DOCSLIB.ORG

The Image Restoration Discourse of Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict Surrounding the Historic Vatican Sex Abuse Summit

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Image Restoration Discourse of Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict Surrounding the Historic Vatican Sex Abuse Summit ABSTRACT Divine Apologia: The Image Restoration Discourse of Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict Surrounding the Historic Vatican Sex Abuse Summit Heather Gerber, M.A. Mentor: Lacy G. McNamee, Ph.D. Crisis can threaten the legitimacy and viability of even the largest and most resilient of organizations. The discursive strategies that organizations employ to navigate and respond to the crisis, are key to their ultimate success or failure in managing their own organizational identity, as well as member identities. This study engages in a textual analysis of the organizational communication used by Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict in response to the ongoing child sex-abuse scandal. Specifically, this project examines communications during a unique time for the Catholic Church, in which there essentially conflicting leadership messages. Divine Apologia: The Image Restoration Discourse of Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict Surrounding the Historic Vatican Sex Abuse Summit by Heather Gerber, B.A. A Thesis Approved by the Department of Communication David W. Schlueter, Ph.D., Chairperson Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Baylor University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Approved by the Thesis Committee Lacy McNamee, Ph.D., Chairperson David Schlueter, Ph.D. Tony Talbert, Ph.D. Accepted by the Graduate School May 2020 J. Larry Lyon, Ph.D., Dean Page bearing signatures is kept on file in the Graduate School. ! Copyright © 2020 by Heather Gerber, M.A. All rights reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................. vii CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1 Literature Review........................................................................................................ 8 Preview of Chapters .................................................................................................. 24 CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................... 25 Methodology ............................................................................................................. 25 Importance of this Timeframe ................................................................................... 25 Selection of Texts ..................................................................................................... 27 Coding for Image Restoration Strategies ................................................................... 28 Justification for Textual Analysis .............................................................................. 29 CHAPTER THREE ....................................................................................................... 32 Pope Francis’ Image Restoration Discourse August 2018-February 2019 .................. 32 Pope Francis and the ‘Letter to the People of God’ .................................................... 32 Pope Francis Opening Statement at the Summit ........................................................ 37 Pope Francis: Closing Speech at the Summit ............................................................. 42 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 48 CHAPTER FOUR ......................................................................................................... 51 Pope Emeritus Benedict’s Image Restoration Strategies ............................................ 51 RQ 1 Findings: Evading Responsibility/Blame Shifting Strategy .............................. 52 RQ1 Findings: Denial Strategy .................................................................................. 60 RQ1 Findings: Differentiation and Corrective Action Strategy .................................. 63 CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................... 68 A Tale of Two Popes ................................................................................................. 68 RQ 2: Findings: How Do the Image Restoration Strategies of Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict Differ or Converge in Their Discourse Surrounding the 2019 Summit Meeting? .............................................................................................. 68 RQ3 Findings: What Impact Does Dual Leadership Messaging Have on the Credibility and Effectiveness of Papal Image Restoration Discourse with Both Internal (Leadership and Clergy) and External (Parishioners, the General Public) Audiences? ........................................................................................................ 73 Recommendations for Best Practices in Future Image Restoration Discourse ............ 74 Contributions to the Field of Communication ............................................................ 76 Recommendations for Future Research ..................................................................... 78 iv BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................... 81 v LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1. Pope Francis Image Repair Strategies Employed Within His Addresses .......................................................................................................... 58 Table 3.1. Pope Emeritus Benedict Image Repair Strategies Employed Within His Letter ..................................................................................................... 