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On the Ecclesial Nature of Liturgical Prayer The Liturgy is the Act Whereby We Enter Into Contact with God VATICAN, OCTOBER 3, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave today in St. Peter’s Square. The Holy Father continued his new series of catecheses on prayer in the Sacred Liturgy by reflecting upon the ecclesial nature of liturgical prayer. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, In the last catechesis I began to speak about one of the privileged sources of Christian prayer: the sacred liturgy, which – as the Catechism of the Catholic Church states...

On the Sacred Liturgy as a School of Prayer "Lord, teach us to pray" VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 26, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave today at the general audience in St. Peter's Square. The Holy Father began a new series of catecheses on prayer today, moving from prayer in sacred Scripture to prayer in the sacred liturgy. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, In recent months, we have made a journey in the light of God’s Word in order to learn to pray more authentically, by looking at several great figures of the...

On Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Journey to Lebanon "Concord and reconciliation must be stronger than the forces of death" VATICAN, SEPTEMBER 19, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave today in the Paul VI Hall. The Holy Father dedicated today’s audience to reflecting on his recent apostolic journey to Lebanon. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, Today I would like briefly to return in mind and heart to the extraordinary days of my recent apostolic journey to Lebanon. It was a visit I greatly desired to make despite the difficult circumstances, seeing that a...

On Prayer in the 2nd Part of the Book of Revelation [Apocalypse] "There are no superfluous, useless prayers; not one of them is lost" VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 12, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave today in Paul VI Hall at the general audience. The Holy Father today continued his reflection on prayer in the book of Revelation [Apocalypse]. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, Last Wednesday I spoke about prayer in the first part of Revelation[Apocalypse]. Today we move on to the second part of the book; and whereas in the first part,...

Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Lebanon today and urged peace at a time of great turmoil in the Middle East. The trip will take the pope to the nation with the largest percentage of Christians in the Middle East — nearly 40 percent of Lebanon’s 4 million people, with Maronite Catholics the largest sect. Violence broke out in Tripoli as Pope Benedict arrived. Hundreds of protesters set alight a Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Hardee’s restaurant in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on Friday, witnesses said, chanting against the pope’s visit to Lebanon and shouting anti-U.S. slogans.

On Prayer in Part 1 of Revelation [Apocalypse] "The Church at prayer, in welcoming the Lord's Word, is transformed" VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 5, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave today during the general audience held in Paul VI Hall. The Holy Father reflected on prayer in the first part of the Book of Revelation [Apocalypse]. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, Today, after a summer holiday break, we resume the audiences at the Vatican, and I would like to continue in that "school of prayer" that I am living together with you...

On the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist "The Truth is the Truth; there is no compromise" CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, AUG. 29, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave today during the general audience held in the main square at Castel Gandolfo. Today the Holy Father reflected on the figure of St. John the Baptist, whose martyrdom we celebrate today. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, This final Wednesday of the month of August marks the liturgical memorial of the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus. In the Roman...

On the Queenship of Mary "She is queen precisely by loving us" CASTEL GANDOLFO, AUG. 22, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave today during the general audience held at Castel Gandolfo. The Holy Father focused his meditation on today's liturgical memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, Today marks the liturgical memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, invoked under the title: "Queen." It is a feast of recent institution, even though it is ancient in its origin and devotion: It was established by the...

Pope's Homily on Solemnity of the Assumption "Mary is the Dawn and Splendor of the Church Triumphant" CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, AUG. 16, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is the translation of Pope Benedict XVI’s homily on the feast of the Assumption at the parish church of St. Thomas of Villanova in Castel Gandolfo. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, On November 1, 1950, the Venerable Pope Pius XII proclaimed as dogma that the Virgin Mary “having ended the course of earthly life, was assumed into heavenly glory in soul and body.” This truth of faith was known by the Tradition, affirmed...

On the Prayer of St. Dominic "The day he dedicated to his neighbor, but the night he gave to God" CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, AUG. 8, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave today during the general audience held at Castel Gandolfo. This morning the Holy Father reflected on the prayer of St. Dominic. * * * Dear brothers and sisters! Today the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Dominic de Guzmán, priest and founder of the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominicans. In a previous catechesis, I presented this illustrious figure and...

