Benedict Xvi: The Reforming Pope

[cappie]

Friday 19 June 2009

Shortly before the conclave of 2005 many publications provided a guide to the leading candidates for the papacy. It is interesting to look back today and see how they characterised the man who got the job.

Many profiles of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger described him as a strong disciplinarian who was likely to crack down on scandals in the Church. They almost invariably mentioned his Good Friday meditation at the Colosseum that year in which he prayed that God would rid the priesthood of "filth". Some noted that he often spoke of the need to "prune" parts of the Church: cutting off branches that no longer bore fruit so that others could grow. They said he was fond of the Benedictine motto Succisa virescit - "pruned, it grows again".

It is curious that today, more than four years after his election, almost no one speaks of Pope Benedict as a reformist pope - despite a wealth of evidence that he has launched perhaps the boldest programme of internal Church reform since the Second Vatican Council.

Consider the following incidents, most of which have been widely reported but are rarely linked together:

The Maciel affair: In May 2006 Pope Benedict took the highly unusual step of ordering one of the world's best-known priests to retire to a life of prayer and penance. His decision followed a Vatican investigation into allegations that Fr Marcial Maciel, founder of the Legion of Christ and the Regnum Christi movement, was a sexual abuser who had fathered at least one child.

Investigating America's seminaries: Not long after his election Benedict XVI oversaw an apostolic visitation of seminaries in the United States. The investigation was inspired by the clerical sexual abuse crisis of 2002 and covered all schools of theology as well as college-level seminaries, houses of formation, and academic institutions that form future priests.

Scrutinising American female religious orders: The Pope has also ordered a wide-ranging investigation of American women religious. The apostolic visitation of institutes of women religious in the United States, which is currently underway, covers approximately 400 apostolic religious institutes of women and approximately 59,000 women religious. It is likely to lead to a shake-up of American female religious life.

Deposing the leader of an African Church: Earlier this month Pope Benedict accepted the resignation of Archbishop Paulin Pomodimo of Bangui, the most senior Catholic cleric in the Central African Republic (CAR). The resignation followed a visit to the CAR by a papal emissary, Archbishop Robert Sarah, secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, in March. It is widely thought that the Pope requested the archbishop's resignation because he tolerated priests keeping mistresses.

Calling for a thorough accounting of abuse in Ireland: Also this month Pope Benedict called for a profound examination of the state of the Irish Church following a damning report into "endemic" abuse in schools run by religious orders.

Crisis talks with the Austrian bishops: And this week Pope Benedict held an emergency meeting with the leaders of the Austrian Church. The gathering followed the appointment and subsequent resignation of Gerhard Wagner as auxiliary Bishop of Linz and reports that priests in senior positions in the diocese live with mistresses. The Pope reminded the bishops of "the urgency of going deeper in the faith and the integral fidelity to the Second Vatican Council and the post-conciliar magisterium of the Church" - a coded message that the Austrian Church is in serious need of reform.

These events together show the determination with which Pope Benedict is confronting the gravest scandals in the Church today. They have all had considerable publicity, but nevertheless have not created the perception that Benedict XVI is a bold reformist pope.

So why, despite the accumulating evidence, is Pope Benedict not regarded as a reformer intent on ridding the Church of wrong-doing?

Some suggest it's because in mass media terms a "reformist pope" can only mean a pontiff who takes a progressive stance on hot-button issues such as priestly celibacy, contraception and women priests. They argue that the kind of reforms Pope Benedict is pursuing - enforcing celibacy, cracking down on liturgical abuses and investigating radically progressive American nuns - simply don't fit the existing media stereotype.

There is some truth in that. But there are other factors at work:

1) The geographically disparate nature of the reforms makes it difficult for observers to connect them together;

2) Many of the investigations are carried out in strict secrecy with severe ecclesial penalties for anyone who breaches confidentiality. This means that neither media nor the wider Catholic public ever know precisely what is going on.

3) Pope Benedict rarely mentions the investigations in public and, if he does, speaks in coded language that only those already in the know will understand (see, for example, his ad limina address to the bishops of the CAR where he discusses the need for reform of the priesthood).

I suspect that future historians will portray Pope Benedict as a reformer, who attempted a thorough "pruning" of the Church during his short pontificate. But for now his strenuous reforming efforts are likely to go unnoticed.

