See earlier entries for today, 5/14/10, on the preceding page.
The Virgin, the people, the Pope
(14 May 10 –RV) As the image of our Lady of Fatima passed through the immense crowd gathered on the esplanade of Fatima, I watched the faces illuminated by the flickering flames of candles, hundreds of thousands of ordinary people, men and women, young, old, mothers with their children .... Expressive, intense, faces marked by pain of life’s trials; innocent, sincere , deeply emotional faces, tears and smiles.
The people, the People of God are here: throughout the long night, in vigil, and then throughout the day, in spite of rain, wind, sun. They came from every corner of Portugal and Europe, by any available means - by air, by car, on foot – carrying their secret prayer in their hearts, holding the candle in their hands, Our Lady’s beloved song on their lips".
Who called them? Who convoked them? Certainly not the media, neither the expert organisers, nor the bishops, not even the Pope.
We know that these people were called here by a "small lady of light" who appeared to three shepherd children in this remote and insignificant place.
Nearly a hundred years have passed and the call has not lost its strength. And over the last 40 years, five times a Pope from Rome has come here too on the fateful date of May 13th.
Not denying the power of this call, each Pope became a pilgrim with the People of God, that were entrusted to him. Each Pope came to say “I love”, to pray and do penance for the conversion and salvation of all peoples, and to commend to God their pain and anguish, joys and hopes.
As Pope Benedict said en route to Fatima, the Pope "stands for the Church" - where he is, there is the Church, and where the Church is, there he is, too.
At Fatima Mary said, right from the beginning, "Pray with the Pope and for the Pope for the life of the world".
In these past days, we felt and lived this prayer with constantly renewed surprise, with deep emotion and joy, with great hope.
Despite the evidence - internal and external - the Church is alive and on the move, accompanied by the Holy Spirit.
Pope's trip exceeded expectations,
says Fr. Lombardi
VATICAN CITY, MAY 14, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI's apostolic visit to Portugal this week exceeded expectations, said a Vatican spokesman.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, affirmed this on Vatican Radio while reflecting on the Pope's trip, which ended today.
"It has been a truly joyful experience for the Pope so far, he has been welcomed to a rich and vibrant Church, in a moment of profound spirituality," the priest said.
He spoke about Benedict XVI's Marian devotion, noting that "he has visited many Marian sanctuaries," and that the Pontiff's visit to Fatima on Thursday was a "high point."
"These immense crowds that welcomed him, and that prayed with him, show us how central Marian devotion is in the life of the Church today," Father Lombardi affirmed.
He noted that "the organizers themselves weren't expecting such vast numbers."
Thus, the spokesman said, "this trip is a sort of surprise even if, you know, when you come to a traditionally majority Catholic country, and moreover to a place where every year May 13th is celebrated, that you may expect an 'intense' experience."
"Nonetheless," he added, "it has gone beyond our expectations."
When asked about Benedict XVI's comments that Fatima's prophetic mission is not yet complete, Father Lombardi explained, "The Pope is telling us that Fatima is a place in which Our Lady and the seers, their tradition, help us read the story of our times, the great difficulties of our times, in the light of faith."
Still today, the priest noted, "there is the action of God, there is his Providence, in the goodness of the Virgin Mother, but then there is also the responsibility of humanity, which often closes in on itself, and because of sin we then have wars, difficulties and suffering."
"In the midst of all this there is the key of prayer, penitence and conversion to open up the path to good," he said.
"This is the prophetic message of Fatima," Father Lombardi explained. "It helps us to read history, even the history of today and tomorrow, in the light of God."
From an earlier ZENIT report:
The Portuguese are discovering the true face of Benedict XVI, who is in no way a distant or cold person, Fr. Lombardi said when interviewed by Portuguese journalist Aura de Miguel about the first part of the Pope's visit.
"The Lisbon part of the trip was wonderful, accompanied by great crowds, not only in the esplanade for the Mass, but also on the streets, with great enthusiasm," Father Lombardi said of the Holy Father's first stop.
"The Portuguese generally thought that the Pope was remote, distant and cold, byt they have seen that it's the contrary," the spokesman asserted. "He is discreet, but very kind, full of love. This was evident when he is with young people and children. This is a first result of this trip."
Lisbon, widely presented as a "great secularized city," has discovered that "the Pope loves the Portuguese people and is by their side," Fr, Lombardi said, adding tnat the Pope himself has been "very happy" and "grateful" for his warm welcome in Portugal.
"He feels the love of the Portuguese and their desire to meet with the Pope, which is manifested in smiles, singing, joy; it is a very happy moment for him," the Jesuit said.
In Fatima, where the Pope arrived Wednesday, Father Lombardi said the atmosphere is "completely different."
He spoke of the "hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and the manifestation of a simple, popular faith. One feels the love, the joy of being with the Pope, of celebrating this great feast of faith: It's an exceptional experience."
Father Lombardi acknowledged that these four days of traveling are extremely intense, filled with public and private meetings. But, he said, the Pontiff has taken up the three priorities shared by the bishops of Portugal: "the culture, the priests, the social commitment -- crucial points for the life of the Church and society."
In this context, Father Lombardi said he is convinced that the trip "is going to help the renewal of the Church, not just in Portugal."
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 14/05/2010 21:50]