12 november, 2007
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At a meeting during the ‘Ad Limina’ visit of the Portuguese Bishops, on November 10, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI point out new ways for the Portuguese Church: “ecclesiology of communion in the aftermath of the Council, to which the Portuguese Church feels particularly called after the Great Jubilee, is the sure route to follow, without losing from sight eventual shoals, such as horisontalism at its source, democratization in the attribution of the sacramental ministries, equalization of Holy Orders with emerging ministries, quarrels over who is first amongst the members of the community”. On Fatima, His Holiness the Pope stated: “Beloved Bishop of Portugal, four weeks ago you met, at the Shrine of Fatima, the Cardinal Secretary of State, whom I sent there as My Special Legate for the conclusion of the celebrations of the 90th Anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Lady. It pleases me to think of Fatima as a school of faith, with the Virgin Mary as Teacher; She installed there Her cathedra in order to teach first the Little Seers, then the multitudes, about the eternal truths and the art of praying, believing and loving. In the humble attitude of pupils in need of learning their lesson, I ask all of you – each one of you and the priests your direct collaborators in leading the flock; the religious, who live already on Earth their Heaven; and the lay people, who are molding the Earth in the image of Heaven –to entrust yourselves daily to so illustrious Teacher and Mother of the Total Christ. While imploring over all of you, through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima, the light and strength of the Holy Spirit, I grant you My Apostolic Blessing”. |
