VATICAN CITY, 14 MAY 2010 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Pierre-Marie Carre of Albi, France, as coadjutor of Montpellier (area 6,101, population 1,000,000, Catholics 710,000, priests 313, permanent deacons 29, religious 531), France.
NEC/ VIS 20100514 (40)
Friday, May 14, 2010
AUTHENTIC WITNESSES TO JESUS CHRIST IN ALL SITUATIONS
VATICAN CITY, 13 MAY 2010 (VIS) - This evening the Holy Father met with the bishops of Portugal in the "Casa Nossa Senhora do Carmo" at the shrine of Fatima.
In his address to them Benedict XVI affirmed how "the Pope needs to open himself ever more fully to the mystery of the cross, embracing it as the one hope and the supreme way to gather in the Crucified One all his brothers and sisters in humanity. Obeying the word of God, he is called to live not for himself but for the presence of God in the world".
"In truth", he said, "the times in which we live demand a new missionary vigour on the part of Christians, who are called to form a mature laity, identified with the Church and sensitive to the complex transformations taking place in our world. Authentic witnesses to Jesus Christ are needed, above all in those human situations where the silence of the faith is most widely and deeply felt: among politicians, intellectuals, communications professionals who profess and promote a mono-cultural ideal, with disdain for the religious and contemplative dimension of life. Such circles contain many believers who are ashamed of their beliefs and who even give a helping hand to this type of secularism, which raises barriers before Christian inspiration. And yet, dear brothers, may all those who defend the faith in these situations, with courage, with a vigorous Catholic outlook and in fidelity to the Magisterium, continue to receive your help and your insightful encouragement in order to live out their Christian freedom as faithful lay men and women".
"What is decisive", the Pope told the prelates "is the ability to inculcate a true desire for holiness in all those engaged in the work of evangelisation, with the awareness that the results derive above all from our union with Christ and the working of the Holy Spirit.
"In fact" he added, "when many people consider that the Catholic faith is no longer the common patrimony of society, and see it as a seed threatened and obscured by the 'gods' and masters of this world, only with great difficulty can the faith touch the hearts of people by simple speeches or moral appeals, and even less by a generic call to Christian values. The courageous and integral appeal to principles is essential and indispensable; yet simply proclaiming the message does not penetrate to the depths of people's hearts, it does not touch their freedom, it does not change their lives. What attracts them, above all, is the encounter with believing persons who, through their faith, draw others to the grace of Christ by bearing witness to Him".
Turning then to consider the movements and new ecclesial communities, which he described as "new springtime" for the Church, the Holy Father said: "Thanks to their charisms, the radicality of the Gospel, the objective contents of the faith, the living flux of Church tradition, are all being communicated in a persuasive way and welcomed as a personal experience, as free adherence to the mystery of Christ".
He went on: "Naturally, it is necessary that these new groups should desire to live in the one Church, ... and submit themselves to the leadership of her bishops. It is they who must ensure the ecclesial nature of the movements".
As bishops, he explained, we "must feel responsibility for welcoming these impulses which are gifts for the Church and which give her new vitality, but, on the other hand, we must also help the movements to find the right way, correcting them ... with a spiritual and human understanding that is able to combine guidance, gratitude and a certain openness and willingness to learn".
In this Year for Priests, "rediscover, dear brothers, the role of the bishop as father, especially with regard to your priests. For all too long the responsibility of authority as a service aimed at the growth of others, primarily of priests, has been given second place. Priests are called to serve, in their pastoral ministry, and to be part of a pastoral activity of communion".
"This does not mean turning back to the past, nor a simple return to our origins; rather, it means recovering the original zeal, the joy of the initial Christian experience, of walking beside Christ like the disciples of Emmaus on the day of Easter, allowing His word to warm our hearts and His 'broken bread' to open our eyes to the contemplation of His countenance. Only in this way will the fire of charity blaze strongly enough to impel every Christian to become a source of light and life in the Church and among all men and women".
Closing his remarks to the bishops, the Pope asked them "to rekindle, as individuals and as a group, a sense of mercy and of compassion, in order to respond to grave social needs. New organisations must be established, and those already existing perfected, in order to respond creatively to all forms of poverty, including those experienced as a lack of meaning in life and an absence of hope".
