Instrumentum mensis Aprilis pro lectura Magisterii Summi Pontificis Benedicti XVI, pro evangelizatione in terris missionum

Saturday, 10 May 2008

On 2nd April the Holy Father Benedict XVI presided Mass on the third anniversary of the death of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II“ his death,- Benedict said in his homily- was sealed by a life entirely given to Christ and even physically conformed to him with features of suffering and trusting abandonment in the Heavenly Father's arms”. On April 5th, receiving in audience participants at an International Conference promoted by the John Paul II Pontifical Institute, and then participants at the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family, Benedict reaffirmed the Church's duty to approach with “ maternal concern” those suffering from the wounds of divorce or abortion and to encourage and join efforts undertaken by parish and diocesan communities, and church movements and associations, “ to join forces to defeat together all forms of marginalization, for it is not only they - grandfathers, grandmothers, senior citizens - who are being injured by the individualistic mindset, but everyone. ”. In his Message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, calling for prayers, the Holy Father, ha recalled the special and intimate bond between the missionary dimension and the priestly vocation.
The month of April was marked by the apostolic journey to the United States of America, from the 15th to the 20th , introduced with a Message to the Catholics and the people of the United States. On 16th April, his eightieth birthday, the Holy Father was welcomed by the President of the United States of America, George W. Bush, at a ceremony held at the White House. That same evening he presided the Celebration of Vespers at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and had a meeting with the Catholic Bishops of the United States. In a meeting with representatives of other religions the Pope recalled that the " The broader purpose of dialogue is to discover the truth. What is the origin and destiny of mankind? What are good and evil? What awaits us at the end of our earthly existence?". On 18 April there was the awaited visit to the General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation, where Pope Benedict XVI spoke of the truth of natural moral law inscribed in every human heart. The same day he met representatives of the Jewish community at Park East Synagogue. At the end of his visit, on 20 April the Pope presided Mass at New York's Yankee Stadium. At the end of the month, on the 6th Sunday of Easter, 27 April the Pope presided Mass in St Peter's Basilica during which he ordained 29 new priests, 28 of whom will serve the diocese of Rome. On the same day following the recitation of the midday Regina Cæli prayer, the Pope made an appeal for Africa, especially for Somalia, Darfur and Burundi.


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