Discourse of Pope Benedict XVI to the Regional Seminaries of Marche, Puglia and Abruzzo-Molise

(November 29, 2008) The Regional Seminaries, for their typical characteristics, may be privileged places to train seminarians to diocesan spirituality with wisdom and balance that trains them in the wider context of Church and regional levels, said Pope Benedict XVI. He was addressing the group of regional seminarians of Marche, Puglia and Abruzzo-Molise of Italy in Rome, on Saturday, 29^th of November on the occasion of the centenary of the foundation of their respective Regional Seminaries. He reminded them of the encouragement of Pope Saint Pius X, which urged the Italian Bishops, especially the central and southern peninsula, to agree to concentrate Seminaries, to provide for better training of candidates for the priesthood. The Holy Father then pointed to the recent Assembly of the Synod of Bishops that specified the priority of tasks of the priest is to spread in the world the Word of God, who, as the seed of the Gospel parable, it seems very small indeed, But once germinated, it becomes a large shrub and brings abundant fruit. We are living in an atmosphere marked by a sometimes rationalism closed in itself, which regards the practice of science the only model of knowledge, and everything else becomes subjective including the religious experience. This has made more and more difficult to accept the truth about Christ and the value of the Gospel. Therefore every Christian has a task to be the messengers of the Gospel. This task of Christians in a special way of priests is to meet the needs of the times, the immutable word of eternal life that is Christ, Hope of the world. In this Pauline year he called on them never to be tired of meeting Christ in listening, reading and study of Sacred Scripture, prayer and personal meditation, in the liturgy and in any other daily activities.