Pope Benedict XVI has asked forgiveness on behalf of generations of
“cradle Catholics” who have failed to transmit the faith to others.
“We
who have known God since we were young, must ask forgiveness,” said
Pope Benedict to a gathering of his former students at the papal summer
residence of Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, on Aug. 28.
The Pope
said an apology is due because “we bring people so little of the light
of His face, because from us comes so little certainty that He exists,
that He is there, and that He is the Great One that everyone is waiting
for.”
The Pope’s comments were made at a Mass to conclude the annual meeting of his “Schülerkreis” or “Study Group.”
The Pope’s comments were made at a Mass to conclude the annual meeting of his “Schülerkreis” or “Study Group.”
The
gathering has taken place every summer since 1977 and draws together
those who defended their doctoral theses in front of Pope Benedict
during his years teaching theology at various universities in Germany.
This
year they were joined, for the first time, by those who have more
recently written their doctrinal theses on works of the Pope.
Together,
the 40 invitees had spent four days exploring the issue of the “new
evangelization.”
The Pope based his brief introductory comments
upon the words of the psalm of the day, Psalm 62, which describes the
human soul that thirsts for God “like a dry and weary land.”
Pope
Benedict said that believers should ask Christ—who is the living
water—to send them “those who seek the living water elsewhere.”
Just
days after the success of World Youth Day in Madrid, he also asked for
particular prayers for young people.
The homily for the Mass was
delivered by another former student of the Pope – Cardinal Christoph
Schonborn of Vienna - who spoke of the need for complete renunciation of
self required by radical Christian discipleship.
“Only by not conforming ourselves to this world, can we recognize the will of God and make it the foundation of our lives,” he said.
Pope Benedict’s academic career spanned 26 years and saw him teach at universities in Bonn, Munster, Tubingen and Regensburg, prior to his appointment as Archbishop of Munich and Freising in 1977.
“Only by not conforming ourselves to this world, can we recognize the will of God and make it the foundation of our lives,” he said.
Pope Benedict’s academic career spanned 26 years and saw him teach at universities in Bonn, Munster, Tubingen and Regensburg, prior to his appointment as Archbishop of Munich and Freising in 1977.
Despite his increasing
responsibilities, he has always attended the annual gathering of his
alumni, even after becoming Pope in 2005.