Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord.
"This day is holy to the Lord, your God, do not mourn and weep ... The joy of the Lord is your strength " (Ne from 8.9 to 11). With these words, we have proclaimed the first reading that would like to greet all of you here to participate in this celebration. I extend an affectionate greeting to Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain, who wanted to join us cordially. My cordial greetings to Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach, Archbishop of Barcelona, \u200b\u200bfor his words of welcome and its call for the dedication of this church of the Holy Family, a wonderful synthesis of technology, art and faith. I greet Cardinal Ricardo María Carles Gordo, Archbishop Emeritus of Barcelona, the other Cardinals and Brother Bishops, especially the Auxiliary Bishop of this particular Church, as well as many priests, deacons, seminarians, religious and faithful who participate in this solemn celebration. At the same time, I extend my respectful greetings to the national, regional and local levels as well as members of other Christian communities, who join us in our joy and grateful praise to God
In English:
This day is a significant point in a long history of aspirations, work and generosity, which has lasted more than a century. In these moments, I remember each person who made possible the joy that now pervades all of us by the promoters up to the performers of this work, by the same architects and builders, to all those who offered, in one way or another, their unique contribution to make possible the progressive construction of this building. And remember, above all, soul and who was responsible for this project: Antoni Gaudí, architect brilliant and consistent Christian, whose flame of faith burned until the end of his life, lived in dignity and absolute austerity. This event is also, somehow, the climax and the outlet of a history of this land Catalan, especially since the end of the nineteenth century, gave a multitude of saints and founders of martyrs and Christian poets. History of holiness, poetic and artistic creations, born of faith, which now collect and present as an offering to God in this Eucharist.
The joy I feel in being able to preside at this celebration was heightened when I learned that this sacred building, from its origins, is closely tied to the figure of St Joseph. I was moved especially the safety with which Gaudí, in the face of many difficulties he faced, he exclaimed full of trust in Divine Providence: "St. Joseph will complete the temple." For now this is meaningless because it is a Pope whose name was Joseph dedicate.
What dedicate this church? In the heart of the world, before the eyes of God and men, in a humble and joyful act of faith, we raised a huge amount of material, the result of nature and an invaluable effort of human intelligence, builder of this' work of art. It is a visible sign of the invisible God, the glory that these towers soar, arrows indicate the absolute of light and the one who is Light, the same height, and Beauty.
In this environment,
Gaudí wanted to join the inspiration that came from the three great books on which they feed as a man, as a believer and as an architect: the book of nature, the book of Sacred Scripture and the book of the Liturgy. So joined the reality of the world and the history of salvation, as we told in the Bible and made present in the Liturgy. Introduced into the sacred building stones, trees and human life, so that all creation converged in praise of God, but at the same time, he brought out the "retablos" to place before mankind the mystery of God revealed in the birth, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this way, they have cleverly worked in the building of a human consciousness anchored in the world, open to God, enlightened and sanctified by Christ.
and realizes what is today one of the most important tasks: overcoming the split between human consciousness and Christian conscience, in existence in this world of time and openness to eternal life, the beauty of things and God as Beauty . Antoni Gaudí did not realize all this with words, but with rocks, lines, surfaces and vertices. In reality, the beauty is the great need of man is the root from which arise the trunk of our peace and the fruits of our hope.
Beauty is also revealing of God because, like him, the work is pretty pure gratuity, calls for freedom and selfishness tears.
We have dedicated this space for worship to God who has revealed himself and given to us in Christ to be finally God is with men. The Word revealed the humanity of Christ and his Church are three of the finest examples of its manifestation and his gift to men. "Let each man be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that is already there, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 3, 10-11), says St. Paul in the second reading.
The Lord Jesus is the stone that supports the weight of the world, which maintains the cohesion of the Church and which collects in the final drive all the achievements of mankind. In him we have the Word and the Presence of God and receive from him the Church's life, its doctrine and mission. The Church has no consistency by itself, is called to be sign and instrument of Christ, in pure obedience to his authority and in total service to its mandate. The one Christ founded one church and He is the rock on which the basis of our faith. Based on this belief, we seek together to show the world the face of God who is love and is the only one who can answer the yearning for fullness of man. This is the great task, to show everyone that God is God of peace and non violence, freedom and restraint, harmony and not discord . In this sense, I think the dedication of this church of the Holy Family, in an age when man tries to build his life behind God, as if he had nothing more to say, is an event of great significance. Gaudí, with his work, shows us that God is the true measure of man, which is the secret of true originality, as he said in return that the source is God Himself, thus opening his mind God, was able to create a space in this city of beauty, faith and hope, which leads man to encounter one who is truth and beauty itself.
So the architect expressed his feelings: "A church [is] the only thing worthy to represent the feelings of a people, because religion is the most high humans.
God, this statement carries with it the supreme affirmation and protection of the dignity of every person and of all men: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God? ... Holy is the temple of God, that you are "(1 Cor 3, 16-17). Here is the truth and joined the dignity of God with truth and human dignity. In consecrating the altar of this church, bearing in mind that Christ is its foundation, we present to the world that God is the friend of mankind, and we invite all men to be friends of God teaches how the episode of Zacchaeus, mentioned today's Gospel (cf. Lk 19.1 -10), if man is without God into his life and in his world, if we let Christ live in his heart, will not repent, but rather experience the joy of sharing his own life, being the recipient of his infinite love.
the start of construction of this church was the Association of Friends of St. Joseph, who wanted to dedicate it to the Holy Family of Nazareth.
always, the hearth formed by Jesus, Mary and Joseph is considered a school of love, prayer and work . The sponsors of this church wanted to show the world the love, work and service experiences with God, as he lived, the Holy Family of Nazareth. Living conditions have changed profoundly, and with them has progressed enormously in areas of technical, social and cultural rights. We can not be satisfied with this progress. With
they must always be present moral progress, as the attention, protection and assistance to the family, for love of a generous and indissoluble man and a woman is the effective framework and foundation of human life in his gestation in its birth, its growth and in its natural end. Only where there is love and fidelity, true freedom is born and continues .
reason the Church calls for adequate social and economic measures so that women can find its full realization at home and at work, so that man and woman united in marriage and forming a family are very much supported by the State, to defend yourself as a sacred and inviolable the lives of children from the moment of their conception, so that the birth rate is estimated, valued and supported the legal, social and legislative environment. For this reason, the Church is opposed to any form of denial of human life that promotes and supports the natural order within the family institution . Contemplating
admired this holy environment of enchanting beauty, with so much history of faith, I ask God that in this land Catalan multiply and consolidate new witnesses of holiness, which offer the world the great service that the Church can and must provide to humanity : be an icon of divine beauty, burning flame of love, canal so that the world may believe in Him who sent God (cf. Jn 6:29).
Dear brother, in dedicating this beautiful church, beg at the same time, the Lord of our lives from this altar, which will now be anointed with holy oil, and above which will consume the sacrifice of Christ's love flow into continuous grace and charity in this city of Barcelona and its inhabitants, and the whole world. That fill these fruitful waters of faith and apostolic vitality this archdiocesan Church, her Pastors and faithful.
In Catalan:
Finally, I wish to entrust to the loving protection of the Mother of God, Holy Mary, "Rose in April", "Mother of Mercy," all of you here and all those who by word and deed, by silence or prayer, have made this miracle possible architecture. That she submit to her divine Son also the joys and sufferings of those who will come in the future in this holy place, because, as prays the Liturgy of the dedication of churches, the poor may find mercy, the oppressed to achieve true freedom and all men dressed dignity as children of God Amen 
