Pope Benedict XVI - Wikipedia

Pope Benedict XVI - Wikipedia
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Head of the Catholic Church from 2005 to 2013
Pope
Benedict XVI
Bishop of Rome
Benedict in 2010
Church
Catholic Church
Papacy began
19 April 2005
Papacy ended
28 February 2013
Predecessor
John Paul II
Successor
Francis
Previous posts
Previous posts
Archbishop of Munich and Freising
(1977‍–‍1982)
Cardinal Priest of
Santa Maria Consolatrice al Tiburtino
(1977‍–‍1993)
Prefect of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
(1981‍–‍2005)
President of the
Pontifical Biblical Commission
(1981‍–‍2005)
President of the
International Theological Commission
(1981‍–‍2005)
Cardinal Bishop of Velletri–Segni
(1993‍–‍2005)
Cardinal Bishop of Ostia
(2002‍–‍2005)
Dean of the College of Cardinals
(2002‍–‍2005)
Orders
Ordination
29 June 1951
by
Michael von Faulhaber
Consecration
28 May 1977
by
Josef Stangl
Created cardinal
27 June 1977
by
Paul VI
Rank
Cardinal priest
(1977‍–‍1993)
Cardinal bishop
(1993‍–‍2005)
Personal details
Born
Joseph Alois Ratzinger
1927-04-16
16 April 1927
Marktl
, Germany
Died
31 December 2022
(2022-12-31)
(aged 95)
Mater Ecclesiae Monastery
, Vatican City
Buried
Vatican Grottoes
St. Peter's Basilica
Education
LMU Munich
Motto
Cooperatores veritatis
Latin
for 'Cooperators of the truth')
Signature
Coat of arms
Philosophical work
Era
Contemporary philosophy
Region
Western philosophy
School
Augustinianism
Nouvelle théologie
Main interests
Christian theology
Ecclesiology
Notable works
Jesus of Nazareth
Introduction to Christianity
Eschatology
Deus caritas est
Notable ideas
Rejection of
dehellenization
Hermeneutic of continuity
Ordination history
History
Diaconal ordination
Ordained by
Johannes Neuhäusler
Date
29 October 1950
Place
Freising Cathedral
, Freising
Priestly ordination
Ordained by
Michael von Faulhaber
Date
29 June 1951
Place
Freising Cathedral, Freising
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecrator
Josef Stangl
Co-consecrators
Rudolf Graber
de
Ernst Tewes
de
Date
28 May 1977
Place
Frauenkirche, Munich
Cardinalate
Elevated by
Pope Paul VI
Date
27 June 1977
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI as principal consecrator
Alberto Bovone
12 May 1984
Zygmunt Zimowski
25 May 2002
Josef Clemens
6 January 2004
Bruno Forte
8 September 2004
Mieczysław Mokrzycki
29 September 2007
Francesco Giovanni Brugnaro
29 September 2007
Gianfranco Ravasi
29 September 2007
Tommaso Caputo
29 September 2007
Sergio Pagano
29 September 2007
Vincenzo Di Mauro
29 September 2007
Gabriele Giordano Caccia
12 September 2009
Franco Coppola
12 September 2009
Pietro Parolin
12 September 2009
Raffaello Martinelli
12 September 2009
Giorgio Corbellini
12 September 2009
Savio Hon
5 February 2011
Marcello Bartolucci
5 February 2011
Celso Morga Iruzubieta
5 February 2011
Antonio Guido Filipazzi
5 February 2011
Edgar Peña Parra
5 February 2011
Charles John Brown
6 January 2012
Marek Solczyński
6 January 2012
Angelo Vincenzo Zani
6 January 2013
Fortunatus Nwachukwu
6 January 2013
Georg Gänswein
6 January 2013
Nicolas Thévenin
6 January 2013
Other popes named Benedict
Pope Benedict
XVI
(born
Joseph Alois Ratzinger
16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the
Catholic Church
and sovereign of
Vatican City
from 2005 until
his resignation
in 2013. Following his resignation, he chose to be known as "
pope emeritus
", a title he held until
his death
on 31 December 2022.
Ordained as a
priest
in 1951 in
Bavaria
, Ratzinger embarked on an academic career and established himself as a highly regarded theologian by the late 1950s. He was appointed a full professor in 1958 when aged 31. After a long career as a professor of theology at several German universities, he was appointed
Archbishop of Munich and Freising
and created a
cardinal
by
Pope Paul VI
in 1977, an unusual promotion for someone who had only been ordained to the episcopate less than a month prior and not having much pastoral experience. In 1981, he was appointed Prefect of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
, one of the most important
dicasteries
of the
Roman Curia
. In 2002, he also became
Dean of the College of Cardinals
. Before becoming pope, he had been "a major figure on the
Vatican
stage for a quarter of a century"; he had had an influence "second to none when it came to setting church priorities and directions" as one of
John Paul II
's closest confidants.
Following the
death of John Paul II
on 2 April 2005, a
conclave
elected Ratzinger as his successor on 19 April; he chose Benedict XVI as his
papal name
in honour of
Benedict XV
and
Benedict of Nursia
Benedict's writings were prolific and generally defended traditional Catholic doctrine, values, and
liturgy
He was originally a
liberal theologian
but adopted conservative views after 1968.
During his papacy, Benedict advocated a return to fundamental
Christian values
to counter the increased
secularisation
of many
Western countries
. He viewed
relativism
's denial of
objective truth
, and the denial of
moral truths
in particular, as the central problem of the 21st century.
Benedict also revived several traditions and permitted greater use of the
Tridentine Mass
He strengthened the relationship between the
Catholic Church and art
, promoted the use of
Latin
and reintroduced traditional
papal vestments
, for which reason he was called "the pope of aesthetics".
He also established
personal ordinariates
for former
Anglicans
and
Methodists
joining the Catholic Church. Benedict's handling of
sexual abuse cases within the Catholic Church
and opposition to usage of
condoms
in areas of
high HIV transmission
was criticized by public health officials, anti-AIDS activists, and victims' rights organizations.
10
11
Citing health reasons due to his advanced age, Benedict resigned as pope on 28 February 2013. He became the first pope to resign from office since
Gregory XII
in 1415, and the first without external pressure since
Celestine V
in 1294. He subsequently moved into the newly renovated
Mater Ecclesiae Monastery
in Vatican City for his retirement. The
2013 conclave
elected
Francis
as his successor on 13 March. In addition to his native German language, Benedict had some proficiency in French, Italian, English, and Spanish. He also knew
Portuguese
, Latin,
Biblical Hebrew
, and
Biblical Greek
12
13
14
He was a member of several
social science
academies, such as the French
Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques
Early life: 1927–1951
edit
Main article:
Early life of Pope Benedict XVI
The birthplace of Joseph Alois Ratzinger in
Marktl
, Bavaria
Joseph Alois Ratzinger was born on 16 April,
Holy Saturday
, 1927 at Schulstraße 11 at 8:30 in the morning in his parents' home in
Marktl
Bavaria
Germany
. He was
baptised
the same day. He was the third and youngest child of
Joseph Ratzinger Sr.
, a police officer, and Maria Ratzinger (
née
Peintner
); his grand-uncle was the German priest-politician
Georg Ratzinger
. His mother's family was originally from
South Tyrol
(now in Italy).
15
Benedict's elder brother,
Georg
, became a
Catholic priest
and was the former director of the
Regensburger Domspatzen
choir.
16
His sister, Maria, who never married, managed her brother Joseph's household until she died in 1991.
17
Aged five, Ratzinger was in a group of children who welcomed the visiting Cardinal Archbishop of Munich,
Michael von Faulhaber
, with flowers. Struck by the cardinal's distinctive garb, he announced later that day that he wanted to be a
cardinal
. He attended the elementary school in
Aschau am Inn
, which was renamed in his honour in 2009.
18
In 1939, aged 12, he enrolled in a
minor seminary
in
Traunstein
19
This period lasted until the seminary was closed for military use in 1942, and the students were all sent home. Ratzinger returned to Traunstein.
20
Wartime and ordination
edit
Ratzinger's family, especially his father, bitterly resented the
Nazis
, and his father's opposition to Nazism resulted in demotions and harassment of the family.
21
Following his 14th birthday in 1941, Ratzinger was conscripted into the
Hitler Youth
– as membership was required by law for all 14-year-old German boys after March 1939
22
– but was an unenthusiastic member who refused to attend meetings, according to his brother.
23
In 1941, one of Ratzinger's cousins, a 14-year-old boy with
Down syndrome
, was taken away by the Nazi regime and murdered during the
Aktion T4
campaign of
Nazi eugenics
24
In 1943, while still in seminary, he was drafted into the German anti-aircraft corps as
Luftwaffenhelfer
23
Ratzinger then trained in the German infantry.
25
As the Allied front drew closer to his post in 1945, he deserted back to his family's home in Traunstein after his unit had ceased to exist, just as American troops established a headquarters in the Ratzinger household.
26
As a German soldier, he was
interned
in US
prisoner of war
camps, first in Neu-Ulm, then at Fliegerhorst ("military airfield") Bad Aibling (shortly to be repurposed as
Bad Aibling Station
) where he was at the time of
Victory in Europe Day
, and released on 19 June 1945.
27
26
Ratzinger and his brother Georg entered Saint Michael Seminary in
Traunstein
in November 1945, later studying at the
Ducal Georgianum
Herzogliches Georgianum
) of
LMU Munich
. They were both ordained in
Freising
on 29 June 1951 by Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber of Munich – the same man Ratzinger had met as a child. He recalled: "At the moment the elderly Archbishop laid his hands on me, a little bird – perhaps a lark – flew up from the altar in the high cathedral and trilled a little joyful song".
28
He celebrated his first Mass later that summer in Traunstein, at St. Oswald's Church.
29
Ratzinger's 1953 dissertation, earning him a
Doctor of Theology
degree from the University of Munich, was on
Augustine of Hippo
: it was titled
The People and the House of God in Augustine's Doctrine of the Church
. His
habilitation
(which qualified him for a professorship) was on
Bonaventure
30
It was completed in 1957 and he became a professor at Freising College in 1958.
31
Encounter with Romano Guardini
edit
From 1946 to 1951, he pursued studies in philosophy and theology at the
University of Munich
and at the
Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule
in Freising.
30
During this time, Ratzinger was deeply influenced by the ideas of Italian-German philosopher
Romano Guardini
32
who was teaching in Munich while Ratzinger was a student there. The intellectual affinity between these two thinkers, who would later become decisive figures for the
twentieth-century Catholic Church
, was preoccupied with rediscovering the essentials of Christianity: Guardini wrote
The Essence of Christianity
in 1938, while Ratzinger penned
Introduction to Christianity
, three decades later in 1968. Guardini inspired many in the Catholic social-democratic tradition, particularly the
Communion and Liberation
movement in the
New Evangelization
encouraged under the papacy of the Polish
Pope John Paul II
. Ratzinger wrote an introduction to a 1996 reissue of Guardini's 1954 work
The Lord
33
Pre-papal career: 1951–2005
edit
Academic career: 1951–1977
edit
Ratzinger began as assistant pastor (curate) at the parish
St. Martin, Moosach
, in Munich in 1951.
34
Ratzinger became a professor at the
University of Bonn
in 1959, with his inaugural lecture on "The God of Faith and the God of Philosophy". In 1963, he moved to the
University of Münster
. During this period, he participated in the
Second Vatican Council
(1962–1965) and served as a
peritus
(theological consultant) to
Cardinal Frings of Cologne
. He was viewed during the time of the council as a reformer, cooperating with theologians like
Hans Küng
35
and
Edward Schillebeeckx
36
Ratzinger became an admirer of
Karl Rahner
, a well-known academic theologian of the
Nouvelle théologie
and a proponent of Church reform.
