The Pope Benedict Roundup

• Considering Benedict XVI's theology and papacy on his 94th birthday, by MIchael Sean Winters. National Catholic Reporter 04/16/21.
• Pope Benedict XVI, the Anchor That Kept Germany Rooted in Christ, by Fr. Raymond J. de Souza. National Catholic Register 04/21/21. In the late evening of his life, Ratzinger/Benedict can be understood as the Catholic Church’s singular, multi-generational response to the reforming agenda of German theology.
• Benedict XVI ‘grateful’ to Pope Francis for year of St. Joseph, by Elise Ann Allen. Crux News 04/03/01. Speaking with the German newspaper Die Tagespost, Benedict XVI said, "I am naturally particularly pleased that Pope Francis is so aware of the importance of Saint Joseph."
• The life, faith, and struggle of Joseph Ratzinger: An interview with Peter Seewald, by Carl Olson. Catholic World Report 04/15/21. The veteran German journalist discusses his new biography of Benedict XVI, and reflects in detail on Ratzinger’s childhood, personality, education, and role in key Church events:

  CWR: What sort of access have you had to him over the course of that time?

  Seewald: I was not a fan of his, but I asked myself the question: Who is Ratzinger really? He had long since been pigeonholed as the “Panzer Cardinal”, the “Great Inquisitor”, a grim fellow, therefore, an enemy of civilization. As soon as one blew this horn, one could be absolutely certain of the applause of journalist colleagues and the mainstream audience.

  CWR: What was different about you?

  Seewald: I had studied Ratzinger’s writings in advance and especially his diagnoses of the times. And I was somewhat stunned to see that Ratzinger’s analyses of the development of society had been largely confirmed. In addition, none of the contemporary witnesses I interviewed, fellow students, assistants, companions, who really knew Ratzinger, could confirm the image of the hardliner, on the contrary. With the exception of people like Hans Küng and Jürgen Drewermann, his notorious opponents. Of course, I also wanted to see for myself, on site, in the building of the former Holy Inquisition in Rome.

  CWR: That was an unforgettable moment?

  Seewald: Yes. The door to the visitors’ room, where I was waiting, opened and in stepped a not too tall, very modest and almost delicate-looking figure in a black cassock, who extended his hand to me in a friendly manner. His voice was soft and the handshake was not such that one had broken fingers afterwards. This was supposed to be a Panzer Cardinal? A prince of the Church greedy for power? Ratzinger made it easy for me to strike up a conversation with him. We sat down and started talking. ...

• Ratzinger's Way: A Review of Benedict XVI: A Life: Volume One: Youth in Nazi Germany to the Second Vatican Council 1927–1965, by Samuel Gregg. The Public Discourse 01/24/11.
• The Constantinian heathenism of the Church: Ratzinger and the crisis of our time, by Larry Chapp. Catholic World Report 02/04/21. The vapid lunacy of the post-conciliar Church was the product of the hollow and merely forensic “faith” of the pre-conciliar Church.
• Pope Benedict’s ‘Conscience Is Clear’ Regarding His 2013 Resignation, by Edward Pentin. National Catholic Register 03/01/21. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI speaks candidly on several topics including his decision to resign, Joe Biden's presidency, and Pope Francis traveling to Iraq in a new interview with an Italian newspaper. [Full Interview Here (Italian-English translation)].

Pope Benedict Roundup

News

• Benedict XVI, the pandemic, first Christmas without his brother Vatican News. 01/14/21:

  "Benedict XVI’s brother, during these Christmas holidays — the first after his death — has made himself felt in some way: we have, in fact, listened several times to CDs, not only to Bach's Christmas Oratorio, but also to concerts with Christmas carols, performed by the Regensburger Domspatzen, the choir that Georg Ratzinger directed.” Archbishop Gänswein added: “For Benedict, this absence is a wound that has caused him pain during these holidays, but he also told me that he felt the Lord's consolation, in the certainty that his brother now lives in His embrace."

• Pope Francis and Benedict XVI receive first dose of COVID-19 vaccine 01/14/21.
• Pope Benedict’s secretary reflects on awful 2020 with German Magazine 01/01/21:

  Gänswein, who hails from the Black Forest region of Germany, is prefect of the Papal Household, but has been on leave from his duties as prefect since February in order to be able to dedicate his time exclusively to the former pope as Benedict XVI's private secretary.

  Since the election of Pope Francis in 2013, Gänswein had worked in both roles, commuting between two offices – until the stress took its toll. The archbishop suffered from acute hearing loss in 2017 and is now living with a severe case of tinnitus. In late January of last year, Pope Francis informed Gänswein he should devote his time and energy entirely to his role as secretary to Benedict. “For this purpose, he released me from my service in the prefecture. My duties there have been reassigned for an indefinite period”, Gänswein said.

• Retired Pope Benedict XVI declines inheritance of his late brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger Catholic News Service. 11/02/20.
• Benedict XVI distances himself from embattled Catholic community Catholic News Agency. 10/25/20:

  he German magazine Herder Korrespondenz reported Oct. 25 that the Pope Emeritus had taken the step regarding the Catholic Integrated Community.

  Referring to the group by its German initials, IG, Benedict told the publication: “Obviously I was not informed about some things in the inner life of the IG, or even deceived, which I regret.”

  He had given the group ecclesiastical recognition during his time as archbishop of Munich and Freising, from 1977 to 1982.

• Australian professor and French philosopher win Ratzinger Prize Catholic News Agency. 10/02/20:

  Former Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi, president of the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Foundation, announced Thursday that the 2020 award would be shared by Tracey Rowland and Jean-Luc Marion. ...

  The award recipients were selected by Pope Francis, based upon the recommendations of a committee composed of five members: Cardinal Angelo Amato, Cardinal Kurt Koch, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, and Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of of Regensburg.

  The Ratzinger Prize was launched in 2011 to recognize scholars whose work demonstrates a meaningful contribution to theology in the spirit of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Bavarian theologian who became Benedict XVI.

  • Q&A with Ratzinger Prizewinner Dr. Tracey Rowland The Catholic Weekly 10/02/20.
  • Christianity Offers Best Hope for Restoration of Community, Says Ratzinger Prize Laureate National Catholic Register 11/13/20. Jean-Luc Marion, prominent Catholic philosopher and recipient of the 2020 Ratzinger Prize, discusses the great stakes of our time, from secularization and nihilism to the crisis of the Church and the coronavirus pandemic.
• Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Becomes Oldest Pope In History 09/04/20:

  At the age of 93 and nearly five months, Benedict XVI officially became the oldest pope in history on Friday, even if the record is complicated by the fact that he stepped down in 2013 and holds the status of "pope emeritus".

• Pope Benedict XVI’s Letter Marking St. John Paul II’s Birth Centenary National Catholic Register 05/15/20. Editor’s Note: Here is the full text of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI’s letter marking the centenary of the birth of St. John Paul II. The English translation of this letter, dated May 4, was released May 15 by the Polish bishops’ conference.

Retired Pope Benedict XVI is seen in a file photo praying with his brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger in his private chapel at the Vatican. The Vatican announced June 18, 2020, that Pope Benedict XVI, who is 93, traveled to Germany to visit his ailing older brother, who is 96. (Credit: CNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano via Reuters.)

• Retired pope’s elder brother, Georg Ratzinger, dies at 96, by David Rising. Associated Press 07/01/20:

  Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, the older brother of Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, who earned renown in his own right as a director of an acclaimed German boys’ choir, has died at 96.

  The Regensburg diocese in Bavaria, where Ratzinger lived, said in a statement on his website that he died Tuesday. His death came just over a week after Benedict made a four-day visit to Regensburg to be with his ailing brother.

  Ordained on the same day as his brother, Ratzinger proved to be a talented musician and went on oversee the recording of numerous masterpieces and concert tours around the world by the Regensburger Domspatzen, a storied choir that traces its history back to the 10th century.

• Mgr Georg Ratzinger obituary The Times [uk]. 07/03/20.
• Rev. Georg Ratzinger, Choirmaster and a Pope’s Brother, Dies at 96, by Ari L. Goldman. New York Times 07/01/20. "Father Ratzinger, a trained musician, pursued a career far away from the world of the Vatican and the future Pope Benedict XVI."
• ‘My Brother, Benedict XVI’ — An Interview with Msgr. Georg Ratzinger Msgr. Ratzinger discusses his brother, his life as a priest, his passion for music, and his memories of his brother’s predecessor, Pope St. John Paul II. National Catholic Register 07/01/20. This exclusive interview originally ran as a two-part series at the Register — “When Your Little Brother Is the Pope” (April 15, 2008) and “My Brother, the Pope” (May 6, 2008). Both parts are presented here in their entirety.
• Benedict XVI remembers brother as ‘man of God’ Elise Ann Allen. Crux 07/09/20:

  In a letter read aloud at his brother’s funeral in Regensburg, retired pope Benedict XVI recalled several characteristics which he felt best described his eldest sibling, including a love of music, joy in adversity and a deep piety.

