Pope Benedict XVI meets with Jewish delegation from the United States, confirms intention to visit to Israel and the Holy Land

Benedict XVI's preparations for his trip to the Holy Land are under way, as he himself confirmed today in a meeting with a Jewish delegation from the United States (Zenit News, February 14, 2009):

According to sources from both Jerusalem and Rome, the Holy Father's first pilgrimage to Israel and the surrounding region will take place during the second week of May.

He confirmed his intention to make the visit, despite doubts cast on the plan by the conflict in Gaza and the scandal caused by Lefebvrite Bishop Richard Williamson.

Rabbi Arthur Schneier of New York told the Pontiff, "The promised land awaits your arrival."

And noting that his guests were scheduled to visit the Holy Land after their time in Italy, Benedict XVI said: "I too am preparing to visit Israel, a land which is holy for Christians as well as Jews, since the roots of our faith are to be found there.

"Indeed, the Church draws its sustenance from the root of that good olive tree, the people of Israel, onto which have been grafted the wild olive branches of the Gentiles. From the earliest days of Christianity, our identity and every aspect of our life and worship have been intimately bound up with the ancient religion of our fathers in faith."

Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal Walter Kasper (centre L), pose during an audience with a delegation from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations at the Vatican. Photo credit: Reuters

Click here for the full text of Pope Benedict XVI's address to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations -- in which the Holy Father recalled his meeting the Jewish community at Cologne (making history as the first Pope to visit a synagogue in Germany), in August 2005; his visit to the extermination camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau in May 2006, his meeting with Rabbi Schneier and congregation of the Park East Synagogue in New York during his 2008 visit to the United States.

Chiefly, Pope Benedict recalled the importance of recognizing the Shoah (alluding to the recent controversy involving SSPX Bishop Richard Williamson):

The two-thousand-year history of the relationship between Judaism and the Church has passed through many different phases, some of them painful to recall. Now that we are able to meet in a spirit of reconciliation, we must not allow past difficulties to hold us back from extending to one another the hand of friendship. Indeed, what family is there that has not been troubled by tensions of one kind or another? The Second Vatican Council’s Declaration "Nostra Aetate" marked a milestone in the journey towards reconciliation, and clearly outlined the principles that have governed the Church’s approach to Christian-Jewish relations ever since.

The Church is profoundly and irrevocably committed to reject all anti-Semitism and to continue to build good and lasting relations between our two communities. If there is one particular image which encapsulates this commitment, it is the moment when my beloved predecessor Pope John Paul II stood at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, pleading for God’s forgiveness after all the injustice that the Jewish people have had to suffer. I now make his prayer my own: "God of our fathers, you chose Abraham and his descendants to bring your Name to the Nations: we are deeply saddened by the behaviour of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer, and asking your forgiveness we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the Covenant" (26 March 2000).

The hatred and contempt for men, women and children that was manifested in the Shoah was a crime against God and against humanity. This should be clear to everyone, especially to those standing in the tradition of the Holy Scriptures, according to which every human being is created in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:26-27). It is beyond question that any denial or minimization of this terrible crime is intolerable and altogether unacceptable. Recently, in a public audience, I reaffirmed that the Shoah must be "a warning for all against forgetfulness, denial or reductionism, because violence committed against one single human being is violence against all" (January 28, 2009).

This terrible chapter in our history must never be forgotten. Remembrance – it is rightly said – is "memoria futuri", a warning to us for the future, and a summons to strive for reconciliation. To remember is to do everything in our power to prevent any recurrence of such a catastrophe within the human family by building bridges of lasting friendship. It is my fervent prayer that the memory of this appalling crime will strengthen our determination to heal the wounds that for too long have sullied relations between Christians and Jews. It is my heartfelt desire that the friendship we now enjoy will grow ever stronger, so that the Church’s irrevocable commitment to respectful and harmonious relations with the people of the Covenant will bear fruit in abundance.

Pope Benedict, The SSPX and the Repeal of the Excommunications

Note: This post will be continually updated with further news and commentary as events develop.

Statements & Developments

• 01-24-09: Decree of the Congregation for Bishops Card. Giovanni Battista Re, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops:

  ... His Holiness Benedict XVI - paternally sensitive to the spiritual unease manifested by the interested party due to the sanction of excommunication and trusting in the effort expressed by them in the aforementioned letter of not sparing any effort to deepen the necessary discussions with the Authority of the Holy See in the still open matters, so as to achieve shortly a full and satisfactory solution of the problem posed in the origin - decided to reconsider the canonical situation of Bishops Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson, and Alfonso de Galarreta, arisen with their episcopal consecration.

  With this act, it is desired to consolidate the reciprocal relations of confidence and to intensify and grant stability to the relationship of the Fraternity of Saint Pius X with this Apostolic See. This gift of peace, at the end of the Christmas celebrations, is also intended to be a sign to promote unity in the charity of the universal Church and to try to vanquish the scandal of division.

  It is hoped that this step be followed by the prompt accomplishment of full communion with the Church of the entire Fraternity of Saint Pius X, thus testifying true fidelity and true recognition of the Magisterium and of the authority of the Pope with the proof of visible unity.

• 01-26-09: Roundup of responses from various sources to the repealing of the excommunications, courtesy of Rorate Caeli.

• 01-28-09: Remarks of Pope Benedict XVI on the remission of the excommunications on the SSPX hierarchy, followed by an expression of solidarity with the Jewish people:

  ... Precisely in the accomplishment of this service of unity, which qualifies, in a specific way, my ministry as Successor of Peter, I decided, a few days ago, to grant the remission of the excommunication in which the four bishops ordained by Archbishop Lefebvre in 1988, without pontifical mandate, had incurred. I fulfilled this act of fatherly mercy because those prelates repeatedly manifested to me their deep suffering for the situation in which they found themselves. I hope that this gesture of mine will be followed by the solicitous effort by them to accomplish the ulterior steps necessary to accomplish full communion with the Church, thus testifying true fidelity and true recognition of the Magisterium and of the authority of the Pope and of the Second Vatican Council.

