Bread and the Word

On June 17th, in the Hall of Blessings, the Pope received members of the Association of Sts. Peter and Paul, to whom he expressed his gratitude for their many years of service to Peter's Successor.

After stressing its "dedicated voluntary service to the Holy See," Benedict XVI recalled how the association is divided into three sections, liturgical charitable and cultural, "reflecting the three complementary aspects of the life and activity of ecclesial communities."

The Holy Father called on members of the association to ensure that "an intense life of prayer and assiduous participation in the liturgy continue to be your primary commitment, both as individuals and as an association. ... Only if we allow ourselves to be constantly formed by listening to the Word of God, and assiduously nourish ourselves on the Body and Blood of Christ, can we transmit to others the love of God, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit."

"You seek," he went on, "to be witnesses of this love for the poor in the 'Dono di Maria' shelter," which is near the Vatican and run by the Sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, "and in the pediatric dispensary of 'Santa Marta'," within the Vatican, "as well as through social initiatives promoted in your own parishes. May charity animate all your activities."

The Pope concluded his address to the group by referring to the need "for adequate cultural formation in order to be able to mature in the faith. Evangelization today requires a responsible knowledge of modern cultural needs and a constant immersion in sound Catholic doctrine."