Vatican City, Jan 3, 2023 / 08:00 am. [101], Benedict made only modest changes to the structure of the Roman Curia. He was ordained on 29th June 1951. German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, then prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is pictured in a 2002 file photo. [223], Following his election in April 2005 there were several rumors about the Pope's health, but none of them were confirmed. At 8 p.m. on 28th February 2013 he became Pope emeritus. [287] This was the first time since 1802 that a pope had attended a funeral for his predecessor. [323], 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. Hugh McNichol, Burying a St. Joseph Statue Tyler Arnold Vatican January 7, 2023. Indeed, this indissoluble linking is one of the main distinguishing features of his theology." He also visited Poland and Spain, where he was enthusiastically received. Joseph Aloisius 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. 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. That November, he did not attend the consistory for new cardinals, rather meeting with them and Francis at his residence afterward. 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. [286] 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. [81], 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 newly some who were newly confirmed people; the cardinals had formally sworn their obedience upon the election of the new pontiff. ", "Pope Benedict XVI Leaves a Spotty Legacy With Sexual Abuse Scandal", "Former Pope Benedict XVI dies in Vatican monastery aged 95", "Death of Pope Emeritus Benedict: his official biography", Spiritual Testament of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, 31.12.2022, From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration, His Holiness: The Secret Papers of Benedict XVI, International Alliance of Catholic Knights, Dechristianization of France during the French Revolution, Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, Prayer of Consecration to the Sacred Heart, Persecutions of the Catholic Church and Pius XII, Pope Pius XII 1942 consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Dogma of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Historical-critical exegesis of the Bible, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pope_Benedict_XVI&oldid=1132760800, German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United States, Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich alumni, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich faculty, Members of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Members of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, Participants in the Second Vatican Council, Recipients of the Grand Decoration with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austria, Roman Catholic archbishops of Munich and Freising, Pages with login required references or sources, Articles incorporating a citation from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia with Wikisource reference, Articles with dead external links from July 2019, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected biographies of living people, Pages using infobox philosopher with embed equal yes, Pages using ordination template and denomination parameter, Articles containing Italian-language text, Pages using sidebar with the child parameter, Articles to be expanded from January 2023, Articles with Italian-language sources (it), Pages using S-rel template with ca parameter, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 1999 Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the. Communio, now published in seventeen languages, including German, English, and Spanish, has become a prominent journal of contemporary Catholic theological thought. [317], 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. Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord: As the Magi Seek, So Should We, Daily Readings for Monday, January 09, 2023, St. Adrian, Abbot: Saint of the Day for Monday, January 09, 2023, Prayer for Students: Prayer of the Day for Monday, January 09, 2023. "[215], 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. 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. [342] His first tweet was made on 12 December and was "Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. The Pope travelled to New York where he addressed the United Nations General Assembly. "[318], 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. Peter and Paul) and released on 7 July 2009. Each man's fundamental question is: How will this be realized— becoming man? [12], Benedict's writings were prolific and generally defended traditional Catholic doctrine, values, and liturgy. Joseph Ratzinger. 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". The battery in the pacemaker had been replaced three months earlier, a routine procedure, but that did not influence his decision. Compendio de publicaciones del Card. [122] The encyclical was promulgated a month later in Latin and was translated into English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish. [23], Benedict's handling of sexual abuse cases within the Catholic Church and opposition to usage of condoms in areas of high HIV transmission led to substantial criticism from public health officials, anti-AIDS activists, and victim's rights organizations. 