  While I renew with affection the expression of my full and unquestionable solidarity with our brothers receivers of the First Covenant, I hope that the memory of the Shoah leads mankind to reflect on the unpredictable power of evil when it conquers the heart of man. May the Shoah be for all a warning against forgetfulness, against denial or reductionism, because the violence against a single human being is violence against all. No man is an island, a famous poet writes. The Shoah particularly teaches, both old an the new generations, that only the tiresome path of listening and dialogue, of love and of forgiveness lead the peoples, the cultures, and the religions of the world to the hoped-for goal of fraternity and peace in truth. May violence never again crush the dignity of man!

• 01-28-09: Superior General of the SSPX: Bishop Williamson forbidden to speak on political or historical matters January 27, 2009:

  We view this matter with great concern, as this exorbitance has caused severe damage to our religious mission. We apologize to the Holy Father and to all people of good will for the trouble it has caused.

  It must remain clear that those comments do not reflect in any way the attitude of our community. That is why I have forbidden Bishop Williamson to issue any public opinion on any political or historical matter until further notice.

• 01-28-09: Note of the District Superior for Germany of the SSPX:

  The banalization of the genocide of the Jews by the Nazi regime and of its horror are unacceptable for us.

  The persecution and murder of an incalculable number of Jews under the Third Reich touches us painfully and they also violate the Christian commandment of love for neighbor which does not distinguish ethnicities.

  I must apologize for this behavior and dissociate myself from such a view.

  Such dissociation is also necessary for us because the father of Archbishop Lefebvre died in a KZ [concentration camp] and because numerous Catholic priests lost their lives in Hitler's concentration camps.

• 01-29-09: Interview granted by the Superior General of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX / SSPX), Bishop Bernard Fellay, to French Catholic Magazine Monde & Vie.

• 01-30-09: Letter of apology to Pope Benedict XVI from Bishop Bernard Williamson:

  Amidst this tremendous media storm stirred up by imprudent remarks of mine on Swedish television, I beg of you to accept, only as is properly respectful, my sincere regrets for having caused to yourself and to the Holy Father so much unnecessary distress and problems.

  For me, all that matters is the Truth Incarnate, and the interests of His one true Church, through which alone we can save our souls and give eternal glory, in our little way, to Almighty God. So I have only one comment, from the prophet Jonas, I, 12:

  "Take me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you; for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you."

  Please also accept, and convey to the Holy Father, my sincere personal thanks for the document signed last Wednesday and made public on Saturday. Most humbly I will offer a Mass for both of you.

• Interview with Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, president of the Ecclesia Dei Commission published today in Italian national daily Corriere della Sera.

• Note of the Secretariat of State Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone L'Osservatore Romano, February 5, 2009:

  ... The positions of Mons. Williamson on the Shoah are absolutely unacceptable and firmly rejected by the Holy Father, as he himself remarked on the past January 28, when, referring to that brutal genocide, he reaffirmed his full and unquestionable solidarity with our Brethren, receivers of the First Covenant, and affirmed that the memory of that terrible genocide must lead "mankind to reflect on the unpredictable power of evil when it conquers the heart of man", adding that the Shoah remains "for all a warning against forgetfulness, against denial or reductionism, because the violence against a single human being is violence against all".

  Bishop Williamson, for an admission to episcopal functions in the Church, will also have to distance himself, in an absolutely unequivocal and public manner, from his positions regarding the Shoah, unknown to the Holy Father in the moment of the remission of the excommunication.

  The Holy Father asks to be joined by the prayers of all the faithful, so that the Lord may enlighten the path of the Church. May the effort of the Pastors and of all the faithful increase in support of the delicate and burdensome mission of the Successor of Apostle Peter as "custodian of unity" in the Church.

• Italian District of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX / SSPX) has announced the expulsion of Father Floriano Abrahamowicz, the priest responsible for Northeast Italy. Rorate Caeli February 6, 2009.

• Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos in the eye of the storm interview granted by the director of the Holy See Press Office and head of Radio Vaticana, Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ, to French daily La Croix. February 5, 2009.

• Williamson "was removed from his charge as head of the seminary" of Nuestra Señora Corredentora of La Reja (Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina) - confirmed by Father Christian Bouchacourt to Argentinian daily La Nación. February 9, 2009.

Further Resources, Commentary and Discussion

• Q-and-A Explains Standing of 4 Lefebvrite Bishops explanation prepared by the episcopal conference of England and Wales on the lifting of the excommunication of four bishops of the Society of St. Pius X.
• Lefebvre Group Step Hailed as Unity Week Success: Spokesman Reflects on Lifting of Excommunication Remarks of Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office. Zenit News January 25, 2009.
• With Lefebvrists, It's Just the Beginning: Ecclesia Dei Member Considers Lifting of Excommunication Remarks of Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, archbishop of Bordeux. Zenit News January 27, 2009.
• Rome’s Reconciliation: Did the Pope heal, or deepen, the Lefebvrist schism?, by George Weigel. Newsweek January 26, 2009.
• Misconceptions: What the “lifting” of the SSPX excom’s means for people, by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf (What Does The Prayer Really Say?)
• "Your Move" and Lefebvre Part II, by Amy Welborn. Charlotte Was Both
• No More Excommunication for the Lefebvrists. But Peace Is Still Far Off, by Sandro Magister. Chiesa. January 28, 2009.
• Lefebvre movement: long, troubled history with Judaism, by John Allen Jr. National Catholic Reporter January 26, 2009.
• The Lefebvrite case: What was the Vatican thinking?, by John Allen Jr. National Catholic Reporter January 30, 2009.
• The Jewish Reaction to the Pope's Welcoming Back Holocaust Denying Bishop: Disproportionate! Rabbi Irwin Kula. Huffington Post February 2, 2009.
• "The SSPX bishops should resign": The Regensburg Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Mueller about the prohibition of the Holocaust denier, Williamson in his diocese, and what he wants from the Society of St Pius X ZEIT ONLINE. February 3, 2009. [Translated by Catholic Church Conservation].
• "Enough", by Paul Zummo (CrankyCon). February 3, 2009.
• Double Disaster at the Vatican: Of Governance, and of Communication, by Sandro Magister. Chiesa. February 4, 2009.

Letter of Pope Benedict XVI to President Barack Obama

Text of Pope Benedict XVI's telegram to the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama:

The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States of America
The White House
Washington, D.C.

On the occasion of your inauguration as the Forty-fourth president of the United States of America I offer cordial good wishes, together with the assurance of my prayers that the Almighty God will grant you unfailing wisdom and strength in the exercise of your high responsibilities.

