Priorities
Most important thing to know is God and his saving grace, pope saysVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In a world marked by enormous discoveries and intellectual achievements, people must not overlook that the most important thing to know is God and his saving grace, said Pope Benedict XVI. There are so many things to know and learn in today's information age, but all that knowledge can become 'problematic, indeed dangerous, if the fundamental knowledge that gives us meaning and direction' -- an awareness of God -- is missing, the pope said in his Jan. 11 general audience. What makes humans different from beasts and other animals is that they are able to recognize the truth and know that awareness of God will become 'a relationship and friendship,' said the pope in remarks apart from his text. 'It is important in this age that we do not forget God' among all the many things there are to know and discover, he said. Pope Benedict delivered his Jan. 11 catechesis inside the Vatican's Paul VI hall as morning temperatures outside hovered above freezing.
Pope Tosses Notes
- - -Pope ad-libs, tosses texts to communicate, engage crowdsVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As he develops his own style of communicating, Pope Benedict XVI has found a way to engage crowds and unsettle his aides: ad-libbing. Increasingly, the pope has been putting down his prepared text -- or sometimes just tossing it altogether -- in favor of extemporaneous remarks. What his audiences find amazing is how easily the 78-year-old pope can stand and deliver an impromptu talk or sermon that ranges over Scripture, patristic writings, social ethics and pastoral policies. 'He's using a fluid form of speaking to deliver a content that is very pastoral. It's on a high level, but you can see that his audience follows it,' said Joaquin Navarro-Valls, Vatican spokesman. As one longtime Vatican observer commented, 'Even in his spontaneous talks, the flow of argument and the citing of sources is impressive. It's as if he can reference 2,000 years of Christian thought in his head.'
