PRAYER FOR OUR HOLY FATHER
POPE BENEDICT XVI
Taken from the Roman Sacramentary, Masses and Prayers For Various Needs and Occasions, 2. For the Pope.

Lord,
source of eternal life and truth,
give to your shepherd Pope Benedict XVI
a spirit of courage and right judgment,
a spirit of knowledge and love.
By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care
may he, as successor to the apostle Peter and vicar of Christ,
build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love, and peace
for all the world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever.
Amen.
 
POPE BENEDICT XVI OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Many people have asked where they can look for an official biography, a copy of a talk, or a statement by our new Holy Father.  The best reference is always the Vatican Website.  

Simply copy this address into your Web Browser and you will be directed to the most complete resource available. 

The Papal Website's address is: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/index.htm.

Apostolic Exhortation: "Sacramentum Caritas"

The Press Office of the Holy See has announced the presentation of the post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Sacramentum Caritatis" on the Eucharist, source and summit of the life and mission of the Church.

The exhortation, which is dated February 22, Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, is the final document of the synodal assembly held in Rome from October 2 to 23, 2005. It has been published in Latin, Italian, English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese and Polish.   It is 46 pages long with 14 pages of footnotes.  You can download it by visiting the Vatican website: www.vatican.va. Click on "The Holy See, English".  Then click on "Sacramentum Caritas".  

Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops pointed out that the document, "in presenting the great truths of Eucharistic faith in a way accessible to modern man, considers various current aspects of [Eucharistic] celebration and calls for a renewed commitment to building a more just and peaceful world, in which the Bread broken for everyone's life becomes ... the exemplary cause in the fight against hunger and against all forms of poverty."

This Apostolic Exhortation should be read by all those involved in the celebration of the Eucharist, clergy and laity.  It not only contains a fine summary of contemporary Eucharistic Theology, but it also addresses many pastoral questions that come up regarding Eucharistic celebration. For a outline of the important topics covered in this Apostolic Exhortation, please click on Outline.