Under your leadership may the American people continue to find in their impressive religious and political heritage the spiritual values and ethical principles needed to cooperate in the building of a truly just and free society, marked by respect for the dignity, equality and rights of each of its members, especially the poor, the outcast and those who have no voice.

At a time when so many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world yearn for liberation from the scourge of poverty, hunger and violence, I pray that you will be confirmed in your resolve to promote understanding, cooperation and peace among the nations, so that all may share in the banquet of life which God wills to set for the whole human family (cf. Isaiah 25:6-7). Upon you and your family, and upon all the American people, I willingly invoke the Lord's blessings of joy and peace.

Pope Benedict XVI's goodbye to Cardinal Avery Dulles

Avery Cardinal Dulles passed away at about 6:30 on the morning of December 12th, 2008, at Murray-Weigel Hall, the Jesuit infirmary, located at Fordham University, Bronx, New York. He was 90 years old.

A reknowned theologian -- and the first ever American theologian to be appointed Cardinal -- he is mourned the world over. A compilation of articles recognizing his passing, as well as many personal tributes, has been collected on the Cardinal's online archive.

The Cardinal's passing is noted by the Holy Father as well, who conveyed the following statement in a telegram to Cardinal Egan of New York:

"Having learned with sadness of the death of Cardinal Avery Dulles, I offer you my heartfelt condolences, which I ask you to kindly convey to his family, his confreres in the Society of Jesus and the academic community of Fordham University. I join you in commending the late Cardinal's noble soul to God, the Father of Mercies, with immense gratitude for the deep learning, serene judgment and unfailing love of the Lord and his Church which marked his entire priestly ministry and his long years of teaching and theological research. At the same time I pray that his convincing personal testimony to the harmony of faith and reason will continue to bear fruit for the conversion of minds and hearts and the progress of the gospel for many years to come. To all who mourn him in the hope of the resurrection I cordially impart my apostolic blessing as a pledge of consolation and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ."

Readers might recall that during the Pope's visit to New York City in April 2008, Benedict XVI took time out to visit with Cardinal Dulles personally. The following account (by way of America magazine) is taken from the New York Jesuits' newsletter, written by Anne Marie Kirmse, O.P., Cardinal Dulles's longtime assistant:

"The Pope literally bounded into the room with a big smile on his face. He went directly to where Avery was sitting, saying, 'Eminenza, Eminenza, I recall the work you did for the International Theological Committee in the 1990's.' Avery kissed the papal ring and smiled back at the Pope. Then the Pope looked at the people in the room who had accompanied Avery to the Seminary: Fr. Tom Marciniak, who served as Cardinal Dulles's priest-chaplain for the meeting; Sr. Anne-Marie Kirmse, O.P.; and Francine Messiah and Oslyn Fergus of the [Jesuit infirmary's] medical staff. After this warm and friendly exchange of greetings, the Pope sat down next to Avery to hear the remarks that Avery had prepared and which were read for him by Fr. Tom Marciniak. During the presentation, Fr. Tom handed the Pope a copy of Avery's latest book, Church and Society: The Laurence J. McGinley Lectures, 1988-2007, which was published earlier this month by Fordham University Press. The Pope expressed great interest in the book, and even interrupted the reading of the remarks to ask again when the book had been published. He eagerly looked through it, and was touched by Avery's inscription to him. Before leaving, the Pope blessed Avery, assuring him of his prayers, and encouraging him in his sufferings. He then said good-bye in turn to each of the four persons who accompanied Avery."

Commenting on his passing, Cardinal O'Malley of Boston recalled a passage from Cardinal Dulles' final lecture, "A Life in Theology", which was read for him:

"Suffering and diminishment are not the greatest of evils, but are normal ingredients in life, especially in old age. They are to be accepted as elements of a full human existence. As I become increasingly paralyzed and unable to speak, I can identify with the many paralytics and mute persons in the Gospels, grateful for the loving and skillful care I receive and for the hope of everlasting life in Christ. If the Lord now calls me to a period of weakness, I know well that his power can be made perfect in infirmity. Blessed be the name of the Lord!"

Peter Seewald's "Pope Benedict XVI: An Intimate Portrait"

Benedict XVI: An Intimate Portrait by Peter Seewald. Ignatius Press (October 30 2008). SAN FRANCISCO, December 15, 2008 – Almost four years after Joseph Ratzinger’s election to the papacy, many people are still trying to understand who Benedict XVI really is. Though most would agree the Church has a Pope who is among the most significant of Europe’s intellectuals, German journalist Peter Seewald unveils a rendering of Benedict which recounts little-known details about him in the newly released Benedict XVI: An Intimate Portrait (260 pp., Ignatius). “Joseph Ratzinger is a born teacher,” says Seewald of his subject. “But he did not want to become pope. Even after the conclave [in 2005], on the loggia of St. Peter’s, his face showed the traces of an inner struggle. And he probably felt like crying, so disturbingly moved was he by the condescension of the great God who entrusted him … with the keys to the kingdom of Heaven.” For the first time, Seewald paints the vivid and complex picture of the world’s new Pope taken from his many interview encounters with then-Joseph Ratzinger over the past 16 years. Describing intensive face-to-face encounters with the Pope in great detail, Seewald draws an engaging portrait of this brilliant theologian and pastor. That story changed Seewald’s own life – he abandoned atheism and returned to his Catholic faith. A man of contradiction Seewald describes the new pope as unassuming, yet decisive. Slight and strong at the same time. Unobtrusive and preeminent, a weak voice that is loud. An intellectual, yet completely down-to-earth. A man of reason who is pious. Intellectually brilliant – but of childlike simplicity. He does not fit any of the clichés,” says Seewald. Against all media and secular predictions – and even of some within the Church – Benedict XVI has given new life to the Church, despite its recent and unprecedented crises. He attracts crowds even greater than those of his predecessor, John Paul II. After all, says Seewald, “a pope is not a politician. There is no next election for him, but only the Last Judgment. ‘What is it like to sit opposite a man like Joseph Ratzinger?’ In this new provocative biography, Seewald examines “what it is like to sit opposite a man like Joseph Ratzinger for many hours, alone in a monastery, and discuss things with him, asking a thousand questions.” He shows how he came to know the Pope personally, “… as a great man for patience, as a spiritual master who can give answers.” Benedict XVI: An Intimate Portrait looks at the recent papal transition, but also at Ratzinger’s entire life – his family, childhood, youth and priesthood, companions and opponents, and how journalists have been accustomed to covering him. Significant ‘change’ “This man from Bavaria, contrary to all the projections dumped onto his shoulders, is a revolutionary of the Christian type,” says Seewald. He calls the new Pope ‘an inconvenient man who can seize on the spirit of the times, who warns people against the aberrations of modern life.” Seeking what is lost and saving it is the constant element of his life, notes Seewald. The Pope himself says, according to Seewald, “Anyone who really wants change needs a change in his consciousness and his personal behavior – anything else is insignificant.” Seewald sees the new pope “as the most powerful German at the beginning of the third millennium.” He says Benedict may offer a new opportunity for Europe’s change and especially for that of his homeland. The Pope has fearlessly given his life to God and to the world for the good of the Christ’s mission – even as he assumed the Papacy at the age of 78. “Anyone who has come to Christ seeking what is comfortable has indeed come to the wrong address,” says Pope Benedict – as quoted by Seewald in the book. From Pope Benedict XVI: An Intimate Portrait Press Release -- Ignatius Press. Excerpts "A Revolutionary of the Christian Type" (Preface). Reviews Shelf Life, by Michael Potemra. National Review, Jan 26, 2009.