  "He was a man of God. Even if he did not show his piety, it was the real center of his life,” Benedict said in the letter, praising his brother’s “sobriety and honesty."

• Retired Pope Benedict follows his brother’s funeral virtually Catholic News Service. 07/08/20.
• Pope Francis sends condolences to Pope Benedict for brother’s death 07/02/20.
• Retired pope visits former home, parents’ grave in Germany, by David McHugh. Associated Press. 06/21/20.
• Benedict XVI heads to Regensburg to visit ailing brother, by Elise Ann Allen. Crux 06/18/20.

Commentary

• Pope Benedict XVI's prayer for the protection of life in the womb 01/22/10. In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI inaugurated a special prayer vigil at the beginning of Advent for the protection of unborn life. He wanted to stress the need to support women in their pregnancies and to hold up the dignity of every human person.
• The life, faith, and struggle of Joseph Ratzinger: An interview with Peter Seewald, by Carl E. Olson. 01/13/21. The veteran German journalist discusses his new biography of Benedict XVI, and reflects in detail on Ratzinger’s childhood, personality, education, and role in key Church events.
• Benedict XVI Warned Us Years Ago of Dangers Ahead, by Joseph Pronechen. National Catholic Register 01/02/21.
• New cardinal sees clear continuity between Benedict XVI, Francis Crux 11/09/20.

  "Pope Francis wants to bring the Church back to the radicality of the Gospel," Cardinal-elect Augusto Paolo Lojudice said in an interview with Crux, adding that for him, Francis’s "pontificate and his magisterium are the logical consequence of that of Pope Benedict XVI."

• "Flavors of Home": Benedict XVI's favorite restaurant in Rome Catholic News Agency. 10/03/20:

  To Notari, the quiet and gentle Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was just another patron at the little Austrian restaurant he manages a few steps from the Vatican.

  "There was this regularity of this cardinal, who always arrived with a look of humility, very reserved, and went downstairs with his little bag," he told CNA.

  Notari is the long-time manager of Cantina Tirolese, a restaurant of two floors, which since 1971 has served traditional German and Austrian dishes to its mostly Roman clients — and to a few cardinals. ...

  Notari remembers that Ratzinger liked to order a dish called frittatensuppe, which is a traditional German plate of beef broth with strips of a thinly cooked mixture of egg, flour, and milk similar to a French crêpe.

  "And he drank aranciata," he said with a smile, referring to a popular Italian orange soda usually known by the brand name Fanta.

• Joseph Ratzinger: Theological Reformer, by George Weigel. First Things 05/06/20:

  As he turned 93 on April 16, Joseph Ratzinger remained one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented men of consequence in recent Catholic history. I doubt the Pope Emeritus minds; he’s probably impervious to calumny, having had it visited upon him for over a half-century. This kindly man may feel a measure of compassion for the small minds that continually tell untruths about him and his theology. But he has better things to do than fret about his detractors: dwarves ineffectually tossing pebbles at a serene giant. ...

• Continuity in particularity: Cardinal looks at Pope Francis, Benedict XVI, by Cindy Wooden. Catholic News Service. 09/01/20:

  Between Pope Francis and retired Pope Benedict XVI, there is “continuity of magisterium and particularity in pastoral style,” but even more, there is “a living communion of affection,” said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state.

  What retired Pope Benedict XVI once described as the importance of “newness and continuity” in the teaching of the Second Vatican Council compared to the past also can be seen in comparing the teaching of the two popes, Parolin wrote in the introduction to “Una Sola Chiesa,” (“Only One Church”).

  The book, released Sept. 1, demonstrates continuity by presenting excerpts of general audiences talks from Pope Benedict and Pope Francis on the themes of church, family, prayer, faith and mercy. ...

Recent / Forthcoming Books By Pope Benedict XVI

	On Love: Selected Writings Ignatius Press (January 21, 2021). 149 pages. In these homilies, most of which are previously unpublished, Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, addresses the theme he has celebrated, pondered, and witnessed by his life more than any other: love. For him, love is the vital nucleus of the Church and to serve Christ is above all a question of love: "Peter, do you love me? Feed my sheep" (Jn 21:15–17). Love is also the quest of every human being on the journey toward eternity. He beautifully states, "Christianity is a movement, a journey; it is not a theory, a sum total of doctrine; Christianity is life, it is a vital impetus that carries us toward true life. . . . Someone who has found love can say: I have found life." Arranged by the liturgical seasons of the Church year, the homilies predate the author's pontificate. The earliest dates from 1970 while he was still a professor of theology. Thus, this collection traces the way Joseph Ratzinger has been enamored of the love of God throughout his years of serving the Church.
	Signs of New Life: Homilies on the Church's Sacraments by Joseph Ratzinger. Ignatius Press; None edition (March 15, 2020). 125 pages. At life's many crossroads, the Sacraments of the Church continually bring people into contact with the saving work of God: Baptism, Confirmation, Confession, Holy Eucharist, Matrimony Holy Orders, Anointing of the Sick. The celebrations of the Church always offer an opportunity to announce the faith and deepen our understanding of it. Signs of New Life gathers a selection of fourteen homilies by Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) on each of the Seven Sacraments, as well as an additional two texts on the theme of the Church more broadly. Ratzinger endeavored as a theologian to develop an understanding of the Sacraments in new ways and to make fruitful the participation of others in the celebration of them. Many of his homilies refer to individual Sacraments and connect them with a profound interpretation of Scripture and of the Christ event. The Scriptural passages interpreted in each homily are listed at the start, so that this volume can also be used for Scriptural meditation and spiritual reading. This book is intended to help us grasp more profoundly the essence of the Church and to aid us in celebrating and proclaiming the Sacraments as that which they truly are: signs of the new life in Christ.
	Seeking God's Face: Meditations for the Church Year by Elio Guerriero. Cluny Media (February 18, 2020). 154 pages. "Seek out the Lord and his might; constantly seek his face.” This concise admonition from the Book of Psalms captures the impetus of Seeking God’s Face. In these meditations, Joseph Ratzinger reflects upon the major feasts and the Sundays of the year, inspired by Scripture, the Church Fathers, and the lives of the saints. The seasons of Advent and Christmas receive particular attention, with an address on the mystery of suffering, a sermon on the “Word Made Flesh,” and a consideration of the contribution of St. Francis of Assisi to Christmas celebrations, which join “The Lesson of the Christmas Donkey” by Pope John Paul I in honoring the birth of Jesus Christ, in whom we encounter the very face of God. Originally published in English in 1982, Seeking God’s Face shines with a spirit of joyful wisdom and serves as a source for much fruitful meditation on the central mysteries of the Catholic faith as they are celebrated over the course of the Church calendar.
	Western Culture Today and Tomorrow: Addressing the Fundamental Issues Ignatius Press (October 15, 2019). 170 pages. ell known for his important scholarly contributions to dogmatic theology and biblical commentary, Joseph Ratzinger has also been an insightful, shrewd analyst of political modernity and its discontents. This work reveals Ratzinger's keen insight into the fundamental challenges confronting the twenty-first-century West.