78 vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I want to show my gratitude by dedicating this work to my family and the special person who supported me, showed an abundance of kindness and believed in me even when I wasn’t sure if I believed in myself. First, I want to give my sincerest appreciation to my husband, Matt, and two children Gavin and Reagan, because without your support on the home front, I would not have been able to devote attention to my graduate studies. I would also like to thank my advisor, Dr. Lacy McNamee. Lacy, without your insightful direction, caring support, detailed editing, and constant words of encouragement this thesis, as well as my graduate studies, would not have been what they are today. Thank you so much for all your time and work helping me become a better academic member. Finally, thank you to my thesis committee, Dr. Lacy McNamee, Dr. David Schlueter, and Dr. Tony Talbert. Thank you all for taking time to serve on my committee and for your thoughtful consideration of this work. vii CHAPTER ONE Introduction All organizations undergo some sort of crisis, large or small, within their lifetime. These crises can threaten even the strongest and largest of organizations. The key to weathering the crisis is how an organization chooses to respond. The strategies and methods that organizations use to navigate and respond to the crisis are crucial to their inevitable success or failure in managing their own organizational identity, as well as member identities. Adding to the already complex nature of organizational crisis communication, religious organizations have what could be described as a greater sphere of influence or personal impact with their audiences. For example, when a corporate organization experiences crisis, say a failed product, they risk bankruptcy, stakeholder uncertainty, lawsuits, etc. But what happens if that organization is one’s religion and that product is one’s faith? The breadth and depth of impact religious organizations possess is but one reason why examining their crisis communication is of grave importance. Arguably, the Catholic Church is one of the religious institutions most plagued by crisis throughout its existence. By the 1990s, cases of sexual abuse by the Church had caught the attention of the media. Perhaps most notably, in 2002, the Boston Globe shone new light on horrible abuses at the hands of Catholic clergy (Boston Globe, 2002, para. 1). In addition to thousands of cases of children who had been sexually abused by clergy, the scandal also exposed the cover up happening within the Catholic Church to protect those abusers. Pope John Paul II led investigations of abuse and condemned the abuse as 1 the antithesis of the teachings of Jesus. Three years later, his successor, Pope Benedict, apologized and further condemned the abuse, but offered no further strategy to combat the problem. The image restoration strategies that the Church employed were highly criticized for their pervasive use of blame shifting and differentiation, or the process where “the act is distinguished from other similar but more offensive actions” (Benoit, 1997, p. 181). Then in 2013, Pope Benedict surprisingly resigned – becoming only the second Pope since the 1400s to have ever resigned the position. He named himself Pope Emeritus, a position that has retained the style of the current Pope by continuing to wear the papal color of white and has made occasional public appearances alongside his successor, Pope Francis. After realizing the child sex abuse scandal continues to be a global issue, Pope Francis started to make shifts in the crisis responses and image restoration strategies the Church chooses to deploy in response
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The-Two-Popes-Ampas-Script.Pdf
    THE TWO POPES Written by Anthony McCarten Pre-Title: Over a black screen we hear the robotic voice of a modern telephone system. VOICE: Welcome to Skytours. For flight information please press “1”. If you’re calling about an existing booking please press “2”. If you’re calling about a new booking please press “3” ... The beep of someone (Bergoglio) pressing a button. VOICE: (CONT’D) Did you know that you can book any flight on the Skytour website and that our discount prices are internet only ... BERGOGLIO: (V.O.) Oh good evening I ... oh. He’s mistaken this last for a human voice but ... VOICE: (V.O.) ... if you still wish to speak to an operator please press one ... Another beep. VOICE : (V.O.) Good morning welcome to the Skytours sales desk ... BERGOGLIO: (V.O.) Ah. Yes. I’m looking for a flight from Rome to Lampedusa. Yes I know I could book it on the internet. I’ve only just moved here. VOICE: Name? BERGOGLIO: Bergoglio. Jorge Bergoglio. VOICE: Like the Pope. 1 BERGOGLIO: Well ... yes ... in fact. VOICE: Postcode? BERGOGLIO: Vatican city. There’s a long pause. VOICE: Very funny. The line goes dead. Title: The Two Popes. (All the scenes that take place in Argentina are acted in Spanish) EXT. VILLA 21 (2005) - DAY A smartly-dressed boy is walking along the narrow streets of Villa 21 - a poor area that is exploding with music, street vendors, traffic. He struts past the astonishing murals that decorate the walls of the area. The boy is heading for an outdoor mass, celebrated by Archbishop Bergoglio.
    [Show full text]
  • Divorce Debate Challenges Pope
    INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 2014 Socialists launch campaign for European elections ROME: European Socialists yesterday Participants at the congress included going and warm but also tough, some- launched their election campaign by Austrian Chancellor Chancellor Werner times brutally so, and he has earned a rep- anointing Martin Schulz as their candi- Faymann, French Prime Minister Jean- utation in Brussels as a politician who date for European Commission president Marc Ayrault, Italian Prime Minister does not mince his words. “You have to and adopting a manifesto calling for Matteo Renzi and Romanian Prime talk straight so that people understand urgent social action. The Party of Minister Victor Ponta. Social-democrats you,” says this dyed-in-the-wool pro- European Socialists, which brings togeth- are in a minority in Europe, holding pow- European, who was first elected to the er social democrats from 28 EU member er in 11 countries sometimes in coalitions European Parliament in 1994. states, was to give its backing to Schulz, a with the right-and the PES has 195 law- It is ironic that his candidacy is taking former bookseller from Aachen in makers at the European Parliament com- place in Rome since he really made his Germany who is president of the pared to 275 conservatives. name in a confrontation with then Italian European Parliament. The manifesto due The latest polls, however, show them prime minister Silvio Berlusconi in 2003. to be approved at a congress in Rome neck and neck with the European During a debate, Schulz referred to “the ahead of European Parliament elections People’s Party or even slightly ahead.
