Pope visits birthplace of Paul VI

November 09, 2009

Pope Benedict XVI flew from Rome to Brescia, Italy, on November 8 for a one-day visit to the diocese that was home to Pope Paul VI. Arriving in Brescia in the morning, he paused to venerate the remains of St. Arcangelo Tadini, who was canonized in April of this year. Then he continued to the city's cathedral, and celebrated an outdoor Mass on a nearby plaza. In his homily the Pope recalled the adage of Paul VI that the Church should be "poor and free," explaining that this was "how the ecclesial community must be in order to communicate with modern mankind."

In the afternoon the Pope continued his trip to Concesio, to visit where Paul VI was born. He also stopped at the Montini Auditorium, named for the former Pontiff, and blessed the headquarters of the new Paul VI Institute. There he described Paul VI as a "courageous witness of hope." He said that Paul VI "was not always understood," and sometimes found himself "assailed and isolated by the then-dominant cultural movements," but stood firm in his faith.

 

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Further information:

• Poor and Free Church in Dialogue with the Modern World (VIS)
• Holy Father Visits Birthplace of Paul VI (VIS)
• Living Our Baptism Means Remaining United to the Church (VIS)