'Mirror yourselves in Mary's heart. Remain in her school!' Pope says to seminarians and religious in Czestochowa

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.”

The Pontiff exhorted them “not to lose this first fervor, and let Mary lead you to an ever fuller adherence. maintain in your hearts the primacy of your consecrated life. Let it renew your faith.”

Now turning towards the seminarians,  “let Mary guide you as you "learn" Jesus. Keep your eyes fixed on him. Let him form you, so that in your ministry you will be able to show him to all who approach you. Do not fear future duties or the unknown! Do not fear that words will fail you or that you will encounter rejection! The world and the Church need priests, holy priests.” he said to them.

Finally to the representatives of the new Movements in the Church, “Believe in the grace of God which accompanies you and bring it into the living fabric of the Church, especially in places the priest or religious cannot reach.”

“The authenticity of your faith and mission, which does not draw attention to itself but truly radiates faith and love, can be tested by measuring it against Mary’s faith.

After leaving Warsaw this afternoon, The Pope 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.

“The authenticity of your faith and mission, which does not draw attention to itself but truly radiates faith and love, can be tested by measuring it against Mary’s faith. Mirror yourselves in her heart. Remain in her school!”  he concluded.