October 30, 2011

Pope Benedict XVI prays for flood victims in Thailand, Italy

    Pope Benedict XVI prayed for the victims of recent flooding in Thailand and Italy. The Holy Father began his remarks to the faithful following the Angelus prayer this Sunday in St Peter’s Square by recalling the devastation in both countries. “Dear brothers and sisters,” he said, “I express my closeness to the people of Thailand hit by serious flooding, as well as in Italy, to those of Liguria and Tuscany, recently damaged by the consequences of heavy rains.”
    Thailand's worst flooding in half a century has claimed nearly 400 lives over the last three months, while in Italy, floods and mudslides last week devastated coastal areas of Liguria and Tuscany and killed nine people. The Holy Father assured all those affected of his continuing prayers.
   Before the Angelus, Pope Benedict reflected on the Sunday Mass readings, which spoke of the figure of the true teacher, recalling that the one true teacher is Jesus, Himself.
   In the Gospel of today’s liturgy, Christ urges us to combine humility with our charitable service towards our brothers and sisters. Indeed, may we always imitate his perfect example of service in our daily lives.
   The Pope noted Jesus condemnation of those who preach the good, and then act in opposition to it – those who would require the consciences of others to bear heavy and difficult burdens, while refusing to bear those same themselves. “Sound doctrine,” warned Pope Benedict, “may well be made incredible by unbecoming conduct.” In conclusion, the Holy Father prayed that all those who, in the Christian community, are called to the ministry of teaching, “might in their conduct always bear witness to the truths they convey with their words.”

October 27, 2011

Pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace

   Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Assisi on Thursday 27th of October together with 300 delegates of other religions and of no religions at all , for a day long visit in commemoration of that first meeting in this hill top Umbrian town . One called for a quarter of a century ago by his predecessor to the See of Peter, Blessed John Paul II. Philippa Hitchen reports from the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli.
   From the early hours of the morning, pilgrims began gathering down at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, some taking their places inside around the tiny chapel or Porziuncola where Saint Francis is buried, others waiting patiently outside for the Pope and his guests to arrive on the train from Rome. Over 300 of them, men and women of faith from countries around the world, plus for the first time a small delegation of non believers, invited to join this shared pilgrimage on the difficult path towards truth and peace in our troubled world.
   Cheering broke out as the Pope greeted them one by one, before making his way up to the raised white stage where leaders of the largest Churches and faith communities were seated. Introducing the event, the President of the Vatican's Justice and Peace Council, Cardinal Peter Turkson said “We come to bear witness to the great power of religion for good, to renew a common commitment to building peace, reconciling those in conflict and bringing man back into harmony with creation. Then one by one, these elders of their respective communities stood up to declare their own commitment to the search for greater tolerance, respect and peace amongst peoples and nations.
   Among them the Orthodox leader, Patriarch Bartholomew 1^st of Constantinople, who spoke in French of the need for metamorphosis, transformation, conversion at the heart of all genuine dialogue. As religious leaders, he said, we must show through our example that we do not seek to live “one against the other, but each one together with the other in the common search for truth and peace” Referring to the dramatic events of the Arab spring, he said the place of religion in the midst of these upheavals remains ambiguous and he expressed the concern of all Christian leaders for the marginalisation of their Christian communities throughout the Middle East.
   Echoing those concerns, was the secretary general of the World council of Churches, Dr Olav Fykse Tveit who highlighted the vital role of young people leading the push for democracy and peace across the Arab world. He spoke of the young St Francis, motivated by “passion and a radical daring for peace” who met with the Sultan in Egypt to share their experiences of faith - like many Crusaders, he said, Francis came to convert the other but instead “he became changed, converted himself.”
   The head of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop Rowan Williams noted that no one religious community can claim to have all the resources necessary to confront the huge challenges of today. We are not here in Assisi, he said to affirm a minimum common ground of belief, but rather to speak words of wisdom, from the depths of our distinctive religious traditions to a world still obsessed with fear and suspicion, still in love with the idea of security based on defensive hostility, still capable of tolerating or ignoring massive loss of life among the poorest through war and disease.
   The head of the Armenian church in France, Archbishop Norvan Zakarian, spoke of the difficult path towards justice and reconciliation, stressing the need for truth about crimes committed during armed conflicts and particularly he said during genocide, the most serious crime of them all.
   Interspersed by the haunting strains of a violin played by a Franciscan friar, the other Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and indigenous leaders came forward to speak, the latter punctuating his words with traditional singing and the use of a small percussion instrument he had brought from Africa for this occasion.
   One of the delegation of non believers, Professor Julia Kristeva also came forward to speak of the particular role of women and the need to re-evaluate the contribution of humanism to the search for justice and peace in the world.
   Finally Pope Benedict spoke of the huge changes that have taken place since the first such interfaith meeting in Assisi in 1986. Though the world is no longer divided between East and West, he said, the world of freedom has proved to be largely directionless, while new forms of violence and discord continue to threaten us today.The first of those, he said is terrorism, often religiously motivated, which undermines all previously recognised international norms regarding the protection of civilians in situations of conflict....this, the Pope stressed is the antithesis of true religion and contributes to its destruction. He acknowledged that Christians throughout the course of history have also abused of their faith to use violence against others and he said the task of all Christians today is to purify our religion so that it can truly serve as an instrument of God's peace.
   The other type of violence, the Pope said, is the denial of God, resulting in the loss of humanity and a cruelty which knows no bounds. He mentioned the concentration camps but also the devastation of human lives caused by the drug trade as examples of what happens when God is absent and the worship of mammon, possessions and power become a counter-religion.
   Finally Pope Benedict spoke of the growing world of agnosticism, of people who do not have the gift of faith yet whose searching for truth should challenge all believers not to consider God as their own property. For her part, the Pope said, the Catholic Church will not let up in her fight against violence, instead, like all those gathered here in Assisi, we must be animated by that common desire to be " pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace."

