"TRUE MEANING"

[Vatican II's] true meaning was and remains faith in Christ, the apostolic faith, animated by the inner desire to communicate Christ to individuals and all people, in the Church's pilgrimage along the pathways of history.

"VERY LIVELY, RICH AND FRUITFUL"

Many memories spring to mind ... of that very lively, rich and fruitful period which was the Council.

"AGGIORNAMENTO"

... I would like to recall ... how one word, pronounced by Blessed John XXIII in a systematic way, recurred again and again during the Council: the word aggiornamento [updating].

"ONGOING VITALITY"

...aggiornamento does not mean a break with tradition, but expresses its ongoing vitality; it does not mean reducing the faith, debasing it to the fashion of the times, measured by what pleases us, by what pleases public opinion, but it is the contrary: exactly as the Council Fathers did, we must bring the "today" that we live to the standard of the Christian event, we must bring the "today" of our time to the "today" of God.

"TIME OF GRACE"

The Council was a time of grace in which the Holy Spirit taught us that the Church, in her journey through history, must always speak to the people of today. But this can only happen through the strength of those who are deeply rooted in God, who allow themselves to be guided by Him and live out their faith with purity.

CALLED TO HOLINESS

The Council ... stated that everyone in the Church is called to holiness... Holiness reveals the true face of the Church, it ushers the eternal "today" of God into the "today" of our life, into the "today" of the people of our time.

THE HEART OF THE MESSAGE

The Year of Faith ... suggests the best way to remember and commemorate the Council: to focus on the heart of its message, which moreover is nothing other than the message of faith in Jesus Christ, the one Savior of the world, proclaimed to the men and women of our time.

"THE RAY OF GOD'S LOVE"

...What is important and essential is to bring the ray of God's love to the hearts and lives of every man and woman, to bring every man and woman of every time and place to God.

(Sources: Homily, 10/11/12; Address to Council participants and presidents of episcopal conferences, 10/12/12)