    [Show full text]
  • From Periphery to Centre.The Image of Europe at the Eastern Border of Europe
    Munich Personal RePEc Archive From Periphery to Centre.The Image of Europe at the Eastern Border of Europe Şipoş, Sorin and Moisa, Gabriel and Cepraga, Dan Octavian and Brie, Mircea and Mateoc, Teodor University of Oradea, Romania, University of Padova, Italy 2014 Online at https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/59276/ MPRA Paper No. 59276, posted 15 Oct 2014 12:04 UTC Edited by: Sorin Şipoş, Gabriel Moisa, Dan Octavian Cepraga, Mircea Brie, Teodor Mateoc From Periphery to Centre. The Image of Europe at the Eastern Border of Europe Editorial committee: Delia-Maria Radu Roxana Ivaşca Alexandra Bere Ionuţ Ciorba CONTENTS Sorin ŞIPOŞ, Dan Octavian CEPRAGA, From Periphery to Centre. The Image of Europe at the Eastern Border of Europe ………..………..… 5 I. PERIPHERY VIEWED FROM THE CENTRE …………………..… 13 Lorenzo RENZI, «Terra Romena» ……………………………………..… 15 Ion Alexandru MIZGAN, The Crusades – Cause of Tension between Eastern and Western Europe ………………………………………...…..…21 Florin DOBREI, Transylvanian “Schismatics”, “Heretics” and “Infidels” in the Vision of 13th-16th Century Catholic Europe ……………………..… 47 Ioan-Aurel POP, 16th Century Venetian Bailiffs‟ Reports on Realities in the Ottoman Empire …………………………………………………..… 61 Ion EREMIA, A False Theory Still Persists at the Eastern Border of Latinity .. 76 Delia-Maria RADU, From Centre to the Periphery and the Other Way Round ………………………………………………………..……..… 88 Teodor MATEOC, Identity and Race. The Problem of Otherness in Contemporary Cultural Studies …………………………………...……..…96 II. SELF-IMAGES AT EUROPE’S EASTERN BORDERS
    [Show full text]
  • Medina County Woman Hopes Cold Murder Case Will Heat Up
    DAILY NZ P A G E 1A C O L O R P U B D A T E 04-10-05 O P E R A T O R SBLACKWELL DATE / / TIME : State Edition www.MySanAntonio.com THE VOICE OF SOUTH TEXAS SINCE 1865 $1.50 ROYALS HITCHED WITHOUT A HITCH Medina County woman hopes fter 33 star-crossed cold murder case will heat up Aand often unhappy years, Bexar sheriff’s unit now green binder that holds her fon- Christina Hasler, 8, were found dest memories and worst night- dead in their mobile home in through other looking into deaths. mares. Southwest Bexar County five years marriages, public D She began typing: ago on March 28. March 18 “MARCH 2005, the fifth year an- would’ve been Christina’s 13th scorn and familial BY MARIANO CASTILLO niversary of my kids’ deaths. The birthday. dismay, Britain’s EXPRESS-NEWS STAFF WRITER pain gets worse as time passes, The pair were beaten and Nea- you feel so very desperate. WHAT gley stabbed, and both had been Prince Charles and Past sundown, in an isolated CAN I DO TO FIND THIS MUR- dead for several days before they the Duchess of house atop a hill in northeastern DERER? Does no one care?” were discovered in their home Medina County, Anna Jean Hasler The page would go inside the near the Medina County line. Cornwall — the pulled her wheelchair up to the binder, a collection of photos and The investigation garnered more former Camilla kitchen table and placed her fin- writings that chronicle the lives attention in Medina County than gertips on the keys of an electric and unsolved double homicide of in Bexar, and after a year and a TOBY MELVILLE/ASSOCIATED PRESS Parker Bowles — typewriter.