Recent / Forthcoming Books About Pope Benedict XVI

	Benedict XVI: A Life: Volume Two: Guardian of the Faith, Pope, Pope Emeritus 1965–The Present by Peter Seewald. Bloomsbury Continuum (October 12, 2021). 400 pages. Benedict XVI: Volume One offers insight into the young life and rise through the Church's ranks of a man who would become a hero and a lightning rod for Catholics the world over. Based on countless hours of interviews in Rome with Benedict himself, this much-anticipated two-volume biography is the definitive record of the life of Joseph Ratzinger and the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI. Volume I follows the early life of the future Pope, from his days growing up in Germany and his conscription into the Hitler Youth during World War II to his career as an academic theologian and eventual Archbishop of Munich. Volume II, to be published in 2021, will cover his move to Rome under Pope John Paul II, his ascension to the papacy, and his controversial retirement and news-making statements under his successor, Pope Francis I. This necessary companion to Benedict's own memoir, Last Testament, is the fullest account to date of the life of a radical Catholic leader who has continued to make news while cloistered in retirement in the Vatican gardens.
	Benedict XVI: A Life: Volume One: Youth in Nazi Germany to the Second Vatican Council 1927–1965 by Peter Seewald. Bloomsbury Continuum (December 15, 2020). 512 pages. Benedict XVI: Volume One offers insight into the young life and rise through the Church's ranks of a man who would become a hero and a lightning rod for Catholics the world over. Based on countless hours of interviews in Rome with Benedict himself, this much-anticipated two-volume biography is the definitive record of the life of Joseph Ratzinger and the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI. Volume I follows the early life of the future Pope, from his days growing up in Germany and his conscription into the Hitler Youth during World War II to his career as an academic theologian and eventual Archbishop of Munich. Volume II, to be published in 2021, will cover his move to Rome under Pope John Paul II, his ascension to the papacy, and his controversial retirement and news-making statements under his successor, Pope Francis I.
	What Does it Mean to Believe?: Faith in the Thought of Joseph Ratzinger by Fr. Daniel Cardo. Ignatius Pr (November 6, 2018). 715 pgs. The testimony and teachings of Joseph Ratzinger on the act of faith are particularly urgent for the Church today. Doctrinal confusion and other signs of crisis experienced by believers find their root in a crisis of faith. Understanding what it means to believe is more than an academic exercise; rather, it is a necessary step for authentic renewal in the Church. In What Does it Mean to Believe?, Fr. Daniel Cardó outlines the different insights of Joseph Ratzinger on the act of faith—understood as a personal, integral, and ecclesial act. Cardó provides an organic view of the rich contribution made by the Pope Emeritus in his many theological works. What Does it Mean to Believe? is also an invitation to appreciate the mind and the faith of one of the greatest theologians of our time.
	The Experiment of Faith: Pope Benedict XVI on Living the Theological Virtues in a Secular Age by Matthew J. Ramage. The Catholic University of America Press (March 23, 2020). 304 pages. Pope Benedict XVI memorably remarked that the Christian faith is a lot like a Gothic cathedral with its stained-glass windows. From the outside, the Church can appear dark, dreary, and worn with age—the crumbling relic of an institution that no longer speaks to men and women living in our modern world. Indeed, for many people today, Christian morality with all of its commandments appears to be a source not of life and joy but instead of suffering and oppression. Even within the Church, many wonder: why should I submit to ancient doctrines and outdated practices that restrict my freedom and impede my happiness? In this timely and original book, his third exploring the riches of Benedict XVI's vast corpus, theologian Matthew Ramage sets out to meet this challenge with an in-depth study of the emeritus pontiff's wisdom on how to live Christian discipleship in today's increasingly secularized world. Taking as his starting point Benedict's conviction that the truth of Christianity—like the beauty of a cathedral's glorious windows—can be grasped only from the inside, Ramage draws on Benedict's insights to show how all Christians can make the "experiment of faith" by living the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity in daily life. Along the way, he shares his personal reflections on how Benedict's wisdom has helped him to navigate difficulties in embracing the faith and provides a way forward to those struggling to live as disciples in a way that is intellectually serious without remaining merely intellectual. In so doing, he also presents a highly nuanced yet accessible approach to defending the truth of the gospel in a world where life in Jesus Christ tends to be seen as unfulfilling, irrelevant, or just one lifestyle choice among others.

Pope Benedict Roundup

• Amid JPII Institute controversy, Benedict XVI meets with recently dismissed professor Catholic News Agency 08/05/19:

  Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI met last week with a recently dismissed professor of moral theology at Rome’s Pontifical John Paul II Institute, amid ongoing controversy regarding recent changes to the Institute.

  Benedict XVI invited Monsignor Livio Melina to meet with him in on August 1, a source close to Melina told CNA.

  The pope emeritus “wanted to receive Prof. Mons. Livio Melina at a private audience. After a long discussion of the recent events at the Pontifical Institute John Paul II, he granted his blessing, expressing his personal solidarity and assuring him of his closeness in prayer.”

  Melina, who was president of the John Paul II Institute from 2006 until 2016, was dismissed from the institute after the recent promulgation of new statutes, or rules of order, for the graduate school, and a decision to eliminate the chair of moral theology which Melina held.

• Benedict XVI takes short trip outside Vatican, visits towns outside Rome, by Claire Giangravè. Crux 07/27/19:

  ... While it was heartening for people to see Benedict, 92, outside the Vatican walls, the wheelchair that followed him around wherever he went served as a constant remainder of the emeritus pope’s advanced age.

  Archbishop Georg Ganswein, longtime secretary to the retired pontiff, made sure that Benedict was always well hydrated during his evening escapade.

  The pope’s last stop was in Frascati, yet another small town in the Castelli Romani area, where he was welcomed by the local bishop, Raffaello Martinelli, for a private meeting and light supper.

• "Pope em. Benedict XVI is Surberg's first honorary citizen" Traunsteiner Tagblatt 07/05/19:

  Benedict recently received a delegation from the village on Surberg, near Traunstein, when he was made an honorary citizen. Benedict spent his formative years in the hamlet of Hufschlag, near Trainstein. He regarded it as his hometown.

  The Mayor, Mayor Josef Wimmer, presented him with the honorary citizenship certificate at Mater Ecclesiae. Benedict spent half an hour chatting with him and a small group in his sitting room.

• Pope Benedict XVI speaks in new interview: ‘There is one pope, he is Francis’, by Gerard O’Connell. America 06/28/19:

  “The adversaries of Bergoglio, often conservatives desperately seeking a word of Benedict that would sound as a criticism of Bergoglio, have unfailingly heard [from Benedict] that ‘There is one pope, he is Francis.’”

  That sentence contains one of only a small number of quotations from the 92-year-old Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI found in a long article in the weekly magazine Corriere della Sera, Italy’s best-selling daily, published on June 28.

  The other significant quotation from Benedict regards church unity, in which he says: “The unity of the church is always in danger, for centuries. It has been throughout its entire history. Wars, internal conflicts, centrifugal pushes, threats of schism. But in the end, the consciousness that the church is and must remain united has always prevailed.

• “The Pope” brings drama of Benedict and Francis to stage, by Charles Collins. Crux 06/14/19. Anton Lesser as Pope Benedict XVI and Nicholas Woodeson as Cardinal Bergoglio in "The Pope", at the Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton, England.

• Benedict XVI turns 92, by Cindy Wooden. Catholic Herald 04/16/19.

• How Joseph Ratzinger saw past the Church’s established structures, by Fr. Raymond Souza. 12/13/18.

• Pope urges continued studies of the writings of Pope Benedict XVI 11/17/18:

  Pope Francis this morning met with members of the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation on the occasion of the eighth Ratzinger Prize.

  In his address, he highlighted the need to continue to study the writings of Pope Benedict XVI and appreciate the contributions of women in theology and “Christianly inspired arts”.

  The winners of this year’s prize are: German Catholic theologian Marianne Schlosser, a medieval specialist of Saint Bonaventure and professor of the theology of spirituality in the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Vienna since 2004; and Swiss architect Mario Botta who built many sacred buildings and various churches.

  Addressing an "affectionate and grateful thought to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI", Francis said that "his is a spirit that views the problems of our time with awareness and courage, and knows how to draw, from attention to Scripture in the living tradition of the Church, the wisdom necessary for a constructive dialogue with today’s culture."

  As for the Ratzinger Prize going to a woman, the pontiff noted that "it is very important that the contribution of women to the scientific field of theological research and that of the teaching of theology — for so long considered almost exclusive territories of the clergy — be recognized more and more.

Upcoming Books

The Theology of Benedict XVI: A Protestant Appreciation There's no doubt about Benedict XVI's theological legacy. He's been at the center of every major theological controversy in the Catholic Church over the last fifty years. But he remains a polarizing figure, misunderstood by supporters and opponents alike. A deeper understanding of Benedict's theology reveals a man dedicated to the life and faith of the church. In this collection of essays, prominent Protestant theologians examine and commend the work of the Pope Emeritus. Katherine Sonderegger, Kevin Vanhoozer, and Carl Trueman―among others―present a full picture of Benedict's theology, particularly his understanding of the relationship between faith and reason and his pursuit of truth for the church. The global Christian faith can learn from Benedict's insight into the modern church and his desire to safeguard the future of the church by leaning on the wisdom of the ancient church.

Pope Benedict Roundup

• Benedict XVI defends resignation and title ‘pope emeritus’ in private letters Catholic News Agency 09/01/18:

  In newly-surfaced letters from Benedict XVI, the pope emeritus has defended his abdication, and warned that continued anger at his decision risked undermining the papal office. The private correspondence, excerpts from which were carried in a German newspaper, was reportedly addressed to Cardinal Walter Brandmüller.

  According to the letters, Benedict said he understood "the deep-seated pain" the end of his papacy caused the cardinal and others. At the same time, the pope emeritus wrote, he recognized that for some people the pain had “turned into an anger that no longer merely concerns my resignation, but increasingly also my person and my papacy as a whole.”

  [...]

  Addressing the ongoing dissatisfaction some individuals had with both his resignation and his subsequent life as "pope emeritus" - a title not previously used - Benedict cautioned that these sentiments were undermining the effectiveness of the petrine ministry.

  "In this way the pontificate itself is being devalued and conflated with the sadness about the situation of the Church today," he wrote

• Bond between Benedict, Francis runs through Italy’s ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’, by John Allen, Jr. Crux News 06/07/18:

  As Tantardini ministered to the youth he helped to convert, he realized the vast majority had absolutely no background in religious practice at all, so in 2001 he decided to put together a brief collection of the simplest Christian prayers along with everything somebody needs to know to make a good confession. The result, Chi prega si salva (“Who Prays is Saved”), went on to become the Italian equivalent of Chicken Soup for the Soul – one of the most popular brief spiritual books ever published, though in Tantardini’s case arguably with greater substance.