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. "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. 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. 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. [196], Prior to 2001, the primary responsibility for investigating allegations of sexual abuse and disciplining perpetrators rested with the individual dioceses. Ratzinger returned to Traunstein. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. [240][241], After his resignation, Benedict retained his papal name rather than reverting to his birth name. [61], 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. [102] In June 2010, Benedict created the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation, appointing Archbishop Rino Fisichella its first president. Show the volunteers who bring you reliable, Catholic information that their work matters. [256][257], Benedict, in August 2015, submitted a handwritten card to act as a testimony to the cause of canonization of Pope John Paul I. Italian police reported that Maiolo had previously attempted to accost Benedict at the previous Christmas Eve Mass, but was prevented from doing so. No! All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2022 Catholic Online. . Tweet. [164] On 9 May 2009, Benedict visited the King Hussein Mosque, Amman, Jordan where he was addressed by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad. [229] At the age of 85 years and 318 days on the effective date of his retirement, he was the fourth-oldest person to hold the office of pope. [267][268][269], In June 2020, Benedict visited his dying brother Georg in Germany for the last time. Stable groups who previously had to petition their bishop to have a Tridentine Mass may now merely request permission from their local priest. Benedict stated: "I have had great responsibilities in the Catholic Church. 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.[246]. standing for "Papa" ("Pope"). In his words, the Church must "protect man from self-destruction." He doffed his zucchetto when Francis came down the nave of St. Peter's Basilica to greet him. [184] The Pope also met privately with victims of sexual abuse by priests. Within … Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T. [169], While visiting the United States on 17 April 2008, Benedict met with International Society for Krishna Consciousness representative Radhika Ramana Dasa;[170] a noted Hindu scholar[171] and disciple of Hanumatpreshaka Swami. Homilía del cardenal Ratzinger en la misa de exequias de Juan Pablo II. Until he was elected pope, he remained one of the journal's most prolific contributors. "[213][214], In February 2022, Benedict admitted that errors were made in the treating of sexual abuse cases when he was Archbishop of Munich. [119], Benedict also emphasised that "Only creative reason, which in the crucified God is manifested as love, can really show us the way. Our life is an open question, an incomplete project, still to be brought to fruition and realized. "[137], Benedict condemned excessive consumerism, especially among youth. Additionally, I recall Saint Benedict of Nursia, co-patron of Europe, whose life evokes the Christian roots of Europe. Four years later, he qualified as a university teacher. [60], In the consistory of 27 June 1977, he was named Cardinal Priest of Santa Maria Consolatrice al Tiburtino by Pope Paul VI. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger on the New Evangelization December 2000 Human life cannot be realized by itself. The theologian Leonardo Boff, for example, was suspended, while others such as Matthew Fox were censured. [31], 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. [77], 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. At the root of this problem, he said, is Kant's "self-limitation of reason". In 1980, he was named by Pope John Paul Il to chair the special Synod on the Laity. He was a lecturer of the 5th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops of 1980 on the theme: “The mission of the Christian Family in the contemporary world”, and the Delegate President of the 6th Ordinary General Assembly of 1983 on “Reconciliation and Penance in the mission of the Church”. "[128], Sacramentum caritatis (The Sacrament of Charity), signed 22 February 2007, was released in Latin, Italian, English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish and Polish. [197][198] 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. [341], In December 2012, the Vatican announced that Benedict XVI had joined social networking website Twitter, under the handle @Pontifex. [131] For regularly scheduled public celebrations of the Tridentine Mass, the permission of the priest in charge of the church is required. Each man's fundamental question is: How will this be realized—becoming man? On that occasion he affirmed: “After having examined my conscience before God, I have reached the conclusion that, due to my old age, I am no longer strong enough to adequately perform the needs of the Petrine Ministry.” On the afternoon of 28th February, the Pope left the Vatican by helicopter and went to Castel Gandolfo. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T. He ceased wearing red papal shoes. [188][189] 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. Catholic Online, 2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free Catholic Online, Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel On 19 July, in St. Mary's Cathedral, he made an apology for child sex abuse perpetrated by the clergy in Australia. [49], 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]". 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. I. Iglesia santa. "[142][143] Between 2011 and 2012, three ordinariates were erected, currently totaling 9090 members, 194 priests, and 94 parishes. He lived a difficult adolescence but his faith and his familial upbringing helped him to face the harsh reality of the times, during which the Catholic Church was facing heavy hostility from the Nazi regime. [52][53] Several of Benedict's former students became his confidantes, notably Christoph Schönborn, and a number of his former students sometimes meet for discussions. From 2002 until he was elected pope, he was also Dean of the College of Cardinals. 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. [45] Ratzinger became an admirer of Karl Rahner, a well-known academic theologian of the Nouvelle Théologie and a proponent of church reform. Bush. 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". Normally, five years must pass after a person's death before the beatification process can begin. The ceremony took place on Tuesday, 21 October 2014 during the opening of the academic year. [65] For 20 years, Ratzinger had been the man in charge of enforcing the document. 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. His resignation was the first by a pope since Gregory XII in 1415, and the first on a pope's initiative since Celestine V in 1294. [90] Benedict canonized Bishop Rafael Guizar y Valencia, Theodore Guerin, Filippo Smaldone, and Rosa Venerini on 15 October 2006. [120], The encyclical contains almost 16,000 words in 42 paragraphs. On June 27, 1977, Joseph Ratzinger was made a Cardinal by Pope Paul VI. [218][219][220], Benedict re-introduced several papal garments which had fallen into disuse. It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. Roger Etchegaray, the vice-dean of the College of Cardinals, fell also and suffered a hip fracture. [258][259], In March 2016, Benedict gave an interview expressing his views on mercy and endorsing Francis's stress on mercy in his pastoral practice. "[109] 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. He was member of the Pontifical Councils for Promoting Christian Unity, and for Culture; of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, and of the Pontifical Commissions for Latin America, "Ecclesia Dei", for the Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law and for the Revision of the Code of Canon Law of the Oriental Churches. [231][232], In his declaration of 10 February 2013, Benedict resigned as "Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter". The title of "Patriarch of the West" was removed in the 2006 edition of Annuario Pontificio. [250] Weeks before this, he joined Francis in Saint Peter's Square for an audience with grandparents to honor their importance in society. [281][282], Benedict died on 31 December 2022 at 9:34 am Central European Time at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery. [175] His visit to Turkey, an overwhelmingly Muslim nation, was initially overshadowed by the controversy about a lecture he had given at Regensburg. 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. ", Benedict said: Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? [245] In the monastery, the pope emeritus did not live a cloistered life, but studied and wrote. [193], Between 17 and 18 April, Benedict made an Apostolic Journey to the Republic of Malta. It was completed in 1957 and he became a professor at Freising College in 1958. [35] In 1943, while still in seminary, he was drafted into the German anti-aircraft corps as Luftwaffenhelfer. "[307], 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. Benedict planned on 5 March 2008, to meet with Muslim scholars and religious leaders autumn 2008 at a Catholic-Muslim seminar in Rome. Cardinal Ratzinger declined, feeling he shouldn't leave his post in Munich too soon. Pope Joseph Ratzinger (born 16 Apr 1927, died 31 Dec 2022) Pope Emeritus of Roma {Rome} Consistory - 1977 : Created Cardinal Conclave - August 1978 : Participated In his first encyclical, Deus caritas est, he said that a human being, created in the image of God who is love, can practice love: to give himself to God and others (agape) by receiving and experiencing God's love in contemplation. [42], Ratzinger began as assistant pastor (curate) at the parish St. Martin, Moosach, in Munich in 1951. His speech to the Catholic Academy of Bavaria on “Why I am still in the Church” had a great impact; he said that “we are Christians if we live inside the Church and not far away”. He acted as the Pope’s special correspondent during the celebrations for the 12th centenary of the founding of the Diocese of Paderborn in Germany, which was celebrated on 3rd January 1999. "[168] 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. In 2001, Ratzinger convinced John Paul II to put the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in charge of all sexual abuse investigations. Theodore Hesburgh to join the theology faculty at the University of Notre Dame, but declined on grounds that his English was not good enough. [48] He was invited by Rev. [302] 