    [Show full text]
  • Our Faith in the School of Mary
    IN MARY’S SCHOOL OF FAITH TODAY Introduction The Year of Faith opened by our meanwhile Pope emeritus Benedict XVI and continued by Pope Francis aims at the transmission of the faith in our secularized world. God’s providence foresaw a striking dynamic for this year commemorating the 50 th anniversary of Vatican Council II. From October to February we could attend lectures given by Benedict XVI. He taught us the content of faith and how to penetrate it with heart and mind. It appears that Pope Francis wants to send us to the areopaghi 1 of our times in order to become witnesses to the faith. A few days prior to the solemn opening of the Year of Faith the XIII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops was launched. Synods can be likened to a graduate seminar, a think tank for the realities of the universal church. Last October the participants deliberated on how “The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith” can succeed in our time. At stake is not simply boosting Mass attendance or advocating regular prayer; although a sound spiritual life was, is and will always remain at the heart of being Christian. Yet, evangelization aims at engaging broad social and cultural challenges 2 through a distinctively Christlike lens. In other words, faith is authentic and attractive "when, through our actions, words and way of being, Another makes himself present.” 3 Ultimately, such a transformation is a gift of grace supported by an educational process. 4 With this paper we want to consider the Meaning of the Year of Faith from a Pedagogical Perspective.
    [Show full text]
  • Humility, Virtuous Love Encouraged at Marriage and Family Conference
    April 6, 2014 Think Green 50¢ Recycle Volume 88, No. 13 Go Green todayscatholicnews.org Serving the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend Go Digital TODAYODAY’’SS CATHOLICATHOLIC Voices lifted T C to heaven Pueri Cantores Pages 8-9 Humility, virtuous love encouraged Pope Francis, at Marriage and Family Conference President Obama meet BY CHRISTOPHER LUSHIS Discuss religious freedom, life NOTRE DAME — Clinical psychologist and adop- issues, immigration tive father of 10 children, Dr. Ray Guarendi, a nation- Page 3 ally renowned author and speaker on marriage and family issues, often appearing on EWTN, Catholic Answers and Ave Maria Radio, served as the main speaker for the Diocesan Marriage and Family Conference and workshops held at the University of TV Mass upgrade Notre Dame on March 29. Turning a corner The morning began with prayer led by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, who stressed the “ongoing need of Page 5 conversion, not only for individuals, but also within our family lives.” He continued, “Growth in Christian marriage and in Christian family life means growth in virtue, in holiness. Marital and familial love involves sacrifice Women’s evening of in everyday situations for one’s spouse and children, in imitation of Jesus’ self-giving love.” prayer, reflection, Bishop Rhoades also expressed his hope that the Adoration conference would be “a help in fostering growth in virtue and holiness through the holy vocation of mar- Three locations in the diocese riage and through the family. All of us, married or celibate, are called to conversion, to cease doing evil Page 7 and to learn to do good.” Guarendi began his talk using personal examples from his own experience as a husband, father and pro- fessional psychologist, along with plenty of humor, to inform, entertain and challenge the audience to Stewardship focus CHRIS LUSHIS approach marriage and parenting with forgiveness, Endowments and stewards Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Christian Church8
    www.ssoar.info From periphery to centre: the image of Europe at the Eastern Border of Europe Şipoş, Sorin (Ed.); Moisa, Gabriel (Ed.); Cepraga, Dan Octavian (Ed.); Brie, Mircea (Ed.); Mateoc, Teodor (Ed.) Veröffentlichungsversion / Published Version Konferenzband / collection Empfohlene Zitierung / Suggested Citation: Şipoş, S., Moisa, G., Cepraga, D. O., Brie, M., & Mateoc, T. (Eds.). (2014). From periphery to centre: the image of Europe at the Eastern Border of Europe. Cluj-Napoca: Ed. Acad. Română. https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168- ssoar-400284 Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Dieser Text wird unter einer CC BY Lizenz (Namensnennung) zur This document is made available under a CC BY Licence Verfügung gestellt. Nähere Auskünfte zu den CC-Lizenzen finden (Attribution). For more Information see: Sie hier: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.de Edited by: Sorin §ipo§, Gabriel Moisa, Dan Octavian Cepraga, Mircea Brie, Teodor Mateoc From Periphery to Centre. The Image of Europe at the Eastern Border of Europe Editorial committee: Delia-Maria Radu Roxana Iva^ca Alexandra Bere IonuJ Ciorba Romanian Academy Center for Transylvanian Studies Cluj-Napoca 2014 Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Nationale a României From periphery to centre : the image of Europe at the Eastern border of Europe/ Sorin Çipoç, Gabriel Moisa, Dan Octavian Cepraga, Mircea Brie (ed.). - Cluj-Napoca : Editura Academia Românâ. Centrul de Studii Transilvane, 2014 ISBN 978-973-7784-97-1 I. Çipoç, Sorin (ed.) II. Moisa, Gabriel (ed.) III. Cepraga, Dan Octavian (ed.) IV. Brie, Mircea (ed.) 930 Volume published with the support of Bihor County Council The volume gathers the papers presented at the international symposium From Periphery to Centre.
