VATICAN - The Pope celebrates Mass with fifteen new cardinals and consigns to them the cardinal’s ring, ‘sign of dignity, pastoral concern and communion with the See of Peter’

Saturday, 25 March 2006

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Vatican City (Fides Service) - Today 25 March, Feast of the Annunciation, Pope Benedict XVI presided Mass in St Peter’s Square at which the 15 new Cardinals concelebrated. During the Mass the Pope gave each of them the cardinal’s ring, "sign of dignity, pastoral concern and profound communion with the See of Peter ".
In his homily reflecting on the mystery of the Incarnation the Pope said: “From generation to generation wonder for this ineffable mystery lives on. Saint Augustin imagines he is addressing the Angel of the Annunciation and he asks: "Tell me O Angel, why has this come about in Mary?”. “The answer, the Messenger replies, is found in the words of the greeting: "Hail O full of grace" (cfr Psalm 291,6). In fact when the Angel “enters”, he calls Mary not with her earthly name, but with her heavenly name as God has always seen and described her: “Full of grace - gratia plena”.
Addressing the new cardinals Benedict XVI said: “What a great gift dear brothers to be able to hold this moving celebration on the feast of the Annunciation of the Lord! How much light we can draw from this mystery for our life as ministers of the Church. Especially you my dear new Cardinals, what support you may draw for your eminent mission to serve as a "Senate" for the Successor of Peter! This providential coincidence helps us consider this event which brings to the fore Petrine principle of the Church, in the light of another principle, the Marian principle, even earlier and even more fundamental. The importance of the Marian principle in the Church was underlined especially, besides by the Council, by my beloved Predecessor Pope John Paul II, coherently with his motto Totus tuus”.
“The theme of the connection between the Petrine principle and the Marian principle can be found also in the symbol of the ring which I will shortly give each one of you. The ring is always a nuptial sign” the Holy Father recalled. “Therefore may your acceptance of the ring be a renewal of your “yes” and “here I am Lord” both to the Lord who chose you and to his holy Church whom you are called to serve with spousal love. These two dimensions of the Church, Marian and Petrine, meet in that which is the completion of both, namely the supreme value of charity, the “greatest” of all charisma, the “best” of all ways, as St Paul’s writes (1 Cor 12,31; 13,13)”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 25/3/2006 righe 33 parole 416)