37
In 1966, Ratzinger was appointed to a chair in dogmatic theology at the
University of Tübingen
, where he was a colleague of
Hans Küng
. In his 1968 book
Introduction to Christianity
, he wrote that the pope has a duty to hear differing voices within the Church before making a decision, and he downplayed the centrality of the papacy. During this time, he distanced himself from the atmosphere of Tübingen and the
Marxist
leanings of the student movement of the 1960s that quickly radicalized, in the years 1967 and 1968, culminating in a series of disturbances and riots in April and May 1968. Ratzinger came increasingly to see these and associated developments (such as decreasing respect for authority among his students) as connected to a departure from traditional Catholic teachings.
38
Despite his reformist bent, his views increasingly came to contrast with the liberal ideas gaining currency in theological circles.
39
He was invited by Rev.
Theodore Hesburgh
to join the theology faculty at the
University of Notre Dame
, but declined on grounds that his English was not good enough.
40
Some voices, among them Küng, deemed this period in Ratzinger's life a turn towards conservatism, while Ratzinger himself said in a 1993 interview, "I see no break in my views as a theologian [over the years]".
41
Ratzinger continued to defend the work of the Second Vatican Council, including
Nostra aetate
, the document on respect of other religions,
ecumenism
, and the declaration of the right to
freedom of religion
. Later, as the
Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
, Ratzinger most clearly spelled out the Catholic Church's position on other religions in the 2000 document
Dominus Iesus
which also talks about the Catholic way to engage in "
ecumenical
dialogue". During his time at
Tübingen University
, Ratzinger published articles in the reformist theological journal
Concilium
, though he increasingly chose less reformist themes than other contributors such as Küng and Schillebeeckx.
42
In 1969, Ratzinger returned to
Bavaria
, to the
University of Regensburg
and co-founded the theological journal
Communio
, with
Hans Urs von Balthasar
Henri de Lubac
Walter Kasper
, and others, in 1972.
Communio
, now published in seventeen languages, including German, English, and Spanish, has become a prominent journal of contemporary Catholic theological thought. Until he was elected pope, he remained one of the journal's most prolific contributors. In 1976, he suggested that the
Augsburg Confession
might be recognised as a Catholic statement of faith.
43
44
Several of Benedict's former students became his confidantes, notably
Christoph Schönborn
, and a number of his former students sometimes meet for discussions.
45
46
He served as vice-president of the University of Regensburg from 1976 to 1977.
47
On 26 May 1976, he was appointed a
Prelate of Honour of His Holiness
48
Archbishop of Munich and Freising: 1977–1982
edit
Palais Holnstein
in Munich, the residence of Benedict as
Archbishop of Munich and Freising
On 24 March 1977, Ratzinger was appointed
Archbishop of Munich and Freising
, and was ordained a
bishop
on 28 May. He took as his episcopal motto
Cooperatores veritatis
Latin
for 'cooperators of the truth'),
49
from the
Third Epistle of John
50
a choice on which he commented in his autobiographical work
Milestones
51
In the consistory of 27 June 1977, he was named Cardinal Priest of
Santa Maria Consolatrice al Tiburtino
by
Pope Paul VI
. By the time of the
2005 conclave
, he was one of only fourteen remaining cardinals appointed by Paul
VI, and one of only three of those under the age of 80. Of these, only he and
William Wakefield Baum
took part in the conclave.
52
Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: 1981–2005
edit
Main article:
Joseph Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
On 25 November 1981, Pope John Paul
II, upon the retirement of
Franjo Šeper
, named Ratzinger as the Prefect of the
Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
, formerly known as the "Sacred Congregation of the
Holy Office
", the historical
Roman Inquisition
. Consequently, he resigned from his post in Munich in early 1982. He was promoted within the College of Cardinals to become
Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni
in 1993 and was made the college's vice-dean in 1998 and
dean
in 2002. Just a year after its foundation in 1990, Ratzinger joined the
European Academy of Sciences and Arts
in Salzburg.
53
54
Cardinal Ratzinger in Rome, 1988
Ratzinger defended and reaffirmed Catholic doctrine, including teaching on topics such as
birth control
, homosexuality, and inter-religious dialogue. The theologian
Leonardo Boff
, for example, was suspended, while others such as
Matthew Fox
were censured. Other issues also prompted condemnations or revocations of rights to teach: for instance, some posthumous writings of
Jesuit
priest
Anthony de Mello
were the subject of a
notification
. Ratzinger and the congregation viewed many of them, particularly the later works, as having an element of
religious indifferentism
(in other words, that Christ was "one master alongside others"). In particular,
Dominus Iesus
, published by the congregation in the jubilee year 2000, reaffirmed many recently "unpopular" ideas, including the Catholic Church's position that "salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." The document angered many Protestant churches by claiming that they are not churches, but "ecclesial communities".
55
Ratzinger's 2001 letter
De delictis gravioribus
clarified the confidentiality of internal church investigations, as defined in the 1962 document
Crimen sollicitationis
, into accusations made against priests of certain crimes, including
sexual abuse
. This became a subject of controversy during the
sex abuse cases
56
For 20 years, Ratzinger had been the man in charge of enforcing the document.
57
While bishops hold the secrecy pertained only internally, and did not preclude investigation by civil law enforcement, the letter was often seen as promoting a coverup.
58
Later, as pope, he was accused in a lawsuit of conspiring to cover up the molestation of three boys in
Texas
, but sought and obtained
diplomatic immunity
from liability.
59
On 12 March 1983, Ratzinger, as prefect, notified the lay faithful and the clergy that Archbishop
Pierre Martin Ngô Đình Thục
had incurred
excommunication
latae sententiae
for
illicit
episcopal consecrations without the apostolic mandate. It is reported that in 1997, when he turned 70, Ratzinger asked Pope John Paul
II for permission to leave the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith and to become instead the head of the
Vatican Secret Archives
and of the
Vatican Library
, but John Paul refused his assent.
60
61
Ratzinger engaged in
a dialogue with critical theorist Jürgen Habermas
in 2004, published three years later by
Ignatius Press
62
non-primary source needed
Papacy: 2005–2013
edit
Benedict in
St. Peter's Basilica
, 15
May 2005
Benedict in
St. Peter's Square
, 2007
Benedict reciting the weekly Angelus prayer while overlooking St. Peter's Square, 2012
Election to the papacy
edit
Main article:
2005 conclave
In April 2005, before his election as pope, Ratzinger was identified as one of the
100 most influential people in the world
by
Time
63
While Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Ratzinger repeatedly stated he would like to retire to his house in the Bavarian village of
Pentling
near
Regensburg
and dedicate himself to writing books.
64
At the
papal conclave
, "it was, if not Ratzinger, who? And as they came to know him, the question became, why not Ratzinger?"
65
66
On 19 April 2005, he was elected on the second day after four ballots.
65
Cardinal
Cormac Murphy-O'Connor
described the final vote, "It's very solemn when you go up one by one to put your vote in the urn and you're looking up at the
Last Judgement
of
Michelangelo
. And I still remember vividly the then Cardinal Ratzinger sitting on the edge of his chair."
67
Ratzinger had hoped to retire peacefully and said that "At a certain point, I prayed to God 'please don't do this to me'...Evidently, this time He didn't listen to me."
68
The day following Ratzinger's election, the German newspaper
Bild
ran what would become one of its most iconic headlines in response to the announcement of the prior day,
Wir Sind Papst
We are (the) Pope
).
69
At the balcony, Benedict's first words to the crowd, given in Italian before he gave the traditional
Urbi et Orbi
blessing in Latin, were:
Dear brothers and sisters, after the great Pope John Paul
II, the Cardinals have elected me, a simple, humble labourer in the vineyard of the Lord. The fact that the Lord knows how to work and to act even with insufficient instruments comforts me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers. In the joy of the Risen Lord, confident of his unfailing help, let us move forward. The Lord will help us, and Mary, His Most Holy Mother, will be on our side. Thank you.
70
On
24 April
, Benedict celebrated the
Papal Inauguration
Mass in
St. Peter's Square
, during which he was invested with the
Pallium
and the
Ring of the Fisherman
71
On 7 May, he took possession of his cathedral church, the
Archbasilica of St. John Lateran
72
Choice of name
edit
Benedict
XVI chose his
papal name
, which comes from the Latin word meaning "the blessed", in honour of both
Benedict XV
and
Benedict of Nursia
73
Benedict
XV was pope during the First World War, during which time he passionately pursued peace between the warring nations. St. Benedict of Nursia was the founder of the
Benedictine
monasteries (most monasteries of the Middle Ages were of the Benedictine order) and the author of the
Rule of Saint Benedict
, which is still the most influential writing regarding the monastic life of
Western Christianity
. The Pope explained his choice of name during his first general audience in St. Peter's Square, on 27 April 2005:
Filled with sentiments of awe and thanksgiving, I wish to speak of why I chose the name Benedict. Firstly, I remember Pope Benedict
XV, that courageous prophet of peace, who guided the Church through turbulent times of war. In his footsteps, I place my ministry in the service of reconciliation and harmony between peoples. Additionally, I recall Saint Benedict of Nursia, co-
patron
of Europe, whose life evokes the Christian roots of Europe. I ask him to help us all to hold firm to the centrality of Christ in our Christian life: May Christ always take first place in our thoughts and actions!
74
Tone of papacy
edit
Benedict's first trip in a
popemobile
, 2005
Benedict in his Mercedes-Benz-M-Class popemobile in the Marian pilgrimage site of Etzelsbach, 2011
During Benedict's inaugural Mass, the previous custom of every cardinal submitting to the pope was replaced by being greeted by twelve people, including cardinals, clergy, religious, a married couple and their child, and some who were newly
confirmed
people; the cardinals had formally sworn their obedience upon the election of the new pontiff. He began using an open-topped
papal car
, saying that he wanted to be closer to the people. Benedict continued the tradition of his predecessor John Paul
II and baptised several infants in the
Sistine Chapel
at the beginning of each year, on the
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
, in his pastoral role as
Bishop of Rome
75
Beatifications
edit
See also:
List of people beatified by Pope Benedict XVI
During his pontificate, Benedict
XVI beatified 870 people. On 9 May 2005, Benedict
XVI began the
beatification
process for his predecessor, Pope John Paul
II. Normally, five years must pass after a person's death before the beatification process can begin. However, in an audience with Benedict,
Camillo Ruini
, vicar general of the
Diocese of Rome
and the official responsible for promoting the
cause for canonization
of any person who dies within that diocese, cited "exceptional circumstances" which suggested that the waiting period could be waived. (This had happened before, when Pope Paul
VI waived the five-year rule and announced beatification processes for two of his own predecessors,
Pope Pius XII
and
Pope John XXIII
. Benedict
XVI followed this precedent when he waived the five-year rule for John Paul
II.
76
) The decision was announced on 13 May 2005, the Feast of
Our Lady of Fátima
and the 24th anniversary of the attempt on John Paul
II's life.
77
John Paul
II often credited Our Lady of Fátima for preserving him on that day. Cardinal Ruini inaugurated the diocesan phase of the cause for beatification in the Lateran Basilica on 28 June 2005.
78
The first beatification under the new pope was celebrated on 14 May 2005, by
José Cardinal Saraiva Martins
, Cardinal Prefect of the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints
. The new Blesseds were
Marianne Cope
and
Ascensión Nicol Goñi
. Cardinal
Clemens August Graf von Galen
was beatified on 9 October 2005.
Mariano de la Mata
was beatified in November 2006 and
Rosa Eluvathingal
was beatified on 3 December of that year, and
Basil Moreau
was beatified in September 2007.
79
In October 2008, the following beatifications took place:
Celestine of the Mother of God
, Giuseppina Nicoli, Hendrina Stenmanns, Maria Rosa Flesch, Marta Anna Wiecka,
Michael Sopocko
Petrus Kibe Kasui and 187 Companions
Susana Paz-Castillo Ramírez
, and Maria Isbael Salvat Romero.
