Vatican Radio REPORT Pope
Benedict on Saturday received participants who have been attending the XXIII
International Mariological Congress here in Rome. For the last number of days
they have been exploring the theme " Mariology since the Second Vatican Council:
Reception, Assessment and Prospects”.Giving a warm welcome to the participants gathered at the Papal Summer residence at Castelgandolfo, Pope Benedict reminded them, that Blessed John XXIII proclaimed that the Second Vatican Council would open on Oct. 11, the same day as when, in 431, the Council of Ephesus proclaimed Mary as the Mother of God.
The Pope also drew the attention of those present to the fact that on October 11th this year, what he called an “extraordinary event” will occur, that being the opening of the Year of Faith and he went on to describe Mary herself as an exemplary example of Faith.
September 8th marks the feast of the Birth of Mary, a date which the Holy Father said has been presented as a precious item in the extraordinary mosaic that is the divine plan of salvation of mankind.
Looking back to his own participation as a young theologian at the Second Vatican Council, Pope Benedict said he “was able to see the various ways of dealing with issues about the shape and role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in salvation history.”
The Holy Father said the Council offered a chance to enrich the Constitution of the Church with a specific chapter on the Mother of God in which the figure of Mary appears “in all her beauty and uniqueness tightly inserted in the fundamental mysteries of the Christian faith.”
The Pope underlined that the Mother of God must continue to be studied as a way of deepening ones faith.
We must look on Mary, said Pope Benedict as a beacon of light and as a model of Christian maturity from whom we can draw an enthusiasm and joy to live with ever greater commitment and consistency our vocation as children of God, and brothers and sisters in Christ.”
SHARED FROM RADIO VATICANA
Comments