Vatican City, Dec 12, 2008 / 09:05 am
College students from around Rome gathered to hear Pope Benedict speak about St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans on Thursday afternoon. During the address, the Pontiff emphasized the need for Christians to give credible witness to their faith with their lives.
Every year the vicar of Rome holds a Mass for university students in Rome as they prepare for Christmas. This year, Cardinal Agostino Vallini celebrated Mass in the Vatican basilica for the academics in training.
After Mass was finished, Pope Benedict addressed the students on the teaching of St. Paul focusing on his Letter to the Romans.
Pointing out that the Church is celebrating the Pauline Year, the Holy Father said that "the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of the Apostle to the Gentiles is helping the entire Church to rediscover its proper and fundamental missionary vocation and, at the same time, to make full use of the inexhaustible theological and spiritual treasure of the Pauline letters."