On 19 September 2010, during his
visit to the United Kingdom
, Benedict personally proclaimed the beatification of
John Henry Newman
80
Unlike his predecessor, Benedict delegated the beatification liturgical service to a cardinal. On 29 September 2005, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints issued a communiqué announcing that henceforth beatifications would be celebrated by a representative of the pope, usually the prefect of that Congregation.
81
Canonizations
edit
Benedict at the canonization of the Brazilian friar
Frei Galvão
, 2007
See also:
List of saints canonized by Pope Benedict XVI
During his pontificate, Benedict
XVI
canonized
45 people.
82
He celebrated his first canonizations on 23 October 2005 in St. Peter's Square with the
Canonizations
of
Josef Bilczewski
Alberto Hurtado
Zygmunt Gorazdowski
Gaetano Catanoso
, and
Felice da Nicosia
. The canonizations were part of a mass that marked the conclusion of the
General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops
and the
Year of the Eucharist
83
Benedict canonized Bishop
Rafael Guízar y Valencia
Théodore Guérin
Filippo Smaldone
, and
Rosa Venerini
on 15 October 2006.
During his visit to Brazil in 2007, Benedict presided over the canonization of
Frei Galvão
on 11 May, while
George Preca
, founder of the Malta-based
MUSEUM
Szymon of Lipnica
Charles of Mount Argus
, and
Marie-Eugénie de Jésus
were canonized in a ceremony held at the
Vatican
on 3 June 2007.
84
Preca is the first Maltese saint since the country's conversion to Christianity in A.D. 60 when St. Paul converted the inhabitants.
85
In October 2008, the following canonizations took place:
Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception
of India,
86
Gaetano Errico
Narcisa de Jesus Martillo Moran
, and
Maria Bernarda Bütler
. In April 2009, the Pope canonized
Arcangelo Tadini
Bernardo Tolomei
Nuno Álvares Pereira
Geltrude Comensoli
, and
Caterina Volpicelli
87
In October of the same year he canonized
Jeanne Jugan
Damien de Veuster
Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński
Francisco Coll Guitart
, and
Rafael Arnáiz Barón
88
89
On 17 October 2010, Benedict canonized
André Bessette
, a French-Canadian;
Stanisław Sołtys
, a 15th-century Polish priest; Italian nuns
Giulia Salzano
and
Camilla Battista da Varano
; Spanish nun
Candida Maria de Jesus Cipitria y Barriola
; and the first Australian saint,
Mary MacKillop
90
On 23 October 2011, he canonized three saints: a Spanish nun
Bonifacia Rodríguez y Castro
, Italian archbishop
Guido Maria Conforti
, and Italian priest
Luigi Guanella
91
In December 2011, the Pope formally recognized the validity of the miracles necessary to proceed with the canonizations of
Kateri Tekakwitha
, who would be the first Native American saint; Marianne Cope, a nun working with
lepers
in what is now the state of Hawaii;
Giovanni Battista Piamarta
, an Italian priest;
Jacques Berthieu
, a French Jesuit priest and African
martyr
Carmen Salles y Barangueras
, a Spanish nun and founder of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception;
Peter Calungsod
, a lay
catechist
and martyr from the Philippines; and
Anna Schäffer
, whose desire to be a missionary was unfulfilled on account of her illness.
92
They were canonized on 21 October 2012.
93
Doctors of the Church
edit
On 7 October 2012, Benedict named
Hildegard of Bingen
and
John of Ávila
as
Doctors of the Church
, the 34th and 35th individuals so recognized in the history of Christianity.
94
Curia reform
edit
Benedict made only modest changes to the structure of the Roman Curia. In March 2006, he placed both the
Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples
and the
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
under a single president, Cardinal
Renato Martino
. When Martino retired in 2009, each council received its own president once again. Also in March 2006, the
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
was briefly merged into the
Pontifical Council for Culture
under Cardinal
Paul Poupard
. Those Councils maintained their separate officials and staffs while their status and competencies continued unchanged, and in May 2007, Interreligious Dialogue was restored to its separate status again with its own president.
95
In June 2010, Benedict created the
Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization
, appointing Archbishop
Rino Fisichella
its first president.
96
On 16 January 2013, the Pope transferred responsibility for
catechesis
from the
Congregation for the Clergy
to the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization.
97
Teachings
edit
Further information:
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Catholic Church portal
Philosophy portal
As pope, one of Benedict's main roles was to teach about the Catholic faith and the solutions to the problems of discerning and living the faith,
98
a role that he could play well as a former head of the Church's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
"Friendship with Jesus Christ"
edit
After his first
homily
as pope, Benedict referred to both Jesus Christ and John Paul
II. Citing John Paul
II's well-known words, "Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors for Christ!", Benedict said:
Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to Him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? ... And once again the Pope said: No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful, and great. No! Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation. ... When we give ourselves to Him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life.
99
"Friendship with Jesus Christ" was a frequent theme of Benedict's preaching.
100
101
He stressed that on this intimate friendship, "everything depends".
102
He also said: "We are all called to open ourselves to this friendship with God ... speaking to Him as to a friend, the only One who can make the world both good and happy ... That is all we have to do is put ourselves at His disposal ... is an extremely important message. It is a message that helps to overcome what can be considered the great temptation of our time: the claim, that after the
Big Bang
, God withdrew from history."
103
Thus, in his book
Jesus of Nazareth
, his main purpose was "to help foster [in the reader] the growth of a living relationship" with Jesus Christ.
102
He took up this theme in his first encyclical
Deus caritas est
. In his explanation and summary of the encyclical, he stated: "If friendship with God becomes for us something ever more important and decisive, then we will begin to love those whom God loves and who are in need of us. God wants us to be friends of His friends and we can be so, if we are interiorly close to them."
104
Thus, he said that prayer is "urgently needed ... It is time to reaffirm the importance of prayer in the face of the activism and the growing secularism of many Christians engaged in charitable work."
105
"Dictatorship of relativism"
edit
Continuing what he said in the pre-conclave Mass about what he often referred to as the "central problem of our faith today",
106
on 6 June 2005, Benedict also said:
Today, a particularly insidious obstacle to the task of education is the massive presence in our society and culture of that relativism which, recognising nothing as definitive, leaves as the ultimate criterion only the self with its desires. And under the semblance of freedom it becomes a prison for each one, for it separates people from one another, locking each person into his or her own ego.
107
Benedict said that "a dictatorship of relativism"
108
was the core challenge facing the Church and humanity. At the root of this problem, he said, is
Immanuel Kant
's "self-limitation of reason". This, he said, is contradictory to the modern acclamation of science whose excellence is based on the power of reason to know the truth. He said that this self-amputation of reason leads to pathologies of religion such as terrorism and pathologies of science such as
ecological disasters
109
Benedict traced the failed revolutions and violent ideologies of the 20th century to a conversion of partial points of view into absolute guides. He said "Absolutizing what is not absolute but relative is called totalitarianism."
110
Christianity as religion according to reason
edit
In the discussion with
secularism
and
rationalism
, one of Benedict's basic ideas can be found in his address on the "Crisis of Culture" in the West, a day before Pope John Paul
II died, when he referred to Christianity as the "religion of the
Logos
" (the Greek for "word", "reason", "meaning", or "intelligence"). He said:
From the beginning, Christianity has understood itself as the religion of the
Logos
, as the religion according to reason ... It has always defined men, all men without distinction, as creatures and images of God, proclaiming for them ... the same dignity. In this connection,
the Enlightenment
is of Christian origin and it is no accident that it was born precisely and exclusively in the realm of the Christian faith. ... It was and is the merit of the Enlightenment to have again proposed these original values of Christianity and of having given back to reason its own voice ... Today, this should be precisely [Christianity's] philosophical strength, in so far as the problem is whether the world comes from the irrational, and reason is not other than a 'sub-product,' on occasion even harmful of its development – or whether the world comes from reason, and is, as a consequence, its criterion and goal ... In the so necessary dialogue between secularists and Catholics, we Christians must be very careful to remain faithful to this fundamental line: to live a faith that comes from the
Logos
, from creative reason, and that, because of this, is also open to all that is truly rational.
111
Benedict also emphasised that "Only creative reason, which in the crucified God is manifested as love, can really show us the way."
111
Encyclicals
edit
Benedict wrote three
encyclicals
Deus caritas est
(Latin for "God is Love"),
Spe salvi
("Saved by Hope"), and
Caritas in veritate
("Love in Truth").
In his first encyclical,
Deus caritas est
, he said that a human being, created in the image of God who is love, can practise love: to give himself to God and others (
agape
) by receiving and experiencing God's love in contemplation. This life of love, according to him, is the life of the saints such as
Teresa of Calcutta
and the
Blessed Virgin Mary
, and is the direction Christians take when they believe that God loves them in Jesus Christ.
112
The encyclical contains almost 16,000 words in 42 paragraphs. The first half is said to have been written by Benedict in German, his first language, in the summer of 2005; the second half is derived from uncompleted writings left by his predecessor, Pope John Paul
II.
113
The document was signed by Benedict on Christmas Day, 25 December 2005.
114
The encyclical was promulgated a month later in Latin and was translated into English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish. It is the first encyclical to be published since the Vatican decided to assert
in the official writings of the pope.
115
Benedict's second encyclical titled
Spe Salvi
("Saved by Hope"), about the virtue of
hope
, was released on 30 November 2007.
116
117
His third encyclical titled
Caritas in veritate
("Love in Truth" or "Charity in Truth"), was signed on 29 June 2009 (the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul) and released on 7 July 2009.
118
In it, the Pope continued the Church's teachings on social justice. He condemned the prevalent economic system "where the pernicious effects of sin are evident", and called on people to rediscover ethics in business and economic relations.
118
At the time of his resignation, Benedict had completed a draft of a fourth encyclical entitled
Lumen fidei
("The Light of Faith"),
119
intended to accompany his first two encyclicals to complete a trilogy on the three
theological virtues
of
faith
hope
, and
love
. Benedict's successor,
Francis
, completed and published
Lumen Fidei
in June 2013, four months after Benedict's retirement and Francis's succession. Although the encyclical is officially the work of Francis, paragraph 7 of the encyclical explicitly expresses Francis's debt to Benedict: "These considerations on faith – in continuity with all that the Church's
magisterium
has pronounced on this theological virtue – are meant to supplement what Benedict
XVI had written in his encyclical letters on charity and hope. He himself had almost completed a first draft of an encyclical on faith. For this I am deeply grateful to him, and as his brother in Christ I have taken up his fine work and added a few contributions of my own."
120
Post-synodal apostolic exhortation
edit
Sacramentum caritatis
(The Sacrament of Charity), signed 22 February 2007, was released in Latin, Italian, English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, and Polish. It was made available in various languages on 13 March 2007 in Rome. The English edition of
Libera Editrice Vaticana
is 158 pages. This
apostolic exhortation
"seeks to take up the richness and variety of the reflections and proposals which emerged from the Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops" which was held in 2006.
121
Motu proprio
on Tridentine Mass
edit
Main article:
Summorum Pontificum
An altar set for the
Traditional Latin Mass
On 7 July 2007, Benedict issued the
motu proprio
Summorum Pontificum
, declaring that upon "the request of the faithful", the celebration of
Mass
according to the
Missal of 1962
(of the
Tridentine Mass
), was to be more easily permitted. Stable groups who previously had to petition their bishop to have a Tridentine Mass may now merely request permission from their local priest.
122
While
Summorum Pontificum
directs that pastors should provide the Tridentine Mass upon the requests of the faithful, it also allows for any qualified priest to offer private celebrations of the Tridentine Mass, to which the faithful may be admitted if they wish.
