Pope Benedict XVI on Monday celebrated the traditional New Year's Eve vespers and Te Deum hymn of praise. The Catholics the world over would be looking forward to a new year that will see the pontiff visit Brazil, issue an encyclical and canonise a record number of saints.
During the traditional rite in Rome's Basilica of St. Peter's, the 85-year-old pontiff spoke of the need to meditate and reflect on the fact that "in spite everything, there is still good in the world''. ``Of course, it is at times difficult to gather this profound truth, since evil makes more noise than good." A ``brutal murder, widespread violence and grave injustices'', he went on to say, ``make the news. ``On the contrary, acts of love and service, daily labours endured with faith and patience often remain in the shadow and do not emerge."
After reminding the faithful that much of the evil in the world is caused by men making the wrong choices, the Pope would pay a visit to the crib in St. Peter's Square. Leaving behind what the Vatican had described as a year marked by personal "sadness" over the so-called Vatileaks scandal, which saw his former butler blow the whistle on scheming and suspected corruption at the highest levels of the Catholic Church, the Pope has a busy agenda in store for 2013.
During the first half of the year, the Pope will issue his fourth encyclical, likely on the subject of faith. In July, he would take part in World Youth Day celebrations in Brazil, his second visit to the country with the world's largest Catholic population, while in October he is expected to create 802 saints in a single day, a new record for the Church.
On Tuesday, the spiritual leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics is to preside over a Mass marking the 46th World Day of Peace. The Pope is expected to speak against "fundamentalism and fanaticism'', as well as the ``hotbeds of tension and conflict caused by growing instances of inequality between rich and poor''
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