ANGELUS TODAY
At the noontime Angelus today, before an overflow crowd at St. Peter's Square, Benedict XVI spoke of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Bishops' Synod, which begins two weeks of working sessions tomorrow.
He expressed the wish that the Church in the Middle East may be 'the sign and instrument for unity and reconciliation' and entrusted the sessions to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, particularly in this month dedicated to the Holy Rosary.
In English, he said:
I offer warm greetings to th English-speaking visitors gathered for this Angelus prayer.
I invite all of you to join me in praying for the ‘Special Assembly for the Middle East’ of the Synod of Bishops, which opened this morning in Saint Peter’s Basilica.
May this momentous ecclesial event strengthen the communion of the faithful in the Middle East, especially as they give witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to the gift of peace he offers.
As we entrust these prayers to the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, her Spouse, who themselves came from that region, I invoke upon you and your families God’s abundant blessings.
Here is a full translation of the Holy Father's words at the Angelus:
Dear brothers and sisters:
I have just come from St. Peter's Basilica where I presided at the Mass to open the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Bishops' Synod.
For these extraordinary synodal sessions which will last two weeks, the Pastors of the local Churches in the Middle East have gathered at the Vatican. The Church in the Middle East is a diverse reality - in that land, the one Church of Christ is expressed in all the wealth of its ancient traditions.
The theme which we will reflect upon at the sessions is "The Catholic Church in the Middle East; Communion and witness".
Indeed, in these countries, unfortunately marked by profound divisions and torn apart by decades of conflict, the Church is called on to be the sign and instrument of unity and reconciliation, modelled after the first (Christian) community of Jerusalem in which "The community of believers was of one heart and mind" (Acts 4,32), as St. Luke said.
This task is arduous, since Christians in the Middle East often find themselves having to endure difficult living conditions, both on the personal as well as the familial and community levels.
But this should not be cause for discouragement: It is precisely in this context that the perennial message of Christ resounds even more necessary and urgent: "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" (Mk 1,15).
In my recent visit to Cyprus, I handed over the Working Instrument for the Special Assembly (to the Patriarchs of the Middle East). Now that it has begun, I invite everyone to pray and invoke God to grant it an abundant effusion of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The month of October is also the month of the Holy Rosary. It is, in effect, a 'spiritual intonation' of the liturgical feast of the Virgin of the Rosary, which we observed on Oct. 7.
Thus we are invited to let ourselves be guided by Mary in this prayer that is ancient and always new, especially dear to her because it leads us directly to Jesus, contemplated in the mysteries of salvation: joyous, luminous, sorrowful and glorious.
Following the Venerable John Paul II (cfr Apost. Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae), I wish to recall that the Rosary is a Biblical prayer that is completely woven from Sacred Scripture.
It is a prayer of the heart, in which the repetition of the 'Ave Maria' orients our thought and affection to Christ, and is also a trusting supplication to his Mother and ours.
It is a prayer that helps us to meditate on the Word of God and to assimilate Eucharistic Communion, following the model of Mary who kept in her heart all that Jesus said and did, and his very presence.
Dear friends, we know how much the Virgin Mary is loved and venerated bu our brothers and sisters in the Middle East. Everyone looks to her as a most attentive mother, close to us in every suffering, and as the Star of hope.
To her intercession, let us entrust the Synodal Assembly which opened today so that the Christians of that region may be reinforced in communion and bear witness to the Gospel of love and peace.
10/11/10
The pictures are belated. There were none from the newsphoto agencie son Sunday. The one on the left in the panel above is from the OR; all the rest are videocaps.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 12/10/2010 13:13]