123
For regularly scheduled public celebrations of the Tridentine Mass, the permission of the priest in charge of the church is required.
124
In an accompanying letter, the Pope outlined his position concerning questions about the new guidelines.
123
As there were fears that the move would entail a reversal of the Second Vatican Council,
125
Benedict emphasised that the Tridentine Mass would not detract from the council and that the
Mass of Paul VI
would still be the norm and priests were not permitted to refuse to say the Mass in that form. He pointed out that the use of Tridentine Mass "was never juridically abrogated and, consequently, in principle, was always permitted."
123
The letter also decried "deformations of the
liturgy
... because in many places celebrations were not faithful to the prescriptions of the new Missal" as the Second Vatican Council was wrongly seen "as authorising or even requiring creativity", mentioning his own experience.
123
The Pope considered that allowing the Tridentine Mass to those who request it was a means to prevent or heal
schism
, stating that, on occasions in history, "not enough was done by the Church's leaders to maintain or regain reconciliation and unity" and that this "imposes an obligation on us today: to make every effort to enable for all those who truly desire unity to remain in that unity or to attain it anew."
123
Cardinal
Darío Castrillón Hoyos
, the president of the
Pontifical Commission established to facilitate full ecclesial communion of those associated with that Society
126
stated that the decree "opened the door for their return". Bishop
Bernard Fellay
, superior general of the SSPX, expressed "deep gratitude to the Sovereign Pontiff for this great spiritual benefit".
122
In July 2021, Pope Francis issued the
apostolic letter
titled
Traditionis custodes
, which substantially reversed the decision of Benedict
XVI in
Summorum Pontificum
and imposed new and broad restrictions on the use of the
Traditional Latin Mass
. The decision was controversial and widely criticized by conservative and
traditionalist Catholics
as lacking in charity and an attack on those attached to the liturgical patrimony of the Church.
127
128
Unicity and salvific universality of the Catholic Church
edit
Near the end of June 2007, the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
issued a document approved by Benedict
XVI "because some contemporary theological interpretations of
Vatican II
's ecumenical intent had been 'erroneous or ambiguous' and had prompted confusion and doubt." The document has been seen as restating "key sections of a 2000 text the pope wrote when he was prefect of the congregation,
Dominus Iesus
."
129
Consumerism
edit
Benedict condemned excessive
consumerism
, especially among youth. He stated in December 2007 that "[A]dolescents, youths and even children are easy victims of the corruption of love, deceived by unscrupulous adults who, lying to themselves and to them, draw them into the dead-end streets of consumerism."
130
In June 2009, he blamed outsourcing for the greater availability of consumer goods which lead to the downsizing of
social security
systems.
131
Ecumenism
edit
Main article:
Pope Benedict XVI and ecumenism
Benedict on a throne in the
Apostolic Palace
in the Vatican, 2011
Speaking at his weekly audience in St. Peter's Square on 7 June 2006, Benedict asserted that Jesus himself had entrusted the leadership of the Church to his apostle
Peter
. "Peter's responsibility thus consists of guaranteeing the communion with Christ. Let us pray so that the
primacy of Peter
, entrusted to poor human beings, may always be exercised in this original sense desired by the Lord, so that it will be increasingly recognised in its true meaning by brothers who are still not in
communion
with us."
132
Also in 2006, Benedict met the
Anglican
Archbishop of Canterbury
Rowan Williams
. In their Common Declaration, they highlighted the previous 40 years of dialogue between Catholics and Anglicans while also acknowledging "serious obstacles to our ecumenical progress".
133
On 4 November 2009, in response to a 2007 petition by the
Traditional Anglican Church
, Benedict issued the
apostolic constitution
Anglicanorum coetibus
, which authorized the creation of "
Personal Ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion
."
134
135
Between 2011 and 2012, three ordinariates were erected, currently totalling 9090 members, 194 priests, and 94 parishes.
136
137
138
Interfaith dialogue
edit
Judaism
edit
Main article:
Pope Benedict XVI and Judaism
When Benedict ascended to the papacy, his election was welcomed by the
Anti-Defamation League
who noted "his great sensitivity to Jewish history and the
Holocaust
".
139
However, his election received a more reserved response from
British Chief Rabbi
Jonathan Sacks
, who hoped that Benedict would "continue along the path of Pope John
XXIII and Pope John Paul
II in working to enhance relations with the Jewish people and the
State of Israel
."
140
Israeli foreign minister
Silvan Shalom
also offered tentative praise, though Shalom believed that "this Pope, considering his historical experience, will be especially committed to an uncompromising fight against
antisemitism
."
140
Critics have accused Benedict's papacy of insensitivity towards Judaism. The two most prominent instances were the expansion of the use of the Tridentine Mass and the lifting of the
excommunication
on four bishops from the
Society of St. Pius X
(SSPX). In the
Good Friday
service, the Tridentine Mass
rubrics
include a prayer that asks God to lift the veil so "they [Jews] may be delivered from their darkness". This prayer has historically been contentious in
Judaic-Catholic relations
and several groups saw the
restoration of the Tridentine Mass as problematic
141
142
143
144
145
Among those whose excommunications were lifted was Bishop
Richard Williamson
, an outspoken
historical revisionist
sometimes interpreted as a
Holocaust denier
146
147
148
149
The lifting of his excommunication led critics to charge that the Pope was condoning his historical revisionist views.
150
Islam
edit
Main article:
Pope Benedict XVI and Islam
Benedict's relations with
Islam
were strained at times. On 12 September 2006, he delivered
a lecture which touched on Islam at the University of Regensburg
in Germany. He had served there as a professor of theology before becoming Pope, and his lecture was entitled "Faith, Reason and the University – Memories and Reflections". The lecture received much attention from political and religious authorities. Many
Islamic politicians and religious leaders
registered their protest against what they labelled an insulting mischaracterization of Islam, although his focus was aimed towards the rationality of religious violence, and its effect on the religion.
151
152
Muslims were particularly offended by a passage that the Pope quoted in his speech: "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."
152
The passage originally appeared in the
Dialogue Held with a Certain Persian, the Worthy Mouterizes, in Anakara of Galatia
153
written in 1391 as an expression of the views of the
Byzantine
emperor
Manuel II Palaeologus
, one of the last Christian rulers in Constantinople before its
fall
to the Muslim
Ottoman Empire
, on such issues as
forced conversion
holy war
, and the relationship between
faith
and
reason
. According to the German text of his lecture, the Pope's original comment was that the emperor "addresses his interlocutor in an astoundingly harsh – to us surprisingly harsh – way" (
German
wendet er sich in erstaunlich schroffer, uns überraschend schroffer Form
).
154
Benedict apologized for any offence he had caused and made a point of visiting
Turkey
, a predominantly Muslim country, and praying in its
Blue Mosque
. Benedict planned on 5 March 2008, to meet with Muslim scholars and religious leaders autumn 2008 at a Catholic-Muslim seminar in Rome.
155
That meeting, the "First Meeting of the
Catholic-Muslim Forum
", was held from 4–6 November 2008.
156
On 9 May 2009, Benedict visited the King Hussein Mosque in
Amman
, Jordan where he was addressed by
Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad
157
Buddhism
edit
The
Dalai Lama
congratulated Benedict
XVI upon his election,
158
and visited him in October 2006 in Vatican City. In 2007, the People's Republic of China was accused of using its political influence to stop a meeting between the Pope and the Dalai Lama.
159
Indigenous American beliefs
edit
While visiting Brazil in May 2007, "the pope sparked controversy by saying that native populations had been 'silently longing' for the Christian faith brought to South America by colonizers."
160
The Pope continued, stating that "the proclamation of Jesus and of his Gospel did not at any point involve an alienation of the
pre-Columbus
cultures, nor was it the imposition of a foreign culture."
160
Venezuelan president
Hugo Chávez
demanded an apology, and an indigenous organization in Ecuador issued a response which stated that "representatives of the Catholic Church of those times, with honourable exceptions, were accomplices, deceivers and beneficiaries of one of the most horrific genocides of all humanity."
160
Later, the Pope, speaking Italian, said at a weekly audience that it was "not possible to forget the suffering and the injustices inflicted by colonizers against the indigenous population, whose fundamental human rights were often trampled" but made no apology.
161
Hinduism
edit
While visiting the United States on 17 April 2008, Benedict met with
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
representative
Radhika Ramana Dasa
162
a noted
Hindu
scholar
163
and disciple of Hanumatpreshaka Swami.
164
On behalf of the Hindu American community, Radhika Ramana Dasa presented a gift of an
Om
symbol to Benedict.
165
166
Pastoral visits and security
edit
Main article:
List of pastoral visits of Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict in a
Mercedes-Benz
popemobile,
São Paulo
, Brazil, 2007
As pontiff, Benedict carried out numerous Apostolic activities, including journeys in Italy and across the world.
Benedict travelled extensively during the first three years of his papacy. In addition to his travels within Italy, he made two visits to his homeland, Germany, one for
World Youth Day
and another to visit the towns of his childhood. He also visited Poland and Spain, where he was enthusiastically received.
167
His visit to Turkey, an overwhelmingly Muslim nation, was initially overshadowed by the controversy about a lecture he had given at Regensburg. His visit was met by nationalist and Islamic protesters
168
and was placed under unprecedented security measures.
169
Benedict made a joint declaration with
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I
in an attempt to begin to heal the rift between the Catholic and
Eastern Orthodox
churches.
170
In 2007, Benedict visited Brazil to address the Bishops' Conference there and canonize Friar Antônio Galvão, an 18th-century
Franciscan
. In June 2007, Benedict made a personal
pilgrimage
and pastoral visit to
Assisi
, the birthplace of
St. Francis
. In September, Benedict undertook a three-day visit to Austria,
171
during which he joined Vienna's
chief rabbi
, Paul Chaim Eisenberg, in a memorial to the 65,000
Viennese Jews
who perished in Nazi death camps.
172
During his stay in Austria, he also celebrated Mass at the Marian shrine
Mariazell
and visited
Heiligenkreuz Abbey
173
Benedict celebrates his 81st birthday with US president
George W. Bush
and First Lady
Laura Bush
at the
White House
in Washington, D.C., 2008
In April 2008, Benedict made his
first visit to the United States
since becoming pope.
174
He arrived in Washington, D.C., where he was formally received at the
White House
and
met privately
with US president
George W. Bush
175
While in Washington, the pope addressed representatives of US Catholic universities, met with leaders of other world religions, and celebrated Mass at the Washington Nationals'
baseball stadium
with 47,000 people.
176
The Pope also met privately with victims of sexual abuse by priests. The Pope travelled to New York City where he addressed the
United Nations General Assembly
177
Also while in New York, the Pope celebrated Mass at
St. Patrick's Cathedral
, met with disabled children and their families, and attended an event for Catholic youth, where he addressed some 25,000 young people in attendance.
178
On the final day of the Pope's visit, he visited the
World Trade Center site
and later celebrated Mass at
Yankee Stadium
179
In July 2008, the Pope travelled to Australia to attend
World Youth Day 2008
in
Sydney
. On 19 July, in
St. Mary's Cathedral
, he made an apology for child sex abuse perpetrated by the clergy in Australia.
180
181
On 13 September 2008, at an outdoor Paris Mass attended by 250,000 people, Benedict condemned the modern
materialism
– the world's love of power, possessions, and money as a modern-day plague, comparing it to
paganism
182
183
In 2009, he visited Africa (
Cameroon
and
Angola
) for the first time as pope. During his visit, he suggested that altering sexual behaviour was the answer to
Africa's AIDS crisis
and urged Catholics to reach out and convert believers in
sorcery
184
He visited the Middle East (
Jordan
, Israel, and
Palestine
) in May 2009.
