salute religious men and women, both those in contemplative and those in active life, who continue to make present in the world a hymn of total commitment to the Gospel ideal; and we ask them to continue to “see well to it that the Church shall truly show forth Christ through them, with ever-increasing clarity, to believers and unbelievers alike (Lumen Gentium, 46)

To the Missionary Church
We salute the entire missionary Church, and we extend to all men and women who in their outposts of evangelization dedicate themselves to the care of their brothers our encouragement and our most loving recognition. They should know that, among all who are dear to us, they are the dearest: they are never forgotten in our prayers and thoughts, because they have a privileged place in our hearts.

To Lay Apostles
To the associations of Catholic Action, as also to the variously named movements which contribute with new energy to the renewal society and the “consecration of the world” as a leaven in the mass (cfr. Mt. 13:33) - to them goes all support and encouragement, because we are convinced that their work, carried out in collaboration with the hierarchy, is indispensable for the Church today.

To the Young
We salute young people, the hope of tomorrow - a better, a healthier, a more constructive tomorrow - that they may know how to distinguish good from bad and, with the fresh energy that they possess, bring about the vitality of the Church and the development of the world.

To Families
We greet the families who are the “domestic sanctuary of the Church” (Apostolicam Actuositatem, 11), and indeed a true, actual “domestic Church” (Lumen Gentium 11) in which religious vocations can flourish and holy decisions be made. It is there that one is prepared for the world of tomorrow. We exhort them to oppose pernicious ideologies of hedonism which undermine life, and instead to form strong souls endowed with generosity, balance, dedication to the common good.

To the Suffering
We extend a particular greeting to all who are now suffering, to the sick, to prisoners, to exiles, unemployed, or who have unhappy fortune or who have unhappy fortune in life; to all upon whom restraints are placed in their practice of the Catholic faith, which they cannot freely profess except at the cost of the basin human rights of freemen and of willing, loyal citizens. In a special way our thoughts turn to the tortured land of Lebanon, to the situation in the homeland of Jesus, to the area of Sahel, to India, a land that is so tried, indeed, to all those sons, daughters, brothers and sisters who undergo privations in their social and political life or as a result of natural disasters.

We are all obliged to work to raise the world to a condition of greater justice, more stable peace, more sincere cooperation. Therefore we ask and beg all - from the humblest who are the connective fibers of nations to heads of state responsible for each nations - to work for a new order, one more just and honest.

A dawn of hope spreads over the earth, although it is sometimes touched by sinister merchants of hatred, bloodshed, and war, with a darkness which sometimes threatens to obscure the dawn. This humble Vicar of Christ, who begins his mission in fear yet in complete trust, places himself at the disposal of the entire Church and all civil society. We make no distinction as to race or ideology but seek to secure for the world the dawn of a more serene and joyful day. Only Christ could cause this dawn of a light which will never set, because he is the “sun of justice” (cf. Mal. 4:2). He will indeed oversee the work of all. He will not fail us.

Prayer
We ask all our sons and daughters for the help of their prayers, for we are counting on them; and we open ourselves with great trust to the assistance of the Lord, who having called us to be his representative on earth, will not leave us without his all powerful grace. Mary Most Holy, Queen of the Apostles, will be the shining star of our pontificate. St. Peter, the foundation of the Church (S. Ambrose, Exp. Ev. Sec. Lucam, IV, 70: CSEL 32, 4 p.175), will support us through his intercession and with his example of unconquerable faith and human generosity. St Paul will guide us in our apostolic efforts directed to all the people of the earth. Our holy patrons will assist us.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we impart to the world our first, most loving Apostolic Benediction.
15 September 1978

Born in Forno di Canala, 17 October 1912.
Ordained Priest, 7 July 1935.
Consecrated Bishop of Vittrio Veneto, 15 December 1958.
Made Patriarch of Venice, 15 December 1969.
Created Cardinal, 5 March 1973.
Elected Pope, 26 August 1978.
Died, 29 September 1978.

The new Pope, as we used Pope John Paul I , won affection from the Catholic world in the first month of his pontificate. He raised hopes of inspiring leadership and deepening unity.

Messages of dismay have come from all over the world. All the messages say the same things. They speak of shock, of high hopes that cannot now be realized, of an affection that had grown strong in five weeks, of a smile that cannot be forgotten.

May the soul of Pope John Paul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
6 October 1978

Mass of the Resurrection for Pope John Paul
Bishop John B. Wu of Hong Kong led a great number of priests in the cocelebration of a Mass
of the Resurrection for Pope John Paul I in the Hong Kong Cathedral on Wednesday, 4 October.

The Governor, Sir Murray Maclehose was represented by the Director of Protocol, Sir John Curle. In the front benches of the nave were Bishop Baker of the Anglican diocese, other religious leaders, consuls of many nations and many civic leaders.

The French Card. Paul Gouyon said of Pope John Paul before the election: “I have been impressed by the humility, simplicity and peace of heart of Cardinal A. Luciani”

That peaceful heart stopped to beat a few weeks later, while it was meditating on the “Imitation of Christ”.

From the Diocese of Belluno, in the mountains of North East Italy, he was for eleven years Bishop of Vittorio Veneto, only about 30 miles away from his Belluno. As he was my bishop, I had the fortune to know him and to experience his unassuming, cheerful, very easy and sincere way of relating with people. From Vittorio Veneto he was called to the more important Venice, always within the same Veneto Region. All those years he was mainly interested and engaged in that pastoral work which keeps a priest constantly in touch with the common people.

Certainly he did not expect to be elected Pope, and everybody, except the people of North East Italy, asked themselves: “Who is this new Pope”.

It took only a few hours for everybody to see a smiling serene man, and only one day to hear his first long speech, giving the programme for his future work, something no other Pope ever did.

Service:
“We put all our physical strength - he said, at the service of the universal mission of the Church, that is to say, at the service of the world. In other words we will be at the service of truth, of justice, of peace, of harmony, of collaboration with nations and of relations between peoples.”

1. The task “to preserve the integrity of the great discipline of the Church” which flourishes in “the exercise of the evangelical virtues and service to the poor, the humble, the defenseless.”

2. Evangelization which is the first duty of the Church…if all sons and daughters of the Church knew how to be tireless missionaries of the Gospel, a new flowering of holiness and renewal would spring up in this world that thirst for love and for truth”.

3. Ecumenism: “We intend to dedicate our prayerful attention to everything that would favour union. We will do so without deluting doctrine, but, at the same time, without hesitancy”.

4. Cooperation with all “good men”, in order to combine efforts that will further social progress, overcome hunger of body and ignorance of the mind and advance those who are less endowed with goods of this earth, yet rich of energy and desire”.

Pope John Paul had just started working on this programme, when God called him to the reward of a full life. We all wonder why so soon?

Papacy, in the Catholic Church, is an element both of continuity and of change. Each Pope brings in something new and complementary to his presence of the Spirit, who is both eternal and always moving like “water, wind and fire” of biblical image. The 34-day service of Pope John Paul has its significance and contribution. We only need more time in order to fully understand and appreciate the meaning of this brief, gentle action of the Spirit through John Paul.

We believe that men do not die, but rise again to full life into Christ as we have just read in the Scripture. And yet we do feel bewildered and grieved. To us God says again as in Isaiah (55:9):

“The heavens are as high above earth as my ways are above yours ways, my thoughts above your thoughts”

“Yahweh gave, Yahwen has THE NAME OF taken back BLESSED BE YAHWEH”.
13 October 1978

Pope John Paul I read the following speech in English during an audience for a group of Filipino bishops, headed by Cardinal Julio Rosales of Cebu, who were making their “ad limina” (official five-year) visits to the pope and Rome. It was Pope John Paul’s last speech.

“Dear brothers in Christ, in welcoming you with deep affection, we wish to recall a passage found in the breviary. This passage has struck us forcefully. It concerns Christ, and was spoken by Paul VI on his visit to the Philippines. “I must bear witness to his name: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God… He is the king of the new world; he is the secret of history; he is the key to our destiny” (13^th Sunday of the year: Homily of 29 November 1970). On our part we hope to sustain you, support you and encourage you in the great mission of the episcopate: to proclaim Jesus Christ and to evangelize his people.

“Among the rights of the faithful, one of the greatest is the right to receive God’s word in all its entirety and purity, with all its exigencies and power. A great challenge of our day is the full evangelization of all those who have been baptized. In this, the bishops of the Church have a prime responsibility. Our message must be a clear proclamation of salvation in Jesus Christ. With Peter we must say to Christ in the presence of our people: “You have the words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:69). For us, evanglization involves an explicit teaching about the name of Jesus, his identity, his teaching, his kingdom and his promises.

ETERNAL LIFE
“And his chief promise is eternal life. Jesus truly has words that lead us to eternal life. Just recently at a general audience, we spoke to the faithful about eternal life. We are convinced that it is necessary for us to emphasize this element, in order to complete our message and to model our teaching on that of Jesus. From the days of the Gospel, and in imitation of the Lord, who “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), the Church is irrevocably committed to contributing to the relief of physical misery and need. But her pastoral charity would be incomplete if she did not point our even “higher needs”.

“In the Philippines, Paul VI did precisely this. At a moment when he chose to speak about the poor, about justice and peace, about human rights, about economic and social liberation – at a moment when he also effectively committed the Church to the alleviation of misery – he did not and could not remain silent about the “higher good,” the fullness of life in the kingdom of heaven. More than ever before, we must help our people to realize just how much they need Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the son of Mary.

“He is their saviour, the key to their destiny and to the destiny of all humanity.

“Dear brothers, we are spiritually close to you in all the efforts you are making on behalf of evangelization: as you train catechists, as you promote the biblical apostolate, as you assist and encourage all your priests in their great mission at the service of God’s word, and as you lead all your faithful to understand and to fulfill the requirements of justice and Christian love. We greatly esteem these and all your endeavours on behalf of the kingdom of God. In particular, we fully support the affirmation of the missionary vocation, and earnestly hope that it will flourish among your youth. We are aware that the Philippines has a great vocation in being the light of Christ in the Far East: to proclaim his truth, his love, his justice and salvation by word and example before its neighbours, the peoples of Asia.

RADIO VERITAS
“We know that you have a privileged instrument in this regard: Radio Veritas. It is our hope that the Philippines will use this great means and every other means to proclaim with the entire Church that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and saviour of the world.

“Our greetings go to all your local Churches, especially to the priests and Religious. We encourage them to ever greater holiness of life as a condition for the supernatural effectiveness of their apostolate. We love and bless the families of your dioceses and all the laity. We ask the sick and the handicapped to understand their important part in God’s plan, and to realize just how much evangelization depends on them. To all of you, brothers, we impart our special apostolic blessing. Invoking upon you joy and strength in Jesus Christ.
27 October 1978

“He passed as a meteor which unexpectedly lights up the heavens and this disappears, leaving us amazed and astonished.”

With these words, Cardinal Carlo Confalonieri, dean of the College of Cardinals, summed up the feelings of the shocked and mourning Catholic world at the funeral Mass for Pope John Paul I, who was elected to the papacy on 26 August 1978, and served for 34 days.

One year after his election, much of the amazement and astonishment has faded, replaced by such questions as: How did John Paul I change the face of the Roman Catholic Church? What effect did he have on his successor, Pope John Paul II? What legacy did he leave?

HIS LEGACY
The former Cardinal Albino Luciani, Patriarch of Venice, Italy, “the smiling Pope,” issued no encyclicals, approved no major statements by Vatican congregations, made no major changes in the Roman Curia, and never celebrated Mass as Pope on the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Yet his papal style - his dismissal of pomp, his sometimes chatty way of speaking to crowds, his constant claims to feeling a little overwhelmed by his formidable new role - paved the way for the election of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla of Cracow, Poland, as Pope John Paul II.

The style of Pope John Paul I also gave many Catholics new insights into the human nature of the papacy.

PAPACY HUMANIZED
“He was the first one to seem like a man,” one Vatican official says. “He admitted that he was a little afraid of taking on this new job. And people said, ‘Yes, that’s the way he should feel. That’s the way I would feel.’”

Because of that admission, Pope John Paul was quickly taken into the hearts of many people around the world and deeply mourned when he died unexpectedly of a heart attack on 28 September 1978, the official said.

A year after his election, the most concrete reminders of his papacy are not the symbols which remain but those which are missing.

POMP ABANDONED
He rejected use of the tradition triple crown (tiara) that goes to a new Pope and preferred to call his first Mass as Pope the “inauguration” of his papal ministry rather than a coronation.

“Pope John Paul I, whose memory is so vivid in our hearts, did not wish to have the tiara - nor does his successor wish it today,” said John Paul II at his inaugural Mass on 22 October. “This is not a time to return to a ceremony and an object considered - perhaps wrongly - to be a symbol of the temporal power of the Popes.”

Pope John Paul I also tried to get rid of the portable throne used often by Pope Paul VI, but returned to using it after pilgrims complained they could not see a 5-foot, 5-inch Pope.

His 5-foot, 11-inch successor generally walks through crowds or, at his Wednesday general audiences, rides standing in a white Toyata jeep.

John Paul I rarely used the majestic papal plural “we”. He referred to himself as “I” or “me”. The present Pope has also cut down the use of the papal “we” and has continued his predecessor’s practice of stopping to greet people in the crowd as he arrives and leaves.

There was no time, however, to make much more than symbolic changes. Pope John Paul I spent a great deal of his 34-day papacy visiting offices of the Roman Curia, admitting that he did not fully understand the workings of the Church’s central administration.

“The first thing I did after the election was to read the ‘Annuario Pontificio’ (Vatican yearbook) to learn the organization of the Holy See,” he laughingly told the College of Cardinals.

But several Vatican observers reject the idea that the Pope would not have been able to grasp the intricacies of Vatican operations.

“Some say he was lost, but he was observing,” said one source. “He was trying to find a formula that would have been very simple, and when he found it he would have been very firm in his decisions.”

THE TWO JOHN PAUL’S
The same observer believes that the impact of his papacy “would have been slower but might have been clearer” than that the present Pope.

“Pope John Paul II has had a great impact, but the lines of his pontificate are still not clear,” he said. “He seems to be a reflective man, and he needs contact with many people to stimulate those reflections.”

Another difference between the two men is that Pope John Paul I probably would not have travelled outside Italy as frequently as his successor.

Less than a week into his papacy. John Paul I said he would not attend the Latin American bishops’ assembly in Puebla, Mexico, because of too many other commitments.

John Paul II attended the Puebla meeting, went to Poland for ten days and plans to make trips to Ireland, the United State and the Philippines before the end of 1979.

PROGRAMME
Pope John Paul I outlined the general programme he wanted to follow in a speech to cardinals on the day after his election. The programme emphasized continuing implementation of the Second Vatican Council; revision of the Code of Canon Law; promotion of ecumenism “without hesitation”; involvement of all believers in evangelism efforts; greater use of shared decision - making among the world’s bishops; efforts for peace and progress; and support for projects against hunger and illiteracy.

“We want to continue to bring to life the inheritance of Vatican II,” he said.

“Its wise norms must be brought to fulfillment. We must be vigilant, lest a generous yet unforeseen push betray its contents and meaning or lest fearful braking forces slow down its magnificent thrust for renewal and life.”

This speech, like the name he chose, indicated clearly the direction that the papacy of John Paul I would have taken if it had been allowed to flower. He chose the double name John Paul to signify his intension to continue the policies of his predecessors, John XXIII and Paul VI.

His pontificate is reflected in the 18 other talks he gave as Pope, especially the four Wednesday general audience addresses on humility - his motto as bishop and Pope - and on faith, hope and charity.

