With great In these historic moments in which we are called, with For this purpose, efforts should be made so that visitors may not forget In As “God’s co-workers” (1 Co 3:9), I The Vatican, Benedictus PP. XVI<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We are all pilgrims; we are all called to seek the face of God; we are all called to follow the Divine Other; we are called to dine richly on the divine gift of the Eucharist, the Food for the journey (viaticum) and to rest on the heart of Christ. I remember my religious superiors … Continue reading Pope regards himself as a pilgrim, do you?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[32081,2529],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25834"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25834"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25834\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Benedict](\"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/Benedict%20XVI.jpg\")
\npleasure I would like to express my spiritual closeness to the congress
\nparticipants to encourage and accompany them in carrying out a pastoral task of
\nsuch great importance in ecclesial life. I will personally make a pilgrimage
\nsoon to the tomb of the Apostle Saint James, the “Lord’s friend”, in
\nthe same way that I have made my way to other places in the world which many of
\nthe faithful visit with fervent devotion. In this regard, from the beginning of
\nmy pontificate, I have wanted to live my ministry as the Successor of Peter
\nwith the sentiments of a pilgrim<\/i> who travels over the roads of the world with
\nhope and simplicity bringing on his lips and in his heart the saving message of
\nthe Risen Christ, and strengthening his brothers in faith (cf. Lk 22:32). As an
\nexplicit sign of this mission, my coat-of-arms includes the pilgrim’s shell,
\namong other elements.<\/span><\/p>\n
\ngreater force if possible, to evangelize our world, the riches offered to us by
\nthe pilgrimage to shrines should be highlighted<\/u>. First of all, for its great
\nability to summon and bring together a growing number of pilgrims and religious
\ntourists, some of whom are in complicated human and spiritual situations,
\nsomewhat distant from living the faith and with a weak ecclesial affiliation<\/b>.
\nChrist speaks to all of them with love and hope. The desire for happiness that
\nis imbedded in the soul finds its answer in Him<\/b><\/i><\/u>, and human suffering together
\nwith Him has a meaning. With his grace, the noblest causes also find their
\ncomplete fulfillment. As Simeon met with Christ in the temple (cf. Lk 2:25-35),
\nso too a pilgrim should have the opportunity to discover the Lord in the
\nshrine<\/u>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nthat shrines are sacred places in order to be in them with devotion, respect
\nand propriety. In this way, the Word of Christ, the Son of the living God, can
\nring out clearly, and the event of his death and resurrection, the foundation
\nof our faith, can be proclaimed completely. Very careful attention should also
\nbe given to welcoming the pilgrims, by highlighting, among other elements, the
\ndignity and beauty of the shrine, the image of “God’s dwelling… with the
\nhuman race” (Rev 21:3), the moments and spaces for both personal and
\ncommunity prayer, and attention to devotional practices. In the same way, it
\ncan never be stressed enough that shrines should be lighthouses of charity<\/b>,
\nwith unceasing dedication to the neediest through concrete works of solidarity
\nand mercy, and constant readiness to listen, favoring in particular the
\nfaithful’s reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and taking part
\nworthily in the Eucharistic celebration<\/u>, making this the center and apex of all
\nthe pastoral activity of the shrines. In this way it will be made manifest that
\nthe Eucharist is indeed the pilgrim’s nourishment<\/b><\/u>, the “Sacrament of the
\nGod who does not leave us alone on the journey but stays at our side and shows
\nus the way” (Homily on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, May 22, 2008).<\/span><\/p>\n
\nfact, different from a wanderer whose steps have no established final
\ndestination, a pilgrim always has a destination, even if at times he is not
\nexplicitly aware of it. And this destination is none other than the encounter
\nwith God through Christ in whom all our aspirations find their response<\/u><\/b>. For
\nthis reason, the celebration of the Eucharist can really be considered the
\nculmination of the pilgrimage<\/u>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nexhort all of you to be dedicated to this beautiful mission so that through
\nyour pastoral care, you will favor in pilgrims the knowledge and imitation of
\nChrist who continues to walk with us, enlighten our lives with his Word, and
\nshare with us the Bread of Life in the Eucharist<\/u>. In this way, the pilgrimage
\nto the shrine will be a favorable occasion to strengthen the desire in those
\nwho visit it to share the wonderful experience with others of knowing they are
\nloved by God and sent to the world to give witness to that love.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nSeptember 8, 2010<\/span><\/p>\n