He also praised their efforts "to assist dioceses most in need, especially in Portuguese-speaking countries. ... May difficulties, currently so deeply felt, not make you shrink from the logic of self-giving. May your witness as prophets of justice and peace, and defenders of the inalienable rights of the person continue in your country. Join your voice to the voices of the weakest, whom you have wisely helped to find a voice of their own, without ever being afraid of raising your voice on behalf of the oppressed, the downtrodden and the mistreated".
The meeting over, the Holy Father spent the night in the "Casa Nossa Senhora do Carmo".
PV-PORTUGAL/ VIS 20100514 (970)
In his address to them Benedict XVI affirmed how "the Pope needs to open himself ever more fully to the mystery of the cross, embracing it as the one hope and the supreme way to gather in the Crucified One all his brothers and sisters in humanity. Obeying the word of God, he is called to live not for himself but for the presence of God in the world".
"In truth", he said, "the times in which we live demand a new missionary vigour on the part of Christians, who are called to form a mature laity, identified with the Church and sensitive to the complex transformations taking place in our world. Authentic witnesses to Jesus Christ are needed, above all in those human situations where the silence of the faith is most widely and deeply felt: among politicians, intellectuals, communications professionals who profess and promote a mono-cultural ideal, with disdain for the religious and contemplative dimension of life. Such circles contain many believers who are ashamed of their beliefs and who even give a helping hand to this type of secularism, which raises barriers before Christian inspiration. And yet, dear brothers, may all those who defend the faith in these situations, with courage, with a vigorous Catholic outlook and in fidelity to the Magisterium, continue to receive your help and your insightful encouragement in order to live out their Christian freedom as faithful lay men and women".
"What is decisive", the Pope told the prelates "is the ability to inculcate a true desire for holiness in all those engaged in the work of evangelisation, with the awareness that the results derive above all from our union with Christ and the working of the Holy Spirit.
"In fact" he added, "when many people consider that the Catholic faith is no longer the common patrimony of society, and see it as a seed threatened and obscured by the 'gods' and masters of this world, only with great difficulty can the faith touch the hearts of people by simple speeches or moral appeals, and even less by a generic call to Christian values. The courageous and integral appeal to principles is essential and indispensable; yet simply proclaiming the message does not penetrate to the depths of people's hearts, it does not touch their freedom, it does not change their lives. What attracts them, above all, is the encounter with believing persons who, through their faith, draw others to the grace of Christ by bearing witness to Him".
Turning then to consider the movements and new ecclesial communities, which he described as "new springtime" for the Church, the Holy Father said: "Thanks to their charisms, the radicality of the Gospel, the objective contents of the faith, the living flux of Church tradition, are all being communicated in a persuasive way and welcomed as a personal experience, as free adherence to the mystery of Christ".
He went on: "Naturally, it is necessary that these new groups should desire to live in the one Church, ... and submit themselves to the leadership of her bishops. It is they who must ensure the ecclesial nature of the movements".
As bishops, he explained, we "must feel responsibility for welcoming these impulses which are gifts for the Church and which give her new vitality, but, on the other hand, we must also help the movements to find the right way, correcting them ... with a spiritual and human understanding that is able to combine guidance, gratitude and a certain openness and willingness to learn".
In this Year for Priests, "rediscover, dear brothers, the role of the bishop as father, especially with regard to your priests. For all too long the responsibility of authority as a service aimed at the growth of others, primarily of priests, has been given second place. Priests are called to serve, in their pastoral ministry, and to be part of a pastoral activity of communion".
"This does not mean turning back to the past, nor a simple return to our origins; rather, it means recovering the original zeal, the joy of the initial Christian experience, of walking beside Christ like the disciples of Emmaus on the day of Easter, allowing His word to warm our hearts and His 'broken bread' to open our eyes to the contemplation of His countenance. Only in this way will the fire of charity blaze strongly enough to impel every Christian to become a source of light and life in the Church and among all men and women".
