Excerpts from Pope Benedict's Speech at Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem, May 13, 2009:
Dear Friends,
I affectionately greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ “who died, was raised from the dead, and now sits at the right hand of God to intercede for us” (cf. Rom 8:34). May your faith in his Resurrection and his promise of new life through Baptism fill your hearts with joy in this Easter season!
...On this Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, I would like to conclude by invoking Mary’s intercession as I impart my Apostolic Blessing to the children and all of you. Let us pray:
Mary, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Mother of the Redeemer: we join the many generations who have called you “Blessed”. Listen to your children as we call upon your name. You promised the three children of Fatima that “in the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph”. May it be so! May love triumph over hatred, solidarity over division, and peace over every form of violence! May the love you bore your Son teach us to love God with all our heart, strength and soul. May the Almighty show us his mercy, strengthen us with his power, and fill us with every good thing (cf. Lk 1:46-56). We ask your Son Jesus to bless these children and all children who suffer throughout the world. May they receive health of body, strength of mind, and peace of soul. But most of all, may they know that they are loved with a love which knows no bounds or limits: the love of Christ which surpasses all understanding (cf. Eph 3:19). Amen.
No, it's not the consecration of Russia yet. But His Holiness has now twice spoken in an unabashedly and unequivocally Catholic way in Israel (see Pope Benedict XVI Proclaims the True Faith in the Holy Land, below). Is this something new, or is it just me?
No this is definitely something OLD, but since its been gone a while it seems NEW. He is truly speaking as a Catholic pope. More so than some of the popes since Pius XII.
Strangely enough, Muslims hold a special place for the BVM, and some woman named fatima. So the fact that she came at the city fatima, just makes it all beter. I think Our Lady of Fatima will bring about the conversions of the muslims.
Unfortunately His Holiness eviscerated his solidly Catholic teaching in his farewell address "This Land Is Indeed a Fertile Ground for Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue", not once mentioning the Holy Name of Jesus.