October 26, 2011

Assisi 2011, Pope Benedict: Peace reign in the world

   Pope Benedict XVI's weekly General Audience this Wednesday had a special character: that of a prayer meeting in preparation for Thursday’s Day of Reflection and Prayer for Peace in Assisi. Inclement weather drove pilgrims inside for the prayer encounter, filling the Paul VI audience hall to capacity, with participants who could not be accommodated in the hall present in St Peter’s Basilica.

   The Holy Father greeted the overflow pilgrims in the Basilica in several languages, including English: “I am pleased to receive you in Saint Peter’s Basilica and to extend a warm welcome to all of you who could not be accommodated in the Audience Hall. Always stay faithfully united to Christ and bear joyful witness to the Gospel. To all of you I cordially impart my Blessing.”

   The Cardinal Vicar of Rome, Agostino Vallini presented the pilgrims, praising the Holy Father for his constant commitment, in the Name of God, to building bridges of friendship among peoples, cultures and states, healing the wounds of division and promoting reconciliation and concord.

   “For this,” said Cardinal Vallini, “all the people taking part desire to make themselves ‘pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace’.”

   The readings, from the Book of the Prophet Zechariah and from the Gospel according to St Luke, as well as the responsorial psalm – taken from Psalm 84, each spoke in its own way of true peace as a gift of the True God, whose saving action has signed human history indelibly.

   In his homily, Pope Benedict XVI said the Kingdom of Peace in which Christ is the king. “It is,” he said, “a realm that extends across the whole Earth.”

   “Dear brothers and sisters,” said Pope Benedict: “[A]s Christians we want to ask God for the gift of peace, we pray that He make us instruments of peace in a world still torn by hatred, by divisions, by selfishness, by war. We ask that the meeting Thursday in Assisi might encourage dialogue among people of different religious affiliations and bring a ray of light that might illuminate the minds and hearts of all men, so that rancor will give way to pardon, division to reconciliation, hatred and violence to love and gentleness: that peace reign in the world.”

   The Holy Father also had English greetings for pilgrims in Paul VI Hall: “I am happy to welcome all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors here today. I ask you to accompany me in prayer as I journey tomorrow to Assisi for the celebration of the Day of Reflection, Dialogue and Prayer for Peace and Justice in the World, together with representatives of different religions. I extend special greetings to the pilgrims from the Diocese of Niigata in Japan celebrating their centenary. I also welcome those present from England, Denmark, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam and the United States. May Almighty God bless all of you!”

October 23, 2011

Pope Benedict canonizes three saints

   Pope Benedict marked the 85^th World Mission Sunday by canonizing three saints in St. Peter’s Square.
   Two of the saints were Italian – Archbishop Guido Maria Conforti of Parma, who also founded the Xaverian Missionaries and Father Luigi Guanella, the founder of of the Servants of Charity and the Institute of the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence. One was Spanish, Sister Bonifacia Rodriguez de Castro, founder of the Congregation of the Servants of St. Joseph. 

