The Ratzinger Forum has a ton of stories and pics starting on this page of their News about Benedict section about the Pope's vacation.. Many of these articles are translated including the one I shall post in full from the Vatican Newspaper. Be sure to check it out through out the week. Many of the Pope vacation stories were pretty cool last year and they did a good job of covering it.
For the Pope:
For the Pope:
Two weeks of prayer, study and rest in Bressanone
by Nicola Gori
L'Osservatore Romano
Almost a homecoming, to be welcomed by friends who await him like a member of the family, Benedict XVI will spend his summer vacation in an informal, familial atmosphere. He will be arriving there tomorrow Monday, July 28, and will stay till Monday, August 11. One might say that Papa Ratzinger is a habitue of Bressanone/Brixen in the Alto Adige/South Tyrol [to give the bilingual places their habitual Italian/German names].
Almost a homecoming, to be welcomed by friends who await him like a member of the family, Benedict XVI will spend his summer vacation in an informal, familial atmosphere. He will be arriving there tomorrow Monday, July 28, and will stay till Monday, August 11. One might say that Papa Ratzinger is a habitue of Bressanone/Brixen in the Alto Adige/South Tyrol [to give the bilingual places their habitual Italian/German names].
As Cardinal Ratzinger, he spent ten summer vacations in Bressanone, at the Seminario Maggiore, where he always occupied the same room. He was such a familiar guest that, knowing his preferences well, he was given his own key to the seminary's famous baroque library.
The city and the diocese are ready to provide the Holy Father with two weeks of tranquillity and rest. For this purpose, planned renovation and restoration work at the Seminary, a half-century due, was advanced to be in time for his visit. L'Osservatore Romano spoke to Mons. Wilhelm Emil Egger, bishop of Bolzano-Bressanone/Bozen-Brixen, who has headed the preparatory work.
Monsignor, how did the local people react to the Pope's decision to spend this summer vacation in Bressanone?
They have actually been wanting this visit for some time, and now their desire has been realized. They feel greatly honored because they feel that the Pope's decision is an expression of his esteem for the place and for us - both for the quality of life in the city, and for the nature of the region itself, which is a favorite vacation site for many. It is a tourist region, so to speak, so we are very happy that the Pope has chosen to be with us.
How have you prepared so that the Pope can truly have a period of rest here?
Since the Pope has been here many times before, we think he will find the place familiar to him. But we have renovated the so-called bishop's apartment, which he will occupy, as well as other parts of the seminary that had been scheduled for renovation soon. The Cusanus, a training academy next door to the seminary, will be closed for the duration of the Pope's vacation, to make the place more private for him.
What is most important for us is to guarantee his tranquillity.
We had programmed only three public events for him - the two Sunday Angelus prayers and the Mass and meeting with the priests of the diocese. These required special preparation. We have a beautiful Cathedral Square which can accommodate 9,000 persons for the Angelus. My people have also made on-site visits to places in and around the city which the Pope may visit if he so desires.
Given the extraordinary natural setting of this place, do you see this vacation as another opportunity for the Pope to say something about the environment?
As you know, the Pope spoke about the subject even while he was in Australia. His presence with us is yet another message itself about the beauty of creation. The Pope loves natural settings. His presence amid such beauty - for rest, tranquillity and silence - is an optimal message about relaxing from stress by enjoying the beauty of God's creation.
What would a typical day be like during the Pope's vacation?
I couldn't say, but we know how he spent his vacations here as a cardinal, and I think he will follow the same pattern. There will be periods for prayer, and of being together with his brother Georg, who will be arriving Tuesday to join him. He will listen to music a lot. We have placed a piano for him in his apartment, as we are sure he will want to play music himself. He will have all the time and space for reading and study. As a visiting cardinal, he had his own key so that he could enter the library whenever he wanted. It is a historical library of great value, but its contemporary collection of books is equally very good, and the Pope knows this. And certainly he will be taking walks in the garden or by the river. But all this will not take him away from thinking about his pastoral and magisterial ministry.
We know that he has used his previous vacations here to undertake or begin many important works, such as the interview with Vittorio Messori that led to the book Rapporto sulla Fede. And he has revealed that he wrote the first four chapters of JESUS OF NAZARETH when he was here in August 2004. The surrounding atmosphere, the fact that he is free of his daily public commitments, and the tranquillity we hope to assure him during his stay are elements that are favorable to study, reflection and prayer.
Has the city planned anything special for him?
First of all, it has 'prettied up' itself. Not the least, for instance, they have repaired the pavement and filed up the holes in the square in front of the seminary. That is where the first meeting will take place between the Pope and the citizenry - at the end of the motorcade through the main streets when he comes in from the airport in Bolzano. The municipal band and children will welcome him there as in a homecoming. During the two weeks, there are several cultural initiatives including concerts and a special photographic exhibit on the consecrated life. The 12th General Assembly of the Bishops Synod will take place at the Vatican in a few months on the theme "the Word of God in the life and mission of the Church".
Last January, the Pope named you to be its secretary-general. Will you be discussing this with the Pope?