“Every one of us should seek to be good and to instill others with a goodness that is shot through with the gentleness and love taught by Christ,” he told the crowd in St. Peter’s Square on 24 September.

Thirty years ago on 26 August, a conclave of 111 cardinal elected an Italian, Albino Cardinal Luciani, as Pope John Paul I, the smiling pope, who served only 34 days before dying of a heart attack. It was one of the briefest pontificates in history, but it left a lasting impression.

Many inside and outside the Vatican felt that a man of extraordinary humility and goodness had passed their way - like a meteor that lights up the sky and quickly disappears, as one cardinal put it.

Only five cardinals who voted in that conclave are still alive. Among them is Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger - now Pope Benedict XVI - who at the time, was one of the youngest cardinal-electors.

Along with the rest of the College of Cardinals, he watched as Pope John Paul I set about introducing a new style of papacy, more simple and less formal than many in the Vatican were accustomed to.

His first speech to the world, delivered from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, was personal and direct, like a heart-to-heart talk. He asked Catholics to “have mercy on the poor new pope, who never really expected to rise to this post.” He joked about having to pick up the Vatican’s thick yearbook, the Annuario Pontificio, to study how the Roman Curia worked.

The new pope made no secret of the fact that he sometimes felt a bit intimidated by the Church structure he was supposed to be running. On the other hand, in his public events, he made connections with everyday Catholic, adopting a storytelling form of preaching and bringing a parish atmosphere to the Vatican.

He explained the concept of free will with a metaphor about prudent car maintenance. He spoke sympathetically about those who can’t bring themselves to believe in God. He once jokingly compared marriage to a gilded bird cage, “Those on the outside are dying to get in, while those on the inside are dying to get out.”

In one of his most quoted remarks, Pope John Paul I said that God “is a father, but even more, a mother” in the way he loves humanity. He backed up his statement by quoting the Old Testament prophet Isaiah, “Could a mother forget her child? But even if that were to happen, God will never forget his people.”

Most Church commentators have looked back on this abbreviated pontificate as a time of grace and joy. Other analysts, however, have characterized Pope John Paul I as being out of his depth and, as a man who was overwhelmed by the burdens of his new position.

However, Pope Benedict sees it differently. He told the Italian magazine, Giorni, in 2003, “Personally, I am totally convinced that he was a saint, because of his great goodness, simplicity, humanity and courage.”

He said he felt extremely happy after the two-day conclave had elected Cardinal Luciani to the papacy. He said it seemed that “to have as pastor of the universal Church a man of such goodness and luminous faith was a guarantee that everything was going well.” In 2004, the then-Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger traveled to the province of Belluno, the native land of Pope John Paul I, and said he was praying for his beatification.

He said of the late pope, “Speaking with him, one perceived that he was an essential man. He concentrated on the simple but was in no way simplistic.” Indeed, even as the possible beatification of Pope John Paul II has attracted much of the Church’s attention in recent years, the sainthood cause of Pope John Paul I has been working slowly through the system.

The vice postulator of the cause, Monsignor Giorgio Lise, told the Catholic News Service that the diocesan phase of the documentation has recently been given formal acceptance by the Congregation for Saints Causes.

Meanwhile, the local approval of a miracle attributed to the intercession of Pope John Paul I - the healing of a malignant lymphoma - is expected to be completed in September.

The death of Pope John Paul I on 28 September 1978, was a shock for the Church and for the cardinals who elected him. Cardinal Ratizinger said in 2003 that it came as a real blow, at first leaving him feeling rather depressed, “as if providence had said no to our choice.” However, later he admitted he had come to see that the brief pontificate had not been an error, but had a real meaning in the history of the Church.

“It was not only the testimony of his goodness and joyous faith. His unexpected death also opened the doors to an unexpected choice, a pope who was not Italian,” he said. It was John Paul I - the smiling pope who connected with everyday Catholics.
7 September 2008

Pope Francis approved the establishment of the John Paul I Vatican Foundation on April 28, to preserve and promote the writings, thinking, example and study of “the smiling pope.” Pietro Cardinal Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, was appointed the foundation president. Like Pope John Paul, the cardinal comes from Italy’s northern Veneto.

Born Albino Luciani in 1921, Pope John Paul I served only 33 days as pope. He died in 1978 at the age of 65, shocking the world and a Church that had just mourned the death of Pope St. Paul VI.

Pope St. John Paul II said his predecessor’s importance was inversely proportional to his brief pontificate, and Cardinal Parolin said this pope “was and remains a point of reference within the history of the universal Church.”

Much about Pope John Paul I, his life and work has been gathered over the course of his sainthood cause, which Pope Francis furthered in 2017 with the recognition that the pope lived the Christian virtues in a heroic way.

Cardinal Parolin said in a commentary in the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, on April 28, that assembling all the sources of information for the sainthood cause has spurred on new research and important details from a historical point of view.

“Therefore, a necessary reclaiming of the memory of Pope Luciani is now possible so that his historical significance may be fully restored” and new prospects be opened to greater study into his work, the cardinal wrote.

He added that having this new foundation would allow for the needed preservation of all of the late-pope’s works and writings, and would help promote his thinking and spirituality, particularly since his example and message are “extraordinarily timely” today.

This Italian pope, born into poverty in a small mountain village, was “a pastor near to his people, focused on the essentials of the faith, including an extraordinary social sensitivity,” the cardinal wrote.

“Being close, humility, simplicity, insisting on God’s mercy, love for one’s neighbour and solidarity are some of his major characteristics,” he wrote.

Cardinal Parolin said Pope John Paul I applied the Second Vatican Council throughout his brief pontificate, emphasising the gospel, renewed missionary spirit, collegiality, the search for Christian unity, interreligious dialogue, dialogue with the modern world and the promotion of justice and peace.

The foundation will sponsor various initiatives, including conventions, meetings, seminars and study sessions and will eventually offer scholarships and other types of awards. It will also publish research and be a point of reference throughout the world for people who wish to further their studies regarding Pope John Paul I.

According to the Vatican communique, Cardinal Parolin named six members to the foundation’s administrative board, with each serving a five-year term. They include: Beniamino Cardinal Stella, prefect of Congregation for Clergy, who was a young priest in the Diocese of Vittorio Veneto when Pope John Paul was its bishop, and is postulator of the pope’s sainthood cause; Stefania Falasca, a journalist and vice postulator of the cause; and Lina Petri, one of the pope’s nieces.

The six members of the foundation’s scientific committee have yet to be named.

10 May 2020

Pope Francis signed a decree on 13 October recognising a miracle attributed to the intercession of Pope John Paul I, clearing the way for his beatification.

The Italian pope served only 33 days as pontiff. He died in the papal apartments on 28 September 1978, at the age of 65, shocking the world and a Church that had just mourned the death of Pope St. Paul VI.

In the sainthood cause of Pope John Paul I, the approved miracle involved a young girl in Buenos Aires, Argentina, who developed a severe ease of acute encephalitis and uncontrollable and life-threatening brain seizures, and eventually entered septic shock.

After doctors told family members her death was “imminent,” the local priest encouraged the family, nurses and others to pray to the late pope for his intercession, according to the website of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes. A panel of experts studying the cause determined there was no scientific explanation for her complete recovery in 2011 and that it could be attributed to the late pope’s intercession.

Although his was one of the shortest papacies in history, Pope John Paul left a lasting impression on the Church that fondly remembers him as “the smiling pope.”

His papal motto, Humilitas (humility), not only emphasised a Christian virtue but also reflected his down-to-earth personality and humble beginnings.

Born Albino Luciani in the small Italian mountain town of Canale D’Agordo on 17 October 1912, the future pope, his two brothers and one sister lived in poverty and sometimes went to bed hungry.

He was ordained a priest in 1935 and was appointed bishop of Vittorio Veneto in December 1958 by Pope St. John XXIII. More than 10 years later, he was named patriarch of Venice by St. Paul VI and was created a cardinal in 1973.

Upon his election as pope, he continued his humble manner, even rejecting the use of the traditional papal tiara and calling his first Mass as pope the “inauguration” of his papal ministry rather than a coronation.

24 October 2021

Pope Francis is set to beatify Pope John Paul I on September 4, at the Vatican, according to Stefania Falasca, a journalist and vice postulator of the late pope’s sainthood cause.

In October, Pope Francis had signed a decree recognising a miracle attributed to the intercession of the late pope, clearing the way for his beatification. At the time, a date for the ceremony was not announced.

Writing on December 23 in Avvenire, the daily newspaper owned by the Italian bishops’ conference, Falasca said the date had been set.

Pope John Paul I, an Italian who was born Albino Luciani, served only 33 days as pontiff. He died in the papal apartments on 28 September 1978, three weeks shy of his 66th birthday, shocking the world and a Church that had just mourned the death of Pope St. Paul VI.

The miracle approved in his cause involved a young girl in Buenos Aires, Argentina, who developed a severe case of acute encephalitis, experienced uncontrollable and life-threatening brain seizures, and eventually entered septic shock.

Although his was one of the shortest papacies in history, Pope John Paul I left a lasting impression on the Church that fondly remembers him as “the smiling pope.”

Born in the small Italian mountain town of Canale D’Agordo on 17 October 1912, the future pope, his two brothers and one sister lived in poverty and sometimes went to bed hungry.

His surprise election, after St. Paul VI’s death, did not sway him from continuing his humble manner of living, such as rejecting the use of the traditional papal tiara and calling his first Mass as pope the “inauguration” of his papal ministry rather than a coronation.

On July 11, the Holy See Press Office plans for the beatification of Pope John Paul I, the ‘Smiling Pope’. Pope Francis is to preside over the beatification Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, September 4, Vatican News reported.

“During the beatification, the team of postulators will gift the Holy Father with a reliquary containing the relics of the new Blessed,” according to a statement from the Press Office.

The Diocese of Rome will host a prayer vigil the evening before the beatification led by Angelo Cardinal De Donatis, the papal vicar for Rome, at Basilica of St. John Lateran, CNS reported. The late pope’s hometown of Forno di Canale (now Canale d’Agordo) is to host the main Mass of Thanksgiving a week later after the beatification, the office promoting his sainthood cause announced.

During the September 4 beatification Mass, Bishop Renato Marangoni will read the Rite of Beatification, together with Beniamino Cardinal Stella, the postulator for the Cause of Canonisation, and Dr. Stefania Falasca, the deputy postulator.

Born Albino Luciani on 17 October 1912, Pope John Paul I’s 33-day papacy is the shortest in modern history. Vatican News noted that he was first pope to choose a double name, honouring his two predecessors: John XXIII and Paul VI.

He died in the papal apartments on 28 September 1978, three weeks short of his 66th birthday.

“Our new blessed lived that way: in the joy of the gospel, without compromises, loving to the very end,” Pope Francis said during his homily at the beatification ceremony for Blessed John Paul I on September 4. The Mass at St. Peter’s Square attended by an estimated 25,000 people under dark skies and rain, with an occasional roll of thunder and clap of lightning. He praised the late pope for showing the world God’s goodness and for living the Gospel without compromise.

“He embodied the poverty of the disciple, which is not only detachment from material goods, but also victory over the temptation to put oneself at the centre, to seek one’s own glory” as he followed the example of Jesus and was “a meek and humble pastor,” he said.

“With a smile, Pope John Paul managed to communicate the goodness of the Lord. How beautiful is a Church with a happy, serene and smiling face, a church that never closes doors, never hardens hearts, never complains or harbours resentment, does not grow angry or impatient, does not look dour or suffer nostalgia for the past,” the pope said.

“Let us pray to him, our father and our brother, and ask him to obtain for us ‘the smile of the soul’” that is “transparent, that does not deceive,” Pope Francis said. “Let us pray, in his own words, ‘Lord take me as I am, with my defects, with my shortcomings, but make me become what you want me to be.’”

During the beatification ceremony, which took place at the beginning of the Mass, an image of the new blessed was unveiled on a huge tapestry affixed to the facade of the basilica. The image was a reproduction of an oil painting, “The Smiling Pope,” created by Zhang Yan, a Chinese artist whose work combines Eastern and Western painting techniques.

The relic, carried by Lina Petri, the niece of the late pope, was a piece of paper, yellowed with age, upon which the pope had written an outline for a spiritual reflection on the three theological virtues-faith, hope and charity-the themes of three of his only four audience talks.

The materials for the reliquary, a sculpted wooden cross on top of a smooth stone, were taken from where Blessed John Paul was born and grew up in northern Italy.

In his homily, Pope Francis connected the day’s gospel reading to the humble and Christ-centred way Blessed John Paul lived his life and to how Christians today are called to live their lives.

The pope observed that Jesus attracted large crowds with his teachings, but he did not exploit this popularity the way some teachers or leaders do when they see people look to them as a source of hope for the future.

“The same thing happens today, especially at times of personal or societal crisis, when we are especially prey to feelings of anger or we fear things that threaten our future. We become more susceptible and thus, on this wave of emotion, we look to those, who with skill and cunning, take advantage of the situation, profiting from society’s fears and promising to be the ‘saviour’ who can solve all its problems, whereas in reality they are looking for wider approval and for greater power,” Pope Francis said.

The pope said that God “does not exploit our needs or use our vulnerability for his own aggrandisement. He does not want to seduce us with deceptive promises or to distribute cheap favours; he is not interested in huge crowds. He is not obsessed with numbers; he does not seek approval; he does not idolise personal success.”

Christians should examine the reasons they follow the Lord, he said, and make sure they are not seeking: the satisfaction of their own needs; personal prestige; social status or control; power and privilege; recognition and so on.

Christians are called to love, “to be purified of our distorted ideas of God and of our self-absorption, and to love God and others, in the church and society, including those who do not think the way we do, to love even our enemies,” he said.

Christians must “love even at the cost of sacrifice, silence, misunderstanding, solitude, resistance and persecution,” he said. Because, as Blessed John Paul said, “if you want to kiss Jesus crucified, ‘you cannot help bending over the cross and letting yourself be pricked by a few thorns of the crown on the Lord’s head.’”

Among the family members and devotees who carried candles to place before the relic was Sister Margherita Marin, a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Child Mary, who assisted in the papal apartments and was one of sisters who found the deceased pope on 28 September 1978.

Candela Giarda, the young Argentine woman whose miracle cleared the path for Blessed John Paul’s beatification, was unable to come to Rome because of a fractured foot from playing sports. She was 11 years old when she developed a severe case of acute encephalitis, experienced uncontrollable and life-threatening brain seizures, and eventually entered septic shock.

After doctors told family members her death was “imminent,” Father Juan José Dabusti, who attended the beatification ceremony, encouraged the family, nurses and others to pray to the late pope for his intercession. In 2011, a panel of experts studying the cause determined there was no scientific explanation for her complete recovery and that it could be attributed to the late pope’s intercession.

Blessed John Paul, an Italian who was born Albino Luciani, served only 33 days as pontiff; he died just three weeks shy of his 66th birthday, shocking the world and a Church that had just mourned the death of Pope St. Paul VI.

Although his was one of the shortest papacies in history, Blessed John Paul left a lasting impression on the Church that fondly remembers him as “the smiling pope.”

In his Angelus address after the Mass, Pope Francis asked everyone to pray to Our Lady, “that she may obtain the gift of peace throughout the world, especially in the martyred Ukraine.”

He said, “May she, the first and perfect disciple of the Lord, help us to follow the example and holiness of life of John Paul I.”

