Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Castel Gandolfo (Agenzia Fides) - On Sunday 17 September, during his reflection before the midday Angelus prayer with hundreds of people gathered in the courtyard of his Summer Residence at Castel Gandolfo, Pope Benedict XVI said his pastoral visit to Bavaria had been “a deep spiritual experience, bringing together personal memories linked to places well known to me and pastoral initiatives towards an effective proclamation of the Gospel for today.’ He thanked God for the interior joy experienced, and also the many people who worked hard for the success of the Pastoral Visit adding that he would speak more at length on this matter during next Wednesday’s General Audience”. Then the Pope said:
“At this time, I wish also to add that I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address at the University of Regensburg, which were considered offensive to the sensibility of Muslims. These in fact were a quotation from a medieval text, which do not in any way express my personal thought. Yesterday, the Cardinal Secretary of State published a statement in this regard in which he explained the true meaning of my words. I hope that this serves to appease hearts and to clarify the true meaning of my address, which in its totality was and is an invitation to frank and sincere dialogue, with great mutual respect. This is the meaning of the discourse.”
Before the Marian prayer the Pope reflected on two recent feasts “the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on 14 September and the memory of the Mother of Sorrows the following day. These liturgical feasts can be visibly summarised in traditional images of the Crucifixion which show the Blessed Virgin Mary at the foot of the Cross” the Pope said reflecting on the significance which Christians give to the Cross: “On the Cross Christ shed his blood to free humanity from the slavery of sin and death. So from a sign of cursing the Cross has been transformed into a sign of Blessing, from a symbol of death to a symbol par excellence of Love which conquers hatred and violence and generate immortal life... on Calvary Mary shares in the redemptive power of Christ’s suffering, joining her "fiat" to that of her Son”.
Lastly the Pope said: “spiritually united with the Mother of Sorrows let us renew our ‘yes’ to God who chose to save us by means of the Cross. This is a great mystery which continues until the end of the world and calls for our collaboration. May Mary help us to take up our cross every day and follow Jesus faithfully along the path of obedience, sacrifice and love.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 18/9/2006 - righe 33, parole 470)