Benedict's main arena for pastoral activity was the Vatican itself, his Christmas and Easter homilies and Urbi et Orbi were delivered from
St. Peter's Basilica
. The Vatican is also the only regular place where Benedict travelled via motor without the protective bulletproof case common to most popemobiles. Despite the more secure setting, Benedict was victim to security risks several times inside Vatican City. On Wednesday, 6 June 2007, during his General Audience, a man leapt across a barrier, evaded guards, and nearly mounted the Pope's vehicle, although he was stopped and Benedict seemed to be unaware of the event. On Thursday, 24 December 2009, while Benedict was proceeding to the altar to celebrate Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter's Basilica, a woman later identified as 25-year-old
Susanna Maiolo
, who holds Italian and Swiss citizenship, jumped the barrier and grabbed the Pope by his
vestments
and pulled him to the ground. The 82-year-old Benedict fell but was assisted to his feet and he continued to proceed toward the altar to celebrate Mass.
Roger Etchegaray
, the vice-dean of the College of Cardinals, fell as well and suffered a hip fracture. Italian police reported that Maiolo had in a prior action attempted to accost Benedict at the previous Christmas Eve Mass, but was prevented from doing so.
185
186
Benedict in
Balzan
, Malta, 2010
In his homily, Benedict forgave Susanna Maiolo
187
and urged the world to "wake up" from selfishness and petty affairs, and find time for God and spiritual matters.
185
Benedict in
Zagreb
, Croatia, 2011
Between 17 and 18 April 2010, Benedict made an Apostolic Journey to the Republic of Malta. Following meetings with various dignitaries on his first day on the island, 50,000 people gathered in a
drizzle
for Papal Mass on the granaries in
Floriana
. The Pope also met with the
Maltese
youth at the
Valletta
Waterfront, where an estimated 10,000 young people turned up to greet him.
188
Sexual abuse in the Catholic Church
edit
See also:
Catholic Church sexual abuse cases
Prior to 2001, the primary responsibility for investigating allegations of sexual abuse and disciplining perpetrators rested with the individual dioceses. In 2001, Ratzinger convinced John Paul
II to put the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in charge of all sexual abuse investigations.
189
190
According to
John L. Allen Jr.
, Ratzinger in the following years "acquired a familiarity with the contours of the problem that virtually no other figure in the Catholic Church can claim. Driven by that encounter with what he would later refer to as 'filth' in the Church, Ratzinger seems to have undergone something of a 'conversion experience' throughout 2003–04. From that point forward, he and his staff seemed driven by a convert's zeal to clean up the mess."
191
Cardinal
Vincent Nichols
wrote that in his role as head of the CDF "[Ratzinger] led important changes made in church law: the inclusion in canon law of internet offences against children, the extension of child abuse offences to include the sexual abuse of all under 18, the case by case waiving of the
statute of limitation
and the establishment of a fast-track dismissal from the clerical state for offenders."
192
According to
Charles J. Scicluna
, a former prosecutor handling sexual abuse cases, "Cardinal Ratzinger displayed great wisdom and firmness in handling those cases, also demonstrating great courage in facing some of the most difficult and thorny cases,
sine acceptione personarum
[without respect of persons]".
193
According to Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Ratzinger "made entirely clear efforts not to cover things up but to tackle and investigate them. This was not always met with approval in the Vatican".
189
194
Ratzinger had pressed John Paul
II to investigate
Hans Hermann Groër
, an Austrian cardinal and friend of John Paul accused of sexual abuse, which resulted in Groër's resignation.
195
In March 2010, Benedict sent a pastoral letter to the Catholic Church in Ireland addressing cases of sexual abuse by priests of minors, expressing sorrow and promising changes in the way in which accusations of abuse were addressed.
196
Victims' groups claimed the letter failed to clarify if secular law enforcement had priority over canon law confidentiality regarding internal investigation of abuse allegations.
197
198
199
The Pope then promised to introduce measures that would "safeguard young people in the future" and "bring to justice" priests who were responsible for abuse and the next month the Vatican issued guidelines on how existing church law should be implemented. The guidelines asserted that "Civil law concerning reporting of crimes ... should always be followed."
200
201
As Archbishop of Munich and Freising
edit
Despite being more proactive than his predecessor in addressing sexual abuse, Benedict was nonetheless cited as failing to do so on more than one occasion. In January 2022, a report written by German law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl and commissioned by the Catholic Church concluded that Cardinal Ratzinger failed to adequately take action against clerics in four cases of alleged abuse while he was Archbishop of Munich and Freising from 1977 to 1982. The pope emeritus denied the accusations.
202
203
204
Benedict corrected his former statement that he had not been at a meeting of the ordinariate of the
Archdiocese of Munich and Freising
in January 1980, saying he mistakenly told German investigators he was not there. However, the error was "not done out of bad faith", but "the result of an error in the editorial processing" of his statement. According to
Reuters
, lawyer Martin Pusch said that "in a total of four cases, we have come to the conclusion that the then Archbishop Cardinal Ratzinger can be accused of misconduct in cases of sexual abuse."
205
206
In February 2022, Benedict admitted that errors were made in the treating of sexual abuse cases when he was Archbishop of Munich. According to the letter released by the Vatican, he asked forgiveness for any "grievous fault" but denied personal wrongdoing. Benedict stated: "I have had great responsibilities in the Catholic Church. All the greater is my pain for the abuses and the errors that occurred in those different places during the time of my mandate."
207
Public prosecutor's office in Munich had begun investigations as a result of the 2022 report against both Benedict and
Cardinal Friedrich Wetter
. The investigation was "discontinued" in March 2023 after it "did not reveal sufficient suspicion of criminal activity". The case of the investigation "was not acts of abuse committed by the Church personnel managers themselves, but possible acts of aiding and abetting by active action or omission".
208
Legion of Christ founder Marcial Maciel
edit
One of the cases Ratzinger pursued involved
Marcial Maciel
, a Mexican priest and founder of the
Legionaries of Christ
who had been accused repeatedly of sexual abuse. Biographer Andrea Tornielli suggested that Cardinal Ratzinger had wanted to take action against Maciel but that John Paul
II and other high-ranking officials, including several cardinals and the Pope's influential secretary
Stanisław Dziwisz
, prevented him from doing so.
190
195
According to
Jason Berry
, Cardinal
Angelo Sodano
"pressured" Ratzinger, who was "operating on the assumption that the charges were not justified", to halt the proceedings against Maciel in 1999.
209
When Maciel was honoured by the Pope in 2004, new accusers came forward
209
and Cardinal Ratzinger "took it on himself to authorize an investigation of Maciel".
190
After Ratzinger became pope, he began proceedings against Maciel and the Legion of Christ that forced Maciel out of active service in the Church.
189
On 1 May 2010, the Vatican issued a statement denouncing "the most serious and objectively immoral behaviour of Father Maciel, confirmed by incontrovertible witnesses, which amount to true crimes and show a life deprived of scruples and authentic religious feeling."
210
Theodore McCarrick controversy
edit
In November 2020, the Vatican published a report blaming Popes John Paul
II and Benedict
XVI for allowing defrocked former cardinal
Theodore McCarrick
to rise in power despite the fact that they both knew of sex abuse allegations against him.
211
212
Despite the fact that Benedict pressured McCarrick to resign as Archbishop of Washington D.C. in 2006, McCarrick remained very active in ministry throughout Benedict's papacy and even made a very public appearance when he presided over US senator
Ted Kennedy
's burial service at Arlington National Cemetery in 2009.
211
212
213
Post-papacy
edit
In 2019, Benedict released a 6,000-word letter that attributed the Church's sexual abuse crisis to an erosion of morality driven by
secularization
and the
sexual revolution of the 1960s
. The letter was in sharp contrast to the viewpoint of his successor, Francis, who saw the issue as a byproduct of abuses of power within the Church's hierarchical structure.
214
The New York Times
later reported that "given his frail health at the time, however, many church watchers questioned whether Benedict had indeed written the letter or had been manipulated to issue it as a way to undercut Francis."
215
Upon Benedict's death, his efforts to combat sexual abuse in the Church were remembered with mixed reactions, in particular by victims' groups. Francesco Zanardi, founder of the Italian victims' group
Rete l'Abuso
stated that "Ratzinger was less communicative than Francis but he moved" in the right direction, and that he was the first pontiff to effectively do so.
216
Anne Barrett Doyle, a co-director of BishopAccountability.org, an advocacy and research group, said that Benedict would be "remembered chiefly for his failure to achieve what should have been his job one: to rectify the incalculable harm done to the hundreds of thousands of children sexually abused by Catholic priests."
216
She stated that his tenure had "left hundreds of culpable bishops in power and a culture of secrecy intact", while the
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
said in a statement that "Benedict was more concerned about the church's deteriorating image and financial flow to the hierarchy versus grasping the concept of true apologies followed by true amends to victims of abuse".
216
Other issues
edit
During the last year of Benedict's papacy, the
Vatileaks
occurred.
217
These revealed allegations of corruption, internal conflict, and financial mismanagement.
217
Attire
edit
Main article:
Ceremonial of Benedict XVI
Benedict wearing a red
Cappello romano
during an open-air Mass in front of
St. Peter's Basilica
, 2007
Benedict re-introduced several
papal garments
which had fallen into disuse. He resumed the use of the traditional red
papal shoes
, which had been used since Roman times by popes but which had fallen into disuse during the pontificate of John Paul
II. Contrary to the initial speculation of the press that the shoes had been made by the Italian fashion house
Prada
, the
Vatican
announced that the shoes were provided by the Pope's personal shoemaker.
218
The journalist Charlotte Allen described Benedict as "the pope of aesthetics": "He has reminded a world that looks increasingly ugly and debased that there is such a thing as the beautiful – whether it's embodied in a sonata or an altarpiece or an embroidered cope or the cut of a cassock – and that earthly beauty ultimately communicates a beauty that is beyond earthly things."
Health
edit
Before his election as pope, Ratzinger had hoped to retire – on account of age-related health problems, a long-held desire to have free time to write, and the retirement age for bishops (75) – and submitted his resignation as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith three times, but continued at his post in obedience to the wishes of John Paul
II. In September 1991, Ratzinger suffered a haemorrhagic stroke, which slightly impaired his eyesight temporarily but from which he recovered completely.
219
This was never officially made public – the official news was that he had fallen and struck his head against a radiator – but was an open secret known to the conclave that elected him pope.
220
Benedict in
choir dress
with the red summer
papal mozzetta
, embroidered red
stole
, and the red
papal shoes
After his election in April 2005 there were several rumours about the Pope's health, but none of them were confirmed. Early in his pontificate Benedict predicted a short reign, which led to concerns about his health.
221
In May 2005 the Vatican announced that he had suffered another mild stroke. French cardinal
Philippe Barbarin
said that since the first stroke Ratzinger had been suffering from an age-related heart condition, for which he was on medication. In late November 2006 Vatican insiders told the international press that the Pope had had a routine examination of the heart.
220
A few days later an unconfirmed rumour emerged that Benedict had undergone an operation in preparation for an eventual bypass operation, but this rumour was only published by a small left-wing Italian newspaper and was never confirmed by any Vatican insider.
222
On 17 July 2009, Benedict was hospitalized after falling and breaking his right wrist while on vacation in the Alps; his injuries were reported to be minor.
223
Peter Seewald
, Benedict's biographer, stated in 2023 that Benedict had been suffering from persistent
insomnia
since the 2005
World Youth Day in Cologne
. A March 2012 incident in Mexico forced the Pope to cut back on sleeping pills and necessitated that he only appear in public in the morning. According to Seewald, Benedict revealed shortly before his death that these restrictions had been untenable and were the "central motive" for the decision to resign prior to his next major foreign trip,
World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro
in July 2013.
