Benedict in Brindisi

Celebrating Mass during his pastoral visit to Brindisi (the 10th such visit within Italy since his 2005 election), this image of Pope Benedict XVI reveals the papal dalmatic beneath His Holiness' chasuble.

Bush in the Tower

Earlier today Pope Benedict XVI met with US President George W Bush and First Lady Laura Bush in the Torre San Giovanni, located in the Vatican Gardens. The tower was restored during the pontificate of Blessed John XXIII and used as a retreat by him.

Pope Benedict XVI on Columbanus

Below follows the text of Pope Benedict's discourse during the General Audience of Wednesday 11th June.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In today’s catechesis we turn to Saint Columban, one of the many Irish monks who contributed to the re-evangelization of Europe in the early Middle Ages. Columban made his monastic profession in Bangor and was ordained a priest. At the age of fifty, he left the monastery to begin missionary work in Europe, where entire regions had lapsed into paganism. Beginning in Brittany, Columban and his companions established monasteries at Annegray and Luxeuil. These became centres for the spread of the monastic and missionary ideals brought by the monks from their native Ireland. Columban introduced to Europe the Irish penititential discipline, including private confession. His stern moral teachings led to conflict with the local Bishops and the Frankish court, resulting in the exile of the Irish monks, first to the Rhineland and then to Italy. At Bobbio, where he established a great monastic centre, Columban worked for the conversion of the Arian Lombards and the restoration of unity with the Bishop of Rome. It was there that he died, leaving behind not only the example of an austere monastic life, but also a corpus of writings which shaped the monastic culture of the Middle Ages and thus nourished the Christian roots of Europe.

Blessed John XXIII - 45th Anniversary

25.XI.1881 - 3.VI.1963

Now THAT'S what I call a mitre!

Archbishop Malcolm Albert Ranjith, Secretary of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, pictured following the diaconal ordinations of members of the Fraternity of St. Peter in Wigratzbad (Bavaria) last Saturday.