Pope Benedict Roundup!

• The Marian Papacy of Benedict XVI, by John Allen Jr. NCRcafe.org (September 8, 2008):

  In part, perhaps, Mary has been a lightning rod precisely because she is such a uniquely Catholic figure. Catholics share Christ, the gospels, prayer and sacrifice, even the sacraments, with many other forms of Christianity. Yet even though other Christians treasure Mary in their own ways, she is strongly associated in the popular imagination with the Catholic church.

  Mary’s centrality in Catholic tradition may help explain why the last two popes, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, have been so committed to reawakening Marian devotion in the church. For both popes, defending Catholic identity in a highly secular age has been job number one, and nothing says ‘Catholic’ quite like the Blessed Virgin Mary.

• Finding the Word in the word", by Tania Mann. (The Catholic World Report). "Throughout the Synod of Bishops, Pope Benedict XVI stressed the need to read Scripture under both a historical and a spiritual light."

News

• September 2008: In an interview by Andrea Tornielli for the Italian newspaper Il Giornale, Pope Benedict XVI’s brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger, revealed several unknown details from the childhood of the Pontiff, such as when he said one time that Benedict would be a good name for a pope, and that he never attended Hitler Youth meetings he was obliged to sign up for. Catholic News Agency has a detailed report.

• October 2008: German publishing house Verlag Herder (in Frieburg) has embarked on the "Opera Omnia" -- a comprehensive publication of the works of Joseph Ratzinger / Pope Benedict XVI. According to Sandro Magister, the organization of the works, previously published or not, will be determined by the Pope himself, together with the specific arrangement of each of the 16 volumes:

  Volumes I and II will include Ratzinger's undergraduate and doctorate theses, as well as other writings concerning Augustine and Bonaventure, the two doctors of the Church who are the subjects of his theses.

  Volume III will open with Ratzinger's inaugural conference as a professor: "The God of faith and the God of the philosophers," delivered in Bonn in 1959, followed by writings on faith and reason and the historical-intellectual foundations of Europe.

  Volume IV will open with the famous "Introduction to Christianity" of 1968. It will be followed by other writings on the profession of faith, baptism, following Christ, and the fulfillment of Christian existence.

  Volume V will collect writings on creation, anthropology, the doctrine of grace, Mariology.

  Volume VI will be on Christology, and will open with "Jesus of Nazareth," the only work in the collection that was written and published after the author's election as pope.

  Volume VII will collect the writings on Vatican Council II, including notes and comments from that period.

  Volume VIII will deal with ecclesiology and ecumenism.

  Volume IX will collect essays on theological epistemology and hermeneutics, in particular on the understanding of the Scriptures, Revelation, Tradition.

  Volume X will open with "Eschatology," published in 1977, followed by other writings on hope, death, resurrection, eternal life.

  Volume XI is the one that has been published first, in the past few days. It is entitled "Theology of the Liturgy."

  Volume XII, dedicated to the doctrine of the sacraments and to the ministry, will be entitled "Proclaimers of the Word and Servants of Your Joy."

  Volume XIII will collect the many interviews conducted with Joseph Ratzinger, including the ones published in book form, with Vittorio Messori in 1984, and with Peter Seewald in 1996 and 2000.

  Volume XIV will collect homilies from before his election as pope, many of which are little known and previously unpublished.

  Volume XV will open with the book "My Life," published in 1997, followed by other writings of an autobiographical and personal nature.

  Volume XVI will close the series with a complete bibliography of the works of Joseph Ratzinger in German, plus a comprehensive index of all the preceding volumes. The individual volumes will also be equipped with detailed indexes.

  The Preface to the nitial volume of the Opera Omnia is available online, courtesy of Sandro Magister.

• On November 12, a group of Joseph Ratzinger's former doctoral and postdoctoral students, known as the Schülerkreis (Circle of Students), gathered in Munich for the first event of the Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI Foundation. The official launching ceremony begun with sung vespers in the chapel of the Catholic Academy in the evening, followed by a paper delivered by Professor Siegfried Wiedenhofer entitled “Key Issues in the Theology of Professor Dr. Joseph Ratzinger” and a podium discussion on “Ratzinger as Theologian and Teacher.”

• November 2008: An Italian foundation has created five Middle Ages-style copies of Benedict XVI's first encyclical, one of which was given him as a gift, reports Zenit News Service:

  Marilena Ferrari, president of the Italian Franco Maria Ricci Foundation, presented the Pope on Monday with one of the handwritten manuscripts of "Deus Caritas Est" in Latin.

  The five unique copies are reminiscent of monastic scripts prepared in the Middle Ages, and were made using the materials and techniques of those centuries, Ferrari explained to the Pope, according to L'Osservatore Romano.

  This initiative is part of the foundation's "Civilization of Beauty" cultural project, which aims to "promote a cultural renewal that gives back to beauty its central place as an ethical and aesthetic value."