   In his homily on the Gospel of the day (Matthew 22:34-40), Pope Benedict said love of neighbour is "the visible sign that the Christian can show the world to witness God's love."
   "How providential is then the fact that today the Church should indicate to all members three new saints who allowed themselves to be transformed by divine love, which marked their entire existence," said Pope Benedict. "In different situations and with different charisms, they loved the Lord with all their heart and their neighbour as themselves so as to become a model for all believers."

   The Pope called on all people to be drawn by their examples, and to be guided by their teachings, so that their entire existence becomes a witness of authentic love for God and neighbour.
   After reciting the Angelus at the end of Mass, he asked everyone to pray to the Virgin Mary for the October 27^th meeting in Assisi scheduled to be attended by leaders of world religions and non-religious personalities in search of peace. It is marking the 25^th anniversary of a similar meeting in the same town called by Blessed John Paul II.

October 19, 2011

Pope Benedict: Prayer as thanksgiving

   Pope Benedict XVI held his weekly General Audience Wednesday, during which he continued his catechetical series on prayer. The focus of the catechesis this was Psalm 136:

   Known as the Great Hallel, this Psalm is a great hymn of praise which was traditionally sung at the conclusion of the Passover meal. As such, it was probably sung by Jesus and his disciples at the Last Supper (cf. Mt 26:30). The Psalm takes the form of a litany praising God’s mighty deeds in the creation of the world and in the history of Israel; each reference to God’s saving work is followed by the refrain: “For his steadfast love endures for ever”. It is God’s faithful love, in fact, which is revealed in the ordered beauty of the universe and in the great events of Israel’s liberation from slavery and the pilgrimage of the Chosen People to the land of promise. As we sing this great litany of God’s mighty works, we give thanks that the depth of his steadfast and merciful love was fully revealed in the coming of his only-begotten Son.

   The Holy Father went on to say that in Christ, we see clearly “what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God, for that is what we are” (1 Jn 3:1). As usual, following the catechesis, the Holy Father greeted pilgrims in several languages, including English:

   I offer cordial greetings to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, especially those from England, Norway, Nigeria, Australia, Indonesia and the United States. My greeting also goes to the members of Legatus visiting Rome on pilgrimage and to the group of Lutheran pilgrims from Iceland. I also welcome the group of Anglican seminarians taking part in a month of study in Rome. Upon all of you I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace!

   This Wednesday was the latest of more than a dozen reflections on Christian prayer, which the Holy Father began in May of this year.

October 16, 2011

Pope announces a "Year of Faith"

   It was in a packed St Peter’s Basilica on Sunday that Pope Benedict XVI declared that the year 2012 to 2013 was to be a "Year of Faith." The Holy Father made the announcement during his homily at a mass for the New Evangelisation. The Eucharistic celebration marked the conclusion of a meeting organised by Pontifical Council for the New Evangelisation, which the Pope addressed on Saturday.

   Speaking about his decision to invoke this "Year of Faith" Pope Benedict said it was "to give new impetus to the mission of the whole Church to lead men out of the desert in which they often find themselves, to the place of life, of friendship with Christ."

   The Pope explained that the year would be "a moment of grace and commitment to a more complete conversion to God, to strengthen our faith in Him and to proclaim Him with joy to the people of our time."

   In order to illustrate the meaning of this "Year of Faith," the Holy Father said he would prepare a special Apostolic Letter and he informed the congregation present that the year would begin “on 11 October 2012, the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, and would end on 24 November 2013, Solemnity of Christ the King."

   During the course of his Homily the Holy Father referred back to the meeting of the Pontifical Council saying, he was delighted that this conference had taken place in the month of October, a month of prayer and just one week before the World Mission Sunday.

   The Pope underlined that there was no opposition between the mission ad gentes and new evangelization, although he added the latter was very urgent, “especially in traditionally Christian countries, which have become increasingly "indifferent" and "hostile" to the mission of the Church."

   The Pope’s sentiments were echoed by those of the President of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, Archbishop Rino Fisichella in his address to the Holy Father at the start of the celebration. He said, the mission of the church now needed “an additional face, that of the new evangelization, primarily, as he put it, for believers to rediscover the strength to believe and the joy of bearing witness."

