Vatican City, Jun 1, 2010 / 10:44 am
At a traditional procession in the Vatican gardens marking the end of May, the Holy Father addressed the thousands of faithful who gathered to pray the Rosary. The Pope encouraged the faithful, saying, modern “men and women have a profound longing” for Jesus, even if they appear to be “rejecting Him.”
On Monday evening, a gathering of several thousand people processed by candlelight and recited the Rosary in the Vatican gardens, processing from the Church of St. Stephen of the Abyssinians to the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. At 9:00 p.m. the Pope arrived at the Grotto, was greeted by choir music, and briefly addressed the faithful before giving an apostolic blessing.
Reflecting on the day's celebration of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin to her cousin Elizabeth, the Holy Father remarked that in this act, “we recognize the clearest example and the truest meaning of our path as believers and the path of the Church itself. By its nature, the Church is called to proclaim the Gospel everywhere and at all times, to spread the faith to every man and woman and to every culture.”
“Mary remained with Elizabeth for three months to offer her loving nearness, concrete assistance, and all the everyday services that were needed,” he added. “In this way, Elizabeth becomes the symbol of the many aged and ill, even more, of all those who need assistance and love.”