Closing his remarks to the bishops, the Pope asked them "to rekindle, as individuals and as a group, a sense of mercy and of compassion, in order to respond to grave social needs. New organisations must be established, and those already existing perfected, in order to respond creatively to all forms of poverty, including those experienced as a lack of meaning in life and an absence of hope".
He also praised their efforts "to assist dioceses most in need, especially in Portuguese-speaking countries. ... May difficulties, currently so deeply felt, not make you shrink from the logic of self-giving. May your witness as prophets of justice and peace, and defenders of the inalienable rights of the person continue in your country. Join your voice to the voices of the weakest, whom you have wisely helped to find a voice of their own, without ever being afraid of raising your voice on behalf of the oppressed, the downtrodden and the mistreated".
The meeting over, the Holy Father spent the night in the "Casa Nossa Senhora do Carmo".
PV-PORTUGAL/ VIS 20100514 (970)
CHARITY IS PRINCIPAL STRENGTH AND GUIDE OF THE CHURCH
VATICAN CITY, 13 MAY 2010 (VIS) - At 5 p.m. today Benedict XVI went to the Church of the Blessed Trinity, part of the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, where he met with representatives from social pastoral care organisations. Along with the Catholic groups present, other national institutions that provide care for the needy also attended the meeting.
Following a greeting from Bishop Carlos Azevedo, auxiliary of Lisbon, the Pope delivered his own address to our "dear brothers and sisters working in the vast world of charity".
He began: "Christ reveals to us that 'God is love' and at the same time teaches that the fundamental law of human perfection, and consequently of the transformation of the world, is the new commandment of love. ... History currently presents us a scenario of socio-economic, cultural and spiritual crisis which highlights the need for a discernment guided by a creative proposal of the Church's social message. The study of her social doctrine, which takes charity as its principal strength and guide, will enable a process of integral human development capable of engaging the depths of the human heart and achieving a greater humanisation of society".
"In its social and political dimension, this service of charity is the proper realm of the lay faithful, who are called to promote justice and the common good, and to configure social life correctly. ... Attracting new lay workers to this pastoral field surely calls for particular concern on the part of the Church's pastors as they look to the future. ... United to Christ in His consecration to the Father, we are seized by His compassion for the multitudes who cry out for justice and solidarity and, like the Good Samaritan in the parable, we are committed to providing concrete and generous responses.
"Often however", the Holy Father added, "it is not easy to arrive at a satisfactory synthesis between spiritual life and apostolic activity. The pressure exerted by the prevailing culture, which constantly promotes a lifestyle based on the law of the strongest, on easy and attractive gain, ends up influencing our ways of thinking, our projects and the goals of our service, and risks emptying them of the motivation of faith and Christian hope which had originally inspired them".
At the same time, "the many pressing requests we receive for support and assistance from the poor and marginalised of society impel us to look for solutions which correspond to the logic of efficiency, quantifiable effects and publicity. Nonetheless, this synthesis is absolutely necessary, dear brothers and sisters, if you are to serve Christ in the men and women who look to you".
Benedict XVI recalled how the Catholic Church is among "the many social institutions which serve the common good, and are close to those in need", and he explained how such institutions must have sound guiding principles in order to be "clearly identifiable" in "the inspiration of their aims" and "in the serious and effective management of their means".
"Beyond this issue of identity, and connected with it, it is vital to ensure that Christian charitable activity is granted autonomy and independence from politics and ideologies, even while co-operating with State agencies in the pursuit of common goals", he said.
Educational and charitable activities "must be completed by projects of freedom whose goal is human promotion and universal fraternity. Here we can locate the urgent commitment of Christians in defence of human rights, with concern for the totality of the human person in its various dimensions".
The Pope continued: "I express my deep appreciation for all those social and pastoral initiatives aimed at combating the socio-economic and cultural mechanisms which lead to abortion, and openly concerned with defending life and promoting the reconciliation and healing of those harmed by the tragedy of abortion".
"Initiatives aimed at protecting the essential and primary values of life from its conception, and of the family based on indissoluble marriage between a man and a woman, help to respond to some of today's most insidious and dangerous threats to the common good. Such initiatives represent, along with many other forms of commitment, essential elements in the building of the civilisation of love".
At the end of the celebration the Pope blessed the cornerstone of a new centre belonging to the Portuguese Sisters of Mercy which is being built in Fatima. He then returned to the "Casa Nossa Senhora do Carmo" for his meeting with the Portuguese episcopate.
PV-PORTUGAL/ VIS 20100514 (750)
Following a greeting from Bishop Carlos Azevedo, auxiliary of Lisbon, the Pope delivered his own address to our "dear brothers and sisters working in the vast world of charity".
He began: "Christ reveals to us that 'God is love' and at the same time teaches that the fundamental law of human perfection, and consequently of the transformation of the world, is the new commandment of love. ... History currently presents us a scenario of socio-economic, cultural and spiritual crisis which highlights the need for a discernment guided by a creative proposal of the Church's social message. The study of her social doctrine, which takes charity as its principal strength and guide, will enable a process of integral human development capable of engaging the depths of the human heart and achieving a greater humanisation of society".
"In its social and political dimension, this service of charity is the proper realm of the lay faithful, who are called to promote justice and the common good, and to configure social life correctly. ... Attracting new lay workers to this pastoral field surely calls for particular concern on the part of the Church's pastors as they look to the future. ... United to Christ in His consecration to the Father, we are seized by His compassion for the multitudes who cry out for justice and solidarity and, like the Good Samaritan in the parable, we are committed to providing concrete and generous responses.
"Often however", the Holy Father added, "it is not easy to arrive at a satisfactory synthesis between spiritual life and apostolic activity. The pressure exerted by the prevailing culture, which constantly promotes a lifestyle based on the law of the strongest, on easy and attractive gain, ends up influencing our ways of thinking, our projects and the goals of our service, and risks emptying them of the motivation of faith and Christian hope which had originally inspired them".
At the same time, "the many pressing requests we receive for support and assistance from the poor and marginalised of society impel us to look for solutions which correspond to the logic of efficiency, quantifiable effects and publicity. Nonetheless, this synthesis is absolutely necessary, dear brothers and sisters, if you are to serve Christ in the men and women who look to you".
Benedict XVI recalled how the Catholic Church is among "the many social institutions which serve the common good, and are close to those in need", and he explained how such institutions must have sound guiding principles in order to be "clearly identifiable" in "the inspiration of their aims" and "in the serious and effective management of their means".
"Beyond this issue of identity, and connected with it, it is vital to ensure that Christian charitable activity is granted autonomy and independence from politics and ideologies, even while co-operating with State agencies in the pursuit of common goals", he said.
Educational and charitable activities "must be completed by projects of freedom whose goal is human promotion and universal fraternity. Here we can locate the urgent commitment of Christians in defence of human rights, with concern for the totality of the human person in its various dimensions".
The Pope continued: "I express my deep appreciation for all those social and pastoral initiatives aimed at combating the socio-economic and cultural mechanisms which lead to abortion, and openly concerned with defending life and promoting the reconciliation and healing of those harmed by the tragedy of abortion".
"Initiatives aimed at protecting the essential and primary values of life from its conception, and of the family based on indissoluble marriage between a man and a woman, help to respond to some of today's most insidious and dangerous threats to the common good. Such initiatives represent, along with many other forms of commitment, essential elements in the building of the civilisation of love".
At the end of the celebration the Pope blessed the cornerstone of a new centre belonging to the Portuguese Sisters of Mercy which is being built in Fatima. He then returned to the "Casa Nossa Senhora do Carmo" for his meeting with the Portuguese episcopate.
PV-PORTUGAL/ VIS 20100514 (750)
Thursday, May 13, 2010
THE LIGHT THE SHEPHERD CHILDREN SAW WAS THE SON OF GOD
VATICAN CITY, 13 MAY 2010 (VIS) - At 10 a.m. today, liturgical memory of Our Lady of Fatima and the tenth anniversary of the beatification of the shepherd children Francisco and Jacinta, the Pope celebrated the Eucharist on the esplanade of the shrine of Fatima in the presence of 500,000 people.
In his homily the Holy Father made it clear that he had "come to Fatima to rejoice in Mary's presence and maternal protection; ... to pray, in union with Mary and so many pilgrims, for our human family, afflicted as it is by various ills and sufferings; ... to entrust to Mary's maternal protection priests, consecrated men and women, missionaries and all those who [who do] good works".
