Maria, ster van de evangelisatie

During his Angelus on Tuesday, Pope Benedict said “the Feast of All Saints is a good time to lift our gaze from the realities of the world… to the enormity of God, who encompasses all eternity and holiness. “ 

He said holiness is the vocation of all the baptized, and all the people of God are called to be saints.

The Pope then turned his thoughts to Wednesday’s commemoration of All Souls.

Pope Benedict XVI held his weekly General Audience Wednesday, during which he continued his catechetical series on prayer. The focus of the catechesis this was Psalm 136:

Known as the Great Hallel, this Psalm is a great hymn of praise which was traditionally sung at the conclusion of the Passover meal. As such, it was probably sung by Jesus and his disciples at the Last Supper (cf. Mt 26:30). The Psalm takes the form of a litany praising God’s mighty deeds in the creation of the world and in the history of Israel; each reference to God’s saving work is followed by the refrain: “For his steadfast love endures for ever”. It is God’s faithful love, in fact, which is revealed in the ordered beauty of the universe and in the great events of Israel’s liberation from slavery and the pilgrimage of the Chosen People to the land of promise. As we sing this great litany of God’s mighty works, we give thanks that the depth of his steadfast and merciful love was fully revealed in the coming of his only-begotten Son.

In the nineteenth century, the Catholic Church reacted to the secularist offensive in Europe with a spectacular missionary expansion on the other continents. Benedict XVI wants the miracle to be repeated today. His next voyage: to Africa

The roots of Christianity in India reach back to Apostolic times, with tradition having St Thomas the Apostle be the first to bring the Gospel to those shores. Today, the Church in India is a youthful, vibrant participant in the life of the country that contributes to Indian society on scale hugely disproportionate with its numbers. Comprising no more than 2.0 % of India’s population, the Catholic Church is responsible for more than a fifth of all health care provided in the country. The Church has also taken a leading role in the drive for integral human development in India, with over 60% of Catholic schools situated in rural areas. Saturday morning saw six bishops from central and south-western India in to see the Holy Father – the leadership of the Church in parts of India ranging from coastal Karwar near Goa to Mangalore further south, and inland to the central Gulbarga diocese.

In these days when England is frequently described as a post-Christian country , you might be forgiven for raising an eyebrow on hearing that thousands of pilgrims go each year to the Marian shrine at Walsingham .


The story begins in the year 1061, in the village of Little Walsingham near the north coast of Norfolk, the lady of the manor , a young widow named Richelde de Faverches , 'of good family and some wealth ', we read, saw Our Lady in a vision. John Adair , in his book 'the Pilgrims' Way' takes up the story...

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