   The Pope looked to history, and to the Gospel on Sunday to re-enforce the importance of a New Evangelization. He said "the theology of history was an important, and essential part of the new evangelization, because the men of our time, after the disastrous era of totalitarian empires of the twentieth century, need to find a comprehensive vision of the world and time, a truly free, peaceful vision."

   Turning to the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians for inspiration, the Holy Father explained, it demonstrates that in order to be effective, evangelization needs the power of the spirit.

    Drawing his homily to a close the Pope Benedict stressed that "the new evangelizers are called to walk in the Path that is Christ, and to make known to others the beauty of the Gospel that gives life."

October 12, 2011

The Pope appeals for a return to true peace in Egypt

   Pope Benedict has expressed his sorrow at last Sunday’s violence which took place in Egypt’s capital and called for a peaceful co-existence to be upheld between all communities in the country.The Holy Father made the appeal on Wednesday during his General Audience.

   Thousands of pilgrims and tourists from as far away as Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and the United States took up their positions in an autumnal St Peter’s Square for the Pope’s weekly General Audience

   It was against the unmistakable backdrop of St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday that the Holy Father spoke of his deep sadness at the violence which engulfed the Egyptian capital, Cairo, last Sunday. 26 people mostly Coptic Christians were killed when a peaceful protest by Christians demonstrating over an earlier attack on a church in southern Egypt turned violent.
   The Pope said he was united in sorrow with the families of the victims and with the Egyptian people, who he said, were being torn apart by attempts to undermine the peaceful co-existence between communities in the country.
   Pope Benedict underlined the importance of preserving that co-existence, especially he said, at this time of transition and he urged the faithful to pray , so that Egypt can enjoy a true peace based on justice, respect for freedom and the dignity of every citizen.
   The Holy Father also expressed his support for the efforts of the Egyptian authorities, both civil and religious, to bring about a society which respects the human rights of all its citizens and, in particular, minorities.
   During the Audience those waiting to hear the next installment of the Pope’s catechesis on Christian prayer were not disappointed. This week Pope Benedict turned to Psalm 126.
   “This Psalm is a joyful prayer of thanksgiving for God’s fidelity to his promises in bringing about Israel’s return from the Babylonian Exile: “The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced” A similar spirit of joy and thanksgiving should mark our own prayer as we recall the care which God has shown to us in the events of our lives, even those which seem dark and bitter.”
   The Holy Father went on to explain that the Psalm demonstrates our faithful passage from darkness to light.
   “The Psalmist implores God to continue to grant Israel his saving help: “May those who sow in tears, reap with shouts of joy” This imagery of the seed which silently grows to maturity reminds us that God’s salvation is at once a gift already received and the object of our hope, a promise whose fulfilment remains in the future. Jesus will use this same imagery to express the passage from death to life, from darkness to light, which must take place in the lives of all who put their faith in him and share in his paschal mystery.”
   Also making reference to Psalm 126 and speaking off the cuff in Italian the Pope said it was important to remember the good things we are given by God, because it is these gifts that can sustain us in dark times.
   Before giving greetings in English to visitors including members of the NATO Defence College, the Pope and the whole of St Peter’s Square was treated to a performance by St Mary’s Cathedral Choir who had come all the way from Sydney Australia.

October 9, 2011

Pope Benedict: no future without charity

   This Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI denounced a “vicious” criminality that wounds the social fabric of the Italian region of Calabria and called on Catholics to take strength and courage from their faith, to overcome the obstacles of injustice, to care more for each other and the common good.

   The Holy Father was on a one day pastoral visit to the diocese of Lamezia Terme and Serra San Bruno, which lies in the heartland of the region home to the infamous Ndrangeta mafia. Calabria is Italy’s southernmost region, and one of its’ poorest and least developed with an unemployment rate touching 27%. The setting for Sunday’s mass was particularly poignant, a disused plastics factory, one of the many empty warehouses in the industrial complex just outside the town.

   Welcoming Pope Benedict Sunday, Mayor Gianni Speranza spoke of a land of “extraordinary potential and resources” but also of “unacceptable unemployment, and dramatic injustice and violence”. He said “We cannot allow the dominion of the mafia and organised crime to grow stronger, or healthy industries be taken over by illegality”. “Your presence”, the Mayor concluded “gives courage and a voice to all of those who so desperately need it”.

   In his homily Pope Benedict responded “never give in to the temptations of pessimism and retreat in on yourselves. Rely on the resources of your faith and your human capacities; strive to grow in the ability to collaborate, to take care of each other and the public good”.

