Pope Benedict XVI Address to the members of The Circolo San Pietro

(June 26, 2010) Pope Benedict XVI, while encouraging the Members of the Circolo San Pietro for their manifestation of the Christian principles of charity and service, called on them to propagate a message of hope to those less fortunate and become the heralds of the Lord’s Gospel drawing fruit from prayer and spirit of sacrifice. He was addressing the members of the Circolo San Pietro, in Rome on Saturday, 26^th of June, at their presentation of Peter’s pence ahead of the Solemnity of the feast of Saints peter and Paul. The Circolo San Pietro was founded in Rome in 1869 through the efforts of a group of young men, guided by Cardinal Iacobini to support the Pope in his works of charity. The foundation offers its unconditional fidelity to the Church and the Roman Pontiff, supporting several charitable activities of the Pope, particularly in the area of food, clothing and shelter, based on their motto, “Prayer – Action – Sacrifice”. The Holy Father reminded them of the year for the Priests just concluded and their model St John Mary Vianney who was engaged in life of charity and the service of the poor. Keeping his example in mind he called on them to continue to be a concrete sign that the Pope's charity toward those in need both material and spiritual and helping pilgrims coming to Rome from all over the world to visit the tombs of the Apostles and to meet the Successor Peter. Pope Benedict XVI expressed his gratitude for their handing over of the Peter’s pence collected in the churches of Rome and asked them to remain in solidarity with the Holy See to the many realities of hardship and poverty, which unfortunately remain in Rome and in many parts of the world.