Pope says working too hard is never good

Published: 2006-08-21

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- In the middle of his summer break, Pope Benedict XVI said working too hard was never a good thing -- not even for a pope. Speaking at a noon blessing at his summer residence outside Rome Aug. 20, the pope reflected on the 12th-century writings of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, who warned against "the dangers of excessive activity, whatever the condition or office held, because many occupations lead to a 'hardening of the heart' and suffering of the spirit." The pope said, "This warning is valid for every kind of occupation, even those involving the governance of the church." He recalled that St. Bernard had criticized the reigning pontiff of his time, Pope Eugenius III, for "losing himself" in his many activities and forgetting the primacy of prayer and contemplation. The saint's provocative comments are well worth remembering today, the pope said.

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