  One admirer of Tantardini and his book was Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, who wrote a preface for a new edition of Chi prega si salva in early 2005, shortly before his election to the papacy. Benedict is actually a big fan of the ciellini, as members of Communion and Liberation are known – he celebrated Giussani’s funeral Mass, and members of a related group of consecrated lay women, Memores Domini, nicknamed the German pontiff’s “guardian angels,” still run his household.

  Another big admirer of Tantardini is Pope Francis, who considered him a close friend in Rome when the future pope was the archbishop and cardinal of Buenos Aires. For his part, Tantardini told friends he was carrying Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina “in his heart” as his candidate for pope in 2005. When Tantardini was ailing before he died in 2012, Bergoglio performed a confirmation Mass as a favor and urged everyone to pray for his good friend.

• Analysis: Benedict XVI’s unpublished letter- God is key to understanding human rights, by Andrea Gagliarducci. Catholic News Agency (05/14/18).

• Even as pope, my teacher Joseph Ratzinger always wrote back, Elisabeth Haggblade shares fond memories of corresponding with the Pope Emeritus in America Magazine, 06/11/18. "He never left a note I sent unanswered."

• Pope praises retired Pope Benedict's writings on faith and politics, by Cindy Wooden. Catholic News Service (05/07/18):

  "Liberating Freedom: Faith and Politics in the Third Millennium" is a collection of essays written over the course of several decades, including during Pope Benedict's eight years as pope. It is scheduled to be published in Italian by Cantagalli in May 11. The website Vatican Insider posted Pope Francis' preface May 6 and Vatican News posted an English translation the next day.

  Pope Francis said that when Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger worked alongside St. John Paul II, "he elaborated and proposed a Christian vision of human rights capable of questioning on a theoretical and practical level the totalitarian claim of the Marxist state and the atheist ideology on which it was based."

  Pope Francis said the contrast Ratzinger saw between Christianity and Marxism or communism definitely was not the focus on the poor and the need to fight inequality.

  "We must learn — once again, not only at the theoretical level, but in the way we think and act — that alongside the real presence of Jesus in the church and in the sacrament, there exists that other real presence of Jesus in the little ones, in the trampled of this world, in the last, in whom he wants us to find him," Pope Francis quoted the cardinal as writing.

  • Full Text of Pope Francis’ preface of Benedict’s works: A compass to Understand our Present day (Salt & Light 05/07/18)

• And last but not least (even though it's from last year), New ‘Pint-ifex’ beer honours Benedict XVI (11/1/17):

  An Ohio brewery has produced a specially-commissioned beer in honour of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. The Bavarian-style hefeweizen, called Beer-nedict XVI: Pint-ifex Maximus, was launched at the conference of the Society for Catholic Social Scientists in Steubenville

Pope Benedict Roundup

• Vatican doctors photo of Benedict's praise for Francis, by Nicole Winfield. 3/13/18:

  The Vatican admitted Wednesday that it altered a photo sent to the media of a letter from retired Pope Benedict XVI about Pope Francis. The manipulation changed the meaning of the image in a way that violated photojournalist industry standards.

  The Vatican's communications office released the photo of the letter on Monday on the eve of Francis' five-year anniversary. The letter was cited by Monsignor Dario Vigano, chief of communications, to rebut critics of Francis who question his theological and philosophical heft and say he represents a rupture from Benedict's doctrine-minded papacy.

  • The real story behind Pope Benedict’s strange letter, by Phil Lawler. LifeSiteNews.com. 03/14/18:

    First, Msgr. Dario Vigano sent the former Pope a set of new books on the theology of Pope Francis, asking for a favorable comment. That was in January.

    The former Pope declined to comment on the books. In fact he declined to read them, explaining that he was too busy. That was in February.

    But a month later, the Vatican press office made public the letter from Benedict, leading reporters to believe that Benedict had essentially endorsed the theological approach of Pope Francis, just in time for the 5th anniversary of his pontificate. ...

  • Vatican Reveals Full Text of Benedict XVI’s Letter to Msgr. Viganò National Catholic Register:

    Benedictus XVI

    Pope Emeritus

    Most Reverend Msgr. Dario Edoardo Viganò

    Prefect of the Secretariat for Communications

    Vatican City

    February 7, 2018

    Most Reverend Monsignor,

    Thank you for your kind letter of 12 January and the attached gift of the eleven small volumes edited by Roberto Repole.

    I applaud this initiative that wants to oppose and react to the foolish prejudice in which Pope Francis is just a practical man without particular theological or philosophical formation, while I have been only a theorist of theology with little understanding of the concrete life of a Christian today.

    The small volumes show, rightly, that Pope Francis is a man of profound philosophical and theological formation, and they therefore help to see the inner continuity between the two pontificates, despite all the differences of style and temperament.

    However, I don’t feel like writing a short and dense theological passage on them because throughout my life it has always been clear that I would write and express myself only on books I had read really well. Unfortunately, if only for physical reasons, I am unable to read the eleven volumes in the near future, especially as other commitments await me that I have already made.

    Only as an aside, I would like to note my surprise at the fact that among the authors is also Professor Hünermann, who during my pontificate had distinguished himself by leading anti-papal initiatives. He played a major part in the release of the “Kölner Erklärung”, which, in relation to the encyclical “Veritatis splendour”, virulently attacked the magisterial authority of the Pope, especially on questions of moral theology. Also the “Europaische Theologengesellschaft”, which he founded, was initially conceived by him as an organization in opposition to the papal magisterium. Later, the ecclesial sentiment of many theologians prevented this orientation, allowing that organization to become a normal instrument of encounter among theologians.

    I am sure you will understand my refusal and I offer you cordial greetings.

    Yours,
    Benedict XVI

• Shirtless statue of Pope Benedict causes art sensation in Rome Crux 02/21/18:

  ... the technically remarkable sculpture has been the object of both criticism and praise, with some viewing it as desecrating the image of the emeritus pontiff while others judge it as an honest portrayal. For Jago, the work of art was never meant to be “derisive,” but rather a celebration of Benedict XVI, whom he considers to be a model for what every pope should be. "I consider this man to be the greatest theologian alive," he told Crux in a phone interview.

• Simple advice from Benedict XVI on how to be a better mom or dad, by Kathleen N. Hattrup. Aleteia 10/31/17. An exhortation from a homily of Pope Benedict XVI at the 2012 World Meeting of Families. It’s worth reading a second time.

• Pope Francis Makes Christmas Visit to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI 12/27/17. Pope Francis visited Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Thursday afternoon to personally give his Christmas greetings to the Pontiff Emeritus at his residence.

• Benedict XVI hails Cardinal Müller for defending ‘the clear traditions of the faith’ Catholic Herald 12/28/17:

  Marking the 70th birthday of German Cardinal Gerhard Müller, retired pope Benedict XVI has said that, even though the cardinal is no longer prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he will continue to have a public role of serving the Church.

  The retired pope wrote the introduction to a book of essays honouring Cardinal Müller on his 70th birthday on December 31 and in anticipation of the 40th anniversary of his priestly ordination in February.

• Resigned pope creates ‘multiplied and divided’ authority, author says, by Claire Giangrave. Crux News, 10/16/17. "While many Catholics have easily adjusted to the dual existence of Pope Francis and Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, undeniably another portion cannot help but compare the two papacies, or even express a preference for one style over the other."

• Benedict XVI is weak but still following concerns of Church, says bishop Aleteia 10/03/17. A Coptic Catholic bishop of Egypt says Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is now very weak at age 90, but still "aware of everything."

• "On a word with Benedetto" FOCUS Magazine. 06/25/17. "Quiet and almost invisible, Benedict XVI spends his days in the gardens of the Vatican. FOCUS correspondent Eva Kallinger could speak with the pontiff off duty. Not about God - more about the world. About Mozart, green parrots and Beirut. And she learned that even a pope has homesickness." [Translated from German].

• Pope Benedict’s Great Restoration, by Michael Brendan Dougherty. National Review 07/07/17. "Ten years ago today, Pope Benedict XVI issued a document that vindicated the arguments that Catholics like Buckley and me had repeated in safe company for years: that the Latin Mass that was common to almost all of Western Catholicism for centuries was never abrogated."

Pope Benedict Roundup

• Benedict XVI shares a 90th birthday beer with family and friends" target=_blank>Benedict XVI shares a 90th birthday beer with family and friends, by John Allen Jr. Crux News 04/17/17:

  Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI celebrated his 90th birthday on April 17. Among those present was Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, Benedict's 93-year-old brother, who flew in from Germany for the occasion, as well as a small delegation from Bavaria, his home region. They brought to the party two staples of Bavarian cuisine with which the 90-year-old emeritus pontiff was obviously delighted -- beer and pretzels.

