Pope Benedict, ‘in
the footsteps of Benedict XV’,
places ministry at service of ‘reconciliation and harmony between
peoples’
Vatican City, Apr. 27, 2005 (CNA) - Some 15,000 people were present
this morning in St. Peter’s Square as Pope Benedict XVI gave the
first General Audience of his new pontificate and explained some of
the weight behind his use of the name ‘Benedict’.
At the outset of the audience, the Holy Father spoke of the "awe and
gratitude to God” he is feeling as he begins his ministry as 265th
Bishop of Rome.
He told the gathered throngs that God “surprised me more than anyone
in calling me to succeed the Apostle Peter,” and noted the “interior
trepidation before the greatness of the task and the
responsibilities which have been entrusted to me.”
“However,” he said, “I draw serenity and joy from the certainty of
God's help, that of His most Holy Mother the Virgin Mary, and of the
patron saints. I also feel supported by the spiritual closeness of
all the people of God whom, as I repeated last Sunday, I continue to
ask to accompany me with persistent prayer."
The Holy Father also shed light on the much-speculated reasoning for
his choice of papal names.
“I chose to call myself Benedict XVI”, he said, “ideally as a link
to the venerated Pontiff, Benedict XV, who guided the Church through
the turbulent times of the First World War. He was a true and
courageous prophet of peace who struggled strenuously and bravely,
first to avoid the drama of war and then to limit its terrible
consequences.”
“In his footsteps I place my ministry, in the service of
reconciliation and harmony between peoples, profoundly convinced
that the great good of peace is above all a gift of God, a fragile
and precious gift to be invoked, safeguarded and constructed, day
after day and with everyone's contribution.”
"The name Benedict”, he continued, “also evokes the extraordinary
figure of the great 'patriarch of western monasticism,' St. Benedict
of Norcia, co-patron of Europe with Cyril and Methodius.”
He spoke of the “progressive expansion of the Benedictine Order
which he founded”, which had an “enormous influence on the spread of
Christianity throughout the European continent.”
“For this reason,” the Pope said, “St. Benedict is much venerated in
Germany, and especially in Bavaria, my own land of origin; he
constitutes a fundamental point of reference for the unity of Europe
and a powerful call to the irrefutable Christian roots of European
culture and civilization."
The Holy Father implored St. Benedict’s intercession "to hold firm
Christ's central position in our lives. May he always be first in
our thoughts and in all our activities!"
Pope Benedict, recalling the reflections on Christian virtues begun
by Pope John Paul I, and continued by John Paul II at the beginning
of his pontificate, announced that in coming weekly audiences he
would resume "the comments prepared by John Paul II on the second
part of the Psalms and Canticles, which are part of Vespers.”
“From next Wednesday,” he said, “I will begin precisely from where
his catechesis was interrupted after the general audience of January
26."
The Holy Father greeted various groups gathered in Croatian,
Slovenian and Polish and specially addressed the 1,000 faithful from
the archdiocese of Spoleto-Norcia, Italy, who had come to Rome
accompanied by Archbishop Riccardo Fontana. He also summarized his
catechesis, given in Italian, briefly in English, French, Spanish
and German. |
