Hail, Cross of Jesus, sign of our hope.
Hail, Cross of Gaspé.
Here 450 years ago Jacques Cartier raised
the Cross.
Here, in the presence of the first
inhabitants of this land, he knelt together with
his men to venerate the standard of our salvation.
Here he opened a new chapter in the history
of the world and of the Church.
Cross of Gaspé, guide our steps towards the Lord.
On this day it is with a full heart that I pay tribute to the dauntless faith of those men and women who,
following Jacques Cartier, were willing to cross the seas to establish
the faith and the Church in Canada.
Greetings to you, Canadian men and women,
and more particularly to you the
people of Gaspé, whose life is so intimately bound to the soil, the forest and the
sea.
Greetings to you Amerindians and Inuit who have lived here
since time immemorial. May you always live in
the full recognition of your dignity and
of your rights.
I call to mind all the great pioneers who
contributed to the building of this
wide, prosperous and peaceful country. Let us pray God that it will keep on growing in the light of the
Cross, which is still for its inhabitants
a "tree of life" (Ap 2,7). To all, I offer my
blessing.