Archbishop Georg Gänswein has long since rubbished the suggestions that this homily referred in any way to Pope Francis or AL: In Italian daily Il Giornale, Archbishop Gänswein commented today on the misuse of Benedict XVI’s words, saying that the Pope emeritus intended no criticism against Pope Francis. “The Pope emeritus was arbitrarily exploited with this sentence which alludes to nothing concrete,” the archbishop said. He also repeated that Pope Benedict XVI’s words were written on the request of Cardinal Woelki, the archbishop of Cologne. https://incaelo.wordpress.com/2017/07/18/politicising-a-funeral-message/
I have been in two choirs now for 12 years., my parish and my Diocesan Choir. This is a very deep joy for all of us in parish choirs. When we truly pray our music, it is a real passion and giving of our hearts to our Lord.
I don't know why people are so shocked or surprised by Fr. Benedict's remarks. To start with he has always been supportive in a very general way of his successor. Or more to the point, he has always been supportive of the papacy. I think this is a public stance he decided to take, especially after all of the confusion that occurred when he stepped down. He knows that for him to speak out in any way against Pope Francis would undermine not only Pope Francis, but perhaps the entire papacy and future men who will hold the office. In my opinion this is what is on his mind. He is no fool. He sees schism on the horizon and he is doing anything he can to maintain unity. He has always tried to smooth over rough patches and the idea of the hermeneutic of continuity is his. He wants unity in the Church. He has not spoken out in opposition except perhaps in the most roundabout ways regarding Pope Francis. Even when people cite these instances it has always been stretching it. My personal opinion is that he has never opposed Pope Francis publicly and never will. He is looking at things from a larger historical perspective. I hate to sound at all disparaging of a former Pope, and I don't mean to be, but he has done some extremely confusing things since he has resigned. Wearing white, continuing to use his Papal Insignia, being called Pope Emeritus (there has never been such a thing), now he wants to be called Fr. Benedict apparently. Even that is fraught with confusion. Why is he returning to the lowest title a priest can have yet retaining a papal name? Does that make any sense at all to anyone? Shouldn't he be Cardinal, Bishop, or Father Ratzinger? The other few men who resigned the papacy all returned to their former titles. If he truly and validly resigned then he no longer has any special guarantees by the Holy Spirit of infallibility. Remember the diabolical disorientation we were warned about by Our Lady. It is very possible that it has spread throughout even the highest echelons of the Church. The Remnant may truly be left alone and unguarded.
No need to suggest any kind of "exploitation" when the actual words are used directed at a particular individual who was known for his own particular actions. Thus the words chosen can speak for themselves without targeting individuals but also without allowing the broader picture painted ignored....and occurring and due to a particular leader's watch.
Yes but for many reasons I find him a person of due huge respect for very many reasons , not least an very pure Orthodoxy. I would like to pray to Our Lady over this through Holy Week, Easter and beyond and ask her advice about all this as I am a little bit stumped by it all? When I find myself very perplexed I find it better to go directly to heaven for advice. Who knows what is going down here , really? We can only guess. But I would never rush by anything Benedict had to say; never.
Neither would I. I listen carefully to what all of the orthodox leaders have to say right now. I just think we have to be careful in taking what any of them say as Gospel. Many are being deceived right now. From the very top all the way down to us. We have the teachings of the Church and the constant Magisterium to guide us. During the Arian crisis the Church only had St. Athanasius. I think this time it will be worse. If they only had one man then, will we have no one this time?
I want desperately to think that he will act, but I am wondering what has happened to him. I haven't heard anything from him in months. It is one thing to be on the side of Truth, it is another to act on that Truth. The problem we have in the Church today is that very, very few of those who know the Truth will stand up and take any risk.
I would think as with most large groups it is a mix of things. Some probably just don't want to rock the boat, some figure they will just wait for the next pontificate to straighten things out, some are looking out for their own retirements, some may not have the strength of personality to speak up, some may be more concerned with maintaining unity and realize the real danger of schism, some fear reprisal. We could name a hundred more reasons. I am certainly not pointing fingers at any of these men. I just think it is sad. Very, very sad.
1. I reject PF global warming argument and all his ideas concerning this issue 2. I reject the "seamless garment" 3. I reject liberation theology 4. I reject PF re-interpretation of Vatican 2 5. I reject PF open borders policy 6. I reject PF embrace of abortionists 7. I reject PF globalism 8. Vatican 2 happened over 50 years ago, can someone please tell me what fruits were obtained through that council. Am I still catholic?
I do NOT accept at face value ANYTHING that BXVI supposedly “says” now, nor do I necessarily believe it is actually coming from his mouth or his pen. We’re being played for a fool in our reaction to this if it is not viewed in the context of the diametrical opposition between BXVI’s writings, and his writings at CDF in the name of St. Pope JPII, and that of this current pontificate. Pope Francis’ press and public perception is taking a nose dive and his handlers know it - so they create a “positive” impression as coming from BXVI’s pen. Either it’s being taken completely out of context from what BXVI was made to understand in his comments, or completely fake, or BXVI is a complete prisoner of the Vatican with zero idea of all this current regime is doing. Don’t be overly credulous. We’re way past the point of granting the benefit of the doubt to this regime.
