Pope asks religious to let St. Paul be their model

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Catholic men and women who have consecrated their entire lives to serving God and the church must live like St. Paul, "for, with and in Christ," Pope Benedict XVI said.

The pope greeted men and women religious Feb. 2, joining them in St. Peter's Basilica after a special Mass marking the feast of the Presentation of the Lord and World Day for Consecrated Life.

Pope Benedict said St. Paul is a model of living for all Christians, but especially for those who have taken vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

"In the life of poverty he saw the guarantee of a proclamation of the Gospel conducted with total gratuity, while expressing at the same time concrete solidarity with his brothers and sisters in need," the pope said.

"Accepting God's call to chastity, he gave his heart to the Lord in an undivided way in order to serve his brothers and sisters with greater freedom and dedication," the pope said.

"As for obedience, it is enough to note that the fulfillment of God's will and the daily pressure and concern for all the churches animated, molded and consumed his existence, making it a sacrifice pleasing to God," he said.

Pope Benedict said St. Paul also is a model for religious in their efforts to combine mission and contemplation, to serve others and to worship God.

The pope said he hoped that during this year dedicated to St. Paul women and men religious would "welcome the witness of St. Paul, meditating every day on the word of God" and fulfilling their "apostolic service in and with the church in a spirit of unreserved communion, allowing their charism to be a gift for others and witnessing to the fact that the greatest charism is love."

END

POPE-RELIGIOUS Feb-2-2009 (310 words) xxxi