Fidelity to the Vicar of Christ, " expresses the unique bond existing between the Pope and his direct collaborators", " is a bond grounded in the priestly character that they have received "and that" it is deeply tied to the supernatural gift of faith, "a bond that is "something which ought to apply to every Catholic, and even more to every priest. " Those, then, working at the Holy See also have " a serious responsibility, but also a special gift which as time goes on should make you grow in closeness to the Pope, a closeness marked by interior trust, a natural idem sentire, which is exactly expressed by the word "faithfulness". "
Theme perhaps not coincidental that of fidelity to the pope, chosen by Benedict XVI for the annual year-end meeting with students of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, which trains diplomats of the Holy See, in a period in which the Vatican is hit by leaks of documents and memoirs that fuel speculation and rumors certainly not always of a disinterested nature. The Pope did not mention any of this today, he even repeated his "gratitude the assistance that I receive every day from my many collaborators in the Roman Curia and in Papal Representations, as well as the support that comes to me from the prayers of countless brothers and sisters worldwide. "
"God's faithfulness is the key to, and the source of, our own faithfulness," said Benedict XVI in the first place, adding that "In the Bible, faithfulness is above all a divine attribute: God reveals himself as the one who remains ever faithful to his Covenant with his people, despite their unfaithfulness. As the Faithful One, God sees to the fulfilment of his loving plan; thus, he is trustworthy and true. His way of acting makes it possible in turn for men and women to be faithful. In our case, the virtue of faithfulness is profoundly linked to the supernatural gift of faith; it becomes the expression of that steadfastness proper to those who have made God the foundation of their entire lives. "
"Faithfulness to Peter, who sends you forth, also gives rise to a special faithfulness towards those to whom you are sent. The Representatives of the Roman Pontiff and their collaborators are called upon to interpret his solicitude for all the Churches, as well as the affectionate concern with which he follows the journey of each people. You should therefore cultivate a relationship of profound esteem and benevolence, and indeed true friendship, towards the Churches and the communities to which you will be sent. You are also bound to faithfulness in their regard, a faithfulness concretely manifested each day by your diligence and devotion to your work, by your presence among them at moments of joy, sadness and even tragedy, by your coming to know their culture, their journey as a Church, and by your appreciation of all that God's grace has accomplished in every people and nation. "
"Thus you will also encourage and help the particular Churches to grow in faithfulness to the Roman Pontiff and to find in the principle of communion with the universal Church a sure direction for their own pilgrimage through history. Not least, you will also help the Successor of Peter to be faithful to the mission he has received from Christ, enabling him to know better the flock entrusted to his care and to be present to it more effectively by his words, his closeness, his affection. Here I can only mention with gratitude the assistance that I receive every day from my many collaborators in the Roman Curia and in Papal Representations, as well as the support that comes to me from the prayers of countless brothers and sisters worldwide. Dear friends, to the extent that you are faithful, you will also be worthy of faith. We know too that the faithfulness proper to the Church and to the Holy See is no "blind" loyalty, for it is enlightened by our faith in the One who said: "You are Peter, and on on this rock I will build my Church" (Mt 16:18). Let us all be committed to following this path, so that one day we may hear the words of the Gospel parable: "Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master" (cf. Mt 25:21)"
Theme perhaps not coincidental that of fidelity to the pope, chosen by Benedict XVI for the annual year-end meeting with students of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, which trains diplomats of the Holy See, in a period in which the Vatican is hit by leaks of documents and memoirs that fuel speculation and rumors certainly not always of a disinterested nature. The Pope did not mention any of this today, he even repeated his "gratitude the assistance that I receive every day from my many collaborators in the Roman Curia and in Papal Representations, as well as the support that comes to me from the prayers of countless brothers and sisters worldwide. "
"God's faithfulness is the key to, and the source of, our own faithfulness," said Benedict XVI in the first place, adding that "In the Bible, faithfulness is above all a divine attribute: God reveals himself as the one who remains ever faithful to his Covenant with his people, despite their unfaithfulness. As the Faithful One, God sees to the fulfilment of his loving plan; thus, he is trustworthy and true. His way of acting makes it possible in turn for men and women to be faithful. In our case, the virtue of faithfulness is profoundly linked to the supernatural gift of faith; it becomes the expression of that steadfastness proper to those who have made God the foundation of their entire lives. "
"Faithfulness to Peter, who sends you forth, also gives rise to a special faithfulness towards those to whom you are sent. The Representatives of the Roman Pontiff and their collaborators are called upon to interpret his solicitude for all the Churches, as well as the affectionate concern with which he follows the journey of each people. You should therefore cultivate a relationship of profound esteem and benevolence, and indeed true friendship, towards the Churches and the communities to which you will be sent. You are also bound to faithfulness in their regard, a faithfulness concretely manifested each day by your diligence and devotion to your work, by your presence among them at moments of joy, sadness and even tragedy, by your coming to know their culture, their journey as a Church, and by your appreciation of all that God's grace has accomplished in every people and nation. "
"Thus you will also encourage and help the particular Churches to grow in faithfulness to the Roman Pontiff and to find in the principle of communion with the universal Church a sure direction for their own pilgrimage through history. Not least, you will also help the Successor of Peter to be faithful to the mission he has received from Christ, enabling him to know better the flock entrusted to his care and to be present to it more effectively by his words, his closeness, his affection. Here I can only mention with gratitude the assistance that I receive every day from my many collaborators in the Roman Curia and in Papal Representations, as well as the support that comes to me from the prayers of countless brothers and sisters worldwide. Dear friends, to the extent that you are faithful, you will also be worthy of faith. We know too that the faithfulness proper to the Church and to the Holy See is no "blind" loyalty, for it is enlightened by our faith in the One who said: "You are Peter, and on on this rock I will build my Church" (Mt 16:18). Let us all be committed to following this path, so that one day we may hear the words of the Gospel parable: "Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master" (cf. Mt 25:21)"