Dear Cardinal Maida,
Dear Friends in Christ,

I am pleased to greet the Trustees of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center on the occasion of your annual pilgrimage to the Vatican. I thank you for your support of the Center’s work of promoting dialogue between the worlds of faith and culture. It is my hope that the Center will help bring the truth of the Gospel and the wisdom of the Church’s tradition to bear on the great issues shaping contemporary society.

May your pilgrimage to the Eternal City lead all of you to deeper union with the Lord and his Church. To you and your families I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing.