Earlier posts for 10/4/09 on the preceding page, including full text of the Pope's homily at the Mass today.
ANGELUS TODAY
The Holy Father after the Mass this morning. No photos available so far of the Angelus.
In his Angelus messages today, the Holy Father explained the coming Synodal assembly on Africa and asked the faithful to pray for its success and for the people of Africa.
He also asked prayers for the populations struck by various natural disasters recently in the South Pacific and Southeast Asia, as well as in the Messina area of Sicily.
Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words before and after the Angelus prayers:
Dear brothers and sisters:
This morning, at St. Peter's Basilica, we had the Eucharistic Celebration to mark the opening of the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Bishops' Synod, during which prayers were offered in various African languages.
My venerated predecessor John Paul II called the first 'African Synod' in 1994, ilooking to the year 2000 and the third Christian millennium.
He, who with missionary zeal had been a pilgrim so many times to African lands, put together the results that emerged from that assembly into the Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa, which re-launched evangelization on the continent.
From a distance of 15 years, this new assembly is in continuity with the first one - to check back on what has been accomplished since then, to look into some aspects in depth, and to examine more recent challenges.
The theme chosen for this assembly is "The Church in Africa in the service of reconciliation, justice and peace - 'You are the salt of the earth... the light of the world' (Mt 5,13-14)".
The Synod always constitutes an intense ecclesial experiencee, an experience of collegial pastoral responsibility with respect to a specific aspect in the life of the Church, or, as in this case, to a part of the Christian people based on geographical area.
The Pope and his closest co-workers get together with the designated members of the assembly, and with experts and auditors, in order to discuss the chosen subject.
It is important to underscore that this is not a study session, nor a programmatic assembly. Relations and interventions are heard together, we meet each other in groups, but all participatns know full well that the protagonists are not we ourselves - rather it is the Lord, his Holy Spirit, who leads the Church.
The most important thing, for everyone, is to listen - to listen to each other, while all of us listen to what the Lord wishes to tell us. That is why the Synod assembly takes place in an atmosphere of faith and prayer, in religious obedience to the Word of God.
It falls on the Successor of Peter to convoke and to guide the synodal assemblies, to put together what comes out of the work done, in order to eventually offer the appropriate pastoral directives.
Dear friends, Africa is a continent with extraordinary human riches. Today, her population comes to almost a billion people and her overall brith rate is higher than the global rate.
Africa is a land fertile with human life, but this life is unfortunately marked by so much poverty and still suffers from onerous injustices.
The Church is committed to overcome these problems with the power of the Gospel and the concrete solidarity of so many charitable institutions and initiatives.
Let us pray to the Virgin Mary that she may bless the Second Special Assembly for Africa and obtain peace and development for that great and beloved continent.
After the Angelus prayers, the Holy Father had the following special emssages:
At this moment, my thoughts go to the peoples of the Pacific and Southeast Asia who have been struck in recent days by violent natural calamities: the tsunami in the Samoa and Tonga islands; the typhoon in the Philippines which went on to hit Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia; a devastating earthquake in Indonesia.
These catastrophes have caused grave losses in human lives, numerous displaced and homeless persons, and crippling material damages.
I also think of all those who suffer because of the flooding in Sicily, especially in the area of Messina.
I ask all of you to join me in prayer for the victims and their loved ones. I am spiritually close to all the displaced persons and those who have been severely tested, imploring God to relieve them in their suffering.
I make an appeal so that these brothers and sisters may not lack for our solidarity and the support of the international community.
At the end of the Angelus prayer on this Sunday, having opened the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Bishops' Synod, I cannot forget the present conflicts which place at risk the peace and safety of the peoples of Africa.
These days, I have followed with apprehension the serious episodes of violemce which have shaken the people of Guinea. I express my condolences to the families of the victims, I call on the opposing sides to dialog and reconciliation, certain that they will not spare their efforts to reach an equitable and just solution.
Next Saturday afternoon, October 10, together with the Synodal fathers, I will lead a special recitation of the Holy Rosary at Aula Paolo VI - "with Africa and for Africa" - inspired by the university of students of Rome. Students from some African countries will join us through satellite linkage.
Dear university students, I hope you will participate in great numbers, as we entrust to Mary Seat of Wisdom the way of the Church and society on the African continent.
In English, he said:
I offer a warm welcome to the English-speaking visitors gathered for this Angelus prayer.
I invite all of you to join me in praying for the Second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa, which opened this morning in Saint Peter’s Basilica.
May this great ecclesial event strengthen the Church in Africa in her witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in her efforts to promote reconciliation, justice and peace among its peoples.
May the Synod also help turn the eyes of the world to that great continent and inspire renewed solidarity with our African brothers and sisters.
As we entrust these prayers to the intercession of Our Lady, I invoke upon you and your families God’s blessings of joy and peace!
P.S. I finally found these pictures of this particular Angelus.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 08/10/2009 23:24]