ROME, Fr. Stefano Mueller. When the doors to the Papal Summer residence, Castelgandolfo, were closed on Thursday, 28 February 2013 at 8 p.m. CET, and Pope Benedict XVI’s pointificate came to an end, the bell of the shrine MATRI ECCLESIAE at Belomnote, Rome, rang out “Vocatos voco – I called the called”.
“The lord has called me ‘to climb the mountain’ to devote myself more deeply to prayer and meditation. Yet it doesn’t mean that am leaving the Church on its own; on the contrary, if God requires this step of me, it is precisely so that I can go on serving the Church with the same dedication and love I have tried to do until now, but only in a way that is more suitable to my age and my strength.”
Thus, in his last public Angelus prayer, Pope Benedict XVI referred to the Gospel of the Second Sunday of Lent. Now he has climbed the mountain.
“I am only a simple pilgrim who is beginning the last stage of his pilgrimage on this earth. However, I again want to work with my heart, with my love, with my prayer, with my meditation, and all my inner strengths, for the good of all and the Church, indeed for the whole of mankind. I feel carried by your sympathy. Let us continue together with the Lord for the good of the Church and world.” (28 February 2013, Castelgandolfo).
At this special moment in history
At this special moment in history a small group of members of the Movement and the neighbouring parishes gathered for a time of prayer in the shrine of the Mother of the Church, the Mother Church, as representatives of the many who wanted to be there with their hearts and minds. In the past days messages of gratitude, prayer and contributions to the capital of grace arrived from the various continents and countries. Also all the articles and comments in schoenstatt.org were sent to Belmonte. Embedded in hymns of thanksgiving and the psalms some of these testimonies were read out in the various languages to the Mother Thrice Admirable. It was a moment densely filled with gratitude and trust:
“May the joyful certainty live in our hearts that the Lord will assist us, he will never abandon us, he surrounds us with his love” (General Audience 27 February 2013).
This intense time of prayer closed with the Night Prayer of the Church, Compline: “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word.”
The shrine that belongs to us all – a symbol of worldwide solidarity
You may gladly continue to send in your messages of gratitude, prayer and contributions to the capital of grace for Benedict XVI, the Conclave and the new Pope. They will be read out, in the same way as those that have arrived until now, to the MTA, and deposited in the shrine. We want to send a collection of all these contributions to Benedict XVI, and place a copy in the floor of the MATRI ECCLESIAE Shrine.
Original: German. Translation: Mary Cole, Manchester, England