   He continued “If we observe this beautiful region, we recognize it as a seismic land not only from the geological point of view but also from a structural, behavioural and social standpoint; a land, that is, where acute and destabilizing problems occur, a land where unemployment is worrying, where an often vicious criminality wounds the social fabric; a land that seems to live in a state of constant emergency”.

   “Do not be afraid to live and witness to faith in the various sectors of society, in many situations of human existence! You have every reason to show yourselves strong, confident and courageous, and this by the light of faith and the power of love. And when you encounter the opposition of the world, make your own the words of the Apostle: "I can do all things in him who strengthens me".

   Earlier in his homily Pope Benedict had reflected on the Sunday Gospel, which recounts Jesus’ parable of the king’s wedding feast: “In the Gospel Jesus speaks to us about the response given to God's invitation - represented by a king - to participate in this his banquet (cf. Mt 22:1-14). The guests invited are many, but something unexpected happens: they refuse to participate in the feast, they have something else to do, and indeed some show their contempt of the invitation. God is generous to us, He offers us His friendship, His gifts, His joy, but often we do not accept His words, we show more interest in other things, we put our material concerns, our interests first”.

   “The invitation of the king even meets with hostile, aggressive reactions. But that does not bridle his generosity. He is not discouraged and he dispatches his servants to invite many other people. The rejection of the first guests invited results in the extension of the invitation to all, even the poorest, the abandoned and neglected. The servants gather all those whom they find, and the hall is filled: the goodness of the king knows no boundaries and all are given the opportunity to respond to his call. But there is a condition for remaining at this marriage feast: they must wear wedding garments. And on entering the hall, the king sees someone who has not wanted to wear the wedding garment, and for this reason he is excluded from the feast. I would like to pause for a moment on this point with a question: why did this guest accept the king’s invitation, enter the banquet hall, the door was opened for him, but he did not put on the wedding garment? What is this wedding garment? In the Mass of the Lord's Last Supper this year I made reference to a beautiful comment on this parable by St. Gregory the Great. He explains that the guest has responded to God's invitation to participate in his banquet, he, in a certain way, has the faith that opened the door of the hall for him, but he is lacking in something essential: the wedding garment, which is charity, love. And St. Gregory adds: "Each of you in the Church, then, who has faith in God has already taken part in the wedding banquet, but can claim to have the wedding garment if you do not cherish the grace of Charity" (Homily 38.9 PL 76.1287). And this garment is symbolically interwoven on two pieces of wood, one above and one below: love of God and love of our neighbour (cf. ibid., 10: PL 76.1288). We are all invited to be guests of the Lord, to come with faith to His banquet, but we must wear and cherish the wedding garment, charity, a life of profound love for God and neighbour”.

   “Cherish the wedding garment of love”, urged Pope Benedict, “persevere in the witness of human and Christian values so deeply rooted in faith and in the history of this territory and its population”.

   In short their can be no future for this tormented region if first there is no charity.

   At the end of mass beneath a sky that threatened rain, Pope Benedict again returned to the need to care more for one another in his midday Angelus address: “Let us invoke the intercession of Mary for the most serious social problems in this area and the whole of Calabria, especially those related to unemployment, young people and the protection of persons with disabilities who require greater attention from all, especially the institutions”.

   Then, looking ahead to his Sunday afternoon appointment with the community of monks at the renowned Certosa monastery in Serra San Bruno, Pope Benedict concluded: "Saint Bruno came to this land nine centuries ago, and has left a profound mark on it by the strength of his faith. The faith of the Saints renews the world! With the same faith, today you too, can renew your beloved Calabria!"