As I am committed above all to guarantee the Pope's rest, this applies first of all to me personally. I would not bring up the subject, unless he does. I have known the Pope for a long time, and he knows me just as well. He knows I am a specialist in the Scriptures. And as he is a great expert on the Bible himself, it would be very interesting to converse with him on these things. He wrote a very beautiful commentary on the Conciliar Constitution on Revelation, Dei Verbum. And when he was Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he worked on and published a document on the interpretation of the Bible in the Church. So yes, there could be a lot to talk about, but that's not what he's coming here for.
Public opinion has also shown interest in the economic aspects of the visit. What do you say to this?
We are a very hospitable people. The government has spent on many initiatives to promote tourism and has supported events like important football tournaments. Of course, even for the visit of the Pope, there have been public expenses - and these are shared by the diocese, by certain public institutions of the city and of the province, and by donations from private sponsors. As for the renovations in the seminary, I already pointed out that these had been programmed to take place sooner or later.
They have actually been wanting this visit for some time, and now their desire has been realized. They feel greatly honored because they feel that the Pope's decision is an expression of his esteem for the place and for us - both for the quality of life in the city, and for the nature of the region itself, which is a favorite vacation site for many. It is a tourist region, so to speak, so we are very happy that the Pope has chosen to be with us.
How have you prepared so that the Pope can truly have a period of rest here?
Since the Pope has been here many times before, we think he will find the place familiar to him. But we have renovated the so-called bishop's apartment, which he will occupy, as well as other parts of the seminary that had been scheduled for renovation soon. The Cusanus, a training academy next door to the seminary, will be closed for the duration of the Pope's vacation, to make the place more private for him.
What is most important for us is to guarantee his tranquillity.
We had programmed only three public events for him - the two Sunday Angelus prayers and the Mass and meeting with the priests of the diocese. These required special preparation. We have a beautiful Cathedral Square which can accommodate 9,000 persons for the Angelus. My people have also made on-site visits to places in and around the city which the Pope may visit if he so desires.
Given the extraordinary natural setting of this place, do you see this vacation as another opportunity for the Pope to say something about the environment?
As you know, the Pope spoke about the subject even while he was in Australia. His presence with us is yet another message itself about the beauty of creation. The Pope loves natural settings. His presence amid such beauty - for rest, tranquillity and silence - is an optimal message about relaxing from stress by enjoying the beauty of God's creation.
What would a typical day be like during the Pope's vacation?
I couldn't say, but we know how he spent his vacations here as a cardinal, and I think he will follow the same pattern. There will be periods for prayer, and of being together with his brother Georg, who will be arriving Tuesday to join him. He will listen to music a lot. We have placed a piano for him in his apartment, as we are sure he will want to play music himself. He will have all the time and space for reading and study. As a visiting cardinal, he had his own key so that he could enter the library whenever he wanted. It is a historical library of great value, but its contemporary collection of books is equally very good, and the Pope knows this. And certainly he will be taking walks in the garden or by the river. But all this will not take him away from thinking about his pastoral and magisterial ministry.
We know that he has used his previous vacations here to undertake or begin many important works, such as the interview with Vittorio Messori that led to the book Rapporto sulla Fede. And he has revealed that he wrote the first four chapters of JESUS OF NAZARETH when he was here in August 2004. The surrounding atmosphere, the fact that he is free of his daily public commitments, and the tranquillity we hope to assure him during his stay are elements that are favorable to study, reflection and prayer.
Has the city planned anything special for him?
First of all, it has 'prettied up' itself. Not the least, for instance, they have repaired the pavement and filed up the holes in the square in front of the seminary. That is where the first meeting will take place between the Pope and the citizenry - at the end of the motorcade through the main streets when he comes in from the airport in Bolzano. The municipal band and children will welcome him there as in a homecoming. During the two weeks, there are several cultural initiatives including concerts and a special photographic exhibit on the consecrated life. The 12th General Assembly of the Bishops Synod will take place at the Vatican in a few months on the theme "the Word of God in the life and mission of the Church".
Last January, the Pope named you to be its secretary-general. Will you be discussing this with the Pope?
As I am committed above all to guarantee the Pope's rest, this applies first of all to me personally. I would not bring up the subject, unless he does. I have known the Pope for a long time, and he knows me just as well. He knows I am a specialist in the Scriptures. And as he is a great expert on the Bible himself, it would be very interesting to converse with him on these things. He wrote a very beautiful commentary on the Conciliar Constitution on Revelation, Dei Verbum. And when he was Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he worked on and published a document on the interpretation of the Bible in the Church. So yes, there could be a lot to talk about, but that's not what he's coming here for.
Public opinion has also shown interest in the economic aspects of the visit. What do you say to this?
We are a very hospitable people. The government has spent on many initiatives to promote tourism and has supported events like important football tournaments. Of course, even for the visit of the Pope, there have been public expenses - and these are shared by the diocese, by certain public institutions of the city and of the province, and by donations from private sponsors. As for the renovations in the seminary, I already pointed out that these had been programmed to take place sooner or later.
2 comments:
Maybe this would be a good time for a retrospective on my post from last summer: "Huckabee Campaign Criticizes Pope for Long Vacation, Extended Stay in Summer Residence".
;-)
LOL that is hilkarious
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