GERMANY: Pope Benedict ends an emotional six-day visit to his native Bavaria

Pope Benedict XVI departed his native Bavaria on Thursday (September 14), making an emotional address before boarding a Lufthansa flight to Rome. "There were intensive days with many memories. I experienced once again many of the events of my past which have made an imprint on my life. I had a special welcome with open arms, that's touched me deeply," Pope Benedict said. Pilgrims cheered and clapped as Pope Benedict drove through the centre of Freising in his popemobile, where on June 25, 1951, he, along with his brother Georg Ratzinger and 40 others, were ordained into the priesthood. Earlier, Benedict signed the visitor's book before praying at the Shrine of St. Corbinian and celebrating mass for the final time with priests and deacons gathered in the Cathedral. In his first unscripted speech of the six-day trip, the Pope, 79, said in an address to priests in Freising that the Church could not simply advertise for more priests but had to pray to God to send them. The growing priest shortage, a trend that is leaving many parishes without pastors, has led to calls for the Vatican to drop its celibacy rule or allow women to be ordained. Benedict is adamantly opposed to any such reforms. His address, on the last day of his nostalgic trip to his native Bavaria, took place in Freising Cathedral, near Munich. The Pontiff began his career as professor of theology at Freising's University of Philosophy and Theology. The Pope has looked well on his visit home, but held few public appearances and observed long rest periods between them. Benedict has hinted this may be his last trip to Bavaria, saying he is old and does not know how much more time God would give him. He has not planned many arduous foreign journeys.

ITN Source | September 15, 2006

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