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FAQ: PPOPEOPE BBENEDICTENEDICT XVIXVI

POPE BENEDICT XVI AND THE UNITED STATES

Why is he coming to the United States? Benedict is coming to the United States April 15-20, 2008, to address the United Nations as well as to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the elevation of the of Baltimore from diocese to archdiocese and the creation of the of New York, Boston, Bardstown, and Philadelphia.

What sites will he visit while he is in the U.S.? The Holy is expected to visit the House (John Paul II was the only other pope to visit the ), the of the National Shrine of the , Nationals Ballpark in Washington, The University of America, the United Nations, St. ’s in Manhattan, St. Patrick’s , St. Joseph in Yonkers, Ground Zero in Manhattan, and .

Why did he choose to visit New York and Washington, D.C.? The pope focused his itinerary on those two cities because of the presence of the United Nations in New York and the fact that Washington, D.C., is the nation’s capital.

What is he expected to say to the United Nations? The pope probably will focus on several key themes in his U.N. address. First, he will confirm the irreplaceable role of the United Nations. He will likely note also the need for security and stability, intercultural and inter-religious dialogue, and respect for the greatness and dignity of the human person. Likewise, the will no doubt also use his speech to advance his teaching on . What else will he talk about while in the United States? One goal of his visit will be to invite fallen-away Catholics back to the Church. In addition, on April 17, he will address the importance of during a gathering with the heads of the more than 200 Catholic colleges and universities on the campus of The Catholic University of America. That same evening, he will discuss interreligious dialogue with representatives of the nation’s Buddhists, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindi, , and other at a prayer service to be held in the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, near Catholic University.

Will he meet with President Bush? Yes. The pontiff is expected to be greeted by President Bush and Mrs. Bush upon his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base on April 16, the pope’s 81st birthday. Later that morning, he will meet them again on the South Lawn of the White House, followed by a private meeting. This will be their second meeting. President Bush visited the Vatican in June 2007.

Who will accompany him on this trip? The pope will be accompanied by members of his personal staff. He will also be joined by the Vatican , Cardinal , and other high-ranking Vatican . He will be met at the airport by his personal representative to the United States, the apostolic , .

Aside from his upcoming trip to the United States, what other countries has Pope Benedict visited