Pope at Vespers in Fatima; Priests, be Loyal to your Vocations

(13 May 10 - RV) Pope Benedict XVI in Portugal on is in 15^th apostolic journey. He arrived in Fatima yesterday evening where he visited the chapel of Apparitions and celebrated vespers at the Church of the most Holy Trinity with priests and religious of the diocese.
Later he returned to the Chapel of Apparitions for a candlelight procession and the recitation of the rosary.
From Veronica Scarisbrick sends this report…
On Wednesday evening Benedict XVI arrived at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Fatima, a dramatic contemporary space with a magnificent golden mosaic as backdrop, that can hold up to 9.000 pilgrims
He was there to celebrate Vespers with the Clergy and Religious of Portugal in this fortress like oval white building discreetly built on the opposite end of the esplanade of the earlier Basilica of this Marian shrine where the tombs of the three little shepherd children to whom Our Lady appeared back in 1917 are housed .
And in this great new Basilica consecrated in 2007 , which has a special link with Rome given a fragment of St Peter’s tomb is placed inside the altar, the floral decorations for the occasion were a splash of yellow , in honour of the Pontiff from Rome.
And there was music…
And when it was time for the homily the Holy Father encouraged all present to be faithful and loyal to their vocations as disciples who wish to follow the Lord, highlighting how their witness is needed today .
Many of our brothers and sisters the pope remarked , live as if there were nothing beyond life , and without concern for their eternal salvation .
It is important he stressed to assist one another with prayer , helpful advice and discernment.
Insisting that all be especially attentive to those situations where there is a weakening of priestly ideal or dedication to activities not fully consonant with what is proper for a minister of Jesus Christ Then is the time the pope insisted to take a firm stand with an attitude of warm fraternal love, as brother assisting brother to remain on his feet .
May the Blessed Virgin guide us the Holy Father said finally , with her and like her , we are free to be saints , free so as to be poor chaste and obedient , free for all because detached from all , free from self so that others my grow in Christ .
And as this meeting came was ending , the Holy Father wishing to mark this special year dedicated to priesthood soon reaching its final weeks , asked Our Lady in an Act of Entrustment and Consecration to come to our aid, deliver us from all danger that threatens us, causing new blooms to burst forth in the desert of our loneliness , letting the sun shine on our darkness and restoring calm after the tempest so that all mankind shall see salvation..
And later into the night Pope Benedict turned once again to the Fatima pilgrims , expectantly waiting from him outdoors , leading them in the Recitation of the Rosary from the Chapel of the Apparitions and blessing the lighted torches as they stood together in thousands .
It seemed like a sea of light around this simple chapel , Benedict XVI remarked lovingly built to honour the Mother of God and our mother whose path from earth to heaven appeared to the shepherd children like a way of light .