Pope Benedict XVI bids farewell to the Staff of Castel Gandolfo

(September 30, 2010) As Pope Benedict XVI is preparing to return to the Vatican on Thursday after his summer stay at Castel Gandolfo, the Papal Summer Residence, he bid farewell to the Staff there thanking them for the spirit of their service during his stay there. The Pontiff expressed his special thanks to the Director, Dr. Saverio Petrillo, for the skill and expertise that he as Director, together with all his staff, dedicated to the care of the building and of the Pontifical Villas. He called on them to continue in their daily witness to faith, especially through their docile listening to the Word of God in the liturgy, particularly as they celebrated together on Wednesday the feast of three great Messengers of the Word who enlighten, guide, protect, comfort, support: the holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, sent by God, with specific missions, in particular moments of salvation history. Every Christian said the Holy Father is called to accept and live daily with joy and simplicity, the word of truth that the Lord communicates to us. The Pope reminded them that on Thursday with the celebration of the feast of St Jerome who placed the Bible at the centre of our lives, we are called upon to live in constant personal dialogue with the Word of God, given to us in Sacred Scripture, reading it not as the word of the past, but as a living Word, which speaks to us daily and challenges us. He assured them of his constant prayers that all may learn and understand deeply the Word of God, which is the encouragement and source of Christian life to each person and every situation.