A Church teacher of modernity
Peter Seewald has been conducting long talks with Joseph Ratzinger / Benedikt XVI for 25 years. The publicist finds that the emeritus pope in his homeland is not yet appreciated enough.
Benedict XVI | Bonn - 12.04.2017
(My comment: this is the hope for the Church of the future especially through the powerful intercession of Pope Benedict now in the Church Militant but more importantly, one day in the Church Triumphant): Above all, I wish him many imitators who are inspired by his work, his message, his love of God and his love, his poetry, and his authentic life following Christ and thus find their own way to God. I agree with Pope Francis, who said, Benedict XVI. Was a great pope whose spirit, from generation to generation, will appear ever greater and more powerful. Let us hope that his work is appreciated and respected in his homeland as well. With him, everyone knew that what he proclaimed-even though it may seem uncomfortable or not contemporary-always faithfully corresponds to the doctrine of the gospel, and is in continuity with the doctrine of the Church Fathers and the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. This reliability is invaluable in a time of upheaval and disorientation.
4 comments:
The best service he could have rendered the Church was to have stayed in office. He was certainly showing signs of strain in his last year, but he could have scaled down his public schedule. Popes before Paul VI did not venture outside Italy, and even that pontiff, who started the trend for papal jet-setting, made no foreign trips after 1970.
Nor is the pope required to celebrate so many public Masses. Indeed, the elaborate ceremonial of the Papal High Mass made this a rare event in any case, and Pius XII was well known for preferring the Low Mass.
John Paul II was undoubtedly the greatest man of the last quarter of the 20th century but one of his weaknesses was a propensity for 'grandstanding'.
Far better to have a pope who rarely appears in public but who is not afraid to 'confirm the brethren' than a globe-trotting populist who trails confusion in his wake. Last week the Prince of Wales met Pope Francis. To my considerable relief he did not suggest a papal visit to England.
The abdication of Benedict XVI was a scandal, unnecessary and caused tremendous pain in the Church. This idea that a pope has to travel all over the world and has to have a public audience every Wed. And say all these big Masses in St. Peter's square is a made up invention. A pope doesn't have to appear at the window every Sunday and doesn't have to speak to every visitor to Rome. A pope does have to carry is cross, uphold the Faith and do SOMETHING about heretical bishops, nuns and priests.
No, no no no. I no longer admire Pope Benedict. He DID come down from the cross and abandoned the souls placed in his care. He abandoned us. He abandoned me! I take it very personal.
And what was the reason.....he was tired. Well join the club.
He could have stayed in the papal apartments or Castel Gandolfo and remained pope. He could have removed heretical bishops from positions of authority. He could have suppressed faithless orders of priests and nuns. But he didn't. He did nothing.
Why do popes allows bishops to remain in office who have clearly shown that they don't belong there. I mean, call me crazy but a Cardinal who doesn't believe in the Ressurection of Christ, shouldn't be a priest let lone a Cardinal. Think about it. He could have forbidden Kasper from functioning in public. Hell he could have removed Bergoglio. That alone could have have been worth staying.
But no. What did Benedict do. He made all his enemies, men who openly ridiculed and defied him, cardinals and archbishops. I don't think he was so smart after all. Look at the mess the Church is and all because of him. And still he could do something. But he won't. He could publicly stand with the four cardinals and denounce that filthy document AL.....but no, he made a promise to remain silent and play the piano.
This is the fruit of Vatican II. Chaos, error and should being abandoned. Way to go.
A papal visit to Britain has been under consideration and planning for a while now.
Francis is due to visit Ireland next year and when he crosses over to the 'six counties' he will be in the UK so there will be the usual diplomatic niceties. I don't want him in England - he is too much of an embarrassment.
In any case, I predict this dysfunctional papacy will reach crisis point before the year is out.
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