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. [262] Following the death of Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Arns in December 2016, Benedict became the last living person appointed cardinal by Pope Paul VI. Continuing what he said in the pre-conclave Mass about what he often referred to as the "central problem of our faith today",[113] 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 I still remember vividly the then Cardinal Ratzinger sitting on the edge of his chair. During his life as a priest, bishop, cardinal and prefect, Joseph Ratzinger often spoke about the foundational theological significance of the … Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect of Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , President of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and International Theological Commission, Dean of the College … In addition to his native German language, Benedict had some level of proficiency in French, Italian, English, and Spanish. Also in March 2006, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue was briefly merged into the Pontifical Council for Culture under Cardinal Paul Poupard. Just a year after its foundation in 1990, Ratzinger joined the European Academy of Sciences and Arts in Salzburg. 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. During this period, he participated in the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) and served as a peritus (theological consultant) to Cardinal Frings of Cologne. State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance? The latest issue of the SSPX's newsletter for German-speaking countries ... contains several anti-Semitic statements. [182] He arrived in Washington, DC where he was formally received at the White House and met privately with US President George W. 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."[112]. [10] He continued to wear the white cassock but without the pellegrina or the fascia. "There isn't the slightest doubt about the validity of my resignation from the Petrine ministry," he wrote in a letter to the newspaper. Le cardinal Joseph Frings fit un discours, à l'élaboration duquel Joseph Ratzinger a participé, remarqué pendant le concile Vatican II, dénonçant avec vigueur le Saint-Office en novembre … This was not always met with approval in the Vatican". He was born in 1927 as Germany struggled to cope with its obligations set down in the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger speaks at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church on Jan. 27, 1988, in New York. [242][243] Benedict returned his official Fisherman's Ring, which was rendered unusable by making two large cuts across its face. 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". God wants us to be friends of His friends and we can be so, if we are interiorly close to them. He was appointed a full professor in 1958 at the age of 31. John Paul II, approved his election to Vice Dean of the Cardinal College by the Cardinals of the Order of Bishops on 6th November 1998, and he was also entrusted with the Suburbicarian See of Ostia on 30th November 2002. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law. Four years later, under the direction of the famous professor of fundamental theology Gottlieb Söhngen he obtained a university teaching qualification with a dissertation on “The Theology of History in St. Bonaventure”. 98% of our readers don't give; they simply look the other way. On June 27, 1977, Joseph Ratzinger was made a Cardinal by Pope Paul VI. 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 document has been seen as restating "key sections of a 2000 text the pope wrote when he was prefect of the congregation, Dominus Iesus. [107][108] He stressed that on this intimate friendship, "everything depends. "[217], 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. "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. In the joy of the Risen Lord, confident of his unfailing help, let us move forward. [216] When Maciel was honored by the Pope in 2004, new accusers came forward[216] and Cardinal Ratzinger "took it on himself to authorize an investigation of Maciel". He said that this self-amputation of reason leads to pathologies of religion such as terrorism and pathologies of science such as ecological disasters. Consequently, he resigned from his post in Munich in early 1982. La tierra … Cardinal Clemens August Graf von Galen was beatified on 9 October 2005. Mary Regina Morrell, Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential He was baptised the same day. "[307] 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. Lisa Hendey, Papal initiative...peace and harmony! He was succeeded by Francis on 13 March 2013 and moved into the newly renovated Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in Vatican City for his retirement. [198][203], 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. [131], 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. Citing John Paul II's well-known words, "Do not be afraid! From 1946 to 1951, the year in which he was ordained a priest and began to teach, he studied philosophy and theology at the University of Munich and at the higher school in Freising. [124][125] His third encyclical titled Caritas in veritate ("Love in Truth" or "Charity in Truth"), was signed on 29 June 2009 (the Feast of Sts.