He's Only Human

I ran across this story on Yahoo News and smiled. It's so "human".

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (AFP) - Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged that he was absent-minded after forgetting to bless the hundreds of pilgrims who attended his weekly audience at his Castel Gandolfo summer residence.

He said his mind was already in Cologne, where he was to travel Thursday to participate in the 20th World Youth jamboree.

The crowd gathered in the palace courtyard was surprised to see the Pope return to his window several moments after leaving after greeting pilgrims in several languages.

"I ask for your forgiveness, but I have forgotten the most important greeting, the greeting to the pilgrims in the Italian language," he told them.

He went back inside the palace, only to return again shortly.

"Today, I have forgotten the most important things. One can see that I am already in Cologne. I omitted the most important thing: the benediction," he said while smiling before giving his blessing.

The 78-year-old pontiff's voyage to his native Germany will be his first journey abroad since his election in April.

You know how it is....you're getting ready to make a big trip....so many to-dos...It's so easy to forget something.

To err is human -- even if you're the Holy Father.