New Books By / About Pope Benedict XVI

• Pope Benedict XVI: An Intimate Portrait, by Peter Seewald (Ignatius Press, October 2008)

  In the person of Pope Benedict XVI, one of the most significant of Europe's intellectuals is heading-up the Vatican. The journalist Peter Seewald, who has known Ratzinger since 1992, conducted the "longest interviews in church history" with him, for two books which were best-sellers world-wide, Salt of the Earth and God and the World.

  Now he describes these intensive encounters in detail for the first time, and draws a portrait of this brilliant theologian who has put his life entirely at the service of the Catholic Church. Above and beyond that, this book is also the story of a long dialogue which changed Seewald's life.

  Many people are trying to understand who Benedict XVI really is. On one point they are all agreed: in the person of Joseph Ratzinger, the chair of Peter is occupied by one of the most brilliant minds in the world. Peter Seewald's portrait of Benedict recounts details about the personality and life of Benedict which were hitherto completely unknown.

  See also: "A Revolutionary of the Christian Type", (Preface).

• The Church Fathers: From Clement of Rome to Augustine, by Pope Benedict XVI. (Ignatius Press, October 2008):

  This rich and engrossing survey of the early Church includes those churchmen who immediately succeeded the Apostles, the "Apostolic Fathers": Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus of Lyon. Benedict also discusses such great Christian figures as Tertullian, Origen, and Cyprian of Carthage, the Cappadocian Fathers, as well as the giants John Chrysostom, Jerome, Augustine, Leo the Great, and Benedict of Nursia, the Pope's namesake.

On a Lighter Note ...

• A Clerihew (or Two) for Küng, by Carl Olson. Ignatius Insight May 24, 2008.

• Pope Benedict asked to begin blogging at Synod October 14, 2008.

• Pope Benedict's Bookstore (National Catholic Register):

  Aside from being a prolific author himself, Pope Benedict XVI loves books.

  After he was elected Pope in 2005, renovations were undertaken to the papal residence to accommodate his personal library of 20,000 books.

  So it’s especially fitting that the Vatican opened a new bookstore this week dedicated to the Holy Father.

Apostolic Journey to France on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lourdes

• Official Program
• Photo Gallery

Spoken Words / Addresses by Pope Benedict XVI

• Interview of the Holy Father during the flight to France (September 12, 2008)
• Meeting with authorities of State at the Elysée Palace in Paris (September 12, 2008)
• Meeting with representatives of the Jewish community (September 12, 2008)
• Meeting with representatives from the world of culture at the Collège des Bernardins in Paris (September 12, 2008)
• Celebration of Vespers with priests, religious, seminarians and deacons gathered at Notre-Dame Cathedral (Paris, 12 September 2008)
• Greeting to young people gathered in the esplanade in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral (Paris, 12 September 2008)
• Greeting by the Holy Father from the balcony of the Apostolic Nunciature (September 12, 2008)
• Greeting by the Holy Father during the visit at the Institut de France (September 13, 2008)
• Eucharistic Celebration on the Esplanade des Invalides in Paris (September 13, 2008)
• Homily of the Holy Father at the torchlight procession in Rosary Square (Lourdes, 13 September 2008)
• Eucharistic Celebration on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Prairie (Lourdes, 14 September 2008)
• Recitation of the Angelus Domini in the Prairie (Lourdes, 14 September 2008)
• Meeting with the French Bishops in the Hemicycle Sainte-Bernadette (Lourdes, 14 September 2008)
• Meditation during the Blessed Sacrament Procession in the Prairie (Lourdes, 14 September 2008)
• Eucharistic Celebration for the sick in the Esplanade in front of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in Lourdes (September 15, 2008)
• Farewell ceremony at the Airport of Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées in Lourdes (September 15, 2008)

Coverage by John Allen, Jr.

• 9-10-08: Cardinal Tauran on the pope's trip to France
  On September 10, L’Avvenire, the official newspaper of the Italian bishops’ conference, published an interview with Tauran by noted journalist Gianni Cardinale. Among other topics, Tauran discussed the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict XVI to France. The following is an NCR translation of that interview.
• 9-10-08: Extracts from Sarkozy on church/state relations in France
  On Dec. 20, 2007, French President Nicolas Sarkozy was inducted as an Honorary Canon of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, a traditional privilege of the French head of state since the era of Henry IV in the 16th century. During the ceremony, Sarkozy delivered an address on church/state relations in the famous Hall of Conciliation at St. John Lateran, the room in which Benito Mussolini and Cardinal Pietro Gasparri signed the Lateran Pacts in 1929 healing the rift between the Vatican and the Italian state. Sarkozy’s speech has been cited as a turning point in French attitudes towards the public role of religion.
• 9-12-08: The case for 'healthy secularism'
  Pressing the case for what he called a “healthy” form of laïcité, Benedict XVI today said the time has come to reopen the debate over the relationship between church and state in France. (The concept of laïcité is usually rendered in English as “secularism.”)
• 9-12-08: No reference to Muslims, but a call to resist 'disaster for humanity'
  Despite the symbolic resonance of both the date and the place, Benedict made no reference in tonight’s address [at the Collège des Bernardins in Paris] to Regensburg or, more generally, to Christian-Muslim relations. Instead, the pope focused on a topic that, at first blush, might seem of merely intra-Christian interest: the legacy of monasticism.
• 9-13-08: Pope tells shrunken church, 'Don't be afraid'
  If yesterday Pope Benedict XVI addressed the broader culture of both France and Europe, today he spoke directly to the French Catholic church – a church which, by all accounts, embodies the famous prediction of the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger that the future of Christianity in the West is as a “creative minority.”
• 9-13-08: Explaining Benedict's discretion on Islam
  Pope Benedict XVI is anything but a careless thinker, and even his omissions are usually significant. In that light, as the pope winds up the Paris leg of his first trip to France, one cannot help but wonder about his basic silence on the subject of Islam.
• 9-13-08: Nothing says 'Catholic' like the Virgin Mary
  A papal visit to Lourdes, arguably the premier Marian shrine and healing center in the Christian world, inevitably beckons reflection on two topics: the Virgin Mary and the theology of suffering. This evening, Benedict XVI delivered vintage versions of both.
• 9-14-08: Pope in France: Traditionalists deserve 'a place in the church'
  Catholicism is legendarily keen on tradition, which means there’s a traditionalist wing of the church pretty much everywhere. Nowhere else, however, are traditionalists so visible, and, at times, so fractious, as in France, making it all but inevitable that Pope Benedict XVI would address their signature issue while here – the old Latin Mass.
• 9-14-08: Eucharist is Jesus 'past, present and future'
  Pope Benedict XVI offered a prayerful mediation on the Eucharist this evening in Lourdes, calling the consecrated host “the eternal presence of the savior of mankind to his church.”
• 9-15-08: Pope in France: A lesson in 'Marian cool'
  As an orator, Pope Benedict XVI generally does not, unlike his predecessor John Paul II, mine his own biography. For John Paul, the dramatic events of his life were staples of his public rhetoric. Not so with Benedict, who prefers to emphasize the song rather than the singer.

