Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI spent the month of August at his Summer Residence in Castel Gandolfo, in the Albanian hills outside Rome. Here, after three weeks rest at Les Combes in Valle d’Aosta, he resumed his ordinary activity. Every Wednesday he went to Rome by helicopter to give the general audience continuing his catechesis on the figures of the Twelve Apostles. August was also marked by his repeated calls for peace in the Middle East, Lebanon especially where the people, mostly Christians, are sorely affected by yet another conflict in this area.
On 5 August in preparation for his pastoral visit to Bavaria 9 to 14 September the Pope gave an interview to German media Bayerischer Rundfunk (ARD), ZDF, Deutsche Welle and to Vatican Radio,. Speaking without a text replying to questions the Pope tackled various matters. At the end of the month, on the 31st August, the Pope spoke again without a text in response to questions by the clergy of the diocese of Albano, of which Castel Gandolfo is part, whom he received in a special private audience. The Pope on this occasion spoke of the difficulties encountered by the priest in his mission and said like every mission it must be nourished by prayer: The Pope said: “…the Church gives us, imposes upon us - but always like a good Mother - the obligation to make free time for God with the two practices that constitute a part of our duties: the celebration of Holy Mass and the recitation of the Breviary”.
