The Home Missions

Yesterday, after praying the Angelus in St. Peter's Square, the Pope greeted 350 young "missionaries" from parishes, associations, movements and communities of the diocese of Rome. They have been participating, together with priests religious and seminarians, in the third "mission of young people for young people" known as "Jesus at the center," held from September 28 to October 8 in the streets of the historic center of Rome.

The Pope expressed his happiness at the young people's "joyous commitment" to "announcing the Gospel in streets and squares, in schools and hospitals and in the places of entertainment of young Romans. I encourage you to maintain this missionary approach in your everyday lives, always seeking to take advantage of diocesan training initiatives."

Addressing Polish pilgrims, the Pope recalled that yesterday, October 7, was the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, and he encouraged them to continue this Marian prayer. "As John Paul II wrote, 'with the Rosary, Christian people join Mary's school and allow themselves to be introduced to the contemplation of the beauty of Christ's countenance and to the experience of the profundity of His love.' May this prayer," Pope Benedict concluded, "be a source of abundant grace for everyone."