VATICAN CITY, OCT 7, 2007 (VIS) - Shortly before midday today, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square. Prior to the Marian prayer, the Pope spoke of today's Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, and of missions to which this month of October is dedicated.
"The Rosary," said the Holy Father, "is a means granted by the Virgin to contemplate Jesus and, by meditating upon His life, to love Him and follow Him ever more faithfully." He also recalled how Mary in her various apparitions, and especially in that of Fatima, had "insistently recommended the daily recitation of the Rosary in order to obtain an end to war.
"We too," he added, "wish to accept the Virgin's maternal request, committing ourselves to the faithful recitation of the Rosary for peace in families, nations and the entire world. Yet we know that true peace is established where people and institutions open themselves to the Gospel, and the month of October helps us to recall this fundamental truth through [its] particular concern for maintaining the missionary spirit alive in all communities, and for supporting the efforts of those people ... who work on the frontiers of the Church's mission."
The Pope recalled how the theme of this year's World Mission Day - to be celebrated on October 21 - is "all the Churches for all the world." He also highlighted the fact that "announcing the Gospel remains the Church's principal service to humanity, so as to offer the salvation of Christ to the men and women of our time, who suffer so many forms of humiliation and oppression, and to give a Christian orientation to the cultural, social and ethical changes that are taking place in the world.
"This year," he added, "there is another reason that encourages us to renewed missionary commitment: the 50th anniversary of Servant of God Pius XII's Encyclical 'Fidei donum' which promoted and encouraged cooperation between Churches for the 'ad gentes' mission." Pope Benedict also recalled the 150th anniversary of the arrival in Sudan with five priests and a layman of St. Daniel Comboni, "the future bishop of Central Africa, and patron saint of those people."
ANG/ROSARY:MISSIONS/... VIS 20071008 (380)
"The Rosary," said the Holy Father, "is a means granted by the Virgin to contemplate Jesus and, by meditating upon His life, to love Him and follow Him ever more faithfully." He also recalled how Mary in her various apparitions, and especially in that of Fatima, had "insistently recommended the daily recitation of the Rosary in order to obtain an end to war.
"We too," he added, "wish to accept the Virgin's maternal request, committing ourselves to the faithful recitation of the Rosary for peace in families, nations and the entire world. Yet we know that true peace is established where people and institutions open themselves to the Gospel, and the month of October helps us to recall this fundamental truth through [its] particular concern for maintaining the missionary spirit alive in all communities, and for supporting the efforts of those people ... who work on the frontiers of the Church's mission."
The Pope recalled how the theme of this year's World Mission Day - to be celebrated on October 21 - is "all the Churches for all the world." He also highlighted the fact that "announcing the Gospel remains the Church's principal service to humanity, so as to offer the salvation of Christ to the men and women of our time, who suffer so many forms of humiliation and oppression, and to give a Christian orientation to the cultural, social and ethical changes that are taking place in the world.
"This year," he added, "there is another reason that encourages us to renewed missionary commitment: the 50th anniversary of Servant of God Pius XII's Encyclical 'Fidei donum' which promoted and encouraged cooperation between Churches for the 'ad gentes' mission." Pope Benedict also recalled the 150th anniversary of the arrival in Sudan with five priests and a layman of St. Daniel Comboni, "the future bishop of Central Africa, and patron saint of those people."
ANG/ROSARY:MISSIONS/... VIS 20071008 (380)
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