As a young theological expert, Professor Joseph Ratzinger participated in Vatican II and his thought has since influenced the papacy. His spirit of humility and, I should add, collegiality reminds us of Pope Paul VI. His defense of the teachings of the Catholic Church as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) under John Paul II gave him the full support of the papacy. This was particularly true when the CDF released its document Dominus Iesus in 2000. Although it was criticized by mostly liberal theologians, Dominus Iesus stands as an authentic and moderate expression of the faith of the Catholic Church. His valued work as a theologian of wide respect gave him a clear advantage over other highly-esteemed cardinals when a successor to John Paul II was sought in 2005.
Since his election as Pope Benedict XVI, he sought to regain Europe from a harsh secular mind to a Catholic modern civilization. He did this successfully in more than one opportunity.
First, he was able to demonstrate the primacy of reason over the arbitrary will of a dictator in the rational dialogue with modernity. He delivered it in his famous lecture at the University of Regensburg in September 2006. By citing the 15th century debate of Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus with a Persian Muslim scholar, the pope exposed the fallacy of fundamentalist thought that, regardless of its religious "inspired" source, interprets its text as an act of the will without applying reason. He continued to attract many admiring students due to the depth of his theology.
Second, on request of Anglicans, he allowed Anglican bishops, priests and faithful parishioners to be received in the Catholic Church thus preserving their own tradition while they voluntarily agreed with the doctrines of the Catholic Church. Of course, the media did not cover this 2009 event, but it was a step forward for reunion of Europe as once again a single Christian communion.
Third, he successfully sought the reception of bishops and other followers of the schismatic Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) into the Catholic Church. As a result some traditionalist Catholics returned to the Catholic Church.
Fourth, he defrocked priests and bishops found guilty of child abuse, recognized their "filth" which had alienated a significant number of Catholic individuals in the West, and courageously defended the rights of the victims as well as those of the state to bring them to civil court for their alleged crimes.
Fifth, Benedict XVI continued to defend life from conception to natural death thus giving moral support to pro-life campaigns in the entire world. He took the ever Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God as an example. He also found examples in the pro-life stance of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
Sixth, on the ecumenical front, Benedict XVI continued the open-dialogue policy established by Vatican II with the Orthodox and Old Oriental Churches as well as the Assyrians, Lutherans, Baptists and the Anglican Communion. He has been clear that ecumenism does not mean compromise on dogmas but that Christians must seriously seek the will of Christ.
Seventh: He followed in the footsteps of his predecessor by visiting countries in all continents of the world for peace and to support Catholic missions. He continued to improve the relationship of the Catholic Church with world religious leaders and faithful. In October 2011, he met with religious leaders in Assisi and recognized the crimes committed by Catholic sons in their conquest of America against victims of Indian Americans. In spite of recent violence in the Middle East, he visited Lebanon in September 2012, and reached out to both Christians and Muslims calling on them to persevere in the dialogue of civilizations as he did in encouraging Muslim scholars for their open letter initiative in 2007.
The resignation of Benedict XVI is a prophetic sign for the world. Since Benedict XVI was active against consumerism, atheism, and relativism, his evil enemy will attempt to destroy the Church and realize in a Satanic move what Cardinal Ratzinger had predicted in 1999 for the Church to be smaller and persecuted. This idea may be pessimistic and supported by prophecies attributed to St. Malachy who lived in the 12th century and was a friend of St. Bernard. According to certain conservative interpretations of these prophecies, the next pope is probably the last pope "Petrus Romanus" who will preside over the Holy See and see the destruction of Rome before the Second Coming of Christ the Judge. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that God can reveal the future to his prophets or to other saints but warns against such practices that claim to read the future as astrology, recourse to Satan or demons, conguring up the dead, the phenomenon of clairvoyance, horoscopes, and other false practices...(CCC 2115-2116). In all cases we must pray to God our saviour and protector and listen to the teaching received in the Church in any good or dark times. Reading the Bible with a good heart can give us light. And we need to continue to hope against all hope that the One who built the Church on the rock of Peter will preserve her until he comes again.
Benedict XVI has been a luminous pillar of Christian faith. His writings alone are an encyclopedia in Biblical scholarship, Christian traditions, anthropology, philosophy, comparative religious studies, as well as science and faith. As a starter see the Vatican website http://www.vatican.va and http://www.ratzingerfanclub.com/
He contributed to a strong contemporary Church that has been built on the Apostles almost 2000 years ago, and continues to grow in spite of the enemy's trials - the community bought by the blood of Christ and following him by saints. Until Easter, Catholics will be praying for a good successor to the Successor of Peter.
No comments:
Post a Comment