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Pope Benedict XVI- Angelus |
Regina Caeli Message
On Vocations and the Holy Land Trip
"Pray...so that the Greatness and Beauty of the Love of God
Attracts Many to Follow Christ"
H.H. Benedict XVI
May 3, 2009
www.zenit.org
Dear brothers and sisters:
I have just concluded, in St. Peter's Basilica, the Eucharistic
celebration in which I consecrated 19 new priests of the Diocese of
Rome. Once again, I have chosen this Sunday, the fourth of Easter,
for this joyous event, because it is marked by the Gospel of the
Good Shepherd (cf. John 10:1-18) and offers a particularly suitable
context.
Because of this, today is celebrated the World Day of Prayer for
Vocations. In my annual message for this occasion, I have invited
reflection on the theme: "Faith in the Divine Initiative -- the
Human Response." In fact, trust in the Lord, which continuously
calls to sanctity and, for some in particular, to a special
consecration, is expressed precisely in prayer. As much personally
as in community, we have to pray a lot for vocations, so that the
greatness and the beauty of the love of God attracts many to follow
Christ on the path of the priesthood and the consecrated life.
It is also necessary to pray as well so that there are holy spouses,
capable of indicating to their children, above all by example, the
horizons to which they should tend toward with their liberty.
The men and women saints that the Church proposes for the veneration
of all the faithful give witness to the mature fruit of this union
between the divine call and the human response. Let us entrust to
their heavenly intercession our prayer for vocations.
There is another intention for which I invite you to pray today: the
trip to the Holy Land that I will make, God willing, next Friday,
May 8 through Friday, May 15. Following the footsteps of my
venerable predecessors Paul VI and John Paul II, I will go on
pilgrimage to the principle holy places of our faith.
With my visit, I propose to confirm and encourage the Christians of
the Holy Land, who must daily confront many difficulties. As a
successor of the Apostle Peter, I will show the closeness and
support of the whole body of the Church. Moreover, I will be a
pilgrim of peace, in the name of the one God, Father of all. I will
give witness to the Catholic Church's commitment in favor of those
who work to practice dialogue and reconciliation, to arrive to a
stable and lasting peace in justice and mutual respect.
Finally, this trip will necessarily have notable ecumenical and
interreligious significance. Jerusalem is, from this point of view,
the symbolic city par excellence: There Christ died so as to reunite
all of the dispersed children of God (cf. John 11:52).
Addressing now the Virgin Mary, let us invoke her as Mother of the
Good Shepherd so that she watches over the new priests of the
Diocese of Rome, and so that in the whole world, numerous and holy
vocations of special consecration to the Kingdom of God may
flourish.
[Translation by ZENIT]
[The Holy Father then addressed the faithful in various languages.
In English, he said:]
To all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for
today's Regina Caeli, I extend a warm welcome. I pray that as you
follow the voice of the Good Shepherd, you will grow ever closer to
the Risen Lord and share his Gospel with all those you encounter.
This Friday I leave for my pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where men
and women first heard the voice of the Good Shepherd. I ask you all
to join me in praying for the afflicted peoples of that region. In a
special way I ask that you remember the Palestinian people who have
endured great hardship and suffering. May the Lord bless them and
all those who live in the Holy Land with the gifts of unity and
peace. Upon all of you visiting Rome during this Easter Season, I
invoke the abundant blessings of Almighty God.
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