11 September 2022

兆民沾德澤萬眾仰高賢
義籍魯士安尼樞機
天降大任榮膺宗座
定名若望保祿一世
羅馬鐘聲齊鳴信徒歡呼祝頌

義大利威尼斯首牧魯士安尼樞機眾望所歸，在樞機秘密會議八月廿六日的選舉中脫穎而出，當選聖教會第二百六十三任宗座，成為全球七億天主教信徒的新首牧。

新教宗定名若望保祿一世，是一位思想開明、作風平實的人物。

他當選以後，在西斯丁小堂首次以拉丁語發表文告。在約半小時的演講中，他說：「我們希望教會能為世界各國及全人類在真理、公義、和平、協調及合作上作出貢獻。我們希望繼續貫徹梵二大公會議的決策，並希望完整無缺地保存教會的偉大教義」。他說：「我們要提醒教會，其首要任務是傳揚基督的福音」。他讚揚前任教宗保祿六世為「偉大而謙遜的人」；他說：「我們將沿其定下的途徑前進，並服膺若望廿三世的偉大精神」。

新教宗又提出忠告：以偶像代替天主只會將世界變成沙漠，將人類變成原子，和平共存變成集權主義。他關懷家庭生活的幸福，在論及教會反對墮胎的立場時，他說：「毀滅家庭生活的享樂主義是謬論」。我們希望不斷推行全基督徒合一運動 …… 不要放棄教義，不要猶疑」。「我們希望保持忍耐、堅定、安詳與建設性的言語 …… 並與那些不同宗教和未有信仰的人分享」。

教宗若望保祿最後說：「我們希望能積極地在這痛苦的世界中主動的協助維持和平」。

新教宗隨後走出聖西斯丁小堂，出現在聖伯多祿大殿露台，面露笑容，向群集大殿廣場的五萬名歡呼雷動的信眾降福。

這次的選擇，歷時不足十小時，是近代歷史上最快捷的一次。保祿六世時是兩天，若望廿三世共三天。

新教宗生於一九一二年十月十七日，現年六十五歲，一九三五年晉鐸，一九五八年晉牧，一九七三年由教宗保祿六世加冠為樞機，現任義大利主教團的副團長。

他早年在羅馬額我略大學攻讀神學，後來從事修院教育工作，在牧民和要理教學方面具有豐富的經驗。

魯士安尼樞機是一位強烈反共的神長，在威尼斯區宗主教任內，曾呼籲教友選民不要投支持共產黨候選人。
1978 年 9 月 1 日

教廷發言人彭志理神父，於上月廿七日宣佈：教宗若望保祿定於本月三日舉行就職典禮。
1978 年 9 月 1 日

魯士安尼樞機當選教宗的消息傳出後，各國的反應非常良好。

美國總統、英國首相和各國的政教領袖，都發表了談話，表示歡迎。蘇聯官方通訊社也報導了新教宗誕生的消息。

在台灣方面，蔣經國總統拍發了電報致賀。羅光總主教則說，教宗若望保祿一世，出身寒門，同時他又從教會基層做起，歷任神父、主教、總主教、樞機主教，因此對於教會的地方行政經驗極為豐富；而又瞭解民間疾苦，所以有這麼一位慈悲寬大的新領袖當選，將是天主教與世人之福。

1978 年 9 月 1 日

一百多位樞機於八月廿五日 (星期五) 進入密室舉行投票。第二天晚上，魯士安尼樞機即膺選為教宗。這是教廷近代歷史上時間最短的一次選舉。

全球天主教信眾都以興奮的心情迎接這一喜訊。自從教宗保祿六世駕崩以後，新聞界曾一再預示新教宗的難產 ── 投票人眾多、樞機之間存有歧見、最重要的是缺乏傑出的候選人。世界各地大部份的人也承認，樞機之中並無傑出的候選人，但投票的樞機卻持另一種看法。至少在數小時之內，有七十五位樞機 (即參選樞機總數的三分之二加一) 選擇了魯士安尼樞機。在新聞界列舉的可能當選的名單中，魯士安尼樞機的名字甚少出現。顯而易見，樞機心目中都有共同的傑出人選，並且作出了迅速的選擇。這是團結和修好的新宗座的最佳預兆。

正如聖庇護十世和教宗若望廿三世一樣，現在的新教宗在當選時也是威尼斯的首牧。他大部份時間都在威尼斯省度過，他在該省出世，父親是一名玻璃工人。一九三五年晉鐸以後，他先後在當地擔任堂區助理主作司鐸、修院教授、原籍比露諾教區副主教、維尼杜教區主教，最後出任威尼斯的宗主教。他雖然擔任威尼斯宗主教區這樣一個頗具歷史性的顯赫教區的宗主教，但新聞界對這一點並不太重視。新聞界重視的是這位新教宗選擇的名號和第一次談話。資料雖少，但已足夠了。

一千多年來，從來沒有任何教宗使用過「若望保祿一世」這個名號。自聖伯多祿以還的一系列教宗，沒有任何一人採用複名。顯而易見，教宗若望保祿一世並不畏懼革新。他選擇的複名倒是極具意義，證明新教宗決心在教宗若望和教宗保祿的精神下實踐第二屆梵蒂岡大公會議的決議。

他選擇名號的意向，曾在當選後相繼發表的兩篇演說中予以強調。這兩次演說，一次在西斯丁小堂的彌撒中以拉丁語發表，另一次是向聖伯多祿大殿廣場的信眾發表。

在第一次發表的較為隆重的演說中，教宗若望保祿邀請「全球的兄弟」與他携手，尋求完美的正義、持久的和平、衷誠的合作。他反對以某些偶像代替天主而將世界變為沙漠，將人類變為原子，將手足情誼變為集權主義。他向前任的兩位教宗致意，決心將大公會議的決議付諸實行。他提醒普世教會：傳教才是自己首要的職責。他保證毫不猶豫的推行不損公教教義的合一運動。他關懷所有未誕生的嬰兒和受苦的人。

他的第二次演說談到了他當選的感受。他引述了若干樞機向他發出的耳語：「不要害怕，世上很多人正為新教宗祈禱」。但願如此。
1978 年 9 月 1 日

破除千年傳統慣例揚棄寶座三重冠冕
若望保祿即位典禮隆重簡樸
號召世人多祈禱少鬥爭

聖教會的第二百六十三任教宗，本月三日 (主日) 在普照的陽光下即位，宣佈「為普世教會服務」。

若望保祿一世的就職典禮在聖伯多祿大殿廣場舉行，在場觀禮的人估計共有二十萬之眾，其中包括專誠到賀的各國特使。

新教宗就職典禮的實況，經由人造衛星向全球各地四十八個國家播放。

新教宗放棄了一千多年來的傳統慣例，在即位大典中首次沒有接受三重冠冕，也沒有坐上寶座，典禮隆重而簡樸。唯一象徵他成為基督在世代表的標誌，是一條羊毛佩帶，這是用特選的羊毛織成的，上面有六個十字聖號。

在就職彌撒中誦讀的第一篇聖經，選自依撒意亞先知書，以法語宣讀，第二編讀經選自伯多祿前書，以英語宣讀。

彌撒的福音 (瑪竇福音第十五章) ，先用拉丁語後用希臘語誦讀，表明教會中拉丁禮和東方禮的共融。

新教宗在典禮中以拉丁語、義大利語和法語講道，號召世人多祈禱，少鬥爭。

他歡迎各國政府和各教會派遣特使蒞臨觀禮。他希望各國與教廷合作，謀求世界和平。

信友禱文分別以拉丁語、義大利語、西班牙語、德語和英語等語言誦念。

信經由西斯丁小堂男聲合唱團和一群修女用傳統的拉丁文額我略曲調演唱。
1978 年 9 月 8 日

教宗若望保祿一世本月三日在簡單而隆重的典禮中就任聖教會的第二百六十三任教宗。

這些特使包括美國副總統蒙特爾，比利時國王鮑杜恩與皇后華碧奧娜，西班牙國王卡羅斯，阿根廷總統維迪拉，黎巴嫩總統沙基斯，奧地利總理卻斯拉格，加拿大總理杜魯多，西德總理舒密特等。波利維亞，厄瓜多爾與葡萄牙等國的外長也蒞臨參加。
1978 年 9 月 8 日

新教宗以前曾接受過一次並不很成功的扁桃體切割手術，因此經常畏寒。

他在膺選教宗後站在聖伯多祿大殿露台上向信眾發表演說時，語調清晰，但聲音稍感微弱，主要原因就是早年施行過一次扁桃體切除手術。

又據他家鄉的鄉民說，新教宗早年在神學院讀書時，常在假日穿起修士服裝到田裡割草。正如他本人所說，他「吃飯時就像一隻金絲雀」，說得多吃得少。
1978 年 9 月 8 日

在本港服務的義大利宗座外方傳教會唐多明神父，與新教宗若望保祿一世是同鄉。

唐神父說：「我家裡的人曾見過他多次，一九六七年五月，我們兩人曾交談過一次，他對香港教區的情形垂詢甚詳」。

唐神又說：「他擔任主教時，常到我們村裡來，親自視察教務，並且主持聖事，教授要理」。

據唐多明神父說，他平易近人，與教友打成一片。他講道力求言簡意賅，通常僅費時七分鐘，最長不過十分鐘。他關心貧病，常常親自上門慰問他們」。

唐神父說：「最令我感激的是，他曾探訪我一名患病的胞妹，為她主持病傅聖事」。
1978 年 9 月 8 日

波蘭主教團團長華錫奇樞機在羅馬透露，波蘭信眾決定從首都華沙出發，步行一百二十五哩，前往西南部的聖母大殿，為新教宗的選舉而祈禱。

他說，參加步行和祈禱的信徒約有三十萬人，其中有數百名是義大利人、德國人和法國人。
1978 年 9 月 8 日

本屆共有一百一十一位分屬四十九個不同國籍的樞機參加。一九六三年共有八十人參加 (保祿六世當選) ，一九五八年只有五十一人參加 (若望廿三世當選) 。

在以往歷次選舉中，歐洲籍樞機人數所佔的比例最多，足以左右大局。本屆的歐籍樞機，人數不足總數一半。

非洲籍樞機人數眾多，佔了總數的百分之二十，這也是本屆選舉的一個特色。

以國籍區分，義大利籍樞機仍佔最大比例，佔總數的百分之廿三，但比起上屆所佔的百分之卅五，顯然已經劇減。

佔第二位置的是美國樞機，共有九人。第三是法國籍，七人。

參加本屆選舉的樞機，平均年齡是六十八歲，比一九六三年的七十二歲顯然降低了。平均年齡降低的主要原因是年逾八十歲的樞機現在不能參加選舉。

樞機中最年輕的一位是菲律賓馬尼拉首牧辛恩樞機 ── 四十九歲。

拉丁美洲本屆有十一位樞機參加，佔總數百分之十四。
1978 年 9 月 8 日

新教宗向記者表示
膺選宗座頗感意外
墨西哥新聞界贈來回機票

新教宗本月一日在教廷首次接見了來自世界各地的千多名記者。

他說，外傳若干樞機組成了派系支持某些候選人，這是毫無根據的謠言。

教宗希望新聞界瞭解教會的決定，並且希望他們擔當教育工作者的任務。

若望保祿一世在談話中打破傳統慣例，用「我」而不用「我們」稱呼自己。

在場的一群墨西哥記者贈送了一張來回墨西哥巴布拉的機票給教宗，希望他能抽空在十月間到該地參加第三屆拉丁美洲主教會議。

在接見記者的前一天，教宗接見了各國駐教廷的外交人員，其中包括中華民國駐教廷大使周書楷伉儷。
1978 年 9 月 8 日

教廷雖然仍然使用白煙或黑煙宣報教宗的選舉結果，但煙的製造已經科學化。

據消息通人士透露，教廷為使從煙囪冒出的白或黑煙更加清晰，不致引起混淆，因而在燃燒的濕草或乾草中加入化學品。

理論上，燃燒濕草確會產生黑煙，但卻非萬試萬靈。一九五八年庇護十二世駕崩後選舉新教宗，便發生了一次意外。

當年，秘密選舉只進行了一天，西斯汀小堂的煙囪便冒出灰白色的濃煙，聚集在聖伯多祿大殿廣場上等待消息的信眾，立即高聲歡呼有人甚至下跪祈禱。

各國駐羅馬的記者，目睹白煙，立即搶先發出新聞，報導新教宗迅速誕生的消息。但等待了一整天，仍不見教廷宣佈新教宗的名單，才知擺了烏龍。

羅馬最近有人謠傳，教廷可能採用電子儀器，控制白煙和黑煙，藉以避免出現過去發生的錯誤。但是，教廷神長否定了這一謠傳。
1978 年 9 月 8 日

新教宗就職典禮在聖伯多祿大殿廣場舉行之際，羅馬警方出動了大約一萬名警員，在大殿廣場各處當值，保護到賀的各國政教首要。

羅馬市中心，當天曾發生暴亂事件，一群阿根廷流亡分子在義大利左派的支持下舉行示威，抗議阿根廷總統到訪。

他們向汽車投擲燃燒彈。著火的汽車冒出的濃煙，在大殿廣場也可看到。

現年六十五歲的教宗，健步如飛，毫無老態。他可親的笑容，務實的作風和謙遜的態度，令人極具好感。
1978 年 9 月 8 日

教宗若望保祿一世膺選，新聞界和所有的評論員都大感詑異。他們對新教宗幾乎全無認識。從他在牧守維尼杜和威尼斯時所發表的著作和牧函，可看出他積極的活動所引發的令人感動的言詞。他的相片顯示出一派毫不做作的友善和魅力。他膺選以後的若干表現，例如選取的名號，即席構思演詞，在談話中以「我」代替宗座身份的「我們」等等，證明他不是一個墨守成規的人。新聞界對這些表現似乎甚感滿意。他們對教宗若望保祿一世熱情以待，教宗保祿六世就很少獲得這種熱情反應。

為了深入了解新教宗，且讓我們看看他在膺選後向全體參選樞機發表的演說。這是一篇饒有趣味的演說。但並無驚人的論調，也沒有許諾在教會內施行急劇的改革。他選取的名號，證明他意欲追隨前任教宗若望廿三世和保祿六世的後塵。他在談話中提到了教宗庇護十一世和庇護十二世的牧民方針。值得注意的是他沒有提及本篤十五世的大名。本篤十五世是一位偉大的教宗，他當年在膺選後立即施行大刀闊斧的改革，這是他受到後世注意的部份原因。我們的新教宗清楚表明，他在這方面不會仿效本篤。相反，他會遵循前兩任教宗的途徑 ── 團結、修好、實踐大公會議決議、傳揚福音、推行合一運動、促進和平、謀求社會正義 ── 按步就班的進行其事。他聲稱，將在聖神的助祐下盡力而為。

他的演詞充滿了團結和諧的精神而不是改革的精神。他認為他所肩負的責任也就是普世教會的責任。我們所有的人在基督之內共融一體。我們負有共同的使命 ── 為基督作證、傳揚基督的福音、實踐基督的愛德。他的演詞幾乎有一半篇幅用於呼籲，要求我們合作，這種合作不是基於小圈子的與世界脫節的精神，而是基於向世界傳揚福音的共同責任的良知而促成的合作精神。他要求我們祈禱，但並非僅是祈禱而已。他希望我們坦誠待人，如此，基督會臨而我們之中，並且藉著我們而深入全人類的心靈。
1978 年 9 月 15 日

據西報記載：新教宗若望保祿一世的身體很孱弱，他的一位親戚透露：他的弱點是在咽喉和肺部，很易傷風感冒。新教宗誕生於一九一二年十月十七日。他的母親三十二歲，對於這個新生的嬰兒深為憂慮，故一生下，即請本堂神父來，在產房中勉強為他行洗禮，大家都以為他的脆弱，很難生存。故自他幼年起，即需要醫藥照顧。但他善自珍攝，蒙天主保佑，今已六十五歲，過去從事牧靈工作，由司鐸，而主教，而宗主教，而樞機，步步高陞，一帆風順，而今又登上至高的宗座，雖負擔愈重，賴天主恩寵，必能勝任愉快。

