Our Lady of the Pillar, Zaragossa, Spain
Posted on 06/08/2005 7:16:01 AM PDT by Pyro7480
Beloved Brothers in the Episcopate,
Dear Priests and Deacons,
Men and Women Religious and Catholic faithful of Spain,
I am pleased to address my cordial greeting to you and I spiritually join you on the national pilgrimage to the Shrine of Nuestra Señora del Pilar of Saragossa, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the definition of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception and to renew the consecration of Spain to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which took place 50 years ago.
1. With this pilgrimage, you want to deepen the admirable mystery of Mary and to reflect upon her inexhaustible resources for every Christian's call to holiness.
As the Year of the Immaculate Conception coincides with the Year of the Eucharist, at the school of Mary we are better able to "learn" Christ. Contemplating her as the "Woman of the Eucharist", she walks with us to meet her Son, who is with us "always, until the end of the world" (Mt 28: 20), especially in the Most Holy Sacrament.
2. The Immaculate reflects the Father's mercy. Conceived without sin, she was able to forgive, at the foot of the Cross, those who had abandoned and wounded her Son. As "Advocate", she helps us in our needs and intercedes for us before her Son, telling him, as she did at Cana in Galilee, "They have no more wine" (Jn 2: 3), trusting in the fact that his heart, full of goodness, will not defraud us in a moment of difficulty.
By indicating clearly, "Do whatever he tells you" (Jn 2: 5), she invites us to draw close to Christ and, in this proximity, to experience, feel and see "how good is the Lord". This experience endows the human heart with greater far-sightedness to appreciate all that is good, beautiful and true.
3. Sustained by the paternal care of Joseph, Mary welcomed her Son. In the home of Nazareth, Jesus reached adulthood, in the bosom of a family, humanly splendid and pervaded by the divine mystery. It continues to be a model for all families.
In this regard, the family, through home life, fulfils its human and Christian vocation, sharing joys and hopes in an atmosphere of understanding and reciprocal help. Therefore, the human being who is born, develops and is formed in the family, is able to start out on the journey of good without hesitation, without allowing himself or herself to be disoriented by customs or ideologies unworthy of the human person.
4. In this moment of discernment for many hearts, you Spanish Bishops turn your gaze towards the one who, with complete availability, welcomed the life of God that entered history. For this, Mary Immaculate is intimately united to the redemptive action of Christ, who did not come to "condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him" (Jn 3: 17).
I know that the Catholic Church in Spain is ready to take decided steps in its evangelization projects. And so, it is to be hoped that its true nature and mission will be understood and accepted, as it seeks to promote the common good of all, both the person and society.
As a consequence, the transmission of faith and the religious practice of believers cannot remain confined to the purely private sphere.
5. I place all your worries and aspirations at the feet of the Virgin, trusting in the fact that the Holy Spirit will move many people so that they generously love life and welcome the poor, loving them with God's same love.
To Mary Most Holy, who generated the Author of life, I entrust every human life from the first moment of its existence until its natural death. I ask her to protect all families from every kind of social injustice, from all that degrades their dignity and threatens their freedom; and for respect for religious freedom and the freedom of conscience of every person.
I call upon the Immaculate Virgin with full trust, so that she protect the people of Spain, its men and women, in order that all contribute to the attainment of the common good, and particularly to the foundation of the civilization of love. I also encourage each and all to live in your particular Church in a spirit of communion and of service, and I exhort you to give devout witness to the Virgin Mary and to tireless love of neighbour.
I invite you who are participating in this great pilgrimage to the Shrine of Nuestra Señora del Pilar of Saragossa to deepen Marian devotion in your towns and cities, where Mary awaits you in the countless churches and shrines that fill the Country of Spain; and in the parishes, too, as well as in communities and in the domestic family. Return there full of joy with the Apostolic Blessing that I most affectionately impart to you.
From the Vatican, 19 May 2005
Catholic ping!
He's magnificient. Eloquent and humble.
God willing, our wonderful new pope will have a long reign in which he will far outshine JPII. He is prepared to fight any battle in the name of our Lord.
As always...thank you.
You've got a good Pope there, Pyro!
Viva il Papa!
He rocks! I can't wait to see him this summer in Cologne.
GG, you're going to Cologne?
I think it is history in the making. Epic history! I believe B16 represents in his own person the very best of old Christian European Civilization -- a lover of Bach and Mozart, a theologian the likes of which we probably haven't seen since the great Scholastic days. We may never see his like again. And I want to see Christian Europe with my own eyes before it's gone.
I'm still looking for a group to go with. This week my older sister sent me info about the Legionnaires of Christ. (whoops, now I've done it. I've mentioned the LofC. Where's that Mershon guy to tell me how horrific they are?) The LoC are organizing groups of pilgrims for a very reasonable price (amazingly reasonable I should say -- $350 covering everything but airfare). I'm not a member of anything affiliated with them (I write this only to ward off the FR anti-Legion brigade), but I need to bunk with somebody. If you know of any other Freepers going, please let me know. I haven't set my travel arrangements in stone and would still be willing to change them and go with another group. I'm hoping also to spend the week before and after WYD touring Europe.
I am so thrilled for you! Please take a lot of pics! My husband has promised to take me to Rome next year to see him, but there are strings attached to his promise...lol.
I think my nephew and I should do a live blog of the event! I'll bring my digital camera and post pics and commentary "on the hour, on the half, and as news breaks"...
Here is Pope Benedict XVI at his best, speaking the patristic language of the East.
In the Maronite (Eastern Catholic) liturgy, as the gifts are being brought up to the priest, we chant .....
Halleluia!
I Myself am Bread of Life, the Lord declared
from on high I came to earth to bring the world
Life from the Father
True Word without Flesh and like a grain of the finest wheat.
Mary's womb became for me a fertile garden,
Now priests carry me aloft up to the altar
Halleluia. Accept our offering.
What a poetic visual!
And right after the Consecration in the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostomos, we chant:
"It is truly right to bless you, Theotokos, ever blessed, most pure, and mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, without corruption you gave birth to God the Word. We magnify you, the true Theotokos."
Its much nicer in Greek! :)
Maybe Siobhan can give you some helpful info.
The Juventutem website gives information about the Traditional Latin Mass side of World Youth Day in Cologne!
You might check out the deal that USCCB has going:
http://www.usccb.org/laity/youth/registration.shtml
How cool is that?
You will have Mass with Pope Benedict XVI!
(or would that a "mass Mass?")
We'll be depending on you for a blow by blow, account of it. My big concern, in a Mass that large, is the possibility for abuse...as you know, that's been discussed on several threads here.
I know you'll hold your end down, and hopefully with Benedict XVI in charge, it should hold some reverence there, and not so much a rock concert atmosphere.
Hooking up with the LoC folks, at least, should hopefully help in that realm! I'm envious!
I think my nephew and I should do a live blog of the event! I'll bring my digital camera and post pics and commentary "on the hour, on the half, and as news breaks"...
Absolutely!
I am totally thrilled for you!
gipper gal is going to Cologne in August to see our magnificent Pope!
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