224
Following the announcement of his resignation, the Vatican revealed that Benedict had been fitted with a
pacemaker
while he was still a cardinal, before his election as pope in 2005. The battery in the pacemaker had been replaced three months earlier, a routine procedure, but that did not influence his decision.
225
Resignation
edit
Main article:
Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict in a
popemobile
at his final Wednesday General Audience in
St. Peter's Square
, 27 February 2013
On 11 February 2013, the Vatican announced that Benedict would
resign the papacy
on 28 February 2013, as a result of his advanced age,
226
becoming the first pope to resign since
Gregory XII
in 1415.
227
Aged 85 years and 318 days on the effective date of his retirement, he was the fourth-oldest person to hold the office of pope. The move was unexpected,
228
as all popes in modern times had held office until death. Benedict was the first pope to resign without external pressure since
Celestine V
in 1294.
229
230
In his declaration of 10 February 2013, Benedict resigned as "Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter".
231
In a statement, he cited his deteriorating strength and the physical and mental demands of the papacy;
232
addressing his cardinals in Latin, he gave a brief statement announcing his resignation. He also declared that he would continue to serve the Church "through a life dedicated to prayer".
232
According to a statement from the Vatican, the timing of the resignation was not caused by any specific illness but was to "avoid that exhausting rush of Easter engagements".
233
After two weeks of ceremonial farewells, the Pope left office at the appointed time and
sede vacante
was declared. Benedict was succeeded by Cardinal
Jorge Mario Bergoglio
, who took the papal name of Francis on 13 March 2013.
On the eve of the first anniversary of Benedict's resignation he wrote to
La Stampa
to deny speculation he had
been forced to step down
. "There isn't the slightest doubt about the validity of my resignation from the Petrine ministry," he wrote in a letter to the newspaper. "The only condition for the validity is the full freedom of the decision. Speculation about its invalidity is simply absurd," he wrote.
234
In an interview on 28 February 2021, Benedict again repeated the legitimacy of his resignation.
235
236
237
Pope emeritus: 2013–2022
edit
On the morning of 28 February 2013, Benedict met with the full College of Cardinals and in the early afternoon flew by helicopter to the papal summer residence of
Castel Gandolfo
. He stayed there until refurbishment was completed on his retirement home, the
Mater Ecclesiae Monastery
in the
Vatican Gardens
near St. Peter's, former home of twelve nuns, where he moved on 2 May 2013.
238
239
Pope emeritus Benedict
XVI with
Pope Francis
(left) in the
Vatican Gardens
, July 2013
After his resignation, Benedict retained his papal name rather than reverting to his birth name.
He continued to wear the white cassock but without the
pellegrina
or the
fascia
. He ceased wearing red papal shoes.
240
241
Benedict returned his official
Fisherman's Ring
, which was rendered unusable by two large cuts across its face.
242
According to a Vatican spokesman, Benedict spent his first day as
pope emeritus
with Archbishop
Georg Gänswein
Prefect of the Papal Household
243
In the monastery, the pope emeritus did not live a cloistered life, but studied and wrote.
239
He joined Pope Francis several months later at the unveiling of a new statue of
Saint Michael the Archangel
. The inscription on the statue, according to Cardinal
Giovanni Lajolo
, has the coat of arms of the two popes to symbolize the fact that the statue was commissioned by Benedict and consecrated by Francis.
244
In 2013 it was reported that Benedict had multiple health problems including
high blood pressure
and had fallen out of bed more than once, but the Holy See denied any specific illnesses.
245
The former pope made his first public appearance after his resignation at St. Peter's Basilica on 22 February 2014 to attend the first
papal consistory
of his successor Francis. Benedict entered the basilica through a discreet entrance and was seated in a row with several other cardinals. He doffed his
zucchetto
when Francis came down the nave of St. Peter's Basilica to greet him.
246
He then made an appearance at the
canonization mass of Popes John
XXIII and John Paul
II
, greeting the cardinals and Francis.
Benedict in 2014
In August 2014, Benedict celebrated Mass at the Vatican and met with his former doctoral students, an annual tradition he had kept since the 1970s.
247
He attended the
beatification of Pope Paul VI
in October 2014.
248
Weeks before this, he joined Francis in Saint Peter's Square for an audience with grandparents to honour their importance in society.
249
Benedict wrote the text of a speech, delivered by Archbishop Georg Gänswein, on the occasion of the dedication of the Aula Magna at the
Pontifical Urbaniana University
to the pope emeritus, "a gesture of gratitude for what he has done for the Church as a conciliar expert, with his teaching as professor, as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and, finally, the Magisterium." The ceremony took place on Tuesday, 21 October 2014, during the opening of the academic year.
250
Benedict attended the consistory for new cardinals in February 2015, greeting Francis at the beginning of the celebration.
251
In the summer of 2015, Benedict spent two weeks at Castel Gandolfo, at the invitation of Pope Francis. While at Castel Gandolfo, Benedict participated in two public events. He received two honorary doctorates given to him by Cardinal
Stanisław Dziwisz
, Pope John Paul
II's longtime aide, from the
Pontifical University of John Paul II
and the Kraków Academy of Music.
252
In his reception address, Benedict paid homage to his predecessor, John Paul
II.
252
The Joseph Ratzinger–Benedict XVI Roman Library at the
Pontifical Teutonic College
was announced in April 2015 and was scheduled to open to scholars in November 2015.
253
The library section dedicated to his life and thought is being catalogued. It includes books by or about him and his studies, many donated by Benedict himself.
254
255
Benedict, in August 2015, submitted a handwritten card to act as a testimony to the cause of canonization of
Pope John Paul I
256
257
In March 2016, Benedict gave an interview expressing his views on
mercy
and endorsing Francis's stress on mercy in his pastoral practice.
258
Also that month, a Vatican spokesman stated that Benedict was "slowly, serenely fading" in his physical health, although his mental capacity remained "perfectly lucid".
259
The pope emeritus was honoured by the Roman Curia and Francis in 2016 at a special audience, honouring the
65th anniversary
of his ordination to the priesthood. That November, he did not attend the consistory for new cardinals, rather meeting with them and Francis at his residence afterward.
260
Following the death of Cardinal
Paulo Evaristo Arns
in December 2016, Benedict became the last living person appointed cardinal by Pope Paul
VI.
261
Benedict in 2019
In June 2017, Benedict received newly created cardinals in his chapel and spoke with each of them in their native language.
262
In July 2017, he sent a message through his private secretary for the funeral of Cardinal
Joachim Meisner
, who had suddenly died while on vacation in Germany.
263
In November 2017, images emerged on the Facebook page of the
Bishop of Passau
, Stefan Oster, of Benedict with a black eye; the bishop and author
Peter Seewald
visited the former pope on 26 October since the pair were presenting Benedict with the new book
Benedict XVI – The German Pope
which the Passau diocese created. The former pope suffered the
hematoma
earlier after having slipped.
264
Benedict was portrayed by
Anthony Hopkins
in the
biographical
film
The Two Popes
, which came out in 2019.
265
In late 2019, Benedict collaborated on a book expressing that the Catholic Church must maintain its discipline of
clerical celibacy
, in light of ongoing debate on the issue, though later requested his name to be removed from the book as co-author.
266
267
268
In June 2020, Benedict visited his dying brother Georg in Germany for the last time.
269
270
Georg died on 1 July, aged 96.
271
On 3 August 2020, Benedict's aides disclosed that he had an
inflammation of the trigeminal nerve
272
On 2 December of the same year, Maltese cardinal
Mario Grech
announced to
Vatican News
that Benedict had difficulty speaking and that he had told the new cardinals after the consistory that "the Lord has taken away my speech in order to let me appreciate silence".
273
Benedict became the longest-lived pope whose age can be verified on 4 September 2020, at 93 years, 141 days, surpassing the age of
Pope Leo XIII
274
275
There are two popes who are claimed to have lived longer than Benedict:
Pope Saint Agatho
(574–681), who died aged 107;
276
and
Pope Gregory IX
(1145–1241), who died aged 96.
277
However, although there is some contemporary documentation attesting to their ages, there is not sufficient evidence for them to be verified with complete certainty.
In January 2021, Benedict and Francis each received doses of a
COVID-19 vaccine
278
On 29 June 2021, the pope emeritus celebrated his
platinum jubilee
or 70th anniversary as a priest.
279
Following the
consistory of 27 August 2022
, Francis and the newly created cardinals paid a brief visit to Benedict at Mater Ecclesiae Monastery.
280
Death and funeral
edit
Main article:
Death and funeral of Pope Benedict XVI
Worsening health and death
edit
Italian president
Sergio Mattarella
paying respects to the body of Benedict
XVI at
St. Peter's Basilica
On 28 December 2022, Pope Francis said at the end of his audience that Benedict XVI was "very sick" and asked God to "comfort him and support him in this testimony of love for the Church until the end".
281
The same day,
Matteo Bruni
, the director of the Holy See Press Office, stated that "in the last few hours there has been an aggravation of Benedict's health due to advancing age" and that he was under medical care. Bruni also stated that Francis visited Benedict at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery after the audience.
282
283
Pope Benedict XVI died on 31 December 2022 at 9:34
am
Central European Time
at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, aged 95, due to
cardiogenic shock
, resulting from
respiratory failure
that evolved from a
parenchymal
insufficiency.
284
His long-time secretary, Georg Gänswein, reported that his last words were
Signore ti amo
(Italian for 'Lord, I love you').
285
286
287
Funeral
edit
The tomb of Benedict XVI in the crypt of St. Peter's Basilica
From 2 to 4 January 2023, Pope Benedict XVI's body
lay in state
in St. Peter's Basilica, during which around 195,000 people paid their respects.
288
His funeral took place on 5 January 2023 in St. Peter's Square at 9:30
am, presided over by Pope Francis and celebrated by Cardinal
Giovanni Battista Re
289
This ended the Catholic Church's 10-year involvement with the then-current pope and pope-emeritus, and was the first time since 1802 that a pope had attended a funeral for his predecessor.
290
The funeral was attended by an estimated 50,000 people.
291
Some attendees held signs reading or shouted "
Santo subito
", calling for his quick elevation to
sainthood
, a cry heard previously at the
funeral of John Paul II
292
Benedict was interred in the crypt beneath St. Peter's Basilica, in the same tomb originally occupied by John Paul
II and John
XXIII.
291
The tomb was opened to the public on 8 January 2023.
293
Titles and styles
edit
As Pope, Benedict's rarely used full title was:
His Holiness
Benedict
XVI, Bishop of Rome,
Vicar of Jesus Christ
Successor of the Prince of the Apostles
Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church
, Primate of Italy,
Archbishop
and
Metropolitan of the Roman Province
, Sovereign of the Vatican City State,
Servant of the servants of God
294
The best-known title, that of "Pope", did not appear in the official list of titles, but is commonly used in the titles of documents and appears, in abbreviated form, in their signatures as "PP." standing for "
Papa
" ("Pope").
295
296
297
298
Before 1 March 2006, the list of titles also used to contain that of a "
Patriarch of the West
", which traditionally appeared in that list of titles before "Primate of Italy". The title of "Patriarch of the West" was removed in the 2006 edition of
Annuario Pontificio
. According to
Achille Silvestrini
, Benedict chose to remove the title at a time as a "sign of ecumenical sensitivity" on the issue of
papal primacy
299
After his resignation, the official
style
of the former pope in English was
His Holiness Benedict
XVI, Supreme Pontiff emeritus
or
Pope emeritus
300
Less formally he was referred to as emeritus pope or Roman pontifex emeritus.
301
Moreover, according to the
1983
Code of Canon Law
, he was also
bishop emeritus of Rome
, retaining the sacred character received at his ordination as a bishop and receiving the title of emeritus of his diocese; although he did not use this style.
302
The pope emeritus had personally preferred to be simply known as "Father Benedict".
