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POPE BENEDICT Troubled Times and Implementing Changes to the XVI Way the Church Presented Herself

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His successor, Pope Paul VI (1963-1978), faced the heavy task of guiding the Church through POPE BENEDICT troubled times and implementing changes to the XVI way the Church presented herself. The times were not favourable to reasoned, gentle discussion, In a remarkably quick election, the cardinals and Pope Paul, a deeply sensitive man, suffered made an inspired choice to succeed the beloved great distress at the disruption which appeared Pope John Paul. His close friend and helper for almost everywhere. Nevertheless, he was a many years, Cardinal Ratzinger was already man of great courage and rose to the challenge famous as a courageous and learned defender of the times. Pope Paul was the first Pope to of the Faith in troubled times. As a German from undertake extensive overseas visits, bringing Catholic Bavaria, Joseph Ratzinger had seen the universal Church into closer contact with its the Nazi savagery at close hand and knew that faithful around the world. In 1970 he became the Catholic Church, the mother and guardian the first Pope to visit Australia. He reformed of Christian civilisation, alone had the capacity the Roman administration and the structures of to withstand the corrosive effects of organised prayer throughout the Church. evil. Pope Paul was followed for only 33 days in 1978 As soon as the war ended he entered the by Pope John Paul I, who will be remembered seminary and was ordained a priest in 1951. for his friendly smile and his down-to-earth As a brilliant theologian he taught throughout homilies, filled with examples from ordinary life. Germany for many years before being chosen as Archbishop of Munich and Freising in 1977 and as cardinal a few months later. In 1981 Pope immense popularity and prestige of the papacy John Paul called him to Rome to lead the crucial under this Pope. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Church's body which ensures the clarity of the As a world leader and as a spiritual father, Pope -6, LA r Catholic Faith. It was a great choice. Few people Benedict exhibits a great combination of deep vR understood both the Faith and the modern world piety, learning and Christian gentleness. Above as well as he. In that role he had a heavy task all he is a humble servant of the Lord, conscious ES1A RV of bringing the richness of Catholic Faith and of the great office that has been entrusted to CA' thought to the confusion of modern theories of him. The Papal office can be a lonely task, and life and religion. This delicate task was carried an immense weight, but the prayerful support out with courage, but also with great kindness of the Christian peoples and the assistance of and courtesy. the Holy Spirit bear this remarkable succession of men through all the turmoil the world has to Since becoming Pope Benedict XVI, he has direct at them. For our part, we can be thankful delighted the world with his beautiful writings that God has given us such a shepherd in our and speeches. He has continued the apostolic times, to help us all on our way to heaven. visits of his predecessor, but at a reduced rate. In encouraging Catholics to rediscover the beauties of their tradition and culture, Pope Benedict has given a powerful impulse to the rebirth of Catholicism in an increasingly secularist age. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION "The Pope, Bishop What aspect of the papacy struck of Rome and Peter's you most from this article? Pope John Paul II (1978-2005) appeared before an astonished world, fearless and inspiring, to successor, is the perpetual 2. Why is infallibility important for the bring new vigour to the Faith in the modern world. Church? As the first non-Italian Pope for 455 years, he and visible source and had known the grim cruelties of Nazi occupation 3. Which Pope of modern times has in his beloved Poland and had suffered under foundation of the unity helped you the most in your Christian a communist dictatorship which sought to life? exterminate religion. This and other influences both of the bishops and made him a great defender of the dignity of the of the whole company of 4. What are some ways we can help human person. He was relentless in his defence the Pope in his difficult mission of of human rights, especially in life and family the faithful: ccc 882 governing the Church? issues, which became such a pressing concern towards the end of the twentieth century. Pope John Paul brought the message of the Church to Astonishingly, for a man of the Pope's reserved the modern world in dramatically modern ways and quiet nature, the reaction of the world to Fr Anthony Robbie has a Licentiate through his addresses, his encouragement of him has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Greater crowds are turning out in Rome to see in Church History from the Pontifical reform movements in the Church and through Gregorian University in Rome. He his tireless apostolic visits, which took him all him than came to see Pope John Paul II. His writings are closely read, his speeches are lectures in Church History in various over the world. It was he who began World Youth r Days. When he died, millions travelled to Rome listened to and he is particularly popular with tertiary institutes and is Parish Priest of St for his funeral, which saw an unprecedented the young. His recent pastoral visit to the United Dominic's, Flemington, in Sydney. collection of world leaders in attendance to pay States was a resounding success where even him tribute. jaded commentators had to acknowledge the Photocopying Prohibited Published six times a year, INFORM is available from: INFORM - 50c per copy (minimum order: 10 copies per Locked Bag 888 Silverwater DC NSW 1811 issue) Single subscription $10 per year within Australia, 6 P (02) 9643 3660 F (02) 9643 3669 issues annually, or with the newsletter of the Catholic Adult Everyone knows that the Pope is the visible head of the Church. But what is the origin of the CA HOLIC Education Centre $15 per year. Single copy of every back E [email protected] ADULT EDUCATION CENTRE papacy, what powers does the Pope have, and who have been some of the great Ropes of history? tta T. issue of INFORM still in print - $40 per set. C I EDITOR Fr John Flade Fr Anthony Robbie answers these and many more questions. Front Image courtesy of Romantic Catholic. USA. SET 153 nii 1111F The Pope has full, direct and immediate power Catholics look upon the Pope as the head of the challenge for which the Lord had prepared Church on earth. We say "on earth' because the him. In the Acts of the Apostles we see him at head of the Church is, of course, Jesus Christ the forefront of the life of the early Church. He over the whole Church throughout the world... himself. After our Lord ascended into heaven, leads the apostles around, he performs the first he did not leave the little band of his followers miracles, he speaks on their behalf, he makes Nevertheless, his power is not unlimited and leaderless. He had already singled out one decisions for them, he is mentioned first in every of them and gave him a special dignity and a list of them in the New Testament. special commission. This was Simon Bar Jona, it is exercised in a spirit of service, as a good Right from the start he was exercising that role a fisherman of Galilee, a quite ordinary man in of leadership which has always characterised every respect. Simon had just confessed that the Popes. St Peter, like most of the apostles, shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep, Jesus was the Son of the living God" and Jesus spread the Faith far beyond the Holy Land. In his replied to him: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar case, he went not to another province, but to the or as the father of a family. Jona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this very heart and capital of the empire itself, Rome, to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell and there he established the Church, as its first Pope Pius XII you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my bishop. His successors in that role, inheriting his church, and the powers of death shall not prevail authority and the promise of Christ, have carried papacy, responding to the needs of the modern against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom PAPAL INSIGNIA joy of the crowd when it was announced that the on the same work in unbroken succession until Church had a Pope again, that the family had its world in fields such as education, social care of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall The Pope traditionally wears a white cassock the current day. father restored. and evangelisation. be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on or soutane. On his right hand he wears the earth shall be loosed in heaven"(Ml16:17-20). vr, fisherman's ring with which he seals documents. THE OFFICE OF A symbol of his authority, it evokes St Peter the THE POPES OF MODERN POPES begun by Pope St Gregory the Great at the end fisherman. Over his Mass vestments he wears PETER THE ROCK THE POPE of the sixth century, the Pope has the title of the pallium, a white woolen band around the HISTORY The Church in recent times has been blessed with a remarkable series of Popes who have This was an extraordinary grant of authority, There are very many bishops throughout "servant of the servants of God".
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