THE CHURCH BECOMES FULLY VISIBLE IN THE LITURGY

Vatican City,  (VIS) - The time dedicated to liturgical prayer in the life of Christians, especially during Mass, was the central theme of Benedict XVI's catechesis during his general audience, held this morning in St. Peter's Square.

Prayer, the Pope explained, "is the living relationship of the children of God with their immeasurably good Father, with His Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit. Therefore the life of prayer consists in dwelling habitually in the presence of God and knowing Him. ... Such communion of life with the One Triune God is possible through Baptism, by which we are united to Christ, ... because only in Christ can we dialogue with God the Father as children".

For Christians prayer means "constantly gazing at Christ in ways that are ever new", said the Holy Father. "Yet we must not forget that we discover Christ and know Him as a living Person in the Church. She is 'His Body'. ... The unbreakable bond between Christ and the Church, through the unifying power of love, does not annul 'you' and 'me' but exalts them to their most intense unity. ... Praying means raising oneself to the heights of God, by means of a necessary and gradual transformation of our being".

By participating in the liturgy "we make the language of mother Church our own, we learn to speak in her and for her. Of course this comes about gradually, little by little. I must progressively immerse myself into the words of the Church with my prayers, life and suffering, with my joy and my thoughts. This is a journey which transforms us", the Pope said.

The question of "how to pray" is answered by following the Our Father, the prayer which Jesus taught us. "We see that its first two words are 'Father' and 'our', and the response then becomes clear: I learn to pray and I nourish my prayer by addressing myself to God as Father, and by praying with others, with the Church, accepting the gift of her words, which little by little become familiar and rich in meaning. The dialogue God establishes with each one of us in prayer, and we with Him, always includes a 'with'. We cannot pray to God individualistically. In liturgical prayer, especially the Eucharist, ... in all prayer, we speak not only as single individuals, but enter into that 'us' which is the prayerful Church".

The liturgy, then, "is not some form of 'self-expression' of a community. ... It means entering into that great living community in which God Himself nourishes us. The liturgy implies universality", and it "is important for all Christians to feel that they are truly part of this universal 'us', which is the foundation and refuge for the 'me', in the Body of Christ which is the Church".

To do this we must accept the logic of the incarnation of God, Who "came close to us, making Himself present in history and in human nature. ... This presence continues in the Church, His Body. The liturgy, then, is not the recollection of past events but the living presence of Christ's Paschal Mystery which transcends and unites time and space".

"It is not the individual priest or member of the faithful, or the group, which celebrates the liturgy. Rather, the liturgy is primarily the action of God through the Church with all her history, her rich tradition and her creativity. This universality and fundamental openness, which is specific to all the liturgy, is one of the reasons for which it cannot be invented or modified by a single community or by experts, but must remain faithful to the forms of the universal Church".

The Church becomes fully visible in the liturgy, the Holy Father concluded, "the act by which we believe that God enters our lives and we can encounter Him. The act in which ... He comes to us and we are illuminated by Him".

POPE ASKS FAITHFUL TO PRAY FOR YEAR OF FAITH, SYNOD OF BISHOPS

Vatican City,  (VIS) - Following his catechesis during his general audience this morning, the Pope mentioned his visit tomorrow to Loreto, Italy, "on the fiftieth anniversary of the famous pilgrimage made to that Marian shrine by Blessed Pope John XXIII, a week before the opening of Vatican Council II".

Benedict XVI asked everyone to join his prayers "entrusting to the Mother of God the main ecclesial events we are preparing to experience: the Year of Faith, and the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelisation. May the Blessed Virgin accompany the Church on her mission to announce the Gospel to the men and women of our time".

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR OCTOBER

Vatican City,  (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for October is: "That the new evangelisation may progress in the oldest Christian countries".

His mission intention is: "That the celebration of World Mission Day may result in a renewed commitment to evangelisation".

THREE CARDINALS TO TAKE POSSESSION OF TITLES, DIACONATES

Vatican City,  (VIS) - A note released today by the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff provides details concerning the taking of possession of the following titles and diaconates:

- At 6 p.m. on Monday 8 October Cardinal Lucian Muresan, major archbishop of Fagaras and Alba Julia of the Romanians, Romania, will take possession of the title of Sant’Atanasio, Via del Babuino 149, Rome.

- At 4 p.m. on Sunday 14 October Cardinal George Alencherry, major archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars, India, will take possession of the title of San Bernardo alle Terme, Via Torino 94, Rome.

- At 6.30 p.m. on Saturday 20 October Cardinal Julien Ries, will take possession of the diaconate of Sant’Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia, Circonvallazione Appia 150, Rome.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City,  (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Archbishop Rogelio Cabrera Lopez of Tuxtla-Gutierrez, Mexico, as archbishop of Monterrey (area 17,886, population 7,327,000, Catholics 5,862,000, priests 549, permanent deacons 42, religious 1,109), Mexico.

- Bishop Francisco Carlos Bach of Toledo, Brazil, as bishop of Sao Jose dos Pinhais (area 3,271, population 882,954, Catholics 688,704, priests 80, permanent deacons 62, religious 244), Brazil.