Pope discusses St. Augustine's conversion, influence on his life

Published: 2008-02-27

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Calling St. Augustine "one of the greatest converts in Christian history," Pope Benedict XVI said the writings of the North African bishop have had a huge influence on his life as a priest and theologian. At his Feb. 27 general audience, the pope spoke of his "personal devotion and recognition before a figure to whom I feel very closely tied because of the part he played in my life as a theologian, priest and pastor." In addition, the pope said both his 2006 encyclical, "Deus Caritas Est" ("God Is Love"), and his 2007 encyclical, "Spe Salvi" (on Christian hope), were influenced heavily by the work of St. Augustine. Concluding a series of audience talks about the doctor of the church who lived from 354 to 430, Pope Benedict focused on what he said were the three stages in St. Augustine's conversion. "From the beginning, St. Augustine was a passionate seeker of the truth and remained so for his whole life," the pope said.

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