[url="http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/editor/index.shtml#e19062009"]EDITORIAL: CATHOLIC HERALD[/url]

[sacredheartandbloodofjesus]

He also brought the Latin Mass out of limbo. Is encouraging all the faithful to recieve the Body of Christ on the tongue while kneeling. Also encouraging women to dress modestly at mass. He basically is swimmin upstream against the mighty current of false interpretations of Vatican II. Check the St. Malachi prophecy. According to this prophecy approved by the church Pope Benedict XVI may be the second to last pope. He is bringing peace among christians and also braught the latin church back into communion with the roman. Not to mention his progress of communion with the Greek orthodox church. Let us bless the Lord for this holy Pope!

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='cappie' post='1896146' date='Jun 19 2009, 06:31 PM']I suspect that future historians will portray Pope Benedict as a reformer, who attempted a thorough "pruning" of the Church during his short pontificate.[/quote]
What, is he dead?
He may have another 20 years in him, for all we know. Let's not try to play Miss Cleo, eh?

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='sacredheartandbloodofjesus' post='1896187' date='Jun 19 2009, 07:39 PM']He is bringing peace among christians and also braught the latin church back into communion with the roman.[/quote]
The Roman Church/Rite IS the Latin Church/Rite.

[kafka]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' post='1896210' date='Jun 19 2009, 08:00 PM']The Roman Church/Rite IS the Latin Church/Rite. [/quote]
I believe he was referring to SSPX.


Based on his pontificate so far, I dont think Pope Benedict will be viewed as a reformer in the future. He is holy, and certainly a unique Pope in a unique time, but not a reformer like St. Pius X, or St. Pius V, etc.

[Apotheoun]

It is a sad fact that a person is often not appreciated while he is alive, but only after he has died.

[Saint Therese]

He's so awesome. Such a humble man, and yet so unafraid to do whatever must be done.
I think the cause of many problems in the hierarchy is worldliness, which is something Pope Benedict distinctly lacks.

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='Saint Therese' post='1896231' date='Jun 19 2009, 08:20 PM']I think the cause of many problems in the hierarchy is worldliness, which is something Pope Benedict distinctly lacks.[/quote]
Yes. And one of the things that makes me maddest is how secular society paints him to be some throne-dwelling, palace-living conman.
I'd bet that your average vegan commie has better accommodations than HHBXVI.

[Saint Therese]

Of course they're going to hate him, because 1-He doesn't care what they think and 2- He speaks the truth and doesn't pander to their ideals, whatever they are.

[sacredheartandbloodofjesus]

sorry by latin mass i meant the tridentine mass or traditional mass according to the missal of 1962. Now known as the extraordinary rite of the mass.

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='Apotheoun' post='1896227' date='Jun 20 2009, 01:12 AM']It is a sad fact that a person is often not appreciated while he is alive, but only after he has died.[/quote]


[quote name='Saint Therese' post='1896231' date='Jun 20 2009, 01:20 AM']He's so awesome. Such a humble man, and yet so unafraid to do whatever must be done.
I think the cause of many problems in the hierarchy is worldliness, which is something Pope Benedict distinctly lacks.[/quote]
Agreed on both counts.

[Resurrexi]

I would call him a reform-of-the-reform pope rather than a reform pope.

[kafka]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1896494' date='Jun 20 2009, 09:58 AM']I would call him a reform-of-the-reform pope rather than a reform pope.[/quote]
Based on the prophecies I think the next pope will be a strict reformer.

[tinytherese]

I remember watching this one documentary about him last month called [i]Love Affair With the [/i][i]Truth[/i] or something. It wasn't as good as [i]Witness to Hope[/i] though it did have its good parts. In one scene this reporter from CNN referred to his previous position as cardinal for the Doctine of the Faith as Darth Vader.

Other parts that I found hilarious were when it mentioned how he kept trying to resign from his position multiple times but JP2 didn't let him and how can you say no to him? There was also the part where his brother spoke on how his phone kept ringing with reporters on the other end and he was avoiding them, then he was told from his secretary or whoever that he could talk on it then because his brother the pope was on the other line. He said that they conversed like they had in the past casually just like normal brothers.

[Nihil Obstat]

They also used to call him Panzerkardinal (Panzercardinal?). Offensive? Yes. Funny. Also that.