• Pope Francis visits Benedict XVI to wish him a happy birthday Catholic News Agency. 04/15/17:

  On April 12 Pope Francis visited his predecessor Pope emeritus Benedict XVI at Vatican City’s Mater Ecclesiae monastery to honor two joyous occasions: the occurrence of Benedict XVI’s 90th birthday and the celebration of Easter which this year fall on the same day, April 16.

• As Benedict turns 90, a rare glimpse into his joy-filled life, by Elise Harris and Martin Rothweiler. Catholic News Agency. 04/16/17. In a lengthy interview with EWTN's German television branch, Benedict XVI's closest aide describes how the retired pontiff is doing as he turns the milestone age of 90, giving a rare look into what life is like for the Pope Emeritus.

• Scholars offer Pope Benedict birthday tribute, by Carol Glatz. Catholic News Service 04/14/17:

  Cards and letters have been pouring in, the German archbishop added, and certainly there will be some presents, including a “Festschrift” — a collection of essays celebrating the work of a well-known scholar on an important occasion — in this case Pope Benedict and his 90th birthday. …

  This year, the Vatican publishing house and the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation pieced together a “Festschrift” titled after the pope’s episcopal motto, “Cooperatores Veritatis” (Co-workers of the truth).

  It was written by all 13 winners to date of the “Ratzinger Prize,” an award to distinguished scholars in theology or related studies. They are an Anglican Biblicist, an Ambrosian priest, a French philosopher, a Polish theologian, a U.S. Jesuit, a Brazilian Jesuit, a Spanish theologian, a Cistercian abbot in Austria, a Lebanese scholar, a Greek Orthodox theologian, a French theologian, a German theologian and an Italian historian.

• The Ratzinger revolution, by Tracey Rowland. Catholic Herald 04/13/17. "… This is just a short account of the many elements of an embattled Catholic culture that can be found in the mountains of publications by Ratzinger."

• New book shows interest in Pope Benedict XVI is here to stay, by Claire Giangrave. 04/17/17:

  Interest in the retired pope shows no sign of slowing down as his essential contributions to the Church and theology continue to be relevant today.

  Three new biographies on the German pontiff have been published in Italy this week alone. Three collections of essays by the pope emeritus are also in the works. Italy’s public television, Rai, will air two one-hour documentaries on Benedict celebrating his life.

  Enthusiasm over the figure of Benedict XVI is not limited to Italy. All over the world symposiums, meetings and events take place focusing on the pope’s legacy. …

• In Rome, a new generation of Benedict XVI scholars is on the rise, by Andrea Gagliarducci. Crux 03/02/17. "The theological legacy of Benedict XVI continues, four years after his pontificate came to an end."

• Aide says Benedict in perfect ‘mental and spiritual’ health, by Ines San Martin. 02/11/17.

Commentary

• Benedict XVI’s new text about Sacred Liturgy – The Russian Preface, by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf. Fr. Z's Blog 04/17/17.

• A Child of Holy Saturday: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Turns 90, by Matthew Bunson. National Catholic Register 04/15/17:

  Understandably, a great deal of focus has been paid over the years to the reflections, homilies and writings of Pope Benedict on Easter. But not only is there something deeply personal about Holy Saturday for Joseph Ratzinger the man, that day — when Our Lord was behind the massive stone at the entrance of the tomb, in utter darkness, his broken body stretched upon cold and unforgiving rock — brings essential hope to the Christian confronting the challenges of the modern age. That is a truth that Joseph Ratzinger has spent decades trying to impart.

• Father Benedict XVI is a Friend of Jesus Christ, by Fr. Maurice Ashley Agbaw-Ebai. Crisis 04/17/17:

  As Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger developed this theme of friendship with Jesus Christ especially in his homilies at priestly ordinations in which he presided as Bishop of Rome. To be a friend of Jesus Christ invites one into a greater intimacy of knowledge and communion, for friendship demands intimacy and knowledge. Father Benedict’s new ministry of prayer on behalf of the whole Church certainly mirrors to us his fondness and intimacy with Jesus of Nazareth, the love of Benedict’s life.

• Homage to Benedict XVI, Misunderstood Prophet of Our Times, by Andrea Gagliaducci. MondayVatican.04/17/17:

  Since Benedict ascended the mountain to live out the time of his prayerful intercession on behalf of the Church, the bitterness he felt during his pontificate when he spoke of the Second Vatican Council has been forgotten. Nevertheless, he felt the need to clarify that period of Church history since the beginning of the pontificate. In his first Christmas speech to Roman Curia back in 2005, he stressed that the Council have to interpreted through the lenses of continuity. That is: the Council was not a destructive spring, but a spring called to harvest new fruits. It was a renewal within continuity, not a genetically modified organism of faith, just as every year nature is renewed in spring. At the end of the pontificate during his last meeting with the clergy of Rome, he wanted to return to the notion once more, as if that was the thread of the whole pontificate. He said that there was a media Council and a real Council. And he noted that the media Council overtook the real Council. …

• Benedict XVI at 90: Why his theology still matters, by Fr. Robert Imbelli. "Father Robert Imbelli takes a closer look at the thought of Joseph Ratzinger, and how for him the central fact of the Resurrection is Jesus Christ does not rise a disembodied soul, but bodily. Body not self-contained, but totally relational, totally gift, really present in Eucharist, poured out to embrace a humanity called to transfiguration."

• Ratzinger on the Dialogue of Religions, by Eduardo J. Echevvaria. The Catholic Thing 04/06/17:

  My of us have been eager to forget the video where Pope Francis urges a dialogue among the religions present – Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist. That video leaves the impression of a leveling out of the fundamental differences between these religions, suggesting a muting of the primary call to evangelize and proclaim the Gospel. Still, I think we can honor the pope’s motives here for dialogue, namely, encouraging the “maintaining of good fellowship among the nations.” (1 Pet 2:12) And, if possible, “as far as depends on one, to live at peace with all men.” (Rom 12:18)

  Joseph Ratzinger takes a very different stance regarding the question: “What, in concrete terms, is Christianity’s position in the dialogue of religions?”

• Gospel and Law according to Ratzinger, by Eduardo J. Echeverria. The Catholic Thing 03/21/17.

• How Pope Benedict XVI dealt with disagreement, by Dr. Edward Feser. 12/22/16:

  … This willingness to allow for diverse opinions wherever that is consistent with orthodoxy, and as far as possible to engage those who are critical of papal policy and teaching non-polemically and at the level of rational argumentation rather than by authoritative diktat, plausibly stem from Benedict’s high regard for reason.

• James Carroll’s Ratzinger, by Paul Baumann. Commonweal 11/29/16.

  "As a gifted writer himself—and a theologically literate one—Carroll might be expected to appreciate Ratzinger’s gifts as a theological writer of uncommon power and lucidity. Yet that aspect of Ratzinger’s “moral perception” is ignored. Rather, what is most striking about Carroll’s depiction of Ratzinger and the church is how it is pitched to satisfy every prejudice his largely liberal, secular New Yorker readership presumably has about Catholicism. … For Carroll and his audience, the institutional church is simply an authoritarian bogeyman, an enduring source of anti-Semitism, a corrupt patriarchy, an anachronism. Except for Pope Francis, of course.

• Benedict’s ‘Last Conversations’: Reshaping the Ratzinger Legacy?, by Massimo Fagioli. dotCommonweal 09/14/16:

  A trio of sympathetic books published since May hint at the effort to shape the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI. While the portrayal emerging may appeal neither to those who’d hoped for the pope emeritus to reclaim traditionalism nor to those seeking a fuller embrace of the current pope, it might yet help consolidate support behind Francis while isolating the worst of the para-schismatic fringes.

Pope Benedict Roundup

Regensburg Revisited - The 10th Anniversary

• Benedict the Brave: The Regensburg Address Ten Years Later, by James Day. "On September 12, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI took to the dais of the University of Regensburg’s Aula Magna to offer a few “memories and reflections.” Contrary to the resulting rebukes, the 79-year-old pontiff knew exactly what he was doing."
• On anniversary, can we finally catch Benedict’s point at Regensburg?, by John Allen Jr. Crux 09/12/16:

  Lost in the noise, however, is the central thing to know about the Regensburg speech, to wit: It’s not really about Islam at all.

  In the 4,500-word address, Benedict devoted barely three paragraphs to the remark quoted above from Manuel II Paeologus, which he used to set up his reflections on the topic, which was “Faith, Reason and the University.” He was trying to make a point about the importance of religion never parting company with reason, and could just as easily have taken his cautionary tale from Hinduism, Buddhism, or, for that matter, Christianity.

  Benedict’s real target in the speech is the West, identifying two worrying trends he saw (and no doubt still sees) in Western thought - one inside the Christian church, and the other in the broader culture.

