Pope: monasteries have a precious social function




Pope Benedict XVI met with the people of the Italian town of Serra San Bruno on Sunday during his pastoral visit to Calabria. In remarks to the people he celebrated the historic monastery there, saying that the presence of a monastic community is a constant reminder of God, opening upon the sky. "The climate that reigns in our society," he said, "is not healthy - it is tainted by a mindset that is not Christian, or even human, because it is dominated by economic interests, is concerned only with earthly things." In a world that marginalizes God and neighbor, without regard for the common good, therefore, monastic communities play an indispensable role: they clean up the environment, opening to the spiritual dimension.
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