Resources, formation, prayer, and retreats rooted in the Church’s spiritual tradition and the theological vision of Pope Benedict XVI.
According to Pope Benedict XVI, being Christian begins with an encounter with Christ, “which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction” (Deus caritas est, no. 1). The Benedict XVI Society offers resources and retreats to deepen this encounter.
Drawing on the Church’s spiritual tradition and Pope Benedict’s theological insights, these initiatives aim to form saints for the next generation. We seek to cultivate this spiritual vision personally and within our diverse international mission fields.
Christian spirituality is Christocentric, biblical, liturgical, and Marian.
All authentic spirituality has Christ as its source and summit.
“The Christocentric character of faith means that the Christian message is not primarily a system of ideas but the proclamation of a person in whom God’s truth is revealed.”Introduction to Christianity, 47
The spiritual life must be based on God’s authoritative Word to man and definitive revelation in human history.
“We must never forget that all authentic and living Christian spirituality is based on the word of God proclaimed, accepted, celebrated and meditated upon in the Church.”Dei Verbum, 121
The liturgy nourishes us, individually and communally, in our relationship with Christ and the entire Church.
“The Church's great liturgical tradition teaches us that fruitful participation in the liturgy requires that one be personally conformed to the mystery being celebrated, offering one's life to God in unity with the sacrifice of Christ for the salvation of the whole world.”Sacramentum Caritatis, 64
As the exemplar of the Christian life, the Blessed Virgin Mary provides us with the perfect model of fidelity to Christ.
“Jesus Christ is the true light, the sun that has risen above all the shadows of history. But to reach him we also need lights close by—people who shine with his light and so guide us along our way. Who more than Mary could be a star of hope for us? With her ‘yes’ she opened the door of our world to God himself; she became the living Ark of the Covenant, in whom God took flesh, became one of us, and pitched his tent among us (cf. Jn 1:14).”Spe Salvi, 49
Systematic formation in the Catholic faith rooted in the theology of Pope Benedict XVI.
Discover Catechesis → CommunityA community united in prayer, devotion, and the sacramental life of the Church.
Join in Prayer → RenewalCreating space for an encounter with Christ through prayer, interior silence, and reflection.
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We provide resources that equip catechists to hand on the Catholic faith in a systematic and organic way, helping others enter into the fullness of Christian life. Our mission supports priests, religious, families, educators, community leaders, and catechists in both knowing and living the faith in all its richness and beauty.
“We must do our utmost for a catechetical renewal, so that the faith may be known and in this way God may be known, Christ may be known, the truth may be known, so that unity may develop in truth.”— Benedict XVI, Lectio Divina, 23.2.2012
Our catechetical resources are being developed across four core areas of formation. Additional materials will be added over time.
The Benedict XVI Society is a community united in prayer, devotion, and the sacramental life of the Church. We are committed to offering a decade of our rosary daily for one another’s intentions.
A prayer which was dear to Pope Benedict XVI himself, the rosary is a meditation on the life of Jesus Christ, undertaken with the Blessed Virgin Mary, who teaches us to receive the grace He wishes to give us and how to carry out His will. A profoundly ecclesial prayer, through it we remain united to Christ and to one another.
“In the current world, so dispersive, this prayer helps to put Christ at the center. When reciting the Rosary, the important and meaningful moments of salvation history are relived.”— Pope Benedict XVI, Basilica of St. Mary Major, 2008
Inspired by the spiritual vision of Pope Benedict XVI, these retreats offer opportunities for spiritual renewal, healing, and sanctification, helping participants to deepen their faith and grow in their relationship with Christ. By providing opportunities for Holy Mass, the sacrament of confession, Eucharistic adoration, as well as spiritual conferences, the Benedict XVI Society accompanies men and women all over the world on their journey in the spiritual life.
Drawing from the ancient Christian tradition, modeled on Jesus Christ who Himself “went out to a lonely place” (Mark 1:35) to pray to the Father, men and women of all ages have sought to step away from the distractions of the world and focus on their relationship with the Lord. They “retreat” from the world in order to re-enter their daily life, reoriented towards the “one thing necessary” (Luke 10:42) which is union with God. The Benedict XVI Society offers retreats in order to give others the opportunity to listen to God speak in the silent depths of their hearts.
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