Zenit News Coverage

• 9-10-08: George Weigel Part of France's Papal Preparations - The Pope will visit Paris and Lourdes this weekend, and French editing house Mame-Edifa-Magnificat has released -- just in time for the occasion -- the translation of Weigels' book God's Choice: Pope Benedict XVI and the Future of the Catholic Church.
• 9-10-08: Papal Message Ahead of France Trip: "I Go As a Messenger of Peace and Fraternity" translation of the greeting Benedict XVI gave at the end of today's general audience to the people of France.
• 9-11-08: Press Conference with Pope Benedict XVI - translation of a 10-minute press conference Benedict XVI gave while en route to France on Friday. Benedict addresses the concern that "France is losing its Christian identity because of laicism"; his affection for France and its intellectual heritage; the criticism that the motu proprio "Summorum Pontificum" is a step backward from the Second Vatican Council, and reflections on his pending visit to Lourdes:

  ... It is very important for me to experience this reality, this presence of the Virgin Mary in our lifetime, to see the path of this young person who was a friend of the Virgin Mary, and on the other hand to meet the Blessed Virgin, her mother. Naturally we are not going there to see miracles. I am going to find the love of the Mother, which is the true cure for every pain and to be united to those who suffer, in the love of the Blessed Mother. This seems to me an important sign for our times.

• 9-12-08: President Sarkozy: "It's Crazy to Take Religion Out of Society"
• 9-12-08: Roots of Europe Sunk in Monasteries, Says Pope; Notes How Science Became Important in Search for God
• 9-12-08: Pope Urges Rethinking Church-State Relationship: Reminds France That Their Roots Are Christian

Benedict, Sarkozy and "Positive Secularism"

A prevalent topic in Benedict's apostolic journey to France is (understandably) the role played by religion within the context of France's longstanding enforcement of secularity, or laïcité.

During a brief press conference on Friday, when asked whether "France is losing its Christian identity because of laicism" -- Pope Benedict responded in the negative:

It seems evident to me today that laicism does not contradict the faith. I would even say that it is a fruit of the faith, since the Christian faith was a universal religion from the beginning. Therefore it did not identify itself with a state and it was present in all the states. It was always clear to the Christians that religion and faith were not political, but rather they formed part of another sphere of human life. ... Politics, the state, were not a religion but rather a secular reality with a specific mission, and the two of them should be open to each other.

In this sense, I would say today that for the French, and not only the French, but also for us, Christians of today in this secularized world, it is important to joyfully live the freedom of our faith, live the beauty of the faith, and show today's world that it is beautiful to be a believer, that it is beautiful to know God; God with a human face in Jesus Christ, show that it is possible to be a believer today, and even that society needs there to be people who know God and who, therefore, can live according to the great values that it has given us and contribute to the presence of these values that are fundamental for the building and survival of our states and societies.

Later, during a meeting with French politicians at the Elysée Palace, after reminding his audience of France's Christian heritage and roots, the Holy Father again urged a rethinking of the relationship between church and state:

Many people, here in France as elsewhere, have reflected on the relations between Church and State. Indeed, Christ had already offered the basic principle for a just solution to the problem of relations between the political sphere and the religious sphere when, in answer to a question, he said: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mk 12:17). The Church in France currently benefits from a “regime of freedom”. Past suspicion has been gradually transformed into a serene and positive dialogue that continues to grow stronger. A new instrument of dialogue has been in place since 2002, and I have much confidence in its work, given the mutual good will. We know that there are still some areas open to dialogue which we will have to pursue and redevelop step by step with determination and patience. You yourself, Mr President, have used the fine expression “laïcité positive” to characterize this more open understanding. At this moment in history when cultures continue to cross paths more frequently, I am firmly convinced that a new reflection on the true meaning and importance of laïcité is now necessary. In fact, it is fundamental, on the one hand, to insist on the distinction between the political realm and that of religion in order to preserve both the religious freedom of citizens and the responsibility of the State towards them; and, on the other hand, to become more aware of the irreplaceable role of religion for the formation of consciences and the contribution which it can bring to – among other things – the creation of a basic ethical consensus in society.

Benedict's discussion of the issue has found a sympathetic listener in the person of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The Christian Science Monitor reports:

Unlike any French president in decades, Mr. Sarkozy sees a more open role for religion in French society. And he seized upon the conservative German pope's four-day trip to directly challenge French secularism, one of the most prized traditions of La République and a strict legal and cultural sanction against bringing matters of church and faith into the public realm.

Secularism, or laïcité, is central to the modern French identity. It's a result of hundreds of years of efforts to remove the influence of the Roman Catholic church from French institutions and reduce its moral authority. French media don't discuss religion. At offices or work, most French believers don't tell colleagues they are going to mass or church. It is seen as a private matter.

Yet here on Friday Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni, broke protocol and met the pope at the airport. They hosted the pontiff at the Élysée Palace, attended a papal talk at a newly restored Cistercian monastery in downtown Paris in front of 700 intellectuals and artists – where Sarkozy openly argued that while secularism is important, it should not be a hostile force that forbids all talk of God, faith, and transcendence. Sarkozy called for a "positive laïcité" that allows religion to help forge an ethical society.

"It would be crazy to deprive ourselves of religion," remarked Sarkozy, condemning such repression as "a failing against culture and against thought" (Zenit News Service):

Religion, began Sarkozy, "and in particular the Christian religion, with which we share a long history, are living patrimonies of reflection and thought, not only about God, but also about man, society, and that which is a central concern for us today, nature."