As for me, I have resigned myself to take whatever is left of this preparation period and enter deeper into the Divine Will. It is the one thing that brings interior peace to me in these times. While it seems prudent to know what is going on in the Church and the world, this does not bring peace of mind and heart. I am convinced that it is God's holy will for us to resign ourselves to prayer, sacrifice and study while the storm picks up speed around the world. I will not allow the confusion in the church and world take the peace of Christ and his truth from me.
The full text of the letter... http://magister.blogautore.espresso.repubblica.it/2018/03/13/the-double-foolish-prejudice-the-complete-text-of-the-letter-by-benedict-xvi/ The Double "Foolish Prejudice." The Complete Text of the Letter by Benedict XVI The press office of the Holy See has not released the complete text of the letter sent by Benedict XVI last February 7 to the prefect of the Secretariat for Communications, Monsignor Dario Edoardo Viganò. Viganò has, however, given it a reading (see photo) on the occasion of the presentation to the press of the series “The theology of Pope Francis,” published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana and made up of eleven booklets, by different authors, on various aspects of the written and oral magisterium of the current pontiff. The letter bears the date of February 7 and is in response to a previous letter from Viganò of January 12. But given that it was made known on the evening of March 12, just before the fifth anniversary of the election as pope of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, it was received as if it were a sort of “vote,” more than just good, given by Benedict to his successor, at the end of his first five-year term. This interpretation has also been fostered by the press release sent out for the occasion by Viganò himself, which cited only the second and third paragraphs of the letter. In which, however, Benedict XVI rejects not one but a twofold “foolish prejudice”: both that according to which Francis would be “only a practical man devoid of particular theological or philosophical formation,” and the other according to which he himself, Joseph Ratzinger, would be “solely a theoretician of theology who could understand little of the concrete life of a Christian today.” In Francis, Benedict recognizes that which is undeniable: his having had a profound “formation” in theology and philosophy. Just as he recognizes an “interior continuity” between the two pontificates, where the adjective “interior” applies at least as much as the substantive “continuity,” given “all the differences of style and temperament.” And then there is that final paragraph, omitted in the press release, in which Ratzinger, with sincere candor, provides proof of his refined streak of irony. It’s all there for the reading. And he who wishes to understand, let him understand. So here is the complete text of the letter, from the salutation to the final signature. * Benedictus XVI Papa Emeritus Rev.mo Signore Mons. Dario Edoardo Viganò Prefetto della Segreteria per la Comunicazione Città del Vaticano 7 febbraio 2018 Reverendissimo Monsignore, I thank you for your courteous letter of January 12 and for the attached gift of the eleven small volumes edited by Roberto Repole. I applaud this initiative which is intended to oppose and react to the foolish prejudice according to which Pope Francis would be only a practical man devoid of particular theological or philosophical formation, while I would be solely a theoretician of theology who could understand little of the concrete life of a Christian today. The little volumes demonstrate, rightly so, that Pope Francis is a man of profound philosophical and theological formation, and they therefore help in seeing the interior continuity between the two pontificates, albeit with all the differences of style and temperament. Nonetheless, I do not feel that I can write a brief and dense theological page about them because for my whole life it has always been clear that I would write and express myself only on books that I had also truly read. Unfortunately, even if only for physical reasons, I am not able to read the eleven little volumes in the near future, all the more so in that I am under other obligations to which I have already agreed. I am sure that you will understand, and I extend to you my cordial greeting. Yours, Benedict XVI (English translation by Matthew Sherry, Ballwin, Missouri, U.S.A.)
Well this seems to shed a very ,very different light on matters. I am glad, I felt a little lost there.
Thank you Jarg, This seems to express what I said several posts ago. This was somewhat similar to a gift of state as is often given back and forth between politicians, known public figures, etc. Fr. Benedict was simply being kind in giving a letter of reply expressing thanks for the gift. In fact this even looks like a personal letter that was heavily excerpted then portions were published. Not any sort of pronouncement by Fr. Benedict. Possibly not ever even intended for publication. Again I say Cardinal Ratzinger/Pope Benedict fought the very errors that are being foisted (and I use that word advisedly) on the Church today. Attempting to paint him in support of such errors is despicable.
He has not only politely refused to write a “brief” page about the current pope’s own theology and magisterium due to “other obligations”, he has also admitted that he won’t read this compendium of “little volumes” of the current pope “even if only for physical reasons”. He speaks of “interior” continuity, but as Marco Tosatti points out a pontificate is not only interiority, it is governing, it is teaching the magisterium, it is confirming the faithful in the faith. There is a perplexing discontinuity in the teaching of the two pope’s, and this is a rather obvious and public fact that only a mind on denial won’t want to see. As for us, as Fatima said, I agree the best possible path in this ever more mysterious moment of the Church is prayer, sacrifice, and study.
