'Our own era, which has forgotton God, need message of Vatican II'

Pope addressing crowds yesterday image P Jennings

“Our own era, which has forgotten God, needs to be reminded of the profound message of the Council, that Christianity consists of faith in the triune God and in a personal and communal encounter with Christ who orients and gives meaning to life. Everything else flows from this.” emphasised Pope Benedict XVI, during an inspiring address at his weekly General Audience, held in St Peter’s Square, yesterday.

Speaking in English, the Holy Father said: “Today marks the eve of the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. I remember well the enthusiasm, the hope and the joy, not only of the bishops, but of the whole Church during that period.

“As we begin tomorrow the Year of Faith, it is more necessary than ever to return to the documents of this great Council, which was convoked, in the words of Blessed John the twenty-third, to proclaim the truths of the faith in a “renewed” way, all the while keeping intact their perennial content.”

The Holy Father continued: “As in the time of the Council, may we in our time recognise with clarity that God is present, he is watching over us, he responds to us, and that when man forgets God, he forgets what is essential to his own human dignity.

Pope Benedict XVI concluded: “The fiftieth anniversary of the Council thus remind us that the Church, in all its members, has the task of transmitting the message of God’s love which saves and which lead us to eternal beatitude.”