Referring then to "mystical confidences of the shepherd children", the Holy Father noted how "one might look at them with a touch of envy for what they were able to see, or with the disappointed resignation of someone who was not so fortunate, yet still demands to see".
But "the Scriptures invite us to believe", he explained. "God can come to us, and show Himself to the eyes of our heart. Moreover, that Light deep within the shepherd children, which comes from the future of God, is the same Light which was manifested in the fullness of time and came for us all: the Son of God made man. ... Henceforth our hope has a real foundation: ... Jesus of Nazareth".
"Faith in God opens before us the horizon of a sure hope, one which does not disappoint; it indicates a solid foundation on which to base one's life without fear; it demands a faith-filled surrender into the hands of the Love which sustains the world", he said.
The shepherd children "offered their whole lives to God and shared them fully with others for love of God", said the Holy Father, highlighting how "we would be mistaken to think that Fatima's prophetic mission is complete. ... Mankind has succeeded in unleashing a cycle of death and terror, but failed in bringing it to an end. In Sacred Scripture we often find that God seeks righteous men and women in order to save the city of man and He does the same here, in Fatima, when Our Lady asks: 'Do you want to offer yourselves to God, to endure all the sufferings which He will send you, in an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended and of supplication for the conversion of sinners?'.
"At a time when the human family was ready to sacrifice all that was most sacred on the altar of the petty and selfish interests of nations, races, ideologies, groups and individuals, our Blessed Mother came from heaven, offering to implant in the hearts of all those who trust in her the Love of God burning in her own heart", he added.
Benedict concluded his homily by expressing the hope that "the seven years which separate us from the centenary of the apparitions" may "hasten the fulfilment of the prophecy of the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to the glory of the Blessed Trinity".
At the end of the Mass, the Holy Father addressed some words to the sick people present, and to those following the event by radio and television.
"In all human suffering", he said, "we are joined by One Who experiences and carries that suffering with us". In other words, it is possible to "overcome the feeling of the uselessness of suffering which consumes a person from within and makes him feel a burden to those around him when, in reality, suffering which is lived with Jesus assists in the salvation of your brethren".
"The divine Master, instead of explaining the reasons for suffering, preferred to call everyone to follow Him, saying: 'Take up your cross and follow me'. Come with me. With your suffering, take part in the work of salvation which is realised through my suffering, by means of my cross. As you gradually embrace your own cross, uniting yourself spiritually to my cross, the salvific meaning of suffering will be revealed to you. In suffering, you will discover an interior peace and even spiritual joy".
The Holy Father invited the sick to welcome the call of Jesus "and entrust to Him every setback and pain that you face, so that they become - according to His design; a means of redemption for the whole world. You will be redeemers with the Redeemer, just as you are sons in the Son. At the cross stands the Mother of Jesus, our Mother".
Before leaving Benedict XVI addressed greetings to the multitude pilgrims in various languages.
He then went on to visit the tombs of the shepherd children inside the basilica of the shrine of Fatima, before going back to the "Casa Nossa Senhora do Carmo" where he had lunch with Portuguese bishops and his entourage.
PV-PORTUGAL/ VIS 20100513 (830)
In his homily the Holy Father made it clear that he had "come to Fatima to rejoice in Mary's presence and maternal protection; ... to pray, in union with Mary and so many pilgrims, for our human family, afflicted as it is by various ills and sufferings; ... to entrust to Mary's maternal protection priests, consecrated men and women, missionaries and all those who [who do] good works".
Referring then to "mystical confidences of the shepherd children", the Holy Father noted how "one might look at them with a touch of envy for what they were able to see, or with the disappointed resignation of someone who was not so fortunate, yet still demands to see".
But "the Scriptures invite us to believe", he explained. "God can come to us, and show Himself to the eyes of our heart. Moreover, that Light deep within the shepherd children, which comes from the future of God, is the same Light which was manifested in the fullness of time and came for us all: the Son of God made man. ... Henceforth our hope has a real foundation: ... Jesus of Nazareth".