October 5, 2011

Pope Benedict XVI appeals for aid to Horn of Africa

   Pope Benedict XVI issued an appeal this Wednesday for aid to those suffering in the Horn or Africa, where millions of people are daily facing death by starvation, drought, exposure and violence. Speaking during his Weekly General Audience, the Holy Father renewed what he called his, “heartfelt invitation to the international community to continue its commitment," to the suffering people, and he invited everyone, “to offer prayers and practical help for so many brothers and sisters so harshly tested, particularly for the children in the region,” who every day succumb in appalling numbers to disease and lack of food and water.
   Present at the Audience were the Cardinal-President of the Holy Father’s personal charitable organ, the Pontifical Council Cor unum, and the Apostolic Administrator for Mogadishu, Bishop Giorgio Bertin, as well as representatives of various Catholic charities, who are meeting to design and implement a response to the situation, which the Holy Father, along with several countries and international organizations, recognizes as a full-blown, “humanitarian emergency.”
   Pope Benedict also recalled the appeal made by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, on behalf of the affected populations, and informed the faithful that a representative of Dr. Williams would be taking part in the emergency meetings.
   The Holy Father’s catechetical focus during the Wednesday audience was the radical trust in God’s loving care, which is an essential aspect of prayer. The Holy Father approached the matter through the text of Psalm 23: “The LORD is my Shepherd: I shall not want.”:
   The Psalmist begins by presenting God as a good shepherd who guides him to green pastures, standing at his side and protecting him from every danger. “He leads me beside still waters; he refreshes my soul” (vv. 2-3). The scene then passes to the shepherd’s tent, where the Lord welcomes him as a guest, gracing him with the gifts of food, oil and wine. “You prepare a table before me … you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (v. 5). God’s protection continues to accompany the Psalmist with goodness and mercy along his way, a way which leads to length of days in the Lord’s Temple (v. 6).
   The Pope went on to say the powerful image of God as the Shepherd of Israel accompanied the whole religious history of the Chosen People, from the Exodus to the return to the Promised Land.
   It finds its ultimate expression and fulfilment in the coming of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who gave his life for his sheep, preparing for us the table of his Body and Blood as a foretaste of the definitive messianic banquet which awaits us in heaven.
   The Holy Father also had greetings for different groups, including several groups of English-speaking pilgrims:
   I welcome all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, especially those from England, Scotland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Nigeria, Singapore, the Philippines and the United States. My special greeting goes to the alumni and friends celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Pontifical Filipino College. I also greet the new students from the Pontifical Beda College, and I offer prayerful good wishes to the deacon class of the Pontifical North American College and their families. Upon all of you I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace.
   In a special way, I would like to greet the Delegation of the Theology Faculty of the University of Thessaloniki, who have wished to confer upon me the Apostle Jason of Thessaloniki Gold Medal. I am deeply honoured by this gracious gesture, which is an eloquent sign of the growing understanding and dialogue between Catholic and Orthodox Christians. I pray that it will be a harbinger of ever greater progress in our efforts to respond in fidelity, truth and charity to the Lord’s summons to unity. I thank the Delegation most cordially, and I offer my prayerful good wishes for their teaching and research. God bless you all!

October 2, 2011

Pope Benedict XVI pray for persecuted evangelists 

   God’s “concern” for every human being, shown especially by the protection of guardian angels, was one of the focal points of Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks to the faithful gathered for the Sunday Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square. The Pope also discussed this Sunday's Gospel, noting that the reading from the 21^st chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, “closes with a particularly severe warning from Jesus, addressed to the chief priests and elders of the people: Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit. (Matt. 21.43).   “These words,” said Pope Benedict, “make us think of the great responsibility of those who in every age, are called to work in the vineyard of the Lord, especially in a role of authority.” He said these words urgently call the pastors of the Church to renew their full fidelity to Christ, who, recalled Pope Benedict, is the stone which the builders rejected (cf. Mt 21:42), because they considered Christ an enemy of the law and a danger to public order. “Rejected and crucified,” said Pope Benedict, “Christ rose again, becoming the ‘cornerstone’ on which the foundation of all human existence and the whole world may rest with absolute certainty.”

   “Firmly anchored in faith in the cornerstone who is Christ, abiding in Him like the branch that can not bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine. Only in Him, through Him and with Him is the Church, the people of the New Covenant, built.”

   After the traditional prayer of Marian devotion, Pope Benedict looked forward to the Sunday afternoon beatification in the north-western Italian city of Ivrea, of Sr. Antonia Maria Verna, foundress in 1838 of the Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception of Ivrea – a congregation that now has a worldwide mission of providing education, children’s catechesis and health care to the home-bound.

   The Holy Father also had greetings for pilgrims in many languages, including English, during which he prayed especially that God give stout hearts to those who face persecution as they preach the Gospel:

   I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for this Angelus. In particular, I extend cordial greetings to the participants in the Second International Congress on Divine Mercy in Krakow, and to the students from Iona College, Australia. The Gospel of today’s liturgy spurs us to pray for all who work in the Lord’s vineyard, especially where they face violence and threats because of their faith. May God grant them, and all of us, strength in our service to him and to one another. God bless all of you!