    [Show full text]
  • ELECTION DU FUTUR PAPE Les Cardinaux Se Rassemblent
    ELECTION DU FUTUR PAPE Les Cardinaux se rassemblent Alors que le Collège des cardinaux s’est rassemblé ce 4 mars 2013 pour sa première et deuxième congrégation générale, en vue du conclave qui élira le prochain pape, voici quelques informations sur les cardinaux électeurs, au nombre de 117. Parmi eux, 50 ont été créés cardinaux par Jean-Paul II et 67 par Benoît XVI. 74 de ces cardinaux ont plus de 70 ans. Une trentaine ont entre 60 et 70 ans. Cinq ont moins de 60 ans. Le plus jeune est l’Indien Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal (53 ans). Le plus âgé est le cardinal Walter Kasper qui aura 80 ans demain, 5 mars. Répartition géographique : 61 cardinaux viennent d’Europe tandis que 33 viennent d’Amérique (17 d’Amérique du Nord, 3 d’Amérique centrale-Caraïbes et 13 d’Amérique du sud). 11 viennent d’Asie et également 11 d’Afrique. Un seul d’Océanie. Deux parmi les 117 électeurs ne seront pas présents. A ce jour, 115 cardinaux sont donc attendus pour le conclave. Voici la liste des cardinaux électeurs présents, par continent. Les francophones (12) viennent de France (4: Philippe Barbarin, André Vingt-Trois, Jean- Louis Tauran - Vatican - et Jean-Pierre Ricard), du Canada (2: Marc Ouellet, Jean-Claude Turcotte), de Belgique (1: Godfried Danneels), de Suisse (1: Kurt Koch), de la République démocratique du Congo (1: Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya), de Guinée Conakry (1: Robert Sarah), du Sénégal (1: Théodore-Adrien Sarr), et du Liban (1: Boutros Béchara Raï). Liste des Cardinaux Europe ABRIL y CASTELLÓ Santos, Espagne, 77 ans (21 septembre 1935, archiprêtre
    [Show full text]
  • Vatican Donates Masks to China to Combat Coronavirus
    When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing FEBRUARY 9, 2020 among you except Jesus Christ, and him TERHAD crucified. And I came to you in weakness PP 8460/11/2012(030939) ISSN: 1394-3294 and in fear and in much trembling. Vol. 27 No. 05 THE CATHOLIC WEEKLY 1 Cor. 2:1-3 INSIDE Education in Para Uskup mission schools Malaysia ‘Unusual kindness’ P14 brings hope to the lancar Caritas breaks down walls and poor and weak Malaysia prejudicese P18-20 Young Adult, get P16 BM8 P5 involved in your parish P21-22 For Religious, God’s love is worth more than any earthly goods ATICAN: When one is to- empty hands,” the things one did not achieve, tally in love with the Lord, the lack of recognition and the struggles one has had. then poverty, chastity and A temptation that every Christian, including V religious, experiences is that of seeing life in a obedience are not sacrifices, but ve- hicles of freedom, Pope Francis told “worldly way” rather than focusing on God’s grace at work. When that happens, the Pope consecrated men and women. said, people go off “in search of something to Celebrating the World Day for Consecrated substitute for it: a bit of fame, a consoling af- Life, Pope Francis urged women and men fection, finally getting to do what I want.” religious to be people of hope, and he asked Focus on God’s enduring love is the only all Catholics to pray for the hundreds of thou- antidote, the Pope said.
