Pope Benedict XVI applauds faith of Camaldolese monks
June 09, 2012: ‘The testimony of the Camaldolese monks' faith down the centuries
have led believers to know Christ, to love him, and to strive to imitate him, said
Pope Benedict XVI in a letter to Cardinal Joseph Bertello’, President of the Prefecture
of Vatican City and Special Envoy of the Holy Father to the millennium celebrations
of the founding of Holy Hermitage of Camaldoli. According to the letter dated 10th
May and released on Saturday the celebration is scheduled to take place on 19 June
2012. St. Raymond, the father of the Camaldolese monks, seeking a hermit life and
discipline, built monasteries for monks in Italy for several years, tirelessly promoting
life based on the gospels. In 1012 he founded the Holy Hermitage in the desert region
of Arezzo, which was the principal seat of the movement of monastic solitude. This
hermitage favored both the human and spiritual development. While celebrating
the millennium of the Holy Hermitage, we can learn the virtues and way of life of
St. Raymond. His teachings and practice are useful even to the faithful of our time,
the Pope said in his letter. Recalling his participation at the solemn celebration
of Vespers with the monks of the Camaldolese in March, the Pontiff said that he wanted
to foster this way of the Gospel. Pope concluded his message by imparting his Apostolic
Blessing to all those who gather on 19th June to celebrate the occasion
especially Camaldolese brothers and sisters, bishops, priests, religious and lay faithful.