"Faith in God opens before us the horizon of a sure hope, one which does not disappoint; it indicates a solid foundation on which to base one's life without fear; it demands a faith-filled surrender into the hands of the Love which sustains the world", he said.
The shepherd children "offered their whole lives to God and shared them fully with others for love of God", said the Holy Father, highlighting how "we would be mistaken to think that Fatima's prophetic mission is complete. ... Mankind has succeeded in unleashing a cycle of death and terror, but failed in bringing it to an end. In Sacred Scripture we often find that God seeks righteous men and women in order to save the city of man and He does the same here, in Fatima, when Our Lady asks: 'Do you want to offer yourselves to God, to endure all the sufferings which He will send you, in an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended and of supplication for the conversion of sinners?'.
"At a time when the human family was ready to sacrifice all that was most sacred on the altar of the petty and selfish interests of nations, races, ideologies, groups and individuals, our Blessed Mother came from heaven, offering to implant in the hearts of all those who trust in her the Love of God burning in her own heart", he added.
Benedict concluded his homily by expressing the hope that "the seven years which separate us from the centenary of the apparitions" may "hasten the fulfilment of the prophecy of the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to the glory of the Blessed Trinity".
At the end of the Mass, the Holy Father addressed some words to the sick people present, and to those following the event by radio and television.
"In all human suffering", he said, "we are joined by One Who experiences and carries that suffering with us". In other words, it is possible to "overcome the feeling of the uselessness of suffering which consumes a person from within and makes him feel a burden to those around him when, in reality, suffering which is lived with Jesus assists in the salvation of your brethren".
"The divine Master, instead of explaining the reasons for suffering, preferred to call everyone to follow Him, saying: 'Take up your cross and follow me'. Come with me. With your suffering, take part in the work of salvation which is realised through my suffering, by means of my cross. As you gradually embrace your own cross, uniting yourself spiritually to my cross, the salvific meaning of suffering will be revealed to you. In suffering, you will discover an interior peace and even spiritual joy".
The Holy Father invited the sick to welcome the call of Jesus "and entrust to Him every setback and pain that you face, so that they become - according to His design; a means of redemption for the whole world. You will be redeemers with the Redeemer, just as you are sons in the Son. At the cross stands the Mother of Jesus, our Mother".
Before leaving Benedict XVI addressed greetings to the multitude pilgrims in various languages.
He then went on to visit the tombs of the shepherd children inside the basilica of the shrine of Fatima, before going back to the "Casa Nossa Senhora do Carmo" where he had lunch with Portuguese bishops and his entourage.
PV-PORTUGAL/ VIS 20100513 (830)
BENEDICT XVI PRAYS THE ROSARY BEFORE OUR LADY OF FATIMA
VATICAN CITY, 12 MAY 2010 (VIS) - At 9.15 p.m. today, the Holy Father travelled by popemobile to the Chapel of the Apparitions at Fatima where he prayed the Rosary by torchlight with pilgrims gathered there. Before the prayer Benedict XVI blessed the candles and addressed some words to the participants.
"All of you, standing together with lighted candles in your hands", he said, "seem like a sea of light around this simple chapel, lovingly built to the honour of the Mother of God and our Mother, whose path from earth to heaven appeared to the shepherd children like a way of light.
"However", he added, "neither Mary nor we have a light of our own: we receive it from Jesus. His presence within us renews the mystery and the call of the burning bush which once drew Moses on Mount Sinai and still fascinates those aware of the light within us which burns without consuming us".
"God ordered Moses: 'Take off your shoes, for the place on which you stand is holy ground'. And that is what he did: he would put his shoes back on to free his people from slavery in Egypt and to guide them to the promised land. ... Throughout the history of the chosen people, the promise of a homeland comes more and more to mean this: the land is granted in order to be a place of obedience, a window open to God".
The Holy Father went on: "In our time, in which the faith in many places seems like a light in danger of being snuffed out for ever, the highest priority is to make God visible in the world and to open to humanity a way to God. And not to any god, but to the God who had spoken on Sinai; the God Whose face we recognise in the love borne to the very end in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. ... Do not be afraid to talk of God and to manifest without fear the signs of faith, letting the light of Christ shine in the presence of the people of today".
