Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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September 14, 2008

Pope Celebrates Mass at Lourdes Miracle Site
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Pilgrims came to Lourdes from different countries to be present for the
pope's mass at the shrine where Saint Bernadette had her visions 150
years ago 
Tens of thousands of pilgrims turned out at the shrine of Lourdes for
Pope Benedict's mass to celebrate the 150th anniversary of a peasant
girl's visions of the Virgin Mary. The Pope spoke to them of the message
of Lourdes and told them praying is not a waste of time. Sabina
Castelfranco has this VOA report from Paris. 

Pilgrims and tourists walk by Virgin Mary shrine cave associated with
miraculous cures at Lourdes Pilgrims came to Lourdes from different
countries to be present for the pope's mass at the shrine where Saint
Bernadette had her visions 150 years ago. She was only 14 years old and
she had 18 visions of the Virgin Mary. Addressing the faithful in his
homily, Benedict reminded them of the message that stemmed from those
apparitions. Bernadette is the eldest daughter of a very poor family,
the pope said, with neither knowledge nor power, and in poor health.
Mary chose her to transmit her message of conversion, prayer and
penance. Millions visit the shrine every year hoping in a miracle cure.
The Catholic Church has recognized dozens of miraculous healings of sick
pilgrims who visited Lourdes. The primary purpose of the shrine at
Lourdes, the pope said, is to be a place of encounter with God in prayer
and a place of service to our brothers and sisters, notably through the
welcome given to the sick, the poor and all who suffer. In his homily
Benedict also told the faithful gathered that praying is not a waste of
time, rather it is indispensable. He said: "To allow oneself to become
absorbed by activity runs the risk of depriving prayer of its
specifically Christian character and its true efficacy. He urged young
people not to be afraid to answer to God's calling to become priests or
nuns. On this day, the Catholic Church's liturgy is focused on the
symbol of the cross. And Pope Benedict stressed that love can be
stronger than all the evil in the world. He told the crowd that the
cross initiates the faithful into the mysteries of Christian faith,
including that there is a love in this world that is stronger than
death, stronger than our weaknesses and sins.


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