Papal preacher says vacation time should be lived as a gift

Published: 2006-06-09

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Vacation time should be lived as a gift allowing workers and students time to think, pray and dedicate time to family relationships, said the preacher of the papal household. Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa said it is good to have fun and relax on vacation, but extended free time is rare for most people and they should make the most of it. "It is not that vacations should not also be used for enjoyment and amusement, but they are a gift given in order to discover something; they are not a time to lose or waste, but a time to value to the maximum," the preacher told Vatican Radio June 8. "Vacations should be that time of year when, through contemplating nature and reading the word of God, people can look inside themselves and get in touch with the most important motivations of their lives," particularly their relationships with God and with their families, he said.

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