Pope resumes general audience with St. Alphonsus' teaching on prayer

(August 01, 2012) After a month-long vacation, Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday resumed his weekly general audience with a reflection on prayer. During the general audience, or meeting with the public, pilgrims and tourists who come to Rome have a chance of seeing and hearing the Pope speak in several languages and receive his blessing. The general audience of August 1^st took place not in Vatican City but in the square in front of the summer papal residence in the hill town of Castel Gandolfo, just southeast of Rome, where the Pope just ended his vacation. The audience began with aides greeting the Pope in several languages on behalf of the pilgrims.
The main discourse of the Pope was however in Italian on the theme of prayer according to the teachings of the saint of the day, Alphonsus Liguori, the 18th century Italian Bishop and Doctor of the Church who founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer or the Redemptorists. Particularly known for his teaching on the Sacrament of Penance and prayer at the time of the Jansenist heresy, St. Alphonsus describes prayer as ‘the necessary and sure means to obtain salvation and all the graces needed to achieve it.” Prayer is a means to reach God who created us to love Him. But this goal becomes unreachable because of sin, and only the grace of God can save us. The Pope said this made Alphonsus coin the phrase, “He who prays is certainly saved; he who does not is certainly damned.” The saint explained that the grace of praying has been given to all, and if we don’t pray it is our fault. One therefore needs to always knock with trust on the Lord’s door convinced that He takes care of his children. And we pray not only for our bodily needs but primarily for our soul, which is Jesus’ gift to us. Pope Benedict later summarized his catechesis for various groups, including English-speaking pilgrims.

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Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Alphonsus de’ Liguori, the founder of the Redemptorists, a great moral theologian and a master of prayer. Saint Alphonsus teaches us the beauty of daily prayer, in which we open our minds and hearts to the Lord’s presence and receive the grace to live wisely and well. By his example and intercession, may you and your families come to know God’s saving love and experience his abundant blessings!