據說，他曾兩次因肺病進療養院，四次進行外科手術，割治扁桃腺，一次跌倒後修整傷壞的鼻子，又兩次割去膽囊石，在小修院時，曾進醫院療養數月；晉鐸後於一九五三年再進醫院，但醫生從未說他的病情嚴重。新教宗也患風濕疾，最近曾在威尼斯阿貝洛尼海旁靜院休養幾星期，作日光浴，以減輕他的關節筋肌的疼痛。

因此新教宗在梵蒂岡宮中首先決策之一，是召一位修女護士進宮，這位修女已七十歲了，已看護他十餘年，初在委尼陀主教任內，後在威尼斯宗主教時期。

今新教宗就職，明顯表示他的政策，將繼續遵循前教宗若望廿三世及保祿六世的路線，但願他常能照顧自己的健康，保持矍鑠的精神。

又羅馬於八月二十九日出現一冊奇妙的書信，是新教宗若望保祿一世寫給一些死去已久的著名人物，如名作家迭更斯 (Charles Dickens) 及馬克吐溫 (Mark Twain) 等。在前星期六教宗選舉時，成為通宵達旦暢銷的出版物。這些書信是一九六０年至一九七０年間，為巴都亞 (Padua) 一個教會雜誌而寫的。在教宗選舉時，只引起意大利人大眾的注意，這可能是他當選教宗的原因之一。因為在這些書信裡，可以看出他為人的風趣，對於社會政治的思想及主見。

其中一封是寫給一個古傳的活潑木偶人，名叫畢諾齊阿：「我很窮困，而且飢餓，像你一樣，畢諾齊阿」！

另一封信是寫給一頭熊，牠把一個聖人的馬吃掉之後，革除了獸性，而變為善良的動物。

他寫給英國作家迭更斯說：「親愛的迭更斯，我是一個主教，卻從事一項奇異的工作，每月寫信給一些著名人物」。迭更斯是若望保祿一世所喜歡的作者，他從小孩時起，在北意大利，就愛閱讀迭更斯的小說。因為這個小說家愛護貧民，並渴望社會的改革。

他寫給胡志明，捷格華拉 (Che Guevara) 及費德耳 (Fidel Castro) 等人，警告他們，因為他們的活動自稱為善意，殊不知他們只是從破壞及分裂去尋求理想國罷了。

教宗若望保祿一世膺選，輿論在一致好評之餘，都認為他在國際事務上缺乏經驗。因此，他在膺選後不久向各國駐教廷使節發表的談話，遂引起了特別注意。

在整篇談話中，人們的疑慮完全找不到根據。教宗娓娓道來，似乎深諳教廷的外交事務。他對正確的目標有清晰的觀點，知道什麼事情可為，什麼事情不可為。

他說，教廷的活動純綷為世界服務。這種服務主要在於保障人類真正文明和真正友誼的基本原則上培養人們的良心。

在這方面培養人們的良心，是否真的能為世界服務呢？應該如何進行？教宗承認，教廷不能憑藉政治、經濟或軍事力量行事。唯一能辦到的是促進正義和愛德的原則，證明這些原則如何解決困擾世界的難題。憤世嫉俗的人可能認為，在追求自我的世界中，宣揚真理無濟於事。教宗不是憤世嫉俗的人。他知道，人雖然存有自私貪婪的弱點，但同樣具有良善的、熱愛真理的天性。世界各國及其領袖，至少在口頭上贊同正義平等。有時候，他們還做一些實際工作。當他們傾向於深思正義和正義的廣泛意義時，他們自然不會隨便重踏強權政治和對外擴張的老路。在這情形之下，在保障人類真正文明和真正友誼的基本原則上的良心也就形成了。

教宗擬想的第二種為世界服務的方式，是携手合作，制訂解決難題的方案。他承認，教廷的駐外使節通常不可能提出技術上的經驗，但是他們會提出真知灼見。因此，他們往往可使討論中的問題豁然開朗。

在外交事務上，我們的教宗顯然不是外行人。
1978 年 9 月 22 日

聖教會第二百六十三任教宗若望保祿一世在膺選後僅卅三天竟告駕崩，噩耗傳出，舉世震驚。

若望保祿一世是在九月廿八日晚上十一時 (香港時間廿九日凌晨五時) 壽終正寢，六個半小時後才由秘書發現。

據教廷新聞處說，教宗是因心臟病突發去世，當時他似乎正在閱讀，床頭燈仍然亮著。

聖教會在不足兩個月內兩度喪失教宗，全球七億信徒至感哀痛。羅馬不少信眾在聆訊後紛紛湧進聖伯多祿大殿廣場，下跪祈禱。

教宗若望保祿一世是繼承八月六日駕崩教宗保祿六世而出任教會首牧。他在八月廿六日在樞機秘密會議上膺選，隨於九月三日就職。當時親臨觀禮的有九十七個國家的特使，其中包括十二位國家元首和六位總理。

他放棄了一千多年來的傳統慣例，在即位大典中首次沒有接受三重冠冕，也沒有坐上寶座，典禮隆重而簡樸。唯一象徵他成為基督在世代表的標誌，是一條羊毛佩帶，這是用特選的羊毛織成的，上面有六個十字聖號。

若望保祿一世是近代歷史上最快捷選出的教宗，全部過程不足十個小時。保祿六世時是兩天，若望廿三世時是三天。

若望保祿一世原名魯士安尼，原任義大利威尼斯首牧。他生於一九一二年十月十七日，現年六十五歲，一九三五年晉鐸，一九五八年晉牧，一九七三年由教宗保祿六世加冠為樞機，並任義大利主教團副團長。

他早年在羅馬額我略大學攻讀神學，後來從事修院教育工作，在牧民和要理教學方面具有豐富的經驗。

他是一位強烈反共的神長，在威尼斯教區主教任內，曾呼籲教友選民不要投票支持共產黨候選人。

他任教宗後也敦促天主教徒勿與共黨合作。他說天主教徒必須為世界爭取自由和正義。他責斥圖與馬克斯主義合作的教徒。他曾呼籲教友為大衛營高峰會議祈禱，後又讚揚埃以達成的協議。

他說：「我認為教會當局決不會以發現有關解決自由、正義、和平和發展等大問題的方法而感到滿足。但若說政治、經濟、社會等與耶穌的救世思想是一致的，或說天國與人間是一樣的，這就大錯特錯了。我希望天主教徒都成為和平的真正工作者和締造者」。

教廷在教宗駕崩後，立即再次展開葬禮的籌備工作，並且準備選舉新宗。

為了哀悼教宗若望保祿一世，義大利政府在他駕崩後第二天，下令全國學校停課一天，國會也取消了當天上午的會期。若干工會甚至取消了原定要實行的罷工。
1978 年 10 月 6 日

教廷樞機院院長剛法朗尼樞機透露，教宗駕崩時，仍面露慈祥笑容。

他說：「教宗躺在床上，頭部側向右邊，死狀安祥。我為他祈禱，吻他的手，隨後便到大殿主持彌撒」。

巴奇奧樞機在獲悉教宗駕崩的消息後說：「我昨晚還與他研究一些事項，現在竟然去世了，但他看來好像在午睡」。

他又說：「這位教宗是天主賜給教會的恩寵。他待人平和，我從未見過這麼一個虔誠的人」。
1978 年 10 月 6 日

在教廷服務的廿九位樞機，經過一小時卅五分鐘討論以後決定，教宗若望保祿一世的葬禮在十月四日 (星期三) 舉行。

至於新教宗的選舉，則定於十月十四日開始。世界各地的樞機在聞悉教宗駕崩的噩耗後，已立即準備行裝，奔赴羅馬。

目前健在的樞機共有一百廿七位，其中十五位年逾八十歲，無投票資格，另有四位臥病在床，參加新教宗選舉的樞機實際上只有一百零八位。
1978 年 10 月 6 日

世界佛教大會正在舉行揭幕禮之際，突然傳來教宗若望保祿一世駕崩的消息。全體與會者決定靜默一分鐘，以誌哀悼。

教宗生前曾指示教廷國務卿維洛樞機致電祝賀世界佛教大會成功。

出席這次大會的代表共有八百人，來自廿八個國家。
1978 年 10 月 6 日

泰山忽頹世人奚仰
各國政教領袖哀悼教宗之喪
譽為真正謙遜牧人

教宗若望保祿一世駕崩的消息傳出後，全球震驚，咸為這位以慈祥和幽默著稱的牧者的去世而哀傷。

世界教會協進會發表聲明說，教宗若望保祿是一位「真正謙遜的牧人」。

德國主教團團長賀夫訥樞機說，教宗遽爾撒手，非人類所能理解，但這是天意。

英國主教團團長希默樞機在聞悉噩耗後，立即舉祭。他說：「這位謙遜的偉人將使人永誌不忘」。

在荷蘭方面，威里布蘭斯樞機說，他簡直不相信教宗竟然這麼快就逝世了。他說，人們的悲傷會與一個多月前慶賀他膺選時的喜悅形成強烈對照。

比利時的斯溫能樞機說：「很少有人能像他這樣在短暫的時間裡，順服了每個人的心靈，贏得了每個人的好感」。

美國總統卡達說：「我獲悉教宗若望保祿一世突然逝世，深感哀傷，教宗若望保祿在任短短數週間，給他的教會與世界印象良深，他承諾發揚以前各位教宗的優良典範，信守天主教的傳統，擴展教會範圍以應付現代世界的需要」。

比利時總理迪曼斯說，教宗使無數的人產生了希望，他與世長辭使人極感哀痛。

信義會神學家蕭博士說：「教宗若望保祿如此迅速的離開人間，我們甚感遺憾」。

菲律賓馬尼拉首牧辛恩樞機說：「他是一位偉人和聖賢，我聽到噩耗，傷心異常」。

菲律賓總理菲拉沙說：「世界現在損失了一位偉人和謙遜的和平使者」。

教宗駕崩的消息傳到美國後，美國四千五百萬天主教信徒大感震驚。教會領袖都紛紛表示哀傷。

法國主教團團長艾奇利樞機說，他幾乎被教宗駕崩的消息嚇呆了。「在這時候，我們只能祈禱」。

維也納首牧高尼樞機說，他對教宗之喪感到不安，他說：「教宗的擔子實在太重了」。

愛爾蘭的菲雅奇總主教說：如果教宗若望保祿一世多活幾年，一定成為本世紀最偉大的教宗之一。
1978 年 10 月 6 日

新教宗若望保祿一世突然因心臟病發逝世，噩耗傳來，普世震驚，全球天主子民，同表哀悼。

本港教區胡振中主教在聲明中表示：「新教宗仁慈溫厚，平易可親，而且關懷普世教會，我們正為此而感到慶幸之際，遽爾溘然駕崩」。無疑，對教宗若望保祿之死，誠令人感到萬二分意外！

天主的聖意亭毒萬物，高深莫測；人有限的智慧，無法忖度。智慧篇上說：「有誰能知道天主的計劃，有誰能想像上主的意願？」 (智九：13) 聖保祿宗徒也說：「啊！天主的富饒、上智和知識，是多麼高深！他的決斷是多麼不可測量！他的道路是多麼不可探察！有誰會知道上主的心意？或者，有誰曾當過他的顧問？」 (羅十一： 33-34)

教宗若望保祿之猝然去世，也使我們記起了主耶穌在福音裡的寶訓：「所以，你們要醒寤，因為你們不知道：在那一天你們的主人要來」。 ( 瑪廿四：42)

新教宗若望保祿在位僅三十多天，在此短短的一段日子裡，當然談不上什麼偉大的建樹。不過，他的忠於天主，忠於基督、忠於教會的信心，與他待人接物的謙遜、誠樸、溫和、良善的態度，以及他關懷世界人類、呼籲和平、正義、合作的精神，尤其是他的一生給我們留下的笑容 (按：教宗若望保祿有「微笑教宗」之稱) …… 都已經給教會、給世界留下了很深刻的印象。

教宗若望保祿誠然是「決心牧守教會的忠僕」。 (胡主教語) 他膺選為教宗後隨即表示：「我們希望繼續貫徹梵蒂岡第二屆大公會議的決策」，「我們的工作將是延續保祿六世的典範，和繼承若望廿三世推崇的路線」，「我們希望完整無缺地保存教會的精神遺產」，「我們希望提醒教會有關其第一項責任，就是傳播福音」，「我們希望不斷的推行基督徒合一運動」，「我們希望與那些不同宗教和未有信仰的人分享堅忍、安詳與建設性的語言」，「最後我們希望能積極地在這痛苦的世界中，主動的協助維持和平」 …… 可惜的是壯志未酬，哲人其萎，使人不禁惋惜！

讓我們為教宗若望保祿的安息而祈禱！但願他音容宛在，遺愛人間，在世人心目中留下久遠的懷念！
1978 年 10 月 6 日

教宗若望保祿一世正如前任教宗保祿六世一樣，對印度及其人民極表關懷。

他最近透過教廷國務卿維洛樞機，致電印度主教團團長比嘉芝樞機，向印度的水災災民表示慰問。

該電文謂：「最近水災造成重大傷亡，宗座深表同情。他已為災民祈禱，並表示深切關懷」。
1978 年 10 月 6 日

以下是教宗若望保祿一世的簡歷和在位期間的部份有關活動：

l 一九一二年十月十七日在義大利出生。
l 原名魯士安尼。
l 一九三五年晉陞鐸品。
l 一九五八年晉陞主教。
l 一九七三年由教宗保祿加冠為樞機。
l 獲選前為意大利主教團副團長。
l 一九七八年八月廿六日當選為教會第二百六十三任教宗。
l 定名若望保祿一世，隨即在西斯丁小堂發表首篇文告。
l 九月三日就職。
l 放棄一千多年來傳統，沒有接受三重冠，也沒有坐上寶座。
l 就職後第二天，即接見了專程赴羅馬參加就職典禮的十二個國家元首。並在同日接見了各國派遣觀禮的特使一百三十人。
l 九月一日，墨西哥一群記者，致送教宗一張該國的來回機票。邀請他去參加拉丁美洲主教會議。
l 九月五日，接見東正教列寧格勒大主教尼高丁。
l 請求伯多祿廣場的信友為大衛營會議祈禱。
l 九月六日，第一次公開接見朝聖群眾，講論遜謙的德行。
l 當選前於一九六０至七０年間所寫的書結集出版，兩週內售罄。
l 九月十日，菲濟與梵蒂岡宣佈締建外交關係。
l 九月十三日，第二次公開接見朝聖群眾，講論信德。
l 九月二十日，第三次公開接見朝聖群眾，講論望德。
l 九月廿七日，第四次公開接見朝聖群眾，講論愛德。
l 九月廿八日晚上十一時駕崩。
1978 年 10 月 6 日

本港全體天主子民
哀悼教宗獻祭追思簽名弔唁
白會督最先致電話弔慰杜神父安息彌撒中講道

教宗若望保祿一世駕崩之消息，傳抵本港後，本港教區胡振中主教立即在廿九日 (星期五) 下午二時召開緊急會議；三時許，草擬好一份教會官方聲明，向報界人士發表；並決定了於本月四日下午六時在天主教總堂為已故教宗舉行安息彌撒，同時敕令本教區各聖堂於本月六日舉行特別追思彌撒，以悼念己故教宗。

此外，從三十日 (星期六) 開始，直至本月四日 (星期三) 下午安息彌撒止，舉行弔唁儀式；在堅道十六號天主教教區中心一二０五室，設置了一本弔唁冊，以供本港天主子民暨政府官長、社會名流、各國領事、及各宗教團體代表等簽名哀悼。

