I Miss Pope Benedict XVI

Although I could never understand what Pope Benedict XVI was saying when I saw him on EWTN, I still liked watching him, his demeanor and  his mannerisms, all of which spoke to me one thing: genuineness.  Even if Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI might not have spoken God's Truth at all times, he spoke the truth as he knew it.  There was never a scintilla of pretension.  I admire that.  In fact, I admire Pope Benedict XVI tremendously, even if I had at one time or another disagreed with him.  I also admire his intellect.  It shines brilliantly and its brilliance is evident in the books he had written (I have read only two but plan to read them all).  His writing does not lend itself to speed-reading.  He packs so much material in so few words that it is easy to miss what he is trying to say if they are not read word by word, carefully.

I am now re-reading On The Way to Jesus Christ [1], slowly and deliberately many of his words over and again to grasp and savor their meaning.  The words, even if they maybe offensive to some, they are for me words that help the opinionated and obstinate me understand and absorb the meaning of Christ's words and Passion.  Perhaps one day they would become a part of me when I can live them every moment of every day. [2], [3]




[1] Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, On The Way to Jesus Christ, trans. Michael J. Miller (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2005).
[2] I have or are still reading the words of Francis of Assisi, Térèse of Lisieux, Augustine of Hippo, all of them became saints after their deaths.  I put Pope Benedict XVI in the saintly category even though he is not yet a saint (he has the potential).  I would like to learn from most of the rest of the saints should I get around to reading about them.  I do not believe that all saints are saintly (I could be wrong) because some became saints due to popular demand and/or politics or because they were corrupt (I think Augustine of Hippo said something to that effect in his book Confessions but I cannot be sure because I cannot find where it is in the book right now).
[3] I already know I will have difficulties, especially with understanding and internalizing poverty being the face of Christ.  I need more time to think more on this topic.  Hopefully it will be resolved soon and when it is I will write down my thoughts.

Thoughts On God, Sunday, May 27, 2012

The crucifixion date for Jesus is now determined to be April 3, 33. [1]  But 1,979 years later, the Vatican is rife with intrigue, from power struggles and political backstabbing to financial mismanagement and corruption as well as the age-old question of whether or not the butler did it. [2]  Paolo Gabriele, the Pope's butler, was charged with illegal possession of documents and arrested by the Vatican and placed in a cell within the Vatican.  Was he the culprit or was he simply doing his duty, following orders to protect the Pope and the Catholic Church?  If the butler turns out to be a pawn in the staging of evidence possibly by the Opus Dei which also happens to be the entity in charge of the investigations against a sinister player in this developing saga, then was he cooperating with Opus Dei in order to do God's work (pardon the pun)?  If that is the case, who might this sinister character be?  It seems that for now, all fingers are pointing to Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.

Who is Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone?  He is Pope Benedict XVI's Secretary of State.  Based on an article published by the Catholic Exchange on February 3, 2012, Cardinal Bertone seems to be an attention-hoarding, power-hungry Cardinal who acted as if he were the Pope. [3]  Perhaps he is pro-Italy and in his mind it is time to return the control of the Vatican to the Italians, especially when Italy wants a share of the money the Catholic Church is pulling in to support the debt-ridden Italian government.  In order to do so, Cardinal Bertone wanted more "confidentiality" rather than what the Pope wants which is transparency in the Vatican's financial operations. [4]

So where is God in all of this?  I'm really not sure.  You can "tweet" Pope Benedict XVI @Pope_Benedict.  Maybe he has an answer. [5]




[1] http://news.discovery.com/history/jesus-crucifixion-120524.html
[2] http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/26/popes-butler-charged-leaked-letters
[3] http://catholicexchange.com/vatican-watch-cardinal-bertones-overreach/
[4] http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gWr-mfVtHJn9yNC5SdrRDVvw9x0A?docId=99326afe325b40028903beb8e4227ce8
[5] Follow-up:  Pope Benedict XVI's sermon on this Pentecost Sunday at St. Peter's Basilica answers this question with circumlocutional eloquence:  http://www.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=591415

Poverty & Redistributing Wealth

Pope Benedict XVI Wants What?

This is truly funny for me. No sooner than just a few days ago when I posted an entry on poverty, this headline: “Pope Benedict Peace Message Calls For Wealth Redistribution” shows up at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/16/pope-benedict-wealth-distribution_n_1154798.html?icid=maing-grid7|maing7|dl1|sec3_lnk3%26pLid%3D121064. The first three paragraphs read: “VATICAN CITY (RNS) Noting a ‘rising sense of frustration’ at the worldwide economic recession, Pope Benedict XVI said that a more just and peaceful world requires ‘adequate mechanisms for the redistribution of wealth.’

"The pope's words appeared in his message for the World Day of Peace 2012, released on Friday (Dec. 16) at the Vatican.

"The message laments that ‘some currents of modern culture, built upon rationalist and individualist economic principles, have cut off the concept of justice from its transcendent roots, detaching it from charity and solidarity.’" Ibid.

Perhaps the Pope himself is detached from the core of Catholicism and in desperate need of continuing education on the vow of poverty, Francis of Assisi, Holy Poverty and religious hypocrisy.

Pope Benedict XVI Overcompensated For His Nazi Past

In a book that will be released on March 10, 2011, the Pope maintained that the Jews cannot collectively be blamed for the crucifixion of Christ on the cross. While he is correct in pointing out that there were only a small number of Jewish leaders who decided to crucify Jesus, I have not seen any evidence of any remorse expressed by any "innocent" Jewish bystander or any apology by any Jewish rabbi for the death of Christ or of the total acceptance of Jesus by the Jews as their Jewish King and Savior. If all the Jews in the world would own up to the unbearable torture, hurtful humiliation and heinous killing of Jesus Christ, repent their sins and live their lives in accordance with the teachings of Christ, then Satan would have lost and the world would at once be transformed.

April 25, 2011

My comment above in March was written with a broad stroke. Rather than deleting it, I want to reserve it for those who seek vengeance rather than humility and forgiveness.