    [Show full text]
  • Pilgrimages to Holy Doors Bring Mercy New Priests Tell Their Stories 2 Ordained As Transitional Deacons
    WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | May 13-26, 2016 | Volume 77, Number 13 ORLANDO DIOCESE PALM BEACH DIOCESE VENICE DIOCESE A happy Father Robert L. Pope Jr., left, and Father James Scott Adams stand together after their ordination to the priesthood May 7. (LINDA REEVES | FC) About 350 faithful from St. Agnes and St. Elizabeth Seton parishes in Naples, who made a pilgrimage April Bishop John Noonan lays hands on Deacon Edwin 16 to the Holy Doors of Mercy at Epiphany Cathedral Cardona during the rite of ordination, the final step on New priests tell in Venice, go through the doors one at a time. (BOB the journey to priesthood. (KATHERINE LAGUNA | FC) REDDY | FC) 2 ordained as their stories Pilgrimages The Diocese of Palm Beach has two new ac- countants — both of them converts from Prot- transitional estantism — and both now wear priestly collars. to Holy Doors Father Robert Lee Pope Jr. and Father James Scott deacons Adams were ordained by Bishop Gerald M. Bar- bring mercy barito during ceremonies May 7 at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola in Palm Beach Gardens. Bishop John Noonan ordained 14 men from St. Father Pope began his vocation at the request of During this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mer- Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary as transition- his wife, who died in 2012 after suffering six years cy a number of parish and school groups from al deacons April 16, including two for the Orlando with melanoma. Father Adams worked for gov- across the Diocese, as well as individuals, have Diocese. Deacons Edwin Cardona from St.
    [Show full text]
  • The Two Popes
    EARS TO HEAR, EYES TO SEE The Odd Catholic Couple: Review of The Two Popes Andrés Sánchez It is no wonder that the lead actors confined to the rooms of his Vatican in The Two Popes, Anthony Hopkins apartment. and Jonathan Pryce, have been nomi- nated for Golden Globes, Oscars, and And who are Francis and Benedict British Academy Film Awards. After XVI but the incarnations of those all, the 2019 film, by director Fernan- two sides? First, the dutiful and do Meirelles, is a character study, the delicate Joseph Ratzinger. Born in very kind of movie that relies on ac- conservative Bavaria, raised with an tors’ skillful portrayal. At the center elder brother who is also a priest, of the film are Popes Benedict XVI and possessed of a lifelong desire and Francis, who represent the two for the priesthood, he allowed him- sides of the coin that was John Paul II. self to be led by a sense of pastoral It is no wonder, either, that the movie and intellectual duty from the Sec- starts with Francis, then the cardinal ond Vatican Council to a professor’s Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of chair at the University of Tübingen, Buenos Aires, as he receives the news the same place where Georg Wilhelm of John Paul’s death in the middle of Friedrich Hegel, Friedrich Schelling, an evangelizing mission in a poor vil- and Friedrich Hölderlin co-found- la miseria (slum) of the city. ed the German Idealist philosoph- ical movement. There Professor Facing The Two Popes, just like facing Ratzinger transformed from a young the history of the Catholic Church reform-minded priest into a conser- in the first two decades of the twen- vative guardian of tradition after wit- ty-first century, necessarily means nessing the global youth rebellions of facing John Paul II.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Love God, Do Justice and Serve the Poor'
    March 30, 2014 Think Green 50¢ Recycle Volume 88, No. 12 Go Green todayscatholicnews.org Serving the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend Go Digital TTODAYODAY’’SS CCATHOLICATHOLIC New minor basilica In the fields of Kansas ‘Love God, do justice and serve the poor’ Page 10 Bishop blesses restored St. Louis Besancon Church Gearing up for BY MICHELLE CASTLEMAN canonizations Vatican, Rome prepare NEW HAVEN — The responsorial Psalm 84 proclaims, Page 3 “How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!” And lovely indeed is the beautifully restored church at St. Louis Besancon. During the restoration process, this long-awaited day seemed like a distant dream, but on Sunday afternoon, Father Tom O’Connor March 23, an overflowing congregation gathered to create another page of history of the parish founded by memorial French immigrants. “For many of us, the privilege Betty Stein presented of experiencing a historical event Light of Christ Award More like this may only happen once photos in a lifetime,” explained pastor, Page 4 can be found Father Stephen Colchin. at In the solemn liturgy, cel- www.diocesefwsb.org. ebrant Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades was joined by Father Colchin, Father Lourdino Fernandes of ABA funds to parishes St. Rose of Lima, Monroeville, Father William Sullivan of St. John the Baptist, New Haven, and Father Kenneth Eight parishes assisted Sarrazine, retired, second parish son who now resides at Page 5 Saint Anne Home and Retirement Community in Fort Wayne. In the dimly lit setting, the bishop reminded the faith- ful that the Catholic Church is built upon the foundation of the Twelve Apostles.
    [Show full text]