據悉，此次教宗若望保祿離世，最先致電弔唁者乃為本港聖公會白約翰會督，他在廿九日下午二時左右，即親自致電話給胡主教，表示同情哀悼。

最先前往教區中心簽署弔唁冊者乃港督副官史提芬，他於三十日上午十時正到達，並代表港督向胡主教呈遞了一封唁函，該唁函由港督親自簽署：

文曰：「胡主教道鑒：教宗若望保祿一世膺選後遽爾駕崩，本港大多數居民甚感哀傷和震驚。

天主教會遭此巨痛，本人謹在此表達香港政府深切慰問之情。本人同樣感到哀痛。香港總督麥理浩爵士」。

另外香港基督教協進會總幹事郭乃宏牧師也致送了唁函。他說：「教宗若望保祿是一位非常慈祥的人 …… 我們深信，他將永遠為全球基督徒所懷念」。

基督教香港信義會胡聯輝牧師亦致函胡主教慰唁，函謂「遽聞教宗若望保祿一世安息，深引為憾！願勗勉信眾敬神愛人共體教宗仁慈，為禱」！

其他簽名弔唁人士，包括市政局副主席胡鴻烈議員，美國、法國、委內瑞拉、日本、紐西蘭、澳洲、阿根廷，葡萄牙等國領事館人員、各宗教團體代表，其中香港道教聯合會更由該會正副主席湯國華先生和羅智光先生親自率領各理事前來弔唁。其他簽名弔唁的修女及教友也很多。

本月四日，由胡振中主教及百多位神父舉行共祭安息彌撒，二千餘人參與，場面莊嚴肅穆。

彌撒中由杜逸民神父用中英語講道。杜神父於一九六七年曾與已故教宗 (當時只是一位教區主教) 暢談了一個多小時；在另一次又大家一齊玩過木球，因此對已故教宗有過直接的經驗。

杜神父首先引證若望保祿一世的就職文告，指出故教宗的最大心願乃宣揚福音及強化基督徒的信德；其次，杜神父講出對教宗的深刻印象；仁慈、樂觀、平易近人，絕對沒有權力地位的優越觀念，也絕不擺任何架子。
1978 年 10 月 6 日

天主教香港教區主教聲明

聞悉教宗若望保祿一世駕崩，本人謹代表香港教區全體天主子民表示哀痛之情。

頓聞噩耗，我們極為震驚。新教宗仁慈溫厚，平易可親，而且關懷普世教會，我們正為此而感到慶幸之際，竟爾溘然駕崩，我們認為此乃天主聖意表現。

我們謹為教宗若望保祿祈禱，求使天父接納這位決心牧守教會的忠僕。身為基督徒，我們滿懷永生希望，深信生命並非終結，只是變更而已。

我們同時為普世教會祈禱。普世教會現在再度喪失首牧，須重新選舉新教宗。

香港教區定於十月四日 (星期三) 下午六時在港島堅道天主教總堂舉行大禮安息彌撒。

十月六日 (星期五) ，即教宗駕崩後第七天，本教區各聖堂將舉行特別彌撒，詳情請與堂區司鐸接洽。

香港教區主教胡振中
一九七八年九月廿九日
1978 年 10 月 6 日

天昏地暗，雨微微下，驟然接獲友人電話：「教宗逝世」。驚聞此言，將信將疑；心悸之餘，默哀片刻。教宗聖父安息主懷，和許多人一樣 ── 功德已滿，去世升天。彼雖出身貧窮，年少多病，然聖德出眾。榮陞主教，還常騎單車，探訪村民，不辭勞苦。被選為教宗，責無旁貸，負此重任。就職時加冕，辭戴三層皇冠，足見謙遜逾恒，效吾主良善心謙。他一如常人，步上聖伯多祿大殿，接受樞機主教趨前祝賀。對每位朝見者均熱愛擁抱，並作簡短訓示。假如對每位主教談五句話，教宗至少要說千餘言。雖然螢光幕上聽不到他說什麼，但見他笑容可掬，仁慈淳厚，尤其對年長主教，禮遇有嘉；對黑人主教，更諄諄叮囑，處處顯出慈靄可親：有的受感動，淚承于睫，效忠聖父。

最難得的是望教宗主教的彌撒，整個廣場數十萬人，各國元首政要，更襯出教宗的偉大，他摒除繁文俗禮，平易近人，有幾次特寫鏡頭時，我忙趨前去吻教宗，這是我心靈上最大的欣慰。他送聖體時，也跟著神領聖體，在電視機前，跪了兩個多鐘頭，就算有人笑我傻，我也欣然接受人生難得幾回傻？心中暗自思量：下屆選教宗時，或者自己已不在人間了。

外子剛從羅馬歸來，他得到教宗的祝福，並掮了六、七磅重的唸珠聖牌，接受教宗的祝聖，還申請數十張宗座給予家庭的祝福，等著寄回來分贈教友，惜乎祝福表未來，教宗已赴天鄉。他說：「假如妳見到那廣場，一定會感動至流淚」。他也走過耶穌受難的石階 …… 我心中暗道，呀！你多有福啊！

晚上，看到電視映出教宗遺體，仁慈的聖父，好像睡著那樣安祥，他已走進另一個為我們所期望的安樂鄉，與主同在，望他仁愛的祈求，賜給我們一位好教宗，挽既倒之狂瀾，作中流之砥柱。求聖神保護默佑，使全世界億兆子民的精神領袖，具備聰明才能、仁愛健康，更保護主教、神父、修士、修女，遵從聖言，訓誨信眾，上主一定肯俯允所求的。天文台懸掛三號風球，今早參與本堂神父特為教宗所獻的安所彌撒時，狂風暴雨，更顯出天地為愁，草木悽悲，吾儕痛失教宗，你的仁慈，你的和平，更忘不了你永恒的微笑。
1978 年 10 月 13 日

「生命的價值，不在乎活得長久；而在乎活得有意義」。的確，試看我們剛去逝的若望保祿教宗，雖然只活到六十五歲，但從他幾十年的生命中，對於他的祖國、教會，都盡了自己的力量和責任。尚且，他為了教會，樂意地擔負教宗牧職的重大十字架。即使執掌教宗的聖職只有短短的三十多天，對教內、教外還未開展重大的任務就瞌眼而逝，但以他自己的生命價值來說，直是活得有意義的。

在他的就職典禮上，我們可由電視的螢光幕上，看見他慈祥的顏容、謙虛的態度；矮小的身裁，沙啞的聲音。由於他平時臉上常掛著笑容，因此有「微笑教宗」的雅號。

當紅衣主教向他行跪吻禮時，他又逐一對各位紅衣主教侃侃而談，雖然聽不到他說些甚麼，但從動作上看見他流露著真摯的袍澤友誼，顯出一派仁者的豐範，使當時的場面倍添溫馨、歡樂；與此同時，詩歌班唱出：「你是伯多祿，磐石，我要在這磐石上建立我的教會」的拉丁文歌聲，真令人感動。

在彌撒進行時，祭台上的燭光，配合著廣場上空的夕陽與聖伯多祿大殿四周的特備燈光照射，交相輝映，場面莊嚴美麗，景色美得簡直是無法形容，真可以說是天堂在人世間的活景象。

在彌撒聖祭結束時，若望保祿教宗一反過往的慣例，不乘坐由人肩負的寶座離去，只是手執權杖，緩緩地步行到祭台前，向參禮的各國元首、使節及廣場上二十多萬信眾祝福、揮手、微笑；他的樸實誠懇、贏得如雷的掌聲、歡呼聲。那時，在廣場上的人們都不願散去，各人都依依不捨地目送他跟隨紅衣主教返回伯多祿大殿去。

若望保祿教宗雖然和塵世教會永別了，不久，他也要像保祿六世一樣，長埋在聖伯多祿大殿的地下墓穴裡；但是，他在當選教宗後向世界發出的文告：「希望世界維持公正、穩定的和平」。與及呼籲世人「多祈禱，少戰爭」。這些懇切的說話和願望，希望全世界的人們，特別是身為國家元首的各國領導者，切勿忘記。

永別了，可敬、可親的教宗！願你回到天國後，請轉求天主，賞賜世界和平，正如你在世時的願望一樣；也請你為世上那些靜默的教會轉求天主，求主垂視憐憫他們的苦痛，安慰他們吧！
1978 年 10 月 13 日

電話聲響，傳來是教宗若望保祿駕崩的消息，與數年前我在羅馬時從觀察報看到李宏基主教去世消息時的心情一樣，怎麼可能？但現代通訊媒介是直言不諱的傢伙，我無可奈何的接受了 …… 對著鏡子，哭了起來！主，你究竟要我們怎樣做？當然，你是生命的主宰，有權決定任何事情，但為甚麼不讓這位具有獨特笑容的長者在我們中多留數載，好教導我們這群後起之輩？整夜失眠，想個不通。拖著疲乏的身軀，一手按停那惱人的鬧鐘，坐在床上，只能說出那每日重覆的句子：「爾旨承行」。又是新的一天，窗外風雨飄搖，為了一位偉人的死，人們心底固然會有一份悲傷的感覺，但生活還是要繼續下去，上班的上班，回校的回校，現實的軌跡是不能停下來的。

人們往往都抱有遠大的前景，懷著絕大的信心，向著自己的理想而奮鬥，但有誰可以預知這一切的一切會能如願以償？難道我們可敬的教宗沒有一套為教會的革新、福音的傳播而定下劃的計劃嗎？不過他老人家倒是一如當選教宗時那份安詳謙虛的態度，沒有為將來或明天而表現出憂慮和不安。因為一天的苦已經夠一天受了。或許上個主日的斐理伯人書信，正好給教宗的死亡，來個最好的註腳，因為：「不管我活著或是死去，我總能在我身上歸榮於基督」。

反心自問，我有這個膽量去面對這個不速之客的挑戰嗎？平日與三兩知己，夜燈高照，把酒談心。個個都是胸懷大志，高談濶論，視死如歸，但今早的我，勇氣去了何方？記得曾聽過這樣一個故事：年青的聖人類斯在玩球時，他的神師上前問他說：「如果天主現在就要收你的靈魂，你會做些甚麼呢」？聖人雖然年紀輕輕，居然毫不考慮的回答：「我會繼續玩球」。可見他平日修養功夫到家。換了我，恐怕要把皮球大腳踢開，立刻做個修和大使，希望得到善終，實在平日欠人家的太多了。

寫到這裡，內心有份強烈的感受，就是愛主愛人只有現在；因為昨天已納入歷史陳跡，明天又不在我們掌握中，何不好好生活現時的一刻，以一夥赤誠的愛心去接待週遭的弟兄姊妹？

果真的話，相信教宗老人家在天之靈會感到安慰，讓我們大家努力 ……
1978 年 10 月 13 日

空向柩前思雅範徒從夢裡覺音容
微笑教宗安葬群眾雨中送別
七十五萬人曾列隊瞻仰

教宗若望保祿一世的葬禮彌撒本月四日在聖伯多祿大殿廣場舉行，約有十萬人冒雨參加。

教宗的靈柩上面放了一本打開的聖經。全部儀式與八月十二日教宗保祿六世葬禮相類似。不同的只是天氣，當時陽光普照，現在則是凄風苦雨。

此次的葬禮由現年八十五歲的樞機院院長剛法朗尼樞機主持。他說：「沒有人想到在不足兩個月內，我們在聖伯多祿大殿廣場為教宗保祿六世舉行葬禮以後，現在又重新聚集在這裡，向他的繼任人告別」。

剛法朗尼樞機又說：「雖然教宗在任只有一個月，但已足夠他贏得所有的人的好感。宗座的任期不在長久，而在於精神充實」。

教宗若望保祿一世在位卅三天，以微笑和溫情照耀整個世界，獲得了舉世讚美。

自從他駕崩後直至葬禮舉行的一刻，先後有七十五萬人列隊瞻仰過遺容。

梵蒂岡在早上十一點廿五分時，關上了大殿厚重的十五世紀銅門。最後一批瞻仰的群眾是來自若望保祿一世故鄉的數千名村民，他們每人都在教宗腳旁放置了一朵紅色康乃馨。

派遣代表參加葬禮的國家共有一百一十四個。美國代表團由總統卡達的母親率領。

教會中健在的一百廿七位樞機，絕大部份都趕抵羅馬，參加了教宗若望保祿一世的葬禮。

教宗的遺體安葬在聖伯多祿大殿的地窟下。墓地的工程經工人連夜趕工，終於順利完成，如期在第二天早上七時開放，供信眾入內憑弔。

列隊憑弔的人群中有一對年齡只有九歲和七歲的小兄弟。他們對記者說：「他很友善，他是兒童之友」。
1978 年 10 月 13 日

教宗若望保祿一世遺訓
活信德的生活
──九月十三日公開接見朝聖群眾時談話
梁雅明譯

教宗若望廿三世在他的「靈心日記」上有這樣的一句記錄：「這一次，我講的退省主題，是成聖的七盞明燈」。他所說的七盞明燈就是：信德、望德、愛德、智德、義德、勇德、節德。盼望天主聖神光照這個可憐的教宗今日至少能給您們談談這七盞明燈中的一盞。第一盞就是信德。

在這裡 ── 羅馬 ── 曾生活過一位詩人，他的名字叫 Trilussa，他曾嘗試過談論信德。在他的一首詩上他說：

一天晚上，
在叢林中，我迷失了路。
迎面來的，就是一位矮小失明的老婦人，
她對我說：
要是你不認識道路，
我可給你引路：我熟識這裡；
要是你有勇氣跟著我走，
我會久不久呼喚你說：
「就在那盡頭，有一棵柏樹；
就在山頂上，有座十字架」。
我回答說：「或許是吧！ ……」
可是，我始終覺得奇怪：
我不能由一個失明的人引路：
那失明的老婦人便執著我的手嘆息說：
「行吧！這就是信德」。

從詩辭方面來說，這首詩實在很美；可是，從神學觀點來說，它卻是不健全的。

我們說它「不健全」，因為關乎信德的問題，而在信德問題中，最主要的主角是天主自己。耶穌說了：「凡不是我父所吸引的人，誰也不能到我這裡來」。聖保祿回頭之前，尚未有信德，因為他迫害耶穌的信徒。可是天主卻在大馬士革途中等待著他，對他說：「掃祿！你不要像一頭頑固的野馬，硬向刺錐踢去！我就是你所迫害的耶穌，我需要你。你必須改變過來」，保祿降服了。他改變了過來，開始了一個徹底不同的新生活。不多年後，他給斐理伯人寫信說：「那時，在大馬士革途中，天主已奪得了我。從此，我只有跟隨衪，看看是否我也能奪得祂，效法祂，愈來愈愛祂」。

這就是信德：向天主降服，改變自己的生活。可是，這並非易事。奧斯定曾給我們描述他信仰的歷程，尤其是他回頭前的最後幾星期，他的感受實在厲害。在閱讀中，他覺得自己的靈魂在發抖，輾轉在內心的沖擊中：一方面天主在呼喚他，催迫他；另一方面，他的舊習慣 ── 他說「他的舊朋友 …… 他們在柔和地拉著我肉性的敞衣，對我說：『奧斯定！怎麼了？你擯棄我們嗎？你考慮清楚吧！自後你不能再要風得風，要雨得雨了』實在難受！我好像是個清晨躺在床上的人，有人對我說：『起來！奧斯定！』最後，天主給我猛力一拉，我終於起來了。看！我們不可答說：『好吧！但 ……』，或說：『好，不過請等一等』。我們必須說：『好吧！主！我現在立即起來』。這就是信德：慷慨地回應上主。可是，誰能說出『好吧！』只有內心謙誠和完全信任天主的人。」