It would be crazy to deprive ourselves of religion; [it would be] a failing against culture and against thought. For this reason, I am calling for a positive secularity," he said. "A positive secularity offers our consciences the possibility to interchange -- above and beyond our beliefs and rites -- the sense we want to give to our lives."

The president explained the areas in which this vision of secularism could take root: "France has begun, together with Europe, a reflection on the morality of capitalism.

"Economic growth doesn't make sense if it becomes it's own objective. Only the betterment of the situation of the greatest number of persons and their personal fulfillment constitute legitimate objectives.

"This teaching, that forms part of the heart of the social doctrine of the Church, is in perfect consonance with the challenges of the globalized contemporary economy. Our duty is to listen to it."

"Positive secularism, open secularism, is an invitation to dialogue, to tolerance and respect," Sarkozy acknowledged. "It is an opportunity, an encouragement, a supplementary dimension to the political debate. It is an encouragement to religion, as well as to all currents of thought."

According to the papers, Sarkozy is twice-divorced and a "lapsed Catholic", in light of which I find it most encouraging to see him taking a stand in this manner against stiff opposition from militant secularists.

Related

• Pope to French Catholics: Don't be afraid Jamey Keaten. Associated Press. Sept. 12, 2008.
• Sarkozy attacked over Pope's red-carpet welcome, by Ben Hall. Financial Times September 13, 2008.

Benedict in Bressanone

Pope Benedict XVI sits on a bench on July 31, 2008 in the garden of his holiday residence in Bressanone. Source: Getty Images

Benedict XVI's Journey to Sydney (Australia) / World Youth Day 2008

[NOTE: This post will be continually updated throughout Benedict XVI's visit to Australia July 12-21, 2008].

Websites

• Intinerary of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Australia / World Youth Day 2008
• WYD2008.com [Official Website]
• Pope2008.com daily blogging by Tim Drake @ National Catholic Register
• World Youth Day 2008 Virtual Pilgrimage MyCatholicVoice.com
• The Daily Telegraph: World Youth Day 2008 Newspaper hub.
  

Pope Benedict XVI waves to pilgrims after the Final Mass at Southern Cross Precinct during World Youth Day Sydney 2008 [Source: Getty Images]

Spoken Words / Addresses by Benedict XVI

Message of the Holy Father to the Young People of the World on the Occasion of the XXIII World Youth Day, 2008 Lorenzago, 20 July 2007.

• Interview of the Holy Father during the flight to Australia (July 12, 2008)
• Welcoming ceremony at Government House of Sydney (July 17, 2008)
• Welcoming celebration by the young people at Barangaroo, East Darling Harbour of Sydney (July 17, 2008)
• Ecumenical Meeting in the Crypt of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney (July 18, 2008)
• Meeting with representatives of other religions in the Chapter Hall of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney (July 18, 2008)
• Prayer at the beginning of the Way of the Cross in the square in front of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney (July 18, 2008)
• Meeting with a group of disadvantaged young people of the rehabilitation community of the University of Notre Dame in the Church of the Sacred Heart in Sydney (July 18, 2008)
• Holy Mass with the Australian Bishops, seminarians and novices (with the Consecration of the new altar) at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney (July 19, 2008)
• Vigil with the young people at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney (July 19, 2008)
• Holy Mass for the 23rd World Youth Day at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney (July 20, 2008)
• Recitation of the Angelus Domini at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney (July 20, 2008)
• Meeting with benefactors and organizers of the 23rd World Youth Day at the Reception Hall of Cathedral House and in the Chapter Hall of St. Mary's Cathedral (July 20, 2008)
• Greeting to the volunteers of the 23rd World Youth Day in the Domain of Sydney (July 21, 2008)
• Farewell ceremony at the International Airport of Sydney (July 21, 2008)

Pope Benedict XVI travels in his Pope mobile through the Southern Cross Precinct as part of the motorcade preceding his Final Mass at Randwick Racecourse [Source: Getty Images]

Coverage by John Allen, Jr.

• 7-19-08: WYD: 'New Age' spirituality, Benedict XVI style In language that was at turns almost lyrical, Pope Benedict XVI today offered a paean to “new age” spirituality – though, to be sure, certainly not of the “tune in, turn on and drop out’ variety.
• 7-19-08: WYD: Benedict the theologian offers seminar on Spirit Benedict XVI delivered what amounted to a theological exposition on the Holy Spirit – sometimes, as the pope put it, the “neglected person of the Blessed Trinity” – to a throng of young pilgrims estimated at 235,000 gathered for a vigil at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse.
• 7-18-08: WYD: Pope on sex abuse: 'I am deeply sorry' Pope Benedict XVI today offered a direct apology for the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests and religious, saying he is "deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured," assuring them that "as their pastor, I share in their suffering."
• 7-18-08: WYD: Benedict paints his own shade of green Pope Benedict XVI continued to paint his distinctive shade of green in Australia yesterday, repeatedly voicing environmental concerns while linking them to a broader range of Christian doctrines and moral teaching.
• 7-16-08: WYD: Novelty in the air, but a classic 'Ratzingerian' message Novelty was in the air in Sydney tonight, as Pope Benedict XVI kicked off his first-ever trip Down Under by arriving in Sydney harbor aboard a cruise ship, accompanied by a 13-vessel “boat-a-cade.”
• 7-16-08: WYD: Pope lauds reconciliation with aborigines In his first public act since arriving in Sydney on Saturday, Pope Benedict XVI today praised Australia’s efforts to reconcile with its indigenous population, saying it offers “hope to peoples all over the world who long to see their rights affirmed and their contribution to society acknowledged and promoted.”
• 7-14-08: In Sydney, 'Ratzinger rules' but controversy persists Sometimes dubbed the "Catholic Woodstock," World Youth Day is the largest youth gathering held on a regular basis anywhere in the world. The event was founded by the late Pope John Paul II as a way of evangelizing young people and reenergizing the Catholic church.
• 7-13-08: WYD: Benedict XVI's family ties to Australia One Australian woman is watching Pope Benedict XVI's arrival in Australia with special interest this week: 83-year-old Erika Kopp of Melbourne is first cousin to the pontiff, and says that while others may address him as "Holy Father" or "Your Holiness," to her he will always be "Joseph."
• 7-12-08: WYD: Down Under, Benedict continues to 'go green' Pope Benedict XVI has barely arrived Down Under, and already environmentalism is emerging as one key theme of his visit to Australia for the 2008 edition of World Youth Day.
• 7-12-08: WYD: Once again, papal flight features talk of abuse crisis For the second time in a row, Benedict XVI has opened a papal trip by tackling the issue of sexual abuse in comments to reporters aboard the papal plane.