• Regensburg, Ratzinger, and Our Crisis of Reason, by Dr. Samuel Gregg. The Public Discourse 09/12/16:

  Those who write the histories of the twenty-first century will, I suspect, list an address delivered at a German university on this day ten years ago as one of this century’s most important speeches. In just 4,000 words, what we now call the “Regensburg Address” managed to identify the inner pathology that is corroding much of the world, how this malignancy emerged, and what can be done to address it.

  The fact that it was the Roman Pontiff who showed how a collapse of faith in full-bodied conceptions of reason explains so much of our world’s evident disarray probably made Voltaire roll over in his grave. But Benedict XVI’s analysis—which enraged many Muslims but also drew scorn from some secular and religious progressives—didn’t emerge from a vacuum. The need to defend an understanding of reason that goes beyond the natural and social sciences has long featured in Joseph Ratzinger’s writings.

• Regensburg Revisited: Ten Years Later, A West Still in Denial, by Samuel Gregg. Catholic World Report 08/04/16. "Irrationality not only manifests itself in violence but also in an inability to apply authentic reason to the many pressing challenges of our age."
• Is Dialogue with Islam Possible? Some Reflections on Benedict XVI's Address at the University of Regensburg, by Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ. Ignatius Insight Editor's note: This essay was originally published on Ignatius Insight on September 18, 2006. It is republished here on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Benedict XVI's Regensburg Address.

Commentary

• Double Friendly Fire Against the "Pope Emeritus", by Sandro Magister. www.chiesa 08/29/16. "First Cardinal Brandmüller, then Bishop Sciacca. The one an illustrious historian, the other a luminary of canon law. Both of the circle closest to Ratzinger. But both absolutely opposed to his continuing to have himself called 'pope'."
• Pope Emeritus Benedict’s Ongoing Support of the Francis Papacy, by Maike Hickson. OnePeterFive.com. 08/29/16.
• Pope Benedict XVI on the Life and Accomplishments of Saint Pius X Rorate Caeli 09/03/16.

Pope Benedict Roundup

• The Church as communio: Revisiting Joseph Ratzinger's ecclesiology, by Veronica A. Arntz. Rorate Caeli 07/20/16. "In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, a lively debate occurred between Cardinals Walter Kasper and Joseph Ratzinger over the relationship of the universal and particular Church." A look back at the "Kasper-Ratzinger" debate.

• Benedict XVI discusses resignation, Vatican governance in forthcoming book-length interview CatholicCulture. 07/01/16:

  In a new book-length interview to be published in September, Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI speaks about his resignation, his reaction to the election of Pope Francis as his successor, and his challenges in governing the Church-- including troubles with a "gay lobby" inside the Vatican.

  The book-- an unprecedented collection of the memories of a former Roman Pontiff-- covers the full life of Benedict XVI, from his childhood through his youth under the Nazi regime and his service at the Vatican including his papacy. Entitled Final Conversations, the book is scheduled for worldwide publication on September 9, and will cover more than 250 pages.

• Benedict XVI to Francis: 'your goodness is a place where I feel protected' Catholic News Agency. 06/28/16:

  On Tuesday, Benedict XVI gave his second public speech since his final day as Pope, expressing gratitude for a lengthy priesthood and for Pope Francis' “goodness,” which he said moves him deeply.

  Speaking to Pope Francis and members of the College of Cardinals gathered inside the Vatican’s small Clementine Hall for the 65th anniversary of his priestly ordination, Benedict said the Greek word "Efkaristomen" (let us give thanks), expresses “all that there is to say” for the occasion.

  "Thank you, thank you everyone! Thank you Holy Father – your goodness, from the first day of your election, every day of my life here moves me interiorly, brings me inwardly more than the Vatican Gardens."

  "Your goodness is a place in which I feel protected," he said, and voiced his hope that Francis would be able to "move forward with all of us on this path of Divine Mercy, showing Jesus’ path to God." [read the rest]

• Joseph Ratzinger 65 Years Later, by Sandro Magister. Chiesa. 06/28/16. "And so on the Catholic priesthood fell the fury of Protestant criticism." At the anniversary of the priestly ordination of the future Benedict XVI, Cardinal Müller recounts his unyielding resistance to Luther’s followers.

• Pope Francis writes preface to Ratzinger / BXVI volume Radio Vaticana 06/22/16:

  Pope Francis has written the preface to the first volume in an anthology of the “selected works of Joseph Ratzinger / Benedict XVI” being published by Cantagalli in Italy. Titled, Insegnare e imparare l’amore di Dio, “To Teach and To Learn the Love of God”, to be published in six languages, including English.

  In the preface, Pope Francis writes, “Every time I have read the works of Joseph Ratzinger / Benedict XVI, it becomes increasingly clear that he has done and is doing ‘theology on his knees’.” The Holy Father goes on to explain that his predecessor, “[E]ven before being a great theologian and teacher of the faith,” is “a man who truly believes, who truly prays: you see he is a man who embodies holiness.”

• Not One Pope But Two, One "Active" and One "Contemplative", by Sandro Magister:

  The revolution of Pope Francis is turning the Church upside-down. But his meek predecessor named Benedict is not to be outdone.

  The resignation of the papacy was not his last act. Already in his withdrawal from the see of Peter, in that memorable February of 2013, Joseph Ratzinger made sure to say that in his election as pope there had been something that would remain "forever."

  In fact, he continues to wear the white tunic, continues to sign himself "Benedictus XVI, pope emeritus," continues to live "in the enclosure of Saint Peter," continues to have himself called "Holiness” and "Holy Father."

  And most recently the archbishop in closest contact with him, Georg Gänswein, has told us that Benedict "has by no means abandoned the office of Peter," but on the contrary has made it “an expanded ministry, with an active member and a contemplative member,” in "a collegial and synodal dimension, almost a shared ministry" ...

• Benedict XVI dismisses supposed new Fatima revelations as "pure invention" and "absolutely untrue" Holy See Press Office (English translation by Rorate Caeli). 05/21/16:

  Several articles have appeared recently, including declarations attributed to Professor Ingo Dollinger according to which Cardinal Ratzinger, after the publication of the Third Secret of Fatima (which took place in June 2000), had confided to him that the publication was not complete.

  In this regard, Pope emeritus Benedict XVI declares “never to have spoken with Professor Dollinger about Fatima”, clearly affirming that the remarks attributed to Professor Dollinger on the matter “are pure inventions, absolutely untrue”, and he confirms decisively that “the publication of the Third Secret of Fatima is complete”.

In Print ...

Heart to Heart: The Spiritual Christology of Joseph Ratzinger Pickwick Publications (May 13, 2016). 440 pages. In Behold the Pierced One, Joseph Ratzinger recounts how the composition of a 1981 paper on the Sacred Heart of Jesus had led him to "consider Christology more from the aspect of its spiritual appropriation" than he had done previously. Upon realizing that this same year was the 1300th anniversary of the Third Council of Constantinople, he decided to study the pronouncements of this Council, and came to believe "that the achievement of a spiritual Christology had also been the Council's ultimate goal." Ratzinger's conclusion in attempting to define a spiritual Christology was that "the whole of Christology--our speaking of Christ--is nothing other than the interpretation of his prayer: the entire person of Jesus is contained in his prayer." The spiritual Christology subsequently developed by Ratzinger is one of communio. Indeed, it is one of theosis. Through a personal and ecclesial participation in the prayer of Jesus, exercised in purity of heart, and consummated in the eucharistic celebration, one comes into communion with Jesus Christ and all the members of his Body, so that eventually one can say truly, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal 2:20).

Pope Benedict Roundup

• Guest Op-Ed: Fighting for the soul of Europe. Rorate Caeli 3/29/16. The following guest Op-Ed was penned by a newly ordained diocesan priest, writing under the name Monsieur l'Abbé, comparing the pontifical approaches to Islam of Pope Francis and his predecessor:

  At the heart of the juxtaposition of the Easter Vigil of 2008 and this year’s Holy Thursday is the radical difference between the two possible approaches to the problem of Islam in Europe. In 2008, Benedict XVI personified a Church that was confident in her identity. For him, the Church is the only force that can offer transcendence to a secular Europe ... Even before his election to the Papacy, Joseph Ratzinger had an exceptional understanding of Europe and its relationship to Islam. Experiencing the extremism of National Socialism and Communism in Europe during his lifetime, Ratzinger knew what was at stake in the fight for Europe’s heart. The invasion of Islamism is the next battle that Europe is fighting, and Ratzinger has offered a unique perspective as to how the battle could be won. ...

  In contrast to Ratzinger’s immersion in European culture, Jorge Borgoglio grew up in Peronist Argentina in a milieu that saw itself as independent of European interests and more civilized than the rest of Latin America. Since his election in 2013, the pope’s preference for ministry to the “peripheries” and the marginalized has left Europe as an undefended afterthought.