當我幼小的時候，我的母親慣常對我說：「您細小的時候，常生重病。我什麼醫生都抱您見過了。多少次我整夜守候在床邊。您信我嗎」？我怎可以說：「媽媽，我不信您」！反之，我會說：「的確，我信，我信您告訴我的一切，但是，我特別信的，就是您」。信德也是一樣：不只是信天主啟示的一切，而是信天主自己。是祂自己堪當我們的信仰，因為祂這般愛了我們，為我們的緣故作了如許的工程。

是的，接受某些真理，是很困難的，因為信仰的真理有兩種：有些很合意的，有些卻不合我們的口味的。比方，我們都喜愛聽說 ── 正如依撒意亞先知所說的 ── 天主以如此的溫情愛著我們，比作母親的愛自己子女的溫情還要大些。這真理多麼叫人快慰，多麼合我們的心意。法國一位出名的主教 Dupanloup 常對修院的院長們說：「為未來的司鐸們，你們該是他們的父親，該作他們的母親」。這真叫人鼓舞！相反，有些真理卻是很難接受的。比如說，要是我不服從，天主要罰我；要是祂在緊追著我，要我回頭，而我卻說：『不』的話，我真的在強迫他懲罰我。這是多麼不順耳！可是這卻是信德真理。

還有一個難題，那就是「教會」。聖保祿說：「主，祢是誰」？ ── 「我是你所迫害的耶穌」！。一道輝耀的寵光，透過了保祿的心靈：「我並不在迫害耶穌，因為我尚未認識祂：我在迫害基督徒」。可見，耶穌和基督徒，耶穌和教會是二而一的，不能分開，不可分離的。

因此，聖保祿說：「基督的身體就是教會」：基督和教會，不外是一體。基督是頭，我們 ── 教會 ── 是肢體。要是我們真的有信德的話，我們萬不可以說：「我信耶穌，我接納耶穌，但我不接納教會」。我們必須按照教會所提的，去接納教會。那麼，教會可比作什麼？教宗若望廿三世稱她為「慈母與導師」。

首先，教會是導師。聖保祿說：「人當以我們為基督的服務員和天主奧秘的管理人」。因此，當可憐的教宗、主教和司鐸們給你們宣講時，他們不外是為基督服務：這些道理不是我們的，而是基督的；我們有責任保管和宣揚它。當教宗若望廿三世召開大公會議時，我也在場。在他的演詞中，他說：我們期望藉著這大公會議，教會能跳前一步。當時我們眾人都有同樣的期望。可是跳前一步，怎樣跳？教宗立即告訢我們：以肯定的和不可變的真理為基礎。當時教宗一定不是想真理可以向前跳躍，然後可以漸漸加以改變，因為那些是真理。我們必須在這些真理的道上走，愈來愈了解它，使我們與時代看齊，以適合新時代的方式去宣講這些真理。教宗保祿六世也有同樣的思想。

我當選為教宗後，第一件事就是進入教宗私邸的小堂。在小堂後面的右邊有兩幅壁畫，就是聖伯多祿和聖保祿：聖伯多祿在死去，聖保祿也在死去。但是在聖伯多祿下面有耶穌的這句話：「伯多祿，我要為你祈禱，好叫你的信德絕對不會喪失」，而在被斬首的聖保祿下面又寫著：「這場賽跑，我已跑到終點；這信仰，我已保持了」。你們一定記得，在六月廿六日教宗保祿六世的最後演講中，他說：「在當了教宗十五年後的今日，我可以感謝天主，因為我維護了信仰，我保持了信德」。

但是，教會也是母親。教會既是基督的延續，基督是好的，教會也是好的，為每一個人都是好的。可是，要是在教會內有時有些不好的成員，又如何？我們都有我們自己的母親。要是母親生病，要是我的母親不幸成了跛子，我愛她還要更深。在教會內，也是一樣。要是在教會內有 ── 可惜也實在有 ── 污點和缺欠，我們對她的感情，絕對不可失落。

昨天 ── 我現在快講完了 ── 我收到一份「新城雜誌」，看到了一段故事。一位英籍神父 Rev. Mac Nabb 在 Hyde Park 作了以教會為主題的演講。他講完以後，有人要求發言說：「你的話很動聽。但是，我認識有些天主教司鐸不愛窮人，他們都是富翁；我又認識有些天主教丈夫對自己的妻子不忠。我絕不喜歡這個以罪人作成員的教會」。那位神父說：「你所說的，有點問題。我可以反問嗎」？他說：「說吧！」那神父說：「對不起！不知是否我看錯了。你的恤衫領好像有些油漬」。他說：「是的，我承認有些油漬」。神父接著說：「有油漬是因為你沒有用肥皂，還是用了肥皂也洗不掉」？他說：「不，我沒有用肥皂」。

你們看？天主教也有一些特製的肥皂，那就是福音、聖事和祈禱：常常閱讀和實踐的福音，按照合法方法舉行的聖事，不停好好做的祈禱：這些就是最神奇的肥皂，能使我們都成為聖人；要是我們不全是聖人，因為我們用肥皂用的不夠。那麼，讓我們滿足召開和推行大公會議的兩位教宗 ── 若望和保祿 ── 的期望吧 ﹗ 讓我們藉著改善我們自己，不斷改善教會吧！我們每一個人及整個教會都可以誦念我慣常念的經文：「主！不論我是怎樣，也求祢接納；連我的毛病和弱點也求祢接納。但是，祢要我是怎樣的，就求祢使我變成怎樣」 ……
(譯自英文版羅馬觀察報)
1978 年 10 月 27 日

教宗若望保祿一世遺訓
基督徒的望德
──九月二十日的公開談話
梁雅明譯

教宗若望廿三世的「成聖的七盞明燈」的第二盞，是望德。今日我願意給各位談談這個為每位基督信徒都不可或缺的德行。

但丁詩人在他的「天堂」詩集中，描述自己在教會中接受面試，由一個非同小可的委員會主考。首先聖伯多祿問他說：「你有沒有信德」？接著是聖雅各伯發問：「你有沒有望德」？最後，聖若望又問：「你有沒有愛德」？但丁回答說：「是，信望愛三德我都有」！你還設法加以證明。結果，他得了滿分，合格過班。

我方才說：「望德是不可或缺的」。可是，望德並不難看，也不難修。反之，凡生活在望德中的人，必漫步於信賴和委順的氣氛中，他必能同聖詠作者一般的說：「主，祢是我的磐石，我的護盾，我的堡壘，我的避難所，我的光明，我的牧者，我的救援。即使千軍萬馬紥營襲擊我，我的心靈也不會害怕；即使戰爭起來侵害我，我依然有恃無恐」。

您們也許會說：「聖詠的作者未免過份興奮吧！難道他的一切都能事事順心如意」？不！他並非萬事如意。他自己也體驗到灰暗的一面，他也說過惡人屢屢得心應手，善人反而被壓抑。他也曾向天主抱怨過這點。他竟然對天主說：「祢為什麼睡著？主，為什麼祢還緘口不言？主，醒來吧！俯聽我的祈禱吧」！雖說如此，然而他的望德仍然堅定不移。聖保祿論亞巴郎所說的話，大可以貼在他和一般有望德者身上。聖保祿說：「在絕望中，他懷著希望」。(羅四‧18)

可是您們也許還要說下去：「怎樣可以到達如此絕望的境界」？很簡單！這完全基於對三端道理的信念：天主是全能的、天主無限地愛著我、天主是有許必踐的。其實，是天主給我點起信賴的火熖，使我不再感覺孤單、無能、被棄。反之，祂使我自覺捲入得救的巨流中，這巨流，一天將領我到達天鄉。

這裡，我只以聖詠字句為例。可是在聖人們的著作中，無不震盪著同一的堅決信賴。請您們念念聖奧斯定在復活瞻禮日以「亞肋路亞」為題的一篇道理吧！他大概的說：他日在天堂我們將唱出真正的亞肋路亞。那時將是一首洋溢著愛的亞肋路亞。但是，現今唱的卻是一首渴求愛的亞肋路亞，即一首滿懷望德的亞肋路亞。

或許仍有人要問：「要是我是個罪人，又如何」？那我就得將我許多年前給一位求指導的太太所說的，再向您說一次。當時這位太太非常灰心，因為她說自己的道德生活曾一度非常低落。

── 我說：請問太太貴庚？

── 卅五歲

── 卅五歲？可是妳還能多活四十或五十年，那妳還可立許多功勞。妳既然如此痛恨過往的一切，那麼，與其常想念著過去，不如將自己拋向前去，藉著天主的助佑，開始一個新生活吧！

當時，我引用了聖方濟各撒肋爵的話。他稱我們的過犯為「我們可愛的缺失」。當時我解釋說：天主痛恨罪過，因為它們是罪惡。可是，從另一個角度看去，天主也喜愛我們的缺失，因為它們給祂施展仁慈的機會，也給我們機會去學習謙小，學習諒解、和同情他人的缺失。

我知道，不是每個人對這望德都與我同感。尼采就是一個例子。他稱望德為「弱者的德行」。按照他的意思，望德使基督徒成為一個無用的、怪僻的和自暴自棄的人，與世界的進步完全脫節的。有些人則稱望德為隔離主義，它使基督徒逃避現實，不肯為人文的進步奮鬥。可是，梵二大公會議說：「基督的信息，不但不阻止我們負起建設世界的天職 …… 而且還要求我們以更嚴格的責任感去建設社會」。

不錯，在過去的歲月裡，信友們屢屢對「人」有些過份悲觀的言論和傾向。可是這些言論都曾被聖教會所評斥而致完全被遺忘。這一點應歸功於一群喜樂與勤奮的聖人，歸功於基督型的人文主義，歸功於聖貝夫 (St. Beuve) 稱為「甜蜜人物」的靈修導師，及歸功於整體綜合性的神學。比方，聖多瑪斯在德行中也列入了「愉快」。所謂愉快，就是能以甜甜的一笑去面對一切聽來或看見的事情。

這種愉快 ── 我曾給我的學生們講述過 ── 在一位愛爾蘭籍的泥水匠身上表現得最逼真。一天，他從棚架上跌了下來，雙腿都弄斷了。人們把他送進醫院去，醫生和護士修女都匆忙走來照顧他。護士修女很同情的對他說：啊！你真可憐，你跌下來竟傷害了自己。可是這個泥水匠卻回答說：「修女，我並沒有跌下來，只是下到地面時，我碰倒自己吧了」。

聖多瑪斯既然稱這種詼諧和引人歡笑的行為為德行，他一定贊同基督宣講的「喜訊」和聖奧斯定叮嚀的「喜悅」。他克服了悲觀主義，給基督徒的生活穿上喜樂的衣裳，並且邀請我們要以人生道上遇到的健全和純潔的喜樂去振作我們的勇氣。

當我還是小孩時，我念了一些有關蘇格蘭人 Andrew Carnegie 的故事。他帶著他的雙親到了美國，後來漸漸成了世界的大富翁之一。他雖不是天主教徒，可是他能不斷地歸真返樸，享受他生命中的真喜樂。這卻很叫我感動。他說：「我出生貧窮，可是我絕不願意將我孩提時代的回憶，與一位百萬富翁的小孩的回憶交換。其實，他們對家庭的快樂，對那位同時充當護士、洗衣工人、廚師、教師、天使和聖人的母親的醉人形像又知多少」？

他年青時，曾經在 Pittsburg 一所粉廠工作，月薪只是寥寥的五十六里耳。一天晚上，會計並沒有照常立刻給他工資，及而叫他等待。他在發抖地想：「現在他們要革職查辦了」。可是，相反，給其他工友派發薪金後，會計對他說：「安德肋，我常仔細觀察你的工作，結果我發現你比他人應多得點工錢，因此我將你的月薪升為六十七里耳」。許多年以後，安德肋說：「我數百萬家財放在一起，也不比這多加的十一里耳更能叫我喜樂」。

是的，這些喜樂，本身是健全的，叫人興奮的。可是，我們不可將它們絕對化了！它們只是一丁點東西，而不是萬有；它們只可用作工具，而不是最後目標；它們並不能永久留存，而只可佔有一段短小的時間。聖保祿寫道：「基督徒享用這世界，好像不享用似的，因為這世界的局面正在消逝」 (格前七‧31) 。基督早已說了：「你們應當先尋求天國」 (瑪六‧33) 。

最後，我要點出一種被某些人士宣稱為「基督徒的望德」，但究其實卻只是到某一限度是基督徒的而已。讓我們給您們解釋清楚吧！在梵二大公會議中，我也投票贊同各神長的「給世界信息」。在這信息中，我們說：「教會的首要使命是使一切神性化 (divinizing) 。可是，這並不等於叫教會放下使一切也人性化 (Humanizing) 的使命」。我也投票贊同了「教會與現代世界」的憲章。當「人類發展」通諭問世時，我也非常感動和高興。我覺得訓導教會必須不斷叮嚀和建議一些方法去解決自由、正義、和平、發展等重大問題；我也覺得信友們對這些問題也必須不斷努力謀求解決辦法。可是，假若宣稱那在耶穌基督內的救贖就是政治、經濟和社會的解放，宣稱「世人的國」就是「天主的國」，宣稱那裡有列寧那裡就是耶路撒冷 (Ubi Lenin, ibi Jerusalem) ，那就大錯而特錯了。

不久前，在 Freiburg 舉行的第八十五屆公教日 (Katholikentag) ，曾以「望德的未來」為主題。他們談及這個期望改善的「世界」，而所用的「未來」一字也很正確。可是，若我們撇開世界的期望，而注目於個別人靈的期望，那麼，我們應用字眼，不再是「未來」，而該是「永生」。一天，在 Ostia 岸邊，聖奧斯定和他的母親聖莫尼加作了感人的交談。他們都「忘掉過去、注目未來，彼此探索永生將是怎樣的」 (懺悔錄卷一第十章) 。這才是基督徒的望德，也是教宗若望廿三世所指的望德。其實要理問答教我們的經文，也就是表達這種望德。經文說：「我的天主，我依仗你的仁慈，期望著永生和一切需要的聖寵，好能透過我應作和願做的一切善功，贏得永生之恩。我的天主，請不要讓我永遠蒙羞」。(譯自英文版羅馬觀察報第五四八期)
1978 年 11 月 3 日

教宗若望保祿一世遺訓
在愛的道上邁進
──逝世前一日(九月廿七日)的公開談話
梁雅明譯

「我的天主，我全心愛祢在萬有之上，因為祢是無限的美善，是我們永恆的幸福。為了愛祢，我也愛人如己，並寬怒所受的開罪。啊！主！求賜我愛祢日深一日」。

這是一端大家都認識的經文，由聖經的字句所文飾的。我的母親自幼便教了我誦念它。即使今日，我每天還誦念它許多次。現在我願意像堂區的傳道員一般，嘗試一句一句的給您們解釋。

現在我們講的，就是教宗若望廿三世的「成聖的第三盞明燈」：愛德 ── 「我愛」。要是現在上哲學課的話，哲學教授會對我說：你認識聖馬爾谷大殿的鐘塔嗎？要是你認識，那就是說它已經在某種程度之下進入了你的腦海：雖然它實質仍留在它所在的地方，但是，它已在你內印上了一個理性的形像。從另一個角度看去，你愛聖馬爾谷大殿的鐘塔嗎？若然，那就是說這個在你內的形像推動你，逼令你，甚而幾乎拖著你，叫你從你的腦海中走向這個在你外的鐘塔。換言之，愛就是逼令一個人的心傾向所愛的對象。師主篇說：「誰人愛，他便奔跑、飛騰、喜悅」。

