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Rome, 7th May, 2007 (CNA) - Scattered
sprinkles did not stop thousands of pilgrims from gathering in St. Peter's
Square yesterday to hear the Pope's Regina Caeli address. In his first
address of May, his Holiness drew attention to the fact that May "is the
Marian month par excellence."
"After the Second Vatican Council," Benedict continued, "the Marian Cult has
experienced a profound renewal." This year, May coincides with part of
Eastertide, "and it is, therefore, a good time to illustrate the figure of
Mary as the Mother who accompanies the Community of the Disciples gathered
together in prayer while waiting for the Holy Spirit."
The Pope then announced the dedication of "the apostolic trip that I will
make to Brazil this May 9th to the 14th to the Holy Virgin, Mother of the
Church." In describing his planned trip, the Holy Father mentioned "the joy
I will have in writing Blessed Fra Antonio di Sant’Anna Galvăo on the tree
of the Saints."
Calling Latin America "the Continent of Hope," Benedict said that it is "a
hope not only for the Church, but of all of America and the whole world."
"Many and varied are the challenges of the present moment," he added later,
"and this is why it is important that Christians are formed to be the
'ferment' of goodness and the 'light' of holiness in our world."
Rather than give his usual Marian prayer, the Pope asked all present "to
pray to Mary Most Holy for this apostolic pilgrimage and, in particular . .
. so that all the Christians of those regions (Latin America and the
Caribbean) may feel like disciples and missionaries of Christ, the Way, the
Truth and the Life."
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