December 22, 2011. (Romereports.com) In his Christmas address to the Roman Curia, the pope has remembered the key moments of 2011 and looked forward to the new year.
Benedict XVI recalled that the economic crisis is the result of an ethical crisis. He said that while no one disputes values such as solidarity or responsibility for the poor, there is a lack of an underlying reason or force that leads people to sacrifice something for others. He noted that this force can only come from faith in God.
Benedict XVI“The key theme of this year, and of the years ahead, is this: how do we proclaim the Gospel today? How can faith as a living force become a reality today?”The New Evangelization will become the theme of 2012. The pope noted that the World Youth Day in 2011 was the “New Evangelization alive” and from this five lessons have been taken.
The first is a new way of seeing the universality of the Church, the way the young people in Madrid had considered themselves a family.
The second lesson came from the volunteers, who donated their time showing that life only has meaning when it's given to others.
The third lesson is the value of Eucharistic adoration, and the fourth, the value of the confession, because when seeking forgiveness, one recognizes their own responsibility.
The fifth and last lesson is the joy of being loved unconditionally by God.
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