因此，愛天主就是人心走向天主的一個旅程。多麼奇妙的旅程！當我是小孩的時候，我很欣賞 Jules Verne 所描寫的旅程 (如：海底二萬里，由地球往月亮、環遊世界八十天等) 。可是，走向天主的「愛的旅程」更是叫人傾慕。您們可在聖人行實中看到這些旅程。

比方，我們今日慶祝他的瞻禮的聖雲先，就是一個愛德的聖人；他愛天主比愛父母更深，而他自己為那些坐監的、患病的以及孤兒和窮人卻又是一個好父親。聖伯多祿嘉惠 (St. Peter Claver) 將自己整個地獻給天主，他簽名時自稱為「伯多祿‧黑人們的永遠僕役」。

走向天主的旅程是要求犧牲的。可是這些犧牲不應叫我們卻步。耶穌是死在十字架上的。您願意親吻祂嗎？那您就得俯身在十字架上，讓基督頭上茨冠的荊茨刺傷您！您萬不可像伯多祿一樣：在充滿喜樂的大博爾山上衷心高呼「耶穌萬歲」，但在有痛苦和危險的加爾瓦略山上，在耶穌身傍連他的影子也看不見！

愛天主同時也是一種奇妙的旅程，那就是說，若不是天主首先採取行動，我是不能舉步的。耶穌說了：「凡不是派遣我的父所吸引的人，誰也不能到我這裡來」 (若六‧14) 。聖奧斯定問道：「那麽，人的自由又如何解釋」？他自己解答說：「天主既然給了我們這個自由，即使祂願意將我們的心引領到祂願引領的地方，祂仍會知道怎樣去尊重我們的自由。天主吸引你，不但使你的意志自願跟隨祂，而且還使你感受被祂吸引的喜樂」。

「我全心愛袮」。這裡我願意強調的是「全」字這個形容詞。在政治來說，極權主義是恐佈的事。可是，在宗教方面，適得其反！我們對天主的愛愈是極端，也愈是美好。經上不是寫著嗎？「你當全心、全靈、全力愛上主你的天主。我今天吩咐你的這些話，你應牢記在心，並將這些話灌輸給你的子女。不論你住在家裡，或在路上行走，或臥或立，常應講論這些話；又該繫在你的手上，當作標記；懸在額上，當作徽號；刻在住宅的門框上和門扇上」 (申六‧5-9) 。這個反覆叮嚀的「全」字，就是基督徒聖德高峰的標記。

其實，這是對的，因為天主實在太偉大了，祂堪受自我們的，實在太多，而我們只不外好像那富翁給赤裸的拉匝祿似的，給祂一丁點時間和一丁點愛吧了！祂是無限美善，祂願意作我們的永恆幸福：現世的金錢、快樂、財運與祂相比，只不外是一丁點美善，一剎那幸福吧了！要是我們整個的迷醉於這些虛幻的世物中，而給耶穌的只是一丁點，那實在不是智者之所為！

「在萬有之上」。現在我們得清楚地將天主和人，將天主與世界作一比較。要是我們說：「或是愛天主，或是愛人」，那是不對的。我們必須「又愛天主又愛人」。不過，愛人總不可勝過愛天主，也不可愛得像愛天主一樣，更不可愛到背逆天主。換言之，對天主的愛，雖然應佔首位，但不是排斥對人的愛的。

聖經稱雅各伯為聖者 (達三‧35) ，又稱他為被天主所愛者 (拉一‧2 ；羅九‧13) ；可是聖經也指出雅各伯為了娶得辣黑耳曾服役七年。可是「由於他喜愛這少女，看七年好像幾天」 (創廿九‧20) ，聖方濟各撒肋爵解釋說：「雅各伯全心戀慕辣黑耳，也全心愛慕天主。可是，他並不因此便愛辣黑耳像愛天主一樣，也不愛天主像愛辣黑耳一樣：他愛天主，因為是他的天主，因此愛祂在萬有之上，比愛自己更甚；他愛辣黑耳，因為是他的妻子，因此愛她在其他女人之上，但卻愛他像愛他自己一樣。他愛天主以絶對的和至上的愛，但他愛辣黑耳則以丈夫最完美的愛。這兩種愛並不是互相排斥的，因為對辣黑耳的愛並不侵犯對天主的愛的絶對優先權」。

「並為愛袮的緣故，愛我的近人」。這裡我們面對著兩種愛：它們是「一對不可分離的孿生兄弟」。愛某些人，是容易的；可是愛一般人卻實在不易，因為有些人開罪了我們，我們並不感覺他們的可愛。只有我愛天主愛到熾熱時，我才能以他們是天主的子女去愛他們，因為天主要求我這樣去愛。耶穌也教導我們怎樣去愛我們的近人，就是不要只靠情感，而應以行實去愛。這就是祂給我們的路線：我將要問你們，在我最卑微的弟兄身上我餓了，你有沒有給了我食糧？當我患病時，你有沒有來探望過我？ (瑪廿五‧34-46) 。

要理問題答聖經的這些及其他類似的教訓列成兩張名單，那就是七種形哀矜和七種神哀矜。無疑的，這兩張名單還未齊全，還得不斷加上新的名列。比方，在今日的飢饉之中，已不是這個或那個個別的人，而是不少整個的民族！

我們很清楚記著教宗保祿六世的名言：「今日處於飢饉的不少民族正在向富裕的國家吶喊。聖教會聽這悽楚的呼叫聽得發抖。她呼籲每一個人也得對這些求救的弟兄給予慈善的愛的回應」。在這事上，正義比愛德更強，因為保祿六世說：「私人的財富對任何人也不給予絕對的和無條件的權利，因為當他人連生活的需要也缺乏時，沒有一個人可以有權利將自己富裕的一切只保留給自己一人享用」 (「民發展」通諭第五十三節) 。因此，「任何軍火的徹底競爭，都是一個不可容忍的恥辱」 (「民族發展」通諭第五十三節) 。

在這些強硬的言詞的光照下，我們可以看到，我們－－個人或民族－－離耶穌所命令的「愛人如己」實在還有多遠！

另一條誡命：「我寬恕所受的開罪」。實在，耶穌好像將這寬恕放在對祂自己的崇拜之上：「所以，你若在祭壇前，要獻你的禮物時，在那裡想起你的弟兄有什麼怨你的事，就把你的禮物留在那裡，留在祭壇前，先去與你弟兄和好，然後再來獻你的禮物」 (瑪五‧23-24) 。

那篇經文最後的一句：「主，求賜我愛祢日深一日」。這裡我們也得服從天主的誡命，祂要我們衷心渴求進步。事實上，從穴居野處、和原始茅舍，我們已進步至住房屋、洋樓、大廈和摩天樓；從以步代車、騎騾或駱駝，我們已進步到坐馬車、火車、乘飛機。今日人們都冀求發明愈來愈迅速的交通工具，為愈來愈走到更遠的地方。

可是，我們說了，愛天主也是一個旅程；天主要求這旅程愈來愈真誠和完善。祂對跟隨祂的人說：「你們是世界的光，地上的鹽」 (瑪五‧13-14) ；又說：「你們應當是成全的，如同你們的在天大父一樣成全」 (五‧48) ，那就是說：愛天主不該只愛少許，而該愛得很多很多；不該停留在我們已到達的境界上，而應靠著祂的助佑，在愛的道上邁進。(譯自英文版羅馬觀察報第五四九期)
1978 年 11 月 10 日

「微笑的教宗」 ── 若望保祿一世 ── 的微笑，正如曇花的一現，雖是短短的時間，卻使寂靜的黑夜增添了不少光澤和美麗。樞機長剛法朗尼主教在教宗的殯葬大禮彌撒中比喻得很好。他說：「我們的教宗有如一顆流星，突然在空中出現，隨即便消逝了，留給我們的，是一片敬慕和驚訝之情」。

的確，教宗若望保祿一世，從他登基日正式出現開始，已贏得全球人士的敬仰和仰慕，這是有目共睹的。能以短短的卅三天奪得了「微笑的教宗」的美名，那實在不是一件簡單的事。

可是，他不是最簡單的嗎？卅三天內，他所作的，沒有一件不是簡單的！連他的公開談話，也好像公公給孫子講故事一般的簡單。那麼，又何來這「不是簡單的」一件事呢？的確，這位微笑的教宗能以最簡單，更好說，最純真的出現，在他還沒有作過任何轟動天下之事以前，甚至 ── 從新職任的角度看去 ── 可以說在他對教宗的工作還未上手以前。已贏得教外教內人士的敬愛，這真是太空時代的大奇蹟，也該是梵二時代的一個「時代徵兆」。

其實，這正是天父藉著短短三十三天的出現要給我們啟示的訊息。這個訊息，天父亦已透過樞機主教長在喪禮演詞中的一句簡單的話，傳達給了我們。他說：「一位教宗的身價，不在於他出任教宗職任時日的悠長，而在於他在當教宗長或短的時日中所表現的精神」。

在今日唯物主義的世界中，雖然唯物主義或許 (至少這樣盼望！) 不這麼容易進入我們的腦海，可是，唯物精神卻深深滲入了我們的心靈。要是我們放眼看看梵二大公會議後教會改革的「實施」，相信不難發現這「唯物精神」的存在和滲透。許多改革的實施，其著眼點只是外表、形式、物質、形而下的東西。世界透過這些東西能贏得全球人類的認識和崇拜，我們有意無意之間，至少下意識地也認為要使我們的信仰、基督的教會、耶穌的福音贏得全球人類的認識和崇敬，我們非走同一路線不可。

因此，教會的改革 (尤其禮儀改革) ，按照梵二大公會議在福音指示之下不可不給我們的指示，本應是「形而上的」、「超性的」，卻屢屢被世界的－－甚或我們的－－唯物精神「唯物化」了。因此，在實施梵二大公會議的這十多年中，我們改革教會的努力與嘗試真不少，可是，這些努力與嘗試卻屢屢產生相反的不良效果：我們期望將耶穌的福音更廣泛和深入地打入社會，可是，社會對「講耶穌」卻愈來愈表示反感；我們期望使教友們的信仰生活更充實，可是，教友的心靈在這些不著眼內修生活只著重外表形式的「唯物化」改革之下，卻愈來愈感覺空虛！

我們可以大胆地說，在過去的十多年中，教會的聲望在社會廣大市民的心目中低落了，而教會的大家庭也失落了不知多少可愛的子女！究竟是梵二大公會議提倡改革不對？抑或是我們實施改革不對？相信不是大公會議提倡改革不對，也不是我們實施改革不對，而是我們實施改革的「路線」有了偏差，可能就是「唯物化」了！

好天父容忍了我們多時，現在反省的時刻到了！祂無限的慈愛透過祂親自選拔的「微笑的教宗」的出現，好像願意告訴我們；要使信友們的心靈充實，要使世界對耶穌的福音傾慕，要使基督的教會成為萬民的磁石，要使世人透過我們而追求真理，最有效的，不是世界使用的唯物方法 (雖然我們可以和應該使用健全的本性方法) ，而是基督給我們指示的超性方法，因為教宗若望保祿一世一出現，便成了世人敬仰和敬愛的對象，並不是為了他的才華或功績，也不純是因了他那「外表的微笑」 (因為政壇和社會也充滿了「外表的微笑」，可是卻得不到世人的「衷心的」傾慕) ，而是為了這微笑所表現的「內心的真誠」。這「微笑的真誠」和「真誠的微笑」可說是他一生六十五年不斷努力與基督同化－－成聖－－的結晶和碩果。

這豈不是又多一次的告訴我們：真正能改革教會，使教會有效地吸引世界歸向基督的，不是別的，而只是「聖德」和「聖德生活的表現」！不知筆者是否看錯，相信這就是天父透過教宗這驚動全球的微笑要給我們的訊息！有人問：「天主既預知這位教宗在任僅卅三天，又何必多此一舉選他出來？」相信答案也在這裡：他該是一強烈的「時代徵兆」，叫今日的教會一再看清楚；改革教會和建設社會的基本路線是「聖德」，不是別的。

難道聖德能顯奇蹟嗎？看看教宗若望保祿一世的微笑，我們便有了答案！天父在大公會議後充滿唯物精神的今日要我們一再堅信的，相信也是這一點。可是，在梵二改革的實施上，我們忽視了的，好像正是這一點！
1978 年 11 月 24 日

韶華水逝，歲月東流，「微笑教宗」若望保祿一世駕崩後不覺已屆週年，我人謹以沉痛的心情，致以誠摯的哀思悼念。

教宗若望保祿一世於去年八月廿六日，眾望所歸，膺選為普世天主教會最高精神領袖，至同年九月廿八日，即遽爾駕崩，安息主懷，在位僅三十四天，使世人倍覺同情，更感哀痛。

聖詠上說：「上主的聖者們的去世，在上主眼中十分珍貴」。 (第一一六篇 15 節) 其實，教宗若望保祿一世的離世，不獨在上主眼中十分珍貴，尚且在世人眼中也非常珍惜，長相懷念。

教宗若望保祿一世在位時間雖短，但他對教會對人類的影響卻異常深遠。比利時的斯溫能樞機說：「很少有人能像他那樣在短暫的時間裡，征服了每個人的心靈，贏得了每個人的好感」。英國主教團團長希默樞機也說：「這位謙遜的偉人將使人永誌不忘」。

是的，若望保祿一世堪稱為本世紀偉大的教宗之一！他的偉大處，並不在乎豐功偉績與重大建樹，而是在乎他的道德人格，過化存神。事實上，他底平易近人的態度和坦誠佈公的作風，大大的改戀了世人對教會宗座的觀感，使人耳目一新；他底和藹可親、溫良謙恭的德表，尤其是他的臉上時常帶著的笑容，使他在膺選教宗後迅速在世人心目中建立了異常良好的形象。

基督教世界教會協進會稱譽他是一位「真正謙遜的牧人」。的確，他是一位謙遜的長者，一位忠誠的牧人。他登位時，採用的是簡樸的禮儀；他放棄了一千多年來的傳統慣例，沒有接受三重冠冕，也沒有坐上寶座。他接見群眾時，也希望放棄傳統的肩輿，寧願徒步而行，與羣眾握手談笑，但，羣眾由於看不到他，遂請求他再度坐上肩輿，於是他也就俯順民情，乘坐肩輿出入。此外，我們不可忘記，他首次接見羣眾時所發表的第一篇公開談話，也是講論「謙遜」哩！

教宗若望保祿一世畢生忠於天主，忠於基督，忠於教會，殫心竭力，鞠躬盡瘁，善盡牧者的職務。他登基以後，經常巡視教廷各部門，進行深入的了解；他所準備好要在每週公開接見時對羣眾宣講的道理，順序是：謙遜、信、望、愛三超德，及智、義、勇、節四樞德 …… 但願這位忠誠牧者的遺教常存，充實我人的精神生活，惠澤人間！
1979 年 9 月 28 日

三年前，我們對你一無所知。一九七八年八月廿六日，我們聽聞你獲選為教宗，剎時間，我們像對每一位教宗一樣，向你同樣效忠；數日後，你便贏得了我們個人的崇敬。

你怎樣得來的呢？我們只看到你的一些照片，一些描述你脫俗姿態的報導，以及數篇充滿友誼、熱愛人類和平、正義與團結的文告。這些都是你僅有的武器。而你只有三十四天的時間與我們在一起，如此短暫的領導我們。在位三十四天後，你便去世。

在你逝世後不久，始知你給我們留下了著作的遺產。原來當你還任維也納主教時，已嗜於向著名的亡者撰寫一連串的信函 ── 如皇后、聖人、作家，甚至童話故事中的人物等，這些信函已被翻譯成多種語文，讀者可從書中領略你的聰穎、詼諧、毫無偏見、追得上潮流，和親切的內容，恰如我們所預期的。