303
Positions on morality and politics
edit
Contraception and HIV/AIDS
edit
In 2005, the Pope listed several ways to combat the spread of HIV, including chastity, fidelity in marriage, and anti-poverty efforts; he also rejected the use of condoms.
304
The alleged Vatican investigation of whether there are any cases when married persons may use condoms to protect against the spread of infections surprised many Catholics in the wake of John Paul
II's consistent refusal to consider condom use in response to AIDS.
305
However, the Vatican has since stated that no such change in the Church's teaching can occur.
306
TIME
also reported in its edition of 30 April 2006 that the Vatican's position remains what it always has been with Vatican officials "flatly dismiss[ing] reports that the Vatican is about to release a document that will condone any condom use."
306
In March 2009, the Pope stated:
I would say that this problem of AIDS cannot be overcome merely with money, necessary though it is. If there is no human dimension, if Africans do not help, the problem cannot be overcome by the distribution of prophylactics: on the contrary, they increase it. The solution must have two elements: firstly, bringing out the human dimension of sexuality, that is to say a spiritual and human renewal that would bring with it a new way of behaving towards others, and secondly, true friendship offered above all to those who are suffering, a willingness to make sacrifices and to practise self-denial, to be alongside the suffering.
307
In November 2010, in a book-length interview, Benedict, using the example of male prostitutes, stated that the use of condoms, with the intention of reducing the risk of HIV infection, may be an indication that the prostitute is intending to reduce the evil connected with his immoral activity.
308
In the same interview, the Pope also reiterated the traditional teaching of the Church that condoms are not seen as a "real or moral solution" to the
HIV/AIDS pandemic
. Further, in December 2010, the
Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith
explained that Benedict's statement did not constitute a legitimization of either contraception or prostitution, which remains gravely immoral.
308
Homosexuality
edit
See also:
Catholic Church and homosexuality
During his time as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), Cardinal Ratzinger addressed the issue of homosexuality. In 1986 the CDF sent a letter to all bishops entitled:
On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons
. The letter condemned a liberal interpretation of the earlier CDF document
Declaration on Certain Questions Concerning Sexual Ethics
, which had led to a "benign" attitude "to the homosexual condition itself".
On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons
clarified that the Church's position on homosexuality was that "although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin, it is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil; and thus the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder."
309
However, the document also condemned homophobic attacks and violence, stating that "It is deplorable that homosexual persons have been and are the object of violent malice in speech or in action. Such treatment deserves condemnation from the Church's pastors wherever it occurs."
309
In 1992, Ratzinger again approved CDF documents declaring that homosexual "inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder" and extended this principle to civil law. "Sexual orientation", the document said, was not equivalent to race or ethnicity, and it declared that it was "not unjust discrimination to take sexual orientation into account."
310
On 22 December 2008, Benedict gave an end-of-year message to the Roman Curia in which he talked about gender and the important distinction between men and women. He said that the Church viewed the distinction as central to human nature, and "asks that this order of creation be respected". In his words, the Church must "protect man from self-destruction". He said "something like a human ecology" was needed, and added: "Rain forests deserve indeed to be protected, but no less so does man." He attacked "gender theories", which he described as "man's attempt at self-emancipation from creation and the Creator."
311
312
313
LGBT
groups, such as the Italian
Arcigay
and German
LSVD
, announced that they found Benedict's comments homophobic.
314
Aurelio Mancuso, head of Arcigay, said "A divine programme for men and women is out of line with nature, where the roles are not so clear."
312
Canadian author
Daniel Gawthrop
, in a critical biography,
The Trial of Pope Benedict
, said that the Pope blamed homosexuality "for a problem the church had willingly enabled for hundreds of years".
315
Vatican spokesman
Federico Lombardi
claimed the Pope had not wished specifically to attack people with homosexual inclinations, and had not mentioned gays or lesbians in his text. Lombardi insisted that there had been an overreaction to the pope's remarks, saying: "He was speaking more generally about gender theories which overlook the fundamental difference in creation between men and women and focus instead on cultural conditioning." Nevertheless, the remarks were interpreted as a call to save mankind from homosexuals and transsexuals.
312
Same-sex marriage
edit
In an address to a conference of the Diocese of Rome held at the basilica of
St. John Lateran
6 June 2005, Benedict remarked on the issues of
same-sex marriage
and abortion:
316
The various forms of the dissolution of matrimony today, like free unions, trial marriages and going up to pseudo-matrimonies by people of the same sex, are rather expressions of an anarchic freedom that wrongly passes for true freedom of man ... from here it becomes all the more clear how contrary it is to human love, to the profound vocation of man and woman, to systematically close their union to the gift of life, and even worse to suppress or tamper with the life that is born.
During a 2012 Christmas speech,
317
Benedict made remarks about the present-day interpretation of the notion of
gender
. He stated that a new philosophy of sexuality, which he rejects, suggests that "sex is no longer a given element of nature, that man has to accept and personally make sense of: it is a social role that we choose for ourselves", and "The words of the creation account: 'male and female he created them' (Gen 1:27) no longer apply". Although he did not mention the topic, his words were interpreted by news media as denunciations of same-sex marriage,
318
with some outlets adding that Benedict would have called it a threat to world peace similar to abortion and euthanasia.
319
In March 2012, he stated that heterosexual marriages should be defended from "every possible misrepresentation of their true nature".
320
International relations
edit
Main article:
Foreign relations of the Holy See
Migrants and refugees
edit
In a message released 14 November 2006, during a Vatican press conference for the 2007 annual observance of
World Day for Migrants and Refugees
, the Pope urged the ratification of international conventions and policies that defend all migrants, including refugees, exiles,
evacuees
and
internally displaced persons
. "The church encourages the ratification of the international legal instruments that aim to defend the rights of migrants, refugees and their families," the Pope said. "Much is already being done for the integration of the families of immigrants, although much still remains to be done."
321
Benedict also promoted various UN events, such as
World Refugee Day
, on which he offered up special prayers for refugees and called for the international community to do more to secure refugees' human rights. He also called on Catholic communities and organizations to offer them concrete help.
322
In 2015, it was reported that Benedict was "praying for migrants and refugees" from Syria.
323
China
edit
Main article:
China–Holy See relations
In 2007, Benedict sent a letter at
Easter
to Catholics in China that could have wide-ranging implications for the Church's relationship with China's leadership. The letter provides long-requested guidance to Chinese bishops on how to respond to illicitly ordained bishops, as well as how to strengthen ties with the
Patriotic Association
and the Communist government.
324
Benedict wrote that despite the two
Catholic communities in China
(i.e. the "Patriotic" Church and the
"Underground" Church
) there is no
schism
between them. Benedict stated that sacraments performed by the priests not in unity with the Vatican were
valid but also illicit
. He stated that the Catholic Church accepts the legitimacy of the civil authorities in secular matters and that the Pope has authority in ecclesial matters, and therefore the involvement of the Catholic Patriotic Association in the appointment of bishops (and its bishops conference) violated Catholic doctrine. The letter also removed the permission granted by the Vatican in 1978 to the Underground church to appoint bishops without Vatican approval.
325
: 185
Korea
edit
On 13 November 2006, Benedict said that the dispute over the
North Korea nuclear weapons program
should be resolved through negotiations, in his first public comment on the security issue, a news report said. "The Holy See encourages bilateral or multilateral negotiations, convinced that the solution must be sought through peaceful means and in respect for agreements taken by all sides to obtain the denuclearisation of the
Korean Peninsula
." Benedict was talking to the new Japanese ambassador to the Vatican.
326
Turkey
edit
Main article:
Holy See–Turkey relations
In a 2004
Le Figaro
interview, Ratzinger said that Turkey, which is demographically Muslim but governmentally
secular by virtue of its state constitution
, should seek its future in an association of
Muslim nations
rather than the European Union, which Ratzinger stated has Christian roots. He said Turkey had always been "in permanent contrast to Europe and that linking it to Europe would be a mistake".
327
Later visiting the country to "reiterate the solidarity between the cultures," it was reported that Benedict made a counter-statement backing
Turkey's bid to join the EU
. Turkish prime minister
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
said that the Pope told him in their meeting that while the Vatican seeks to stay out of politics, it desires Turkey's membership in the EU.
328
329
However, the Common Declaration of Pope Benedict
XVI and
Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople
implied that support for Turkey's membership in the European Union would be contingent on the establishment of religious freedom in Turkey:
330
"In every step towards unification, minorities must be protected, with their cultural traditions and the distinguishing features of their religion."
170
Israel
edit
Main article:
Holy See–Israel relations
In May 2009, Benedict visited Israel.
331
332
This was the third Papal visit to Israel, the previous ones being made by Paul
VI in 1964 and John Paul
II in 2000.
In his farewell speech before leaving to Rome on 15 May 2009, his balance was expressed as follows:
Let it be universally recognized that the State of Israel has the right to exist, and to enjoy peace and security within internationally agreed borders. Let it be likewise acknowledged that the Palestinian people have a right to a sovereign independent homeland, to live with dignity and to travel freely.
333
Vietnam
edit
Main article:
Holy See–Vietnam relations
Vietnamese prime minister
Nguyễn Tấn Dũng
met with Benedict at the Vatican on 25 January 2007 in a "new and important step towards establishing diplomatic ties".
334
The Pope met with Vietnamese president
Nguyễn Minh Triết
on 11 December 2009. Vatican officials called the meeting "a significant stage in the progress of bilateral relations with Vietnam."
335
Global economy
edit
In July 2009, Benedict published his third encyclical,
Caritas in veritate
336
Charity in truth
), setting out the philosophical and moral foundations for human development, individually and collectively, in striving for the
common good
. This was the last encyclical of Benedict
XVI's papacy.
Caritas in veritate
makes a case for the charitable distribution of wealth in considerable detail and discusses the environment, migration, terrorism, sexual tourism, bioethics, energy and population.
The Financial Times
reported that Benedict's advocacy for a fairer redistribution of wealth helped set the agenda for the 2009 July G8 summit.
337
338
Also included in
Charity in Truth
is advocacy for
tax choice
One possible approach to development aid would be to apply effectively what is known as fiscal subsidiarity, allowing citizens to decide how to allocate a portion of the taxes they pay to the State. Provided it does not degenerate into the promotion of special interests, this can help to stimulate forms of welfare solidarity from below, with obvious benefits in the area of solidarity for development as well.
336
Nuclear energy
edit
Benedict supported the peaceful use of
nuclear energy
as a tool for development and the fight against poverty. In his message for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the
International Atomic Energy Agency
, he confirmed: "The Holy See, fully approving of the IAEA's goal, has been a member from the organisation's foundation and continues to support its activity."
339
Mariology
edit
In 1996 and later in 2002 Ratzinger declared the introduction of a new dogma declaring the Virgin Mary as "
Co-Redemptrix
" or "
Mediatrix of all graces
" as unacceptable. He pointed out that "the precise meaning of these titles is not clear, and the doctrine contained in them is not mature. A defined doctrine of divine faith belongs to the Depositum Fidei — that is, to the divine revelation conveyed in Scripture and the apostolic tradition. However, it is not clear how the doctrine expressed in these titles is present in Scripture and the apostolic tradition.".
340
Personal life
edit
Benedict at the
Synod of Bishops
in Rome, 2008
Interest in classical music
edit
Benedict was known to be deeply interested in classical music,
341
and was an accomplished pianist.
342
His favourite composer was
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
, of whose music he said: "His music is by no means just entertainment; it contains the whole tragedy of human existence."
343
Benedict also stated that Mozart's music affected him greatly as a young man and "deeply penetrated his soul".
343
Benedict's favourite works of music were Mozart's
Clarinet Concerto
and
Clarinet Quintet
344
Benedict also enjoyed Bach, particularly
Mass in B Minor
and
St Matthew Passion
345
He recorded
an album
of contemporary classical music in which he sings and recites prayers to the
Blessed Virgin Mary
346
The album was set for release on 30 November 2009.
