VATICAN - Benedict XVI at the Angelus, mentions that “when the husband and wife generously dedicate themselves to the education of their children, guiding and orienting them in the discovery of God's design of life, they are preparing that fertile spiritual soil from which vocations”

Castel Gandolfo (Agenzia Fides) – The importance of the educational task of parents in the birth and growth of Christian families, of vocations, and the charisms of the Holy Spirit was addressed by the Holy Father Benedict XVI on Sunday, August 30, prior to the recitation of the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in the inner courtyard of the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo.
The Pope reflected mainly on the figure of Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine, “considered the model and patron of Christian mothers,” whose liturgical feast was celebrated on August 27. As he writes in his autobiography, “The Confessions,” “Augustine drinks in the name of Jesus with his mother's milk, and was educated by her in the Christian religion, whose principles would remain with him even in the years when he had hit bottom spiritually and morally. Monica never ceases to pray for him and for his conversion, and had the consolation of seeing him return to the faith and receive baptism. God heard the prayers of this saintly mother...St. Augustine repeated that his mother “gave birth to him twice.'”
After highlighting that “the history of Christianity is spangled with the countless examples of saints and authentic Christian families, who accompanied the life of generous priests and pastors of the Church,” the Holy Father mentioned St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen who both came from saintly families, the married couple Luigi Beltrame Quattrocchi and Maria Corsini, who lived from the end of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century and were beatified by John Paul II in October of 2001, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio. “When the husband and wife generously dedicate themselves to the education of their children, guiding and orienting them in the discovery of God's design of life, they are preparing that fertile spiritual soil from which vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life grow and mature. In this way one sees how matrimony and virginity are intimately connected and mutually illuminate each other, beginning with their common rootedness in Christ's spousal love,” Benedict XVI affirmed.
Prior to reciting the Angelus, the Pontiff encouraged all to invoke the Virgin Mary in this Year for Priests, so that “through the intercession of the holy Curé d'Ars, Christian families become little churches, in which all the Christian vocations and all charisms, given by the Holy Spirit, can be welcomed and valued” (from the Prayer for the Year for Priests).
Immediately following the Angelus, the Pope recalled the Day for the Protection of Creation which will be celebrated in Italy on September 1. This year's theme is the importance of air, an indispensable element for life. He encouraged everyone to have “a greater commitment to the safeguarding of creation, gift of God,” and asked that the industrialized nations especially, “to cooperate responsibly for the future of the planet, and that the poorest populations not pay the greatest price for climactic changes.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 31/8/2009)