Pope Benedict XVI (R) embraces an Australian Aboriginal elder after arriving at a World Youth Day welcoming ceremony at Barangaroo [Source: Reuters]

Coverage from Catholic Bloggers

• Blogging from Down Under. With the Holy Father in Sydney for WYD, by Cardinal Sean O'Malley (Boston, MA).
• Ciao, Oz! - Roundup from Wheat & Weeds 7-14-08.
• Australian Catholic John Heard on what to expect from the Holy Father. July 3, 2008.
• The New Liturgical Movement has photographs from the July 15th Mass for the Feast of St. Henry from St Augustine's Church in Balmain, Sydney as part of Juventutem's activities at World Youth Day. Glorious!
• Benedict enters Sydney - live - Stills from Benedict XVI's arrival in Sydney. What Does Prayer Really Say? (Fr. John Zuhlsdorf)

Pope Benedict XVI enters St Mary's Cathedral for Holy Mass with Australian bishops, seminarians and male and female novices [Source: Getty Images]

Media

Catholic News Service

• 7-18-08: Religious differences can't stop dialogue, pope tells Australians, by Cindy Wooden.
• 7-18-08: Youths join pope for lunch, present gifts, including Mickey Mouse hat, by Cindy Wooden.
• 7-17-08: For some, absence of Iraqis dampens joy of welcoming pope to WYD, by Dan McAloon and Cindy Wooden.
• 7-16-08: Amid the freebies, young people gravitate toward booths of religious, by Cindy Wooden.
• 7-14-08: Pope says he will apologize to Australian victims of clergy sex abuse by Cindy Wooden.

Thousands of World Youth Day pilgrims hold candles at an outdoor evening vigil [Source: Getty Images]

Zenit News

• 7-20-08: Cardinal: Youth Day Isn't "Catholic Woodstock"
• 7-20-08: Pope Prays Closing Mass Will Be New Pentecost: Urges Youth to Open Hearts to Spirit's Power
• 7-19-08: Pontiff Uses Augustine to Explain Holy Spirit: Gives Theological Explanation of Trinity
• 7-19-08: 235,000 Attend World Youth Day Vigil: Pope Tells Pilgrims Unity Is Key to Changing World
• 7-19-08: Youth Day Offers Community Life for Consecrated - Australian Nun Notes Joy at Meeting Young Religious
• 7-19-08: On a Boat With the Pope: Unforgettable - Chileans Recount Arriving With Pontiff for Youth Day
• 7-18-08: Rabbi: Youth Day Attests to Faith's Significance - Jewish Leader Welcomes Pontiff at Interreligious Gathering
• 7-18-08: Inmates Share in Youth Day Experience - Benedictine Leads Meditation to Bring Spirit Inside Prison
• 7-18-08: Cardinal Pell Making Friends - Interview With Founder of Youth Day Social Networking Site
• 7-18-08: Pope Urges Troubled Youth to Choose Life - Says They Can Be Ambassadors of Hope
• 7-17-08: Pope Arrives by Boat to World Youth Day - Tells Pilgrims: Christ Offers Everything, by Anthony Barich and Catherine Smibert
• 7-17-08: Australia's Bishops are Hoping for a Renewal
• 7-16-08: Muslims Welcome Pontiff to Sydney
• 7-16-08: Confession, Confession Everywhere - Cardinal Says Youth Day Is Reviving the Sacrament
• 7-15-08: Cardinal Pell's Homily at Youth Day Opening

Spanish pilgrims rejoice after Madrid was announced as the next venue for World Youth Day [Source: Getty Images]

AsiaNews.it

• 7-18-08: Sydney and WYD wrapped in beauty and Via Crucis prayers The Stations of the Cross were placed across the city in front of the city’s better know monuments. One hundred young actors silently mimed the Passion of Christ. Music and commentaries as well as symbols and lights guaranteed the silent participation of 200,000 young people.

Sydney Morning Herald

• One little red coat to stand out in a crowd In a sea of pilgrims, one-year-old Claire Hill, dressed in a little red coat, caught the eye of the Pope.
• From a theologian to Pope of the people The Herald's European correspondent, who will return to Rome today on the papal flight, charts the Pope's transformative week.
• First the fervour, now the reckoning Cardinal George Pell, expressed the hope that the seed planted in the Great South Land would "please God, yield a hundredfold harvest".
• Police officer's dying wish fulfilled A terminally ill police officer blessed by Pope Benedict before World Youth Day celebrations died in a Lismore hospital yesterday morning after a prolonged illness.
• A tsunami of faith and joy Pope Benedict XVI walked in the footsteps of two popes to conduct an epic outdoor Mass at Randwick racecourse in front of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. It was an event the Australian Catholic Church believes will mark the reinvigoration of the faith across the nation.
• Pope declares WYD "unforgettable experience"
• Actor moved by playing Jesus Playing Jesus in front of a global audience of 1 billion was the most memorable day of Alfio Stuto jnr's life, "apart from my wedding day, of course."
• Pope acknowledges the 'shame' It was much longed for and, when it came, Pope Benedict XVI's apology to victims of clerical abuse took everyone by surprise.
• Pope echoes our Mary, Pope Benedict XVI quoted Blessed Mary MacKillop, Australia's saint-in-waiting, last night in a call to World Youth Day pilgrims to embrace the Holy Spirit and fulfil Christ's work.
• Overwhelming demand for confessionals.

Misc. Media

• Bella the cat keeps Pope Benedict company July 14, 2008:

  A special cat has been brought in to make the devout animal lover feel completely at home during his stay at the Kenthurst retreat. It is hoped the 11-month-old kitten, named Bella, will ease any bout of homesickness the Pontiff would have felt being away from his most beloved of all pets.