Pope concludes Marian month at Vatican’s Lourdes Grotto

(June 01,2010) The Church in keeping with her missionary nature is called to announce the Gospel in every corner of the world, and transmit the faith to all men and women of every culture”. Pope Benedict XVI conveyed this message at a late evening prayer ceremony concluding the Marian month of May , before the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in the gardens of Vatican City. The Pope told a large number of faithful attending the ceremony that all Christians have the missionary task of spreading the Good News of the Gospel. He said “Jesus is the true and only treasure that we can give to Humanity. It is for Jesus that men and women of our Time have a deep nostalgia, even when they seem to ignore or reject Him. It is for Jesus that the society, in which we live, and Europe and the whole world have a great need”, he said. The Pope gave the discourse late evening at 8 o’clock when the traditional candle light procession that began at the Church of St. Stephen’ of the Abyssians near the Vatican Basilica of St. Peter, reached the Vatican Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes. The Marian celebration was presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri , the Dean of St. Peter’s Basilica and the Pope’s Vicar for Vatican City.