• Pope emeritus Benedict XVI is “slowly, serenely fading” but remains "very lucid". Breitbart.com. 03/24/16. Joseph Ratzinger is “an old man, of course, but very lucid. Unfortunately, it’s become difficult for him to walk and he needs to use a walking frame,” Georg Gaenswein said in an interview with the Italian magazine BenEssere.

• Full text of Benedict XVI's recent, rare, and lengthy interview Catholic News Agency. 03/17/16:

  In a recently published interview on issues of justification and faith, Benedict XVI has addressed issues of mercy and our need for forgiveness, salvation through the cross, the necessity of baptism, and the importance of sharing in Christ's redeeming love.

  The discussion with Fr. Jacques Servais, SJ, took place ahead of an October, 2015 conference in Rome studying the doctrine of justification by faith.

  Benedict's answers, originally in German, were read aloud as a text at the conference by the Prefect of the Pontifical Household, Archbishop Georg Gänswein.

  They were later published as the introduction to a book in Italian on the conference texts and conclusions, titled “Through Faith: Doctrine of Justification and Experience of God in the Preaching of the Church and the Spiritual Exercises,” by Fr. Daniel Libanori, SJ.

  • See also: Benedict and Francis are more Lennon-McCartney than Frazier-Ali, by John Allen Jr. Crux 03/19/16. "As Benedict sees it, he inherited the emphasis on mercy in recent papacies from St. John Paul II, laid out the intellectual case, and then handed it on to Francis, who’s taking the message to the streets."

• The Law of Benedict, by Samuel Gregg. The Public Discourse 03/16/16. Pope Benedict XVI often ventured into venues historically hostile to the Judeo-Christian tradition. A new collection of essays discusses many of these speeches, probing the relationship of reason to religion, the West, and natural law. A review of Pope Benedict XVI's Legal Thought: A Dialogue on the Foundation of Law.

• Three years ago brought history’s greatest act of papal humility, by John Allen Jr. Crux 02/19/16. "Pope Benedict XVI, shown here in 2012, was the first pope to renounce his powers as the result of an honest self-examination."

• The silent reform of Benedict XVI's papacy Catholic News Agency 02/11/16. In his new book on Benedict XVI, Vatican journalist Marco Mancini argues that while the retired pontiff became known for his shocking resignation three years ago, his real legacy began far earlier.

Publications

Christ’s Descent into Hell: John Paul II, Joseph Ratzinger, and Hans Urs von Balthasar on the Theology of Holy Saturday, by Lyra Pitstick. Eerdmans (May 17, 2016) 144 pages. Pope John Paul II and Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI) both held Hans Urs von Balthasar in high regard. Many assume that their praise of Balthasar indicates approval of his controversial theology of Holy Saturday, but this book by Lyra Pitstick shows that conclusion to be far from accurate. Pitstick looks at what John Paul II, Ratzinger, and Balthasar have in fact said regarding the creedal affirmation that Christ “descended into hell,” and she shows that there are radical differences in their views. She then addresses a number of important questions that follow from these differences. This careful, concise exploration of what three of the twentieth century’s most famous Catholic theologians had to say about Christ’s descent into hell provides an accessible take on a difficult point of theological debate.

Pope Benedict Roundup

• Clear and colorful: A common property in unscripted papal preaching, Carol Glatz (Catholic News Service) reports on a new publication of Joseph Ratzinger:

  Never-before published, the 10 homilies are informal, colorful, off-the-cuff reflections that seek to make the mystery, relevance, and force of the faith clear and inspirational to everyday Catholics in a small Bavarian parish. The 100-page book — currently available only in Italian — is titled, The Homilies of Pentling, the German village where the cardinal vacationed and kept a home he had hoped to retire to one day.

  “Apart from a few small corrections, I kept the familiar style of the text just as it flowed out back then,” the retired pope wrote in the book's preface. He said he hoped the homilies, taken from transcribed audio recordings between 1986 and 1999, would help not just "my fellow citizens of Pentling," but all readers in “understanding and living the word of the Gospel."

  While Pope Francis consistently crafts clever, memorable metaphors in his writings and talks, many people don’t remember that Pope Benedict was quite good at it, too.

• Ratzinger Prize Recognizes Lebanese, Brazilian Scholars Zenit.org. 11/16/15. "The Ratzinger Prize this year recognizes a Lebanese scholar who translated Joseph Ratzinter's complete works into Arabic, and a Brazilian theologian who twice served on the International Theological Commission."

• How about a Masters in "Ratzinger Studies"? - Fr. John Zuhlsdorf reports that in Rome, there is now a Masters program in RATZINGER STUDIES. The Fondazione Vaticana Joseph Ratzinger Benedetto XVI is sponsoring a Masters Program in "Joseph Ratzinger: Studies and Spirituality." [Link to PDF of the brochure].

• Kasper vs Ratzinger, the Unending Dispute, by Sandro Magister. Chiesa. 10/30/15. "Francis reignited it and the synod has not resolved it. In the paragraphs on the divorced and remarried the word “communion” isn’t there. But the pope could introduce it himself, by authority."
  • When Ratzinger Said No: A History of the Kasper Proposal 10/23/15.

• How Benedict XVI played a special role in a Pope's cause for sainthood Catholic News Agency. 10/20/15. "On his path to beatification, John Paul I can count on a very special supporter: Pope emeritus Benedict XVI."

• Benedict: "From Where Does Evil Come?", by James C. Schall, SJ. Crisis 09/21/15:

  The former students of Pope Benedict have an annual seminar (Ratzinger Schülerkreis) to think about his vast and profound intellectual accomplishments. This year’s meeting was held Castel Gandolfo. On August 30, in the Church of the Teutonic Cemetery in the Vatican, Pope Benedict gave a brief, penetrating homily in German to the group. The general subject of discussion was “How do we speak of God today?” (L’Osservatore Romano, September 4, 2015).

  The Gospel reading in the Pope’s Mass was from Mark 7. This passage concerned the Scribes and Pharisees questioning Christ and the disciples about washing hands and utensils in dining. Christ was annoyed with these gentlemen for concerning themselves with external cleanliness when inside they were avaricious and vain. Christ concluded with the famous passage: “Nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him impure; that which comes out from him, and only that, constitutes impurity” (Mk 7:15, 20). In other words, the world’s problems are not external to our souls but originate there. We cannot reconstruct the world in order to reconstruct ourselves. We always have to attend to ourselves first.

  At this group’s meeting three years previously, using the same text from Mark, Christof Cardinal Schönborn, O. P., a former student and colleague of Pope Benedict, posed the issue in this manner: Must one first be “purified exteriorly and not only interiorly, and [does] evil only [come] from within?”

• Benedict XVI: the Hidden Legacy MondayVatican.com 08/31/15:

  “A theological family.” This is how Fr. Stephan Horn, Salvatorian, describes the circle of former students of Joseph Ratzinger. Fr. Horn served as academic assistant to Joseph Ratzinger in Regensburg from 1971 to 1997, and today he is the secretary of the Ratzinger Schuelerkreis, which gathers once a year since 1978. ...

• Regensburg Redux: Can Benedict say ‘I told you so’ about Islam?, by David Gibson. Crux / Religion News Service. 09/11/14:

  Eight years ago this Friday, Sept. 12, Pope Benedict XVI delivered a lecture at the University of Regensburg in Bavaria in which he seemed to diagnose Islam as a religion inherently flawed by fanaticism.

  It was an undiplomatic assertion, to say the least — especially coming a day after the 9/11 anniversary — and it sparked an enormous outcry among Muslims. It came to be seen as one of a series of missteps that would plague Benedict’s papacy until he resigned last year.

  Now, with the Islamic State on the march in the Middle East, leaving a trail of horrifying brutality and bloodshed that has shocked the world, some of Benedict’s allies on the Catholic right are saying, in effect, "He told you so."

• Cardinal Danneels Admits to Being Part of 'Mafia' Club Opposed to Benedict XVI, by Edward Pentin. National Catholic Register 09/24/15.

• Cardinal Danneels' Biographers Retract Comments on St. Gallen Group (but the cardinal's assertion that the secretive "mafia-like" group existed and opposed Joseph Ratzinger still stands), by Edward Pentin. National Catholic Register 09/26/15.
  • FLASHBACK: Ex pope Benedict denies he was forced to resign, by Philip Pullella. Reuters. 02/26/14:

    Former Pope Benedict, in one of the few times he has broken his silence since stepping down nearly a year ago, has branded as "absurd" fresh media speculation that he was forced to quit.

    Church law says a pope's resignation is valid only if he takes the decision in full freedom and without pressure from others.

    "There is absolutely no doubt regarding the validity of my resignation from the Petrine ministry," Benedict, 86, who now has the title "pope emeritus," said in a letter to the Italian website Vatican Insider published on Wednesday.

