ANGELUS OF 10/19/08
Pompeii
Dear brothers and sisters,
After the solemn Eucharistic celebration and the traditional 'Supplica' to Our Lady of Pompeii, let us once again turn our gaze on Mary, as we do every Sunday at this time, in the recital of the Angelus, and entrust to her the intentions of the Church and mankind.
Let us pray in particular for for the Ordinary General Assembly of the Bishops' Synod which is taking place in Rome on the theme of "The Word of God in the life and mission of the Church", that it may bear fruits of authentic renewal in every Christian community.
Another special prayer intention is offered to us by the observance today of World Missionary Day which, in this Pauline Year, proposes for our meditation a famous statement by the Apostle of the Gentiles: "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!" (1 Cor 9,1 6).
In this month of October, month of the missions and of the Rosary, how many faithful and how many communities are offering the Holy Rosary for missionaries and evangelization!
I am particularly happy to be here today, on this occasion, in Pompeii, the most important shrine dedicated to the Virgin of the Holy Rosary.
This gives me the opportunity to underscore very forcefully that the first missionary task for each of us is prayer itself. Above all, it is by praying that we open the way for the Gospel. It is by praying that we open our hearts to the mystery of God and our spirit to receive his Word of salvation.
There is yet another happy coincidence today: right now, in Lisieux, beatification rites are taking place for Louis Martin and Zelie Guerin, parents of St. Therese of the Infant Jesus, who was declared patroness of Missions by Pope Pius XI.
These new Blessed Ones accompanied and shared, with their prayer and their evangelical testimony, the path of their daughter who was called by the Lord to consecrate herself to him without reservations behind the walls of a Carmelite monastery.
It was there, behind cloistered walls, that St. Therese realized her vocation: "In the heart of the Church, I will be love" (Manuscrits autobiographiques, Lisieux 1957, 229).
Thinking of the beatification of the Martin couple, I would also like to bring up another intention which is very close to my heart: the family, whose role is fundamental in the education of children to a universal spirit that is open and responsible towards the world and its problems; and in the formation of vocations for missionary life.
Therefore, almost as though following ideally the pilgrimage which so many families made a month ago to this shrine, let us invoke the maternal protection of Our Lady of Pompeii on all the nuclear families of the world, looking forward also to the VI World Encounter of Families which will take place in Mexico City in January 2009.
He spoke his concluding words in French:
On this World Missionary Day, we join ourselves particularly to the pilgrims gathered in Lisieux for the beatification of Louis and Zelie Martin, parents of St. Therese of the Infant Jesus, patroness of missions.
Through their life as an exemplary couple, they announced the Gospel of Christ. They lived their faith ardently and transmitted this to their family and those around them.
May their common prayer be a source of joy and hope for all parents and all families.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 23/10/2008 02:54]