我們大部份人已記不起你任內的種種了，因你的在位是那麼的短促。我們所記得的，是你差不多在每幀照片都有的笑容。那不是欵擺出來的笑容，亦不似突然而起的喧囂的笑，也不是富有魅力的；容許我說，你僅有較一般教宗的樣貌，而且，你的笑容使自己的面禮變形，令左邊的嘴巴稍微翹起。總言之，你成了「微笑的教宗」，每次我們看到這種笑容，即使是照片中的，都立刻知道你很友善，渴望了解一切，渴望取悅他人。日常生活中，有時我們會在陌生人、巴士司機、升降機的乘客、路人等的臉上，發現出這種笑容。縱然我們永不與笑者交談，那依然是親切的和充滿歡樂的，如此點點的閃光，照耀著整天。

我想，你應該值得高興了，因你的繼承者，亦滿是笑容，雖不是同樣的笑容。他就是若望保祿二世。而他的笑，便是「微笑二世」了，比較起來，我們對他有充份的時間來認識，他的笑容我們更熟識；我們了解他的性格，信任他的指引，他的微笑確是一位真正教宗的笑容。

你實在不用羡慕，因為你的也是教宗的笑容，屬於慈愛王國的笑容，天國的笑容。
(譯自Sunday Examiner 社論)
1981 年 8 月 21 日

教宗若望保祿二世在九月下旬舉行的一次感恩祭中，談及其前任若望保祿一世的去世。事實上，自若望保祿一世去世後，一直有不少有關他的死因的推測。

教宗若望保祿二世於九月廿八日，即若望保祿一世逝世十五周年當日，在聖伯多祿大教堂為其前任保祿六世與若望保祿一世舉行了一台感恩祭。

最近的一、兩個月，傳媒不斷報導有關這位只在任了卅四天的教宗的死因與健康狀況：更有報導指出，若望保祿一世早知道自己的任期是十分短暫的。

若望保祿一世的胞兄弟在接受一份天主教雜誌訪問時說：「我愈來愈相信：他一早便知道自己的教宗任期是十分短暫的。」

一位教廷樞機在接受一間意大利通訊社的訪問時指出，若望保祿一世在逝世前一晚表示胸口作痛，但他堅持不用召喚醫生。

然而，若望保祿一世二十年來的醫生則表示，他在當晚曾致電教宗宿舍，有關人士只是說教宗整天忙碌，但一切如常。

這位醫生表示，當多年後才有人提出教宗當晚胸口作痛時，他感到驚訝。

一位作家康威爾 (John Cornell) 曾於一九八九年出版了《夜盜》 (A Thief in the Night) 一書，猜測教宗若望保祿一世可能因為沒有服用防止血管栓塞的藥物而死於肺部血管栓塞。

然而教宗的醫生則說：「我根本沒有建議他服用任何藥物。我在五日前曾見過他，他看來健康正常。」

教宗若望保祿二世在感恩祭講道中指出，他的前任「沒有足夠時間去充分發揮他的心、智兩方面的罕有恩賜，但他在一個月教宗任期內所表露的簡樸、辦事能力、對人的關懷，是令人難以忘懷的。
1993 年 10 月 29 日
　

梵蒂岡集郵及錢幣局十月四日發行一系列的錢幣，以紀念庇護神父逝世五十周年、保祿六世教宗封聖，以及若望保祿一世教宗逝世四十週年。此外，適逢保祿六世教宗十月十四日宣聖，梵蒂岡亦推出面值五歐元的紀念幣。
2018 年 10 月 14 日
　

教宗方濟各今年初成立了梵蒂岡若望保祿一世基金會。這一舉措滿足了先前的一項提議，即：創建一個專門機構來探討盧恰尼 (Albino Luciani) 教宗的形象、思想和訓導，推廣相關研究和他的著作。該基金會的宗旨為守護並保存若望保祿一世教宗的文化和宗教遺產；推動會議、研討會和學術講座等各項活動；創立獎項及獎學金；負責出版工作，包括編撰自身或第三方的研究成果；以及成為意大利和全世界相關領域的參照點。

教宗任命了聖座國務卿帕羅林樞機為該基金會主席。為此，帕羅林樞機在梵蒂岡媒體上發表了一篇文章，強調「若望保祿一世教宗自始至終是普世教會的一個參照點；誠如聖若望保祿二世教宗觀察到的，盧恰尼教宗的重要性與他短暫至極的牧職時間形成強烈的反比」。

帕羅林樞機寫道：「盧恰尼的經歷正是一個親民牧者的故事，以信仰本質為核心，對社會問題擁有獨特的敏銳度。他的訓導具有現實意義。親民、謙遜、簡樸、堅持天主的慈悲、愛近人和團結一心，均為其特色。」

盧恰尼以主教的身份參與了梵二大公會議，並「將梵二的經驗加以應用，落實於他短暫的教宗牧職，促使教會沿著梵二指示的康莊大道前行」。梵二的道路是：「回溯福音的根源，更新傳教動力，主教集體領導，秉持教會貧窮的精神服務，尋求基督信徒的合一，懷著毅力和決心進行宗教交談，與當代的對話和國際對話，以促進正義與和平」。

2020 年 6 月 7 日
　

42 年前，意大利威尼斯宗主教盧恰尼樞機 (Albino Luciani) 當選教宗，取名若望保祿一世。 9 月是教會追念的這位先教宗的日子 —— 在位只有短短 33 天的他於 1978 年 9 月逝世。其人雖已歿，但他的梵二神學思想，至今對教會仍具有重大意義。

1978 年 8 月 26 日，盧恰尼樞機當選教宗，那個晚上，這位溫和謙遜的牧人微笑著出現在梵蒂岡聖伯多祿大殿的中央陽台上。

他依從前兩任教宗若望廿三世和保祿六世的名號，取名若望保祿一世。那時卻沒人料到他竟是教會歷史上任期最短的伯多祿繼承人： 1978 年 9 月 28 日凌晨，他在宗座大樓他的床榻上安息主懷，在位 33 天後就離開了人世。

盧恰尼當選教宗時，梵蒂岡第二次大公會議正受到批評。但他投入會議之中，又嘗試向教友介紹他在會議中的見聞。

在紀念盧恰尼當選教宗 42 周年之際，重溫他在出席大公會議期間的書信，對今天的教會仍具有重大意義。

期望梵二回應相對主義
在梵二大公會議準備階段，當時出任維托里奧威尼托教區主教 (Vittorio Veneto) 的盧恰尼，祈願大公會議指明在復活的主的教誨中所固有的「基督徒的樂觀主義」，對抗相對文化「悲觀主義的傳播」，同時譴責那種忽略信仰本質的思維。

盧恰尼主教在大公會議上從未發言，卻一頁一頁地做著筆記，然後深入探討許多神學家的思想。

他經常寫信給教區的信友，告訴他們大公會議的結果，以慣常的教導和要理講授的方式解釋棘手的問題，同時避免過於簡化。他立即意識到聖神在會議中的臨在，在祂的幫助下，大公會議阻止了謬誤和教義上的偏離。

重視普世幅度請傳教士主教到訪
盧恰尼主教也很重視普世教會的經驗，他在 1963 年 10 月 14 日的傳教節牧函中告訴教區教友，他在來自世界各地的主教們身上接觸到傳教使命。「在大公會議廳，我只要抬眼注視面前的階梯座位，就會看到一眾傳教士主教的鬍鬚、非洲主教的黑色面容，以及亞洲主教們突起的顴骨。我只要與他們交談幾句，那些我們根本不曾想過的願景和需求便出現在我們面前。」

大公會議第一期會議結束後，盧恰尼主教邀請與他同桌的友人，非洲坦桑尼亞坦噶尼喀 (Tanganika) 的卡雷瑪教區 (Karema) 姆薩基拉主教 (Charles Msakila) 一起回到家鄉，請他在那裡小住數日。盧恰尼主教這樣做不僅是一項關懷舉動，也是讓自己的教區感受到教會普世的幅度。

贊同禮儀用地方語言推動教友參與彌撒
在盧恰尼主教的筆下，記錄了他對大公會議幾個關鍵問題的看法。首先是禮儀問題。他這樣寫，在關於彌撒的重大問題上，能向信友們提供哪些幫助，使他們從中獲取最大的效果呢？

首先，這幫助應源自聖經，即天主聖言。聖言能非凡地營造正確和熱誠的宗教氣氛。其次，應使用當地語言。第三，應簡化彌撒禮儀。有些禮儀在漫長的世紀中架床疊屋，有些不為今日子民所了解，另有一些則需要作出複雜的解釋才能被了解。但有人在大公會議上說，禮儀不是應被談論和解釋的事，因為它本身就是解釋。無論如何，在禮儀中，不應把不必要的困難強加給信友們。第四，應推動信友參與彌撒並方便他們參禮。

愈是自由去信服人就愈能接受信仰
宗教自由是梵二大公會議面對的最微妙和複雜的主題之一。盧恰尼主教當時這樣解釋，「我們都同意只有一個真正的宗教，然而也存在其他正確和需要說明的事物。換言之，那些不信奉天主教的人，有權利出於多種原因宣認自己的宗教 ……。至於真理，尤其是宗教真理，我們不能關閉在室內和讀幾本書就能尋獲它，而應與別人交談和交換意見。」

最後，值得一提的是，盧恰尼主教作為大公會議神長的意見，對於我們與其他宗教信徒的關係也有重大的現實意義。他寫道：「有些主教擔心：如果明日佛教徒來到羅馬宣道，來改變意大利的信仰，或在羅馬有 4000 名穆斯林，他們有權利建造一所清真寺，那該怎麽辦？沒得說：讓他們去做。」

教宗若望保祿一世的教導
若望保祿一世常笑臉迎人，有「微笑的教宗」之稱。在僅僅 33 日的教宗生涯裡，於 1978 年 9 月 6 日他在首次公開接見活動中向信友表示：「上主如此教導說：你們要謙卑。即使你們做了偉大的事，你們依然要對自己說我們是無用的奴僕。然而我們所有人卻恰恰傾向於反其道而為之：炫耀自己。」

1978 年 9 月 24 日在他最後一次三鐘經祈禱活動中表示：「『愛將永遠得勝。愛能成就一切。』這話說得很對，成就一切的不是暴力，而是愛。讓我們向上主祈求恩寵，願新一輪愛近人的浪潮能遍及這悲慘貧困的世界。」

2020 年初，教宗方濟各成立了梵蒂岡若望保祿一世基金會。該基金會的宗旨為守護並保存若望保祿一世教宗的文化和宗教遺產；推動會議、研討會和學術講座等各項活動。

2020 年 9 月 13 日

若望保祿一世於一九七八年八月廿六日履任教宗牧職，於九月廿八日與世長辭，在位僅三十三天。雖然他是歷史上任期最短暫的教宗之一，但其謙遜芳表將隨著九月四日榮列真福品而永垂千古。教宗方濟各將親自主持宣福禮。

教宗方濟各去年十月授權聖座封聖部頒布法令，承認一個因若望保祿一世轉禱而實現的奇蹟：二０一一年七月廿三日，在阿根廷布宜諾斯艾利斯，一名年僅十一歳的女孩患上嚴重急性發炎的腦病變，女童及其家屬懇求盧恰尼教宗 (若望保祿一世原名) 轉禱，終告痊癒。

若望保祿一世生於一九一二年意大利北部貝盧諾省，他的父親曾在信中如此叮囑：「我希望你當了神父後，能跟窮人站在一起，因為基督一直站在他們身邊。」若望保祿一世畢生努力實踐父親的教誨。

他在主教牧徽上使用「謙遜」 (humilitas) 一詞，本身生活簡樸，關懷社會，親近窮人和工人。威尼斯工業區的工廠被工人佔領期間，盧恰尼宗主教於一九七六年聖誕節發表講話，呼龥社會關心工人，並質疑資本家壓榨工人。

若望保祿一世當選教宗後，摒棄了「朕」這個君王自稱詞彙，並在就任之初拒絕乘轎，直到他發現如果徒步行走，只有站在前排的人方能清楚看見自己，為著群眾才改接受乘轎。

「教廷最近宣布若望保祿一世冊封真福大典日期時，恰逢教宗方濟各在公開接見活動和他與聖座首長會晤中講解謙遜的道理。這時機的巧合真是美好。」若望保祿一世列品案合作者菲奧科神父 (Davide Fiocco) 肯定，謙遜是先教宗能流傳千古的訓導，而且是他的獨特美德。

2022 年 1 月 9 日

真福若望保祿一世簡歷
1912年10月17日	生於意大利
1935年7月7日	在意大利晉鐸
1958年12月15日	晉陞意大利維托廖韋內托教區主教
1969年12月15日	特任為意大利威尼斯宗主教
1973年3月5日	晉陞樞機主教
1978年8月26日	膺選教宗，同年9月3日即位。
1978年9月28日	在宗座大樓安息主懷，在位僅33天便告離世。

「若望保祿一世教宗活出福音的喜樂，為人堅守原則，愛到底 …… 踐行使徒的貧窮，不僅沒有貪戀財富，更克勝了虛榮。」教宗方濟各九月四日在梵蒂岡聖伯多祿廣場，主持若望保祿一世冊封真福大典，他讚許先教宗是溫良和謙卑的牧人，毫無保留地跟隨耶穌。

宣福大典有2.5 萬名教友冒雨參禮，聖伯多祿大殿中央陽台上懸掛著的若望保祿一世巨型畫像，在阿肋路亞歡呼中徐徐地揭幕，這幅作品出自中國藝術家張焰的手筆。呈送到祭台上的新真福聖髑，是一張有親筆字跡的白紙，那是先教宗一九五六年關於信、望、愛三德的省思。若望保祿一世紀念日是八月廿六日，即他一九七八年當選教宗那天。

「若望保祿一世教宗透過微笑傳遞上主的仁慈。一個擁有安詳且微笑面孔的教會，何其美好，這樣的教會從不關上門窗、不抱怨、不懷恨、不憤怒、不急躁，不會懷舊因而落入向後倒退的誘惑。」教宗方濟各表示，若望保祿一世為教會帶來溫良的氣質，鼓勵教友愛主愛人，「先教宗曾說：『我們是天主永恆之愛的對象。』」

聖座新聞室九月二日召開記者會，列品案申請人斯泰拉樞機 (Beniamino Stella) 及幾位見證人，分享他們與若望保祿一世的相遇。

這項列品程序於十九年前由巴西教會推動。在眾多證詞中，榮休教宗本篤十六世的格外顯著，斯泰拉樞機指出，本篤的見證具備「歷史的獨特性，因為首次有教宗發表對另一位教宗的親身經歷見證。」

奇跡與芳表促成宣福
列品調查報告再次確認先教宗因心肌梗塞離世。曾在教宗府所服務的瑪利亞嬰孩修女會馬林修女 (Margherita Marin) ，與另一位修女最先發現教宗的遺體。

馬林修女現年八十一歲，她是服務過若望保祿一世而唯一在世的修女。她憶述先若望保祿一世逝世前幾小時，約好她翌日一起參與彌撒，「我們明天見，如果天主仍願意的話，我們一起參與彌撒。」

馬林修女為若望保祿一世宣福非常感動，「我不能忘記這段經歷，若望保祿一世教宗謙遜，和藹可親。」若望保祿一世為教會留下了甚麼靈性遺產？馬林修女說，「就如他那樣，在謙遜和祈禱中生活。他一直要求我們祈禱。我有義務為所有人祈禱並邀請其他人也照樣做。人們因若望保祿一世教宗而得到了天主的恩寵。」