Pope Benedict XVI’s Address to the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life
and Societies of Apostolic Lives
(November 20, 2008) Under the absolute primacy given to Christ, the monasteries are called to be places where there is the celebration of the glory of God, and singing of the mystery of real divine presence in the world. Your aim is to live the new commandment of 'Love and mutual service, thus preparing the final manifestation of the sons of God, said Pope Benedict XVI. He was addressing plenary meeting of the members of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Lives in Rome on Thursday, 20th November. This Meeting, said the Pontiff, is very important occasion to greet and thank all those who work in the Congregation and particularly for the congress to be held on November 22, titled "One Hundred Years of Service to consecrated life" to celebrate the founding of the Congregation a century ago by Pope Pius X in 2008. The Pope then said that Consecrated persons are the chosen People of God: to support and preserve the fidelity to the divine call and the fundamental commitment that one carries out in a manner well-tested by the experience accumulated in the past hundred years of activity. The assembly said the Holy Father, has focussed its attention on Monastic life that has come from the experience of the Pentecost and had inspired the members of the early church, a concept which is dear to his heart even today. The conclusions of their work, focusing especially on women's monastic life, will provide useful information to those who, monks and nuns, "search God", realizing that their vocation is for the good of the whole Church, he added. The path is indicated by the Holy Scripture and as specified by the Synod of Bishops, held in Rome recently on the theme: The Word of God in the life and mission of the Church. This renews the call for all Christians to base their lives listening to the Word of God and called on the religious communities, and every person to the practice of lectio divina., said the Pope.
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