On Prayer According to St. Alphonsus Liguori "He who prays is saved. He who prays not is damned!" CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, AUG. 1, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave today during the general audience held at Castel Gandolfo. This morning the Holy Father resumed his Wednesday audiences after a customary pause in July by reflecting on St. Alphonsus Liguori's teaching on prayer. * * * Dear brothers and sisters! Today marks the liturgical memorial of St. Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori, bishop and doctor of the Church, founder of the Congregation of the Most...

The German magazine Titanic, founded in 1979 by former contributors and editors of Pardon, a satirical monthly, after they had a series of conflicts with their publisher, is mocking Pope Benedict XVI and holding the Holy Father up to contempt by depicting him as a senile and incontinent person. See here. In our modern, paganistic world, the authority of the Holy Father is often challenged, openly defied and even rejected. The early Christians understood Peter's divinely appointed role. They understood that the Lord Jesus appointed Peter to be the guardian and teacher of the Church. They loved him, honored him...

On Prayer in St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians "To learn the mind of Christ is the way of Christian life" VATICAN CITY, JUNE 27, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave today during the general audience held in the Paul VI Audience Hall. Pope Benedict today continued his catecheses on prayer by reflecting on the Christological hymn contained in St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, Our prayer is made up, as we have seen over the past Wednesdays, of silences and words, of song and gesture...

On Prayer of Praise and Thanks "In prayer we must accustom ourselves to being with God" VATICAN CITY, JUNE 20, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave today during the general audience held in St. Peter’s Square. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, Very often, our prayer is a request for help in time of need. And this is normal for man, for we need help, we need others, we need God. Thus, it is normal for us to ask something of God, to look to Him for help; and we must bear...

In a recorded message to mark the end of the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin, Ireland, Pope Benedict XVI said that some members of the religious orders in Ireland had "abused people and undermined the credibility of the Church's message." Reflecting upon the sins committed by priests and consecrated religious, the Holy Father asked, "How are we to explain the fact that people who regularly received the Lord's Body and confessed their sins in the Sacrament of Penance have offended in this way?...It remains a mystery." See here. It is a mystery and at the same time it isn't. The sexual...

On St. Paul the Apostles Experience of Contemplative Prayer "As our union with the Lord grows and our prayer intensifies, we too come to focus on the essential" VATICAN CITY, JUNE 13, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave today during the general audience held in St. Peter’s Square [From the photos, it looks like Paul VI Hall.-ELS]. The Pope today continued his reflection on the lessons taught by the prayer life of St. Paul. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, Daily encounter with the Lord and frequenting the sacraments allow our minds...

Pope Benedict leads Corpus Christi procession in Rome on June 7, 2012. Rome, Italy, Jun 7, 2012 / 05:35 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI says the Second Vatican Council did not reject Eucharistic adoration outside of Mass, including the Corpus Christi procession that he led this evening in Rome. “One unilateral interpretation of the Second Vatican Council has penalized this dimension, restricting in practice the Eucharist to the moment of celebration,” the Pope said during his homily for the Feast of Corpus Christi on June 7. “In this case, the accentuation placed on the celebration of the Eucharist acted...

On the Pastoral Visit to Milan for Family Meeting Love is the Only Force that Can Transform the World VATICAN CITY, JUNE 6, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave during the general audience held in St. Peter’s Square. Today the Holy Father reviewed his trip of last Friday through Sunday to Milan for the 7th World Meeting of Families. * * * “The family, work and celebration”: this was the theme of the Seventh World Meeting of Families, which took place in recent days in Milan. I still carry in my mind’s eye...

On Prayer in St. Pauls Second Letter to the Corinthians "In our prayer we are called to say yes to God and to respond with the amen of adherence" VATICAN CITY, MAY 30, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave during the general audience held in St. Peter’s Square. Today the Holy Father continued his series of catecheses on prayer in the Letters of St. Paul. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, In these catecheses we are pondering prayer in the letters of St. Paul, and we are seeking to see Christian prayer...

On the Holy Spirit's Prayer in Us: 'Abba! Father!' "God has inscribed Himself in our hearts" VATICAN CITY, MAY 23, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave during the general audience held in St. Peter’s Square. Today the Holy Father continued his series of catecheses on prayer. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, Last Wednesday I showed how St. Paul says that the Holy Spirit is the great teacher of prayer and teaches us to address God with the affectionate words of children, calling Him “Abba, Father”. This is what Jesus did; even...