Five points about Mary in Pope Benedict's thought

Today is the Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

To mark the occassion, John Allen has published a piece today entitle "The Marian Papacy of Benedict XVI."

During Pope Benedict's recent trip to Sardinia, Pope Benedict made five points which John Allen says are likely to re-surface during his upcoming trip to Lourdes:

• Mary points to Christ, above all to his incarnation.
• Mary is a symbol of the beauty and tenderness of God.
• Mary is a forerunner and a model for all disciples of Christ.
• Mary is a model for mothers, children and spouses, and thus a patron of the family.
• Mary is the “star of the new evangelization,” a patron for efforts to bring Christ to the world.

The entire article is an enlightening (and appropriate for today) read.