Pope Benedict XVI said that the "prophetic insight" of Pope Paul VI helped the Church survive the "uneasy times" after Vatican II.Speaking at the conclusion of a concert held in the apostolic palace at Castel Gandolfo, celebrating the 110th anniversary of the birth of Pope Paul, the Holy Father said that his predecessor "guided the Church prudently and courageously, with realism and evangelical optimism nourished by unshakable faith."
During the reign of Paul VI, the Pope said, the world saw "profound cultural and religious changes."
Pope Paul did his best to "highlight the positive aspects" of those changes, Benedict XVI said; but he was also prepared to "highlight the contradictions" when necessary.
Pope Paul VI, the Pontiff continued, "hoped for the advent of a civilization of love," and helped to make people more aware of "the risks of scientific and technological progress cut loose from a solid ethical and spiritual grounding."
Pope Benedict offered his thoughts after an evening concert featuring works of Vivaldi, Bach, and Mozart.
The performance was by the International Festival Orchestra of Brescia and Bergamo.
Giovanni Battista Montini, the future Pope Paul VI, was born just outside Brescia on September 26, 1897.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce