THE ENGLISH summary of Pope John Paul II’s weekly general audience, given at St Peter’s on Wednesday, January 7, 2004:
“Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Church’s celebration of the Christmas season centers on the mysteries of Christ’s incarnation and Mary’s divine motherhood. As the Virgin Mother of the Incarnate Word, Mary was from the beginning closely associated with her Son’s saving work. Mary gave Christ to the world at his birth; and from the cross the dying Redeemer entrusted her to the Church and to each believer. In these final days of the Christmas season, let us join Mary in contemplating the newborn Savior and entrust ourselves to her maternal protection during the coming year. I am pleased to greet the English-speaking pilgrims present at today’s audience, including the groups from Denmark and the United States of America. I thank the choirs for their praise of God in song.”