Pope Benedict XVI Address to the Congress of the International Benedictine Confederation
(September 20, 2008) In a world that is de-sacralised and in an era marked by a disturbing
culture of emptiness and lack of meaning, you are called to proclaim without compromise
the supremacy of God and make proposals for any new paths of evangelization, said
Pope Benedict XVI. He was addressing the Congress of the International Benedictine
Confederation of Men and women in Rome at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.
He said that their personal commitment to holiness, community life, and their observance
of liturgical prayer enables them to be effective witnesses in the world of today.
The Holy Father added that their monasteries are places where men and women, even
in the present age, flock to seek God and learn to recognize the signs of the presence
of Christ, his love, his mercy. Pope Benedict called on them never to be tired of
sharing with those who turn to them for their spiritual concerns, the richness of
the Gospel message, which is summarized in the merciful love of the Father, ready
to embrace Christ in every person. He asked them to continue to offer their valuable
contribution to the vitality and the sanctification of God's people, according to
the peculiar charisma of Benedict of Norcia. In fact, it is their primary concern
to prepare young people to face their future and to go along with the multiple needs
of society having a constant reference to the Gospel message, offering them the opportunity
to closely approach the spiritual liturgy, meditation, and scripture reading. The
Pope also reminded them of their special vocation of hospitality together spiritual
and liturgical charism, through which they can offer men and women, the opportunity
to deepen the sense of the horizon infinity of Christian hope, cultivating the inner
silence in the communion of the Word of salvation. Addressing the Sisters the Pope
said that they also are going through the crisis of vocation like others. But they
should not be discouraged but face the difficulty with commitment and fidelity to
their call to Christ.