Catholic World News

Cultivate detachment, humility, Pope urges Christians September 02, 2009

Pope Benedict XVI resumed his series of talks on the Church fathers at his regular weekly audience on September 2, speaking about St. Odo, the 2nd abbot of Cluny, who lived from about 880 to 942. Cluny had "a vast influence on the monasteries of the continent," the Holy Father pointed out, and thus the Benedictine tradition formed European society.

St. Odo, the Pope continued, set a strong personal example of devotion to the Eucharist. He urged the monks under his guidance to adopt "a radical change of lifestyle founded upon humility, austerity, detachment from the ephemeral and adherence to the eternal." That same spirit of detachment should be cultivated by Christians in the 21st century, the Pontiff said.

Pope Benedict addressed the Wednesday audience in the Paul VI auditorium at the Vatican. He traveled by helicopter from his summer residence for the midday appearance, returning to the summer residence after his audience.

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• St. Odo: change of lifestyle based on humility, austerity (VIS)

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