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Relics of St. Therese of the Child Jesus in Rome

VATICAN CITY, NOV 14, 2007 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience, the Pope addressed a special greeting to faithful from the French diocese of Bayeux and Lisieux, accompanied by Bishop Pierre Auguste Pican S.D.B., who have come to Rome on pilgrimage with the relics of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.

The Holy Father recalled how "120 years ago Therese of Lisieux came to Rome to ask permission of Pope Leo XIII to enter the Carmelite Order, despite her youth. Eighty years ago Pope Pius XI proclaimed her patron saint of missions, and in 1997 Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church."

"In this audience," he went on, "I will have the joy of praying before her relics, as will many faithful over the course of this week in various churches in Rome. St. Therese would have liked to learn the languages of the Bible in order to better understand Sacred Scripture. Following her example and that of St. Jerome, dedicate time to frequent reading of the Bible. By familiarizing yourselves with the Word of God, you will discover Christ and remain in intimate contact with Him."

Benedict XVI then addressed relatives of the Italian soldiers who lost their lives in a bomb attack in Nassiriya, Iraq, four years ago. "May the memory of these our brothers, and of others who have made the supreme sacrifice of their lives for the noble cause of peace, contribute to supporting the journey to hopeful rebirth of the dear Iraqi people."

AG/ST. THERESE:IRAQ/...VIS 071114 (270)

Pope Benedict XVI prays next to the relic of Saint Teresa of Lisieux at the Vatican November 14, 2007. REUTERS/Osservatore Romano (VATICAN)

Pope Benedict XVI talks to relatives of the victims of a bomb attack against Italian forces in Nassiriya, Iraq four years ago, at the end of his weekly general audience in Saint Peter's square at the Vatican November 14, 2007. REUTERS/Osservatore Romano (VATICAN)

Previous catecheses on the Early Church Fathers:
On St. Clement of Rome -The Church Has a Sacramental, Not Political Structure (March 7, 2007)
Truly a Doctor of Unity (St. Ignatius of Antioch) (March 14, 2007)
St. Justin Martyr: He Considered Christianity the "True Philosophy" (March 21, 2007)
St. Irenaeus of Lyons: The First Great Theologian of the Church (March 28, 2007)
St. Clement of Alexandria: One of the Great Promoters of Dialogue Between Faith and Reason (April 18, 2007)
On Origen of Alexandria: He Was a True Teacher (April 25, 2007)
Origen: The Privileged Path to Knowing God Is Love (May 2, 2007)
Tertullian: Accomplished a Great Step in the Development of the Trinitarian Dogma (May 30, 2007)
St. Cyprian: His Book on the 'Our Father' Has Helped Me to Pray Better (June 6, 2007)
On Eusebius of Caesarea (June 13, 2007)
On St. Athanasius (June 20, 2007)
On St. Cyril of Jerusalem (June 27, 2007)
On St. Basil (July 4, 2007)
St. Basil (August 1, 2007)
St. Gregory of Nazianzen (August 8, 2007)
St. Gregory Nazianzen's Teachings (August 22, 2007)
St. Gregory of Nyssa - A Pillar of Orthodoxy (August 29, 2007)
Gregory of Nyssa on Perfection (September 5, 2007)
On St. John Chrysostom's Antioch Years (September 19, 2007)
On Chrysostom's Social Doctrine (September 26, 2007)
St. Cyril of Alexandria (October 3, 2007)
On Hilary of Poitiers (October 10, 2007)
On St. Eusebius of Vercelli (October 17, 2007)
On St. Ambrose of Milan (October 24, 2007)
On St. Maximus of Turin (October 31, 2007)
On St. Jerome (November 7, 2007)

Benedict XVI then addressed relatives of the Italian soldiers who lost their lives in a bomb attack in Nassiriya, Iraq, four years ago. "May the memory of these our brothers, and of others who have made the supreme sacrifice of their lives for the noble cause of peace, contribute to supporting the journey to hopeful rebirth of the dear Iraqi people."

The press sometimes misrepresents the Pope as a pacifist. Of course he wants peace. We all want peace. But sometimes peace has to be bought with the lives of soldiers in a just war. It seems to me that is what he is saying here.

True soldiers do not give their lives to perpetuate war. They give their lives in the hope that a just peace can be won and innocents can be protected by fighting a just war.