Please keep our dear Papa Benny in your prayers over the coming days: he is heading for one of his hardest gigs yet, the first State Visit to Germany. For some idea of what he is up against, you might want to listen to this podcast from Vatican Radio, an interview with Paul Badde, Vatican correspondent for Die Welt.
It is a very enlightening interview. Badde has no qualms about calling Berlin “a pagan city”.
Of great interest of course is the Pope’s planned trip to Erfurt. Badde has much to say on the significance of the visit for the relationship between the Lutherans and Catholics.
For instance, Badde says:
First of all the pope is not going to beatify him, but then again he is taking into consideration that he has been an Augustine monk. The majority, 98 percent of the Catholics, are much more Protstant than Luther ever imagined… And now, strangely enough, there are quite a few protestants who pray for the pope that he can give [them] new orientation.
Benedict may not “beatify” Luther, but I am very much looking foreward to what he does say about him on his visit to Erfurt. As Badde points out, Benedict knows Luther’s works well, and he will almost certainly offer some interpretation or some comment on Luther.
Badde concludes his interview by saying of Pope Benedict: “He is the biggest challenge to Germany since Martin Luther”.
Watch this one carefully.
Yes will certainly be praying for the Pope as he goes back to Germany. I took the name Matthias ,in honour of both the disciple and the German statesman Matthias Erzberger ,who w as a Catholic politician who signed the Armistice,and paid for it with his life. He was unpopular with the then pagans-the FreiKorps and what would become the Nazis. Now the Pope goes back to a Germany who’s Christian heritage is being seriously undermined by politicians wanting to be culturally sensitive.
The just-concluded visit by BXVI to Germany has turned out to be a successful one, contrary to all the whoopla of a disaster by some media maniacs here in Europe. Fears of massive protests in Berlin and in the Bundestag did not eventuate. Some protestors did turn up in Berlin but overall the four day gruelling trip by the 84 year old pontiff went off well. And indeed he showed himself again as the teaching pope. The sermon at the Berlin mass and also one in Luther’s old monastery showed the extraordinary power, intellect and deep spirituality of this man. His words on the growth of evangelical churches and others across the globe are well worth a look again. And you have to ask, why did he make those comments in Germany, which may have been more appropriate for South America.
Benedict has a verbal wisdom that is invaluable these days. Watching the often frail man as he walked more slowly than usual, you can’t but wonder if he is slowing down physically. He now needs help getting up stairs at functions, but then what 84 yr old wouldn’t? HM The Queen is 85 and still gets out and about and is soon to leave for Australia with her 90yr old husband.
There are now some media reports that BXVI may resign in April 2012 on his 85th birthday. Are these rumours being floated 7 months ahead for some crazy publicity or what? If Pope John Paul could reign during increasing feebleness and whilst suffering from Parkinson’s for almost a decade, why would a healthy pope even contemplate stepping aside? These resign-kites come from out of midair in the media.
Perhaps others who are a decade younger and who promote themselves as indispensable and totally beyond criticism would do well to ponder the beatitude of humility and obedience to high authority.
All bishops are required to offer their resignations at 75 and most are accepted. Even the great and holy. If archbishops and cardinals are required to, then parish priests ought also do the same thing. But the successors of St Peter are not and ought never be required to do so.
Pax
Adam