(07 Feb 08 - RV) Pope Benedict XVI held his annual meeting with the clergy of the
Diocese of Rome today in the Vatican.
Pope Benedict
met with the priests of Rome in the Hall of Benedictions, which contains the window
from which the Pope gives his Urbi et Orbi message.
Ten priests were given
the task of questioning the Bishop of Rome, and the queries ranged from evangelization
to youth ministry.
Answering the question of an Indian priest who has worked
in Rome for a number years, the Pope spoke about evangelization. He says dialogue
means respecting one another, but dialogue does not exclude the announcement of the
Gospel, noting that the Truth is not ours alone, and the Church should offer it to
others.
The Pope also said the Church perhaps speaks too little of the sin,
and also Heaven and Hell. He said he wanted to talk about the Last Judgement in his
Encyclical Spe Salvi, saying that those know do not know the last judgement do not
know the possibility of falling, and the necessity of salvation. He said those who
do not labour for Paradise, are not going to do good on Earth. He mentioned that
Nazism and Communism, which wanted to change the world, ended up destroying it.
The
Pope at one point said the questions being asked were so vast, that they would need
a half-year of theology to answer, eliciting laughs and applause from the priests.
In
years past Pope Benedict has said these meetings with his priests are a true joy for
him.