Dinner with Pope Benedict XVI

The sun was shining in my face while I walked through the streets of Rome, Italy. I looked at my watch to see the time and I realized that it was already 5 o’clock.  Only 30 minutes until I have to be at the Papal Palace where I am meeting Pope Benedict XVI.  I quickly pulled out my map, so I could look up where the Papal Palace was located.  I wish the pope had given me direction, but I did tell him over the phone that I knew where I was going.

            Following the map was harder than I thought, but I made it to the Papal Palace with 2 minutes to spare.  The building was old and it reminded me of a castle.  I opened the big doors and walked down the hall.  Pope Benedict told me upstairs and the second room on the left.  I walked up the stairs, and then as I turned into the room, Pope Benedict was sitting across the table.  The table was long and the chairs with tall with fancy designs around them.  He welcomed me in with a big smile across his face.  As I entered the room, I noticed the walls of the room were painted with reds and gold’s.  The walls told a story about Jesus’ birth, and the feelings Mary was going through as her son was being born.  I sat down at the table and there was plenty of food for a seven or eight people.  Does the pope think I am going to eat all of this food?

            The pope handed me a plate of chicken, and as he was handing me the plate, I realized he was wearing all white and had white buttons on the top of his outfit.  How does he keep his clothes so white, thinking in my head?  As I started to eat, he started to talk to me about his years before a pope and how he decided to take the religious path; he described to me God’s call to him to take the path of a religious life.  He spoke with elegance and grace, and every word that came out of his mouth just put me in awe.  I have never heard anyone in my life talk like he talks. 

As I finished up my meal and as he finished up his talking, I looked at my watch and realized it was 8 o’clock. I had been here for 2 and half hours with Pope Benedict.  He sat up, so I sat up and pushed in my chair. He took my hand and shook it firmly, and then escorted me down the stairs and out the door.  He told me he had a pleasant time, and I welcomed anytime. The dinner with Pope Benedict went very well, and for the rest of the night I walked around Rome with a smile on my face.   

"In this place of horror"

One of Pope Benedict IXV's famous speech is called "In this place of horror."  He was the second pope (Pope John Paul II) that visited a death camp (Auschwitz Camp).  I read his speech and his speech was moving and powerful.  Until the Pope John Paul II was for the Polish people when he was at the camp, but Pope Benedict was for the Polish people.  He knows the people are in distress and in pain, but God will always be with them. His final word, he ended from Psalm 23 which went like this "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.  He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff - they comfort me ... I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long."

Here is the link to his speech:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2006/may/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060528_auschwitz-birkenau_en.html

More about Pope Benedict XVI

Throughout this week, I continued to find more information about Pope Benedict XVI.  Although this was not his first book he wrote, "Introduction to Christianity" was an important book that explained about how theologians have a hard time taking about God to the younger generations.  He quoted, in his book, a story by Kierkegaard which was called “the clown and the burning village.”  It was a good comparison to explain how theologians feel and how people see them in life.  I did not read the whole book, but I read the first couple of pages and the book was interested.  I would definitely enjoy some of his books that he writes and I am excited to learn and read more Pope Benedict XVI.  

Here is the link to the book I was reading:
 http://books.google.com/books?id=LJlkwvExekkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false 

Quotes

I found this and the quotes from this website made me smile.
http://sayingimages.com/tag/tumblr-pictures/

Another Look into Pope Benedict XVI

As I continued to look up Pope Benedict XVI, I found some really interesting information about him and more speeches and homilies he wrote.

This article describes Pope Benedict's life:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/biography/documents/hf_ben-xvi_bio_20050419_short-biography_en.html

Here are some of his speeches:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2012/january/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20120127_dottrina-fede_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2011/april/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20110416_ambassador-spain_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2010/august/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20100829_schulerkreis_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2008/march/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20080321_via-crucis-colosseo_en.html

Here are some of his prayers:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/prayers/documents/hf_ben-xvi_20110327_fosse-ardeatine_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20110202_vita-consacrata_en.html#I_entrust_them_to_the_Blessed_Virgin_Mary
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2010/december/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20101208_immacolata_en.html

Here are some of his homilies:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2012/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20120202_vita-consacrata_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20111231_te-deum_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2009/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20091231_te-deum_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2008/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20081231_te-deum_en.html

Smile

                 

When I saw this it made me smile!! I hope it makes you smile!

The Look Out

As I was sitting in the Mohag I saw many interesting and intriguing people.  Every person was unique in there own way.

Person #1: A boy in his red hoody was eating a crispy and a crunchy hawaiian pizza. He has a big cup of some kind of liquid, and sits alone in the Mohag. While eating he watches other people come in and out of the Mohag.

Person #2: There is a girl with a pink hat on and her hat has a pink bow on it.  The rest of her outfit is black and white, so her pink hat stands out from the rest of her outfit.

Person #3: A girl with a bright pink shirt eating dinner with a bunch of other people. She has a long ponytail which is pretty high on her head.  She sits back in her chair while having a conversation with the people at the table with her.

Person #4: There is a girl with a red scarf. The scarf pops out because the rest of her outfit is dull colored. She walks with confidence as she passes the booth I was sitting in.

Person #5: Tucked away in a booth, a boy with a black shirt on looks at his computer. As people walk by he does not look up or move. He stays put in the same position.

Pope Benedict XVI

            Being a Catholic defines a big part of who I am in life today.  I go to church every week either with my friends when I am at school or with my family when I am at home.  At school and at home I am involved within the church for example I am a lector at my church at home and I am a Eucharistic ministry at school.  I make sure my faith is during the school year; I could not get through a week at school without going to church on Sunday.  I chose Pope Benedict XVI as the public intellectual person I want to research because religion and being a Catholic as I said earlier is important to me; without religion there would be a part of me missing in life. 

            Pope Benedict XVI has written a number of books.  Some of the books are about specific saints such as Saint Paul and other books are about Jesus.  Each book Pope Benedict writes is special to him, and he puts his best thoughts into the book he is writing at the time.  The books reflect on what the facts and his feelings about Christianity.  Some examples of his books are Friendship with Jesus, A Study Guide for Jesus, and Light of the World. I have not read any of his books, but I am sure that a few of his books were interest me if I decided to read them.  Pope Benedict XVI has many good qualities to him, and with his knowledge about Christianity and Jesus, I am sure to learn new interesting facts about my religion that I am so closely too.

Here is a link that lists his books that has written. His books are inspirational to many people.

http://www.ignatius.com/promotions/benedictxvibooks/

In this article Pope Benedict speaks to the general audience about St. Paul.

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2009/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20090204_en.html

This was said at the University of Regensburg.

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2006/september/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060912_university-regensburg_en.html