Cats
edit
Benedict was also known to be fond of cats.
341
As Cardinal Ratzinger, he was known (according to former neighbours) to look after
stray cats
in his neighbourhood,
Borgo
. A book called
Joseph and Chico: A Cat Recounts the Life of Pope Benedict XVI
was published in 2007 which told the story of the Pope's life from the feline Chico's perspective. This story was inspired by an orange tabby Pentling cat, which belonged to the family next door.
347
During his trip to Australia for World Youth Day in 2008, the media reported that festival organizers lent the Pope a grey cat called Bella
348
to keep him company during his stay.
349
Social network use
edit
In December 2012, the Vatican announced that Benedict
XVI had joined social networking website Twitter, under the handle @Pontifex.
350
His first tweet was made on 12 December and was "Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart."
351
On 28 February 2013, the day he retired, the tweets were archived, and @Pontifex read "
Sede Vacante
".
352
The @Pontifex account was subsequently handed over to Benedict's successors, Francis
353
and
Leo XIV
354
Sport (especially football)
edit
Benedict XVI was a supporter of
Bayern Munich F.C.
He was made the honorary club member in 2012, shortly before the resignation had been effective.
355
356
Distinctions
edit
In 2013, one of
Notre-Dame de Paris' new bells
was named Benoît-Joseph after Benedict.
A variety of awards and honours were given to Benedict including the following:
1999 Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the
Sovereign Military Order of Malta
357
2010 honorary citizen of
Romano Canavese
Piedmont
358
2010 honorary citizen of
Lisbon
, honouring his visit to the city on 11–12 May 2010
359
The asteroid
8661 Ratzinger
was named in his honour for the role he played in supervising the opening of the
Vatican Apostolic Archive
in 1998 to researchers investigating judicial errors against
Galileo
and other scientists. The name was proposed by the asteroid's discoverers, L. D. Schmadel and F. Borngen at Tautenburg.
360
Coat of arms
edit
Main article:
Coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI
Further information:
Papal coats of arms
Coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI
Notes
Pope Benedict XVI's coat of arms was designed by then Archbishop
Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo
(who later was created a cardinal) soon after the papal election. Benedict's coat of arms omitted the
papal tiara
, which traditionally appears in the background to designate the pope's position as a worldly ruler like a king, replacing it with a simple
mitre
, emphasising his spiritual authority.
361
Adopted
2005
Helm
Miter
Escutcheon
Gules, chape ployé or, with a
scallop
shell or; the dexter chape with a
Moor's head
proper, crowned and collared gules, the sinister chape a bear trippant proper, carrying a pack gules belted sable.
Other elements
Keys of Peter
behind the
shield
, papal
mantling
, and
pallium
Symbolism
Moor of Freising
: The Moor's head is an heraldic charge associated with Freising, Germany.
Corbinian's bear
: A legend states that while travelling to Rome,
Saint Corbinian
's pack horse was killed by a bear. He commanded the bear to carry the load. Once he arrived, he released it from his service, and it returned to Bavaria. The implication is that "Christianity tamed and domesticated the ferocity of paganism and thus laid the foundations for a great civilisation in the Duchy of Bavaria." At the same time, Corbinian's bear, as God's beast of burden, symbolizes the weight of office that Benedict carried.
Scallop shell
: The symbolism of the scallop shell is multiple; one reference is to
Saint Augustine
. While a doctoral candidate in 1953, Ratzinger wrote a thesis titled
The People and the House of God in St Augustine's Doctrine of the Church
362
and therefore had a personal connection with the thought of this Doctor of the Church.
Writings
edit
Main article:
Pope Benedict XVI bibliography
Benedict
XVI wrote 66 books, three encyclicals, and four apostolic exhortations.
363
Legacy
edit
At his death, prior criticism of Benedict
XVI received renewed attention, particularly that from public health officials, anti-AIDS activists, and victim's rights organizations over his handling of
sexual abuse cases within the Catholic Church
and position on the use of
condoms
in areas of high
HIV transmission
215
216
364
Both Archbishop of Canterbury
Justin Welby
and
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow
expressed their condolences at Benedict's death. Welby referred to the former pope as "one of the greatest theologians of his age", while Kirill praised conciliatory efforts undertaken between the Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches during Benedict's pontificate.
365
The
Ecumenical
Patriarch
Bartholomew I
of
Constantinople
expressed "respect, love and gratitude" for his work in Catholic-Orthodox relations.
366
Some Catholics have called for Benedict's recognition as a
Doctor of the Church
292
367
with Cardinal
Gerhard Müller
describing him as a "true doctor of the Church for today."
368
See also
edit
Cardinals created by Benedict XVI
List of German universities affiliated with Pope Benedict XVI
Notes
edit
Latin
Benedictus XVI
Italian
Benedetto XVI
German
Benedikt XVI
German pronunciation:
[ˈjoːzɛf
ˈʔaːlɔʏs
ˈʁatsɪŋɐ]
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I warmly thank (...) the Mayor of Lisbon, who has been good enough to confer upon me the keys of the city.
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Further reading
edit
Literature about Benedict
edit
Allen, John L.:
Cardinal Ratzinger: the Vatican's enforcer of the faith
. – New York: Continuum, 2000.
Cavadini, John C.
Explorations in the Theology of Benedict XVI
. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2012.
Benedetti, Amedeo
Il linguaggio di Benedetto XVI, al secolo Joseph Ratzinger
. – Genova, Erga, 2012
Herrmann, Horst:
Benedikt XVI. Der neue Papst aus Deutschland
. – Berlin 2005
Nichols OP, Aidan:
The Theology of Joseph Ratzinger: An Introductory Study
. – Edinburgh; T&T Clark, 1988
Pater Prior Maximilian Heim:
Joseph Ratzinger – Kirchliche Existenz und existenzielle Theologie unter dem Anspruch von Lumen gentium
(diss.).
Twomey, D. Vincent
, S.V.D.:
Pope Benedict XVI: The Conscience of Our Age (A Theological Portrait)
. – San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2007
Wagner, Karl:
Kardinal Ratzinger: der Erzbischof in München und Freising in Wort und Bild
. – München: Pfeiffer, 1977
Bibliography
edit
Pope Benedict
XVI
(25 April 2007),
"Origen of Alexandria: Life and Work"
Church Fathers: From Clement of Rome to Augustine
, Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, pp.
24–
27,
ISBN
978-1-68149-472-2
Biographies
edit
Peter Seewald
Benedict XVI: A Life
, in two volumes:
Volume One: Youth in Nazi Germany to the Second Vatican Council 1927–1965
Volume Two: Professor and Prefect to Pope and Pope Emeritus, 1966 – The Present
, translated from the German by Dinah Livingstone, London: Bloomsbury, 2020.
Joseph Ratzinger (= Benedikt XVI. – autobiographical):
Aus meinem Leben. (1927–1977)
. Stuttgart 1998,
ISBN
3-453-16509-8
Alexander Kissler:
Papst im Widerspruch: Benedikt XVI. und seine Kirche 2005–2013
. Pattloch 2013,
ISBN
978-3629022158
Campbell, Paul-Henri
Pope Benedikt XVI. Audio Book.
Monarda Publishing House, 2012,
ISBN
3-939513-80-6
Pursell, Brennan, Benedict of Bavaria: An Intimate Portrait of the Pope and His Homeland (Circle Press, 2008).
ISBN
1-933271-17-5
Allen, John L.
The Rise of Benedict XVI: The Inside Story of How the Pope Was Elected and Where He Will Take the Catholic Church
. NY: Doubleday, 2005.
ISBN
0-385-51320-8
Allen, John L.
Pope Benedict XVI: A Biography of Joseph Ratzinger
. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005.
ISBN
0-8264-1786-8
. This is a reprint of Allen's 2000 book
Cardinal Ratzinger: the Vatican's Enforcer of the Faith
Bardazzi, Marco.
In the Vineyard of the Lord: The Life, Faith, and Teachings of Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict
XVI
. New York: Rizzoli International, 2005.
ISBN
0-8478-2801-8
Tobin, Greg.
Holy Father: Pope Benedict
XVI: Pontiff for a New Era
. Sterling, 2005.
ISBN
1-4027-3172-8
Weigel, George
God's Choice: Pope Benedict
XVI and the Future of the Catholic Church
, HarperCollins, 2005.
ISBN
0-06-621331-2
Jeanne Perego.
Joseph e
Chico
: Un gatto racconta la vita di Papa Benedetto XVI
(in Italian)
, EMP, 2007.
ISBN
978-8825018820
"Death of Pope Emeritus Benedict: his official biography"
Vatican News
. 31 December 2022
. Retrieved
31 December
2022
Documentaries
edit
The Keys of the Kingdom, from John Paul II to Benedict XVI
, produced by
Vatican Television Center
, distributed by
HDH Communications
, 2006.
External links
edit
Profile
at the Vatican website
"Pope Benedict XVI"
Catholic-Hierarchy.org
. David M. Cheney.
Papal Transition 2005 Web Archive
from the US
Library of Congress
Spiritual Testament of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, 31.12.2022
, Vatican.va
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Priest of Munich and Freising
29 June 1951 - 24 March 1977
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Julius Döpfner
Archbishop of Munich and Freising
24 March 1977 – 15 February 1982
Succeeded by
Friedrich Wetter
Preceded by
Jérôme Rakotomalala
Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria Consolatrice al Tiburtino
27 June 1977 – 5 April 1993
Succeeded by
Ricardo María Carles Gordó
Preceded by
Franjo Šeper
Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
25 November 1981 – 2 April 2005
Succeeded by
William Levada
Preceded by
Sebastiano Baggio
Cardinal-Bishop of Velletri–Segni
5 April 1993 – 19 April 2005
Succeeded by
Francis Arinze
Preceded by
Agostino Casaroli
Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals
9 June 1998 – 30 November 2002
Succeeded by
Angelo Sodano
Preceded by
Bernardin Gantin
Dean of the College of Cardinals
30 November 2002 – 19 April 2005
Preceded by
John Paul II
Pope
19 April 2005 – 28 February 2013
Succeeded by
Francis
Pope Benedict XVI
Born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022
Archbishop of Munich and Freising
(1977–1982)
Cardinal Priest
of
Santa Maria Consolatrice al Tiburtino
(1977–1993)
Cardinal Bishop of Velletri–Segni
(1993–2005)
Pope
(2005–2013)
Biography
Early life
Georg Ratzinger
(brother)
Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Papacy
2005 conclave
Inauguration
Cardinals created
People declared venerable
Beatifications
Canonizations
Resignation
Death and funeral
Visits
(selected)
United States
United Kingdom
(state visit)
Bibliography
Constitutions
Anglicanorum coetibus
Groups of Anglicans
Exhortations
Sacramentum caritatis
On the Eucharist
Verbum Domini
On the Word of the Lord
Africae munus
On the Church in Africa
Ecclesia in Medio Oriente
On the Church in the Middle East
Encyclicals
Deus caritas est
God Is Love
Spe salvi
In Hope We Are Saved
Caritas in veritate
Charity in Truth
Books
Introduction to Christianity
The Ratzinger Report
Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life
The Spirit of the Liturgy
Truth and Tolerance
Jesus of Nazareth
From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration
Holy Week
The Infancy Narratives
Theology
Dominus Iesus
The Lord Jesus
Summorum Pontificum
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Introduction to Christianity
Relations
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Judaism
Islam
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Ceremonial
Coat of arms
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Vatican leaks scandal
His Holiness: The Secret Papers of Benedict XVI
Alma Mater
(2009 album)
Secrets of the Vatican
(2014 television film)
The Two Popes
(2019 film)
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