Czestochowa, Poland, May 25, 2006 / 22:00 pm
After leaving Warsaw this afternoon, Pope Benedict arrived in helicopter at the Marian Sanctuary of Jasna Góra in Czestochowa, where he met with the monks of the sanctuary, the Council of Masculine and feminine Religious orders and representatives of Seminarians and Eclesial movements in Poland.
Beginning his address, he took the image of the Apostles together with Mary in the upper room, where Mary, the Mother of the Lord, is among us. “Today it is she who leads our meditation; she teaches us how to pray,” he began. Pope Benedict took Mary as a model of faith and hope for all those present in the Sanctuary.
“Faith has a place, not only in our state of soul and religious experiences, but above all in thought and action, in everyday work, in the struggle against ourselves, in community life and in the apostolate, because it ensures that our life is pervaded by the power of God himself. Mary, assiduous in prayer alongside the Apostles, taught perseverance in the faith.
Pope Benedict first directed his speech to the representatives of Religious orders and monks present. “The love of Jesus poured into your hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to you" (cf. Rom 5:5), has shown you the way of the consecrated life. It was not you who looked for it. It was Jesus who called you.”