CLOSURE OF THE SUMMER SEMINAR OF THE RATZINGER SCHULEKREIS

Vatican City,  (VIS) - The traditional summer seminar of former students of Benedict XVI (the "Ratzinger Schulekreis") came to a close yesterday morning with a Mass celebrated by the Holy Father at the Mariapoli Centre in Castelgandolfo. This year's seminar has been examining the theme of: "Ecumenical outcomes and questions in the dialogue with Lutheranism and Anglicanism".

The Pope began his homily, Vatican Radio reports, with an analysis of a passage from Deuteronomy, recalling how Israel received God's Law which brings authentic wisdom. This is a gift, the Holy Father explained, in which to take joy, it is not the result of some individual genius. The Church, which he described as "a universal Israel", must only take joy at the gift of Christ, which is the essential nucleus of the Law, the Law made flesh, God's Love for us. We have received the wisdom which is truth, we know how to live and to die because Christ is life and truth. There is no room for triumphalism of any kind, but only for joy and gratitude at the gift we have received, a gift we did not create".