Pope Benedict Roundup

News

• Ratzinger at mass with former pupils: "The epidemic of the heart leads to corruption" La Stampa "The Vatican Insider" 08/30/15:

  “The truth, love and goodness that come from God, make man pure and truth, love and goodness come together in the Word which brings liberates a world that no longer thinks of God from ‘forgetfulness’.” This was at the heart of the homily which the Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI pronounced during a mass he presided over this morning in the Teutonic Cemetery church in the Vatican. The mass was attended by members of the Schuelerkreis (Ratzinger’s “student circle”) and the New Schuelerkreis, who gathered at Castel Gandolfo in recent days to reflect on the theme “How to speak to God today”. The priest and philosopher Tomas Halik also participated. The news was posted on the Ratzinger Foundation website. ...

  The mass was followed by a ceremony for the inauguration of the “Pope Benedict-Joseph Ratzinger Hall”, which the Pope Emeritus blessed. The ceremony took place in the buildings adjacent to the Teutonic Cemetery. In his introductory speech, Mgr. Hans Peter Fischer, Rector of the Teutonic College, announced that a ceremony will be held on 18 November to mark the opening of the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Roman Library. The library is entirely dedicated to the works and life of Joseph Ratzinger as a scholar and a Pope and is housed inside the Library of the Teutonic College and of the Roman Institute of the Gorres Society in the Vatican.

• The modern world's biggest challenge, according to Benedict XVI Catholic News Agency. 08/27/15:

  Benedict XVI considers the quest for God to be contemporary society's foremost challenge, according to one of the emeritus Pope's former students, who has organized the annual meeting of Ratzinger's students to discuss that very topic.

  The Ratzinger Schuelerkreis will gather August. 28-30 to discuss the theme set them by their former professor. The group has gathered to discuss topics in theology and the life of the Church since 1978, shortly after their mentor was pulled from academia to become a bishop.

• Francis visits Ratzinger before latter’s departure for Castel Gandolfo La Stampa 06/30/15.

Commentary

• Benedict XVI: the Hidden Legacy, by Andrea Gagliarducci. Monday Vatican 08/30/15:

  “A theological family.” This is how Fr. Stephan Horn, Salvatorian, describes the circle of former students of Joseph Ratzinger. Fr. Horn served as academic assistant to Joseph Ratzinger in Regensburg from 1971 to 1997, and today he is the secretary of the Ratzinger Schuelerkreis, which gathers once a year since 1978. In an interview granted to ACI Stampa and Catholic News Agency last week, he explained that Benedict XVI wanted the group to be a “theological family.”

  The terminology is precise, as that of all the theologians who have studied with Benedict XVI. The notion of family is the interpretative key to understanding Benedict XVI’s pontificate, but it also crucial in view of the upcoming Synod of Bishops. ...

• Benedict XVI and Christian Europe, as seen by a Japanese scholar Catholic News Agency 08/14/15:

  Benedict XVI’s role in Europe is the focus of a Japanese scholar who says the Pope emeritus’ recent decades show his engagement in a dialogue that promotes both Catholic identity and what he saw as the best of Western values.

  “What Pope Benedict XVI wanted to emphasize was the independence of the Catholic Church,” Hajime Konno told CNA Aug. 12. He said this principle of self-determination was central to the Pope on questions of Church reform.

  At the same time, Benedict did not hesitate to dialogue with thinkers such as the German philosopher Jurgen Habermas and the Italian Social Democrat and atheist Paolo Flores d’Arcais. ...

  • See also: Benedict XVI As No One Has Seen Him Before. From Japan, by Sandro Magister. 08/06/15. "In the land of the Rising Sun, an outstanding book with a new interpretation of Ratzinger as theologian and pope. Written by a specialist in German history and culture. And with a Latin title: Renovatio Europae Christianae."

• The return of Benedict XVI, by Damian Thompson. The Spectator UK. 07/11/15. "The Pope Emeritus has not vanished into monastic silence. He’s still offering comfort for those who prefer his vision to that of Pope Francis."

• Benedict and Francis, a Choir of Two Voices, by Sandro Magister. "In Paraguay, great music for Pope Francis: that of the Jesuits of the “Reducciones.” And from Castel Gandolfo, Benedict XVI gives an exceptional listener’s guide."

• Pope Francis: How the Narrative around Him Was Constructed, by Andrea Gagliarducci. Monday Vatican ("The Vatican at a Glance"). 07/20/15. [Read with a grain of salt -- Vatican conspiracy theorizing, but interesting nonetheless - Editor]:

  The latest interpretation of Benedict XVI’s resignation was given in recent weeks by Fr. Silvano Fausti, a Jesuit who was Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini’s confessor. Right before he died last month, Fr. Fausti granted a video interview and recounted that during their last meeting Cardinal Martini had told the current Pope Emeritus that the Roman Curia was not going to change, so it would be good if he were to resign. According to Fausti, Martini said this to Pope Benedict as if he were reminding him of an old agreement between them. That resignation paved the way for Pope Francis, whom Fr. Fausti admires. But this story must be decoded. It is now evident that in order to understand the reasons why Pope Francis was elected, one needs to return to the 2005 conclave.

In the Publishing World (Ratzinger Studies)

Innovation within Tradition: Joseph Ratzinger and Reading the Women of Scripture, by Mary Frances McKenna. Fortress Press (September 1, 2015) 272 pages. Innovation within Tradition is an exploration of the meaning and implications of Joseph Ratzinger’s biblical interpretation of the women of salvation history. Mary Frances McKenna argues that Ratzinger’s work, through his development and refinement of the church’s tradition, brings the important role and significance of the female characters of Scripture to the fore by placing them at the heart of Christian faith. Explicating the pope emeritus’s concept of a “female line in the Bible,” which has a profound impact on the meaning and interpretation of the women of salvation history, the volume shows that this concept illustrates the practical value and creative nature of his approach to theology and biblical interpretation. Pivotal to the argument are questions around the findings on the notion of person, feminist theology, salvation history, and Mary, as well as the use of history in theology and biblical interpretation and the potential for the continuing development and deepening of the church’s comprehension of the meaning of revelation. The book advances a constructive approach, in coordination with these questions, for a Trinitarian theology of society, addresses old theological issues anew, and provides a starting point for an interdenominational understanding of Mary. Mary Frances McKenna is a tutor for the Centre for Marian Studies at University of Roehampton and chair of the relaunched Dublin (Ireland) branch of the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She received her PhD at All Hallows College, Dublin City University, and her MA and BA in history at University College Dublin. She has published on the topic of faith and knowledge in relation to science and philosophy. This is a revision of a dissertation completed at All Hallows College, Dublin City University, Ireland under Tom Dalzell. "This book is an outstanding study of Joseph Ratzinger's theology of ‘the female line in the Bible.’ Mary Frances McKenna shows how a ‘Marian conversion’ in the life of Ratzinger enabled him to see even more clearly how Mary constitutes an essential element of authentic Christianity and how women are at the heart of salvation history. Filled with many fresh insights, Innovation within Tradition will, I believe, be recognized as of the best studies of Ratzinger's thought." —Robert Fastiggi Sacred Heart Major Seminary President of the Mariological Society of America (2014-2016) "This book reveals Mary Frances McKenna as a rising star on the theological horizon. Her analysis of Ratzinger’s exegesis of the female figures in Scripture is fascinating and thought-provoking. Suggesting that a line of female figures – from Wisdom to the Matriarchs to the Blessed Virgin Mary – stands at the heart of the Christian history of salvation, this book will be of interest both to traditional Catholics and to feminist theologians. It will also be enjoyed by students and teachers of religion, from the undergraduate to the advanced scholar, and will supply a great deal of material for discussion." —Sarah Jane Boss Director of the Centre for Marian Studies, University of Roehampton, UK

• Irish theologian publishes book on Ratzinger’s theology, by Sarah McDonald. CatholicIreland.net.:

  ‘The Female Line in the Bible: Mary and the Recovery of the Women of Scripture in Ratzinger’s/Benedict XVI’s Theological Journey’ has just been published by Dr Mary Frances McKenna.

  In it, she explores Ratzinger’s idea of a female line in the Bible which he argues runs from Eve to Mary and is in parallel to the male line, from Adam to Jesus.

  The book shows Ratzinger to be “a surprisingly innovative theologian” who works within the Tradition of the Church.

  It is "a practical example of his specific approach to and method of biblical interpretation.”

  According to Dr McKenna, "The female line idea offers a basis for new insights into salvation history and anthropology as well as a new angle for dialogue with feminist theology." ...

  Speaking to CatholicIreland.net, Dr McKenna explained how Ratzinger’s approach to the female differs from that of Pope Francis.

  "Pope Francis’ style is radically different from Pope Benedict, a style that could be described as pastoral in contrast to that of the theologian Pope," she said.

  However, she emphasised that where they are at one in their concern to ensure that Mary plays an essential role in the Church and every Christian's life, she added.

• Symposium explores Ratzinger’s theology 04/21/14.