"In this place it is amazing to think how three children entrusted themselves to the interior force which had enflamed them in the apparitions of the angel and of our heavenly Mother. In this place where we were repeatedly requested to recite the Rosary, let us allow ourselves to be attracted by the mysteries of Christ, the mysteries of Mary's Rosary. ... Meditating upon the joyful, luminous, sorrowful and glorious mysteries as we pray our Ave Maria, let us reflect upon the interior mystery of Jesus, from the Incarnation, through the Cross, to the glory of the Resurrection; let us contemplate the intimate participation of Mary in the mystery of our life in Christ today, a life which is also made up of joy and sorrow, of darkness and light, of fear and hope. Grace invades our hearts, provoking a wish for an incisive and evangelical change of life".
"The devotion and affection of all of you, the faithful who have come here from all around the world, is clear to me", Benedict XVI concluded. "I bring with me the worries and hopes of our times, the sufferings of our wounded humanity and the problems of the world, and I place them at the feet of Our Lady of Fatima: Virgin Mother of God and our own dear Mother, intercede for us before your Son, that the family of nations, both those called Christians and those who do not yet know the Saviour, may live in peace and harmony, in order that they come together as the one people of God".
Having prayed the Rosary, the Holy Father returned to the "Casa Nossa Senhora do Carmo" as Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. presided at a Mass for the vigil of the Marian Solemnity of 13 May.
PV-PORTUGAL/ VIS 20100513 (670)
"All of you, standing together with lighted candles in your hands", he said, "seem like a sea of light around this simple chapel, lovingly built to the honour of the Mother of God and our Mother, whose path from earth to heaven appeared to the shepherd children like a way of light.
"However", he added, "neither Mary nor we have a light of our own: we receive it from Jesus. His presence within us renews the mystery and the call of the burning bush which once drew Moses on Mount Sinai and still fascinates those aware of the light within us which burns without consuming us".
"God ordered Moses: 'Take off your shoes, for the place on which you stand is holy ground'. And that is what he did: he would put his shoes back on to free his people from slavery in Egypt and to guide them to the promised land. ... Throughout the history of the chosen people, the promise of a homeland comes more and more to mean this: the land is granted in order to be a place of obedience, a window open to God".
The Holy Father went on: "In our time, in which the faith in many places seems like a light in danger of being snuffed out for ever, the highest priority is to make God visible in the world and to open to humanity a way to God. And not to any god, but to the God who had spoken on Sinai; the God Whose face we recognise in the love borne to the very end in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. ... Do not be afraid to talk of God and to manifest without fear the signs of faith, letting the light of Christ shine in the presence of the people of today".
"In this place it is amazing to think how three children entrusted themselves to the interior force which had enflamed them in the apparitions of the angel and of our heavenly Mother. In this place where we were repeatedly requested to recite the Rosary, let us allow ourselves to be attracted by the mysteries of Christ, the mysteries of Mary's Rosary. ... Meditating upon the joyful, luminous, sorrowful and glorious mysteries as we pray our Ave Maria, let us reflect upon the interior mystery of Jesus, from the Incarnation, through the Cross, to the glory of the Resurrection; let us contemplate the intimate participation of Mary in the mystery of our life in Christ today, a life which is also made up of joy and sorrow, of darkness and light, of fear and hope. Grace invades our hearts, provoking a wish for an incisive and evangelical change of life".
"The devotion and affection of all of you, the faithful who have come here from all around the world, is clear to me", Benedict XVI concluded. "I bring with me the worries and hopes of our times, the sufferings of our wounded humanity and the problems of the world, and I place them at the feet of Our Lady of Fatima: Virgin Mother of God and our own dear Mother, intercede for us before your Son, that the family of nations, both those called Christians and those who do not yet know the Saviour, may live in peace and harmony, in order that they come together as the one people of God".
Having prayed the Rosary, the Holy Father returned to the "Casa Nossa Senhora do Carmo" as Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. presided at a Mass for the vigil of the Marian Solemnity of 13 May.
PV-PORTUGAL/ VIS 20100513 (670)
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