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Pope Benedict XVIBy Archbishop James Weisgerber
“Habemus papem”… “We have a pope”. With these words the Catholic Church introduced Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI, the 265 th successor to St. Peter. There was much surprise at how quickly the Cardinals came to their decision and very much discussion about the man who has been chosen for this important position. I have met the new Pope on several occasions and I have participated in a number of official meetings with him. Pope Benedict is obviously a man of keen intellect, and a man of deep and genuine faith. He is a believer before all else. He appears to be a rather shy man, but he is wonderfully courteous, a little formal, and genuinely interested in people. His most impressive characteristic is his ability to listen. It is clear that when you speak to him, you have his undivided attention. His respect for people has been an inspiration for me. Pope Benedict’s public image is drawn almost exclusively from his work as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a position he held for the past quarter century. One of the tasks of the Congregation is to safeguard the integrity of faith which the Church hands on from generation to generation. While the essence of the faith does not change, it can, in the light of history and experience, be understood more deeply and expressed in new ways. Pope John XXIII convoked the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) precisely for this purpose. In his opening address to the Council Pope John said: “The substance of the ancient doctrine of the deposit of faith is one thing, and the way in which it is presented is another. And it is the latter that must be taken into greater consideration with patience, if necessary.” Obviously the profound and rapid cultural change, experienced particularly in the western world, has been a huge challenge to the Catholic Church. How easy it is to be stampeded by strong, persistent public pressure and how important it is to be patient and steady. There is an important maxim: If you marry the spirit of an age, you find yourself a widow in the next generation! Cardinal Ratzinger has been Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith for the last twenty four years. I wonder if he is not grateful to have a new position! And now as Benedict XVI he has a new responsibility, that of Pastor. I am sure that we will see a very different side of this complex and talented man emerge as he leads the Church in the beginning years of the Third Millennium. His compassionate heart, his brilliant mind and his deep faith equip him well to lead the Church. Much has been made of the age of the new Pope. Having just celebrated his 78 th birthday, he is already called a “transitional pope”. While it is an historical fact that the electors have chosen an older man after a long pontificate, these men of transition have often created surprises. After the forty year reign of Pius IX, the Cardinals in 1878 elected Leo XIII, who was 68. He was pope for over twenty years and his ministry and teaching were key to allowing the Church to adapt to social and cultural change. In 1958, after the lengthy reign of Pius XII, the electors chose John XXIII, a man of 77 years. While he served in the Office for only four years, his calling of the Second Vatican Council introduced profound change which, forty years later, is just beginning to be understood. I am quite sure that Pope Benedict XVI does not simply intend to keep the chair warm for a successor. The Catholic Church believes the promise made by Jesus: I will be with you until the end of time. The Church believes also that Peter and his successors, the Bishops of Rome, are the rock which supports and unites the particular dioceses which make up the Church. The election of a Pope, while at one level a very human affair, is, at the same time, a work of the Holy Spirit. The Pope is a gift to the Church from it’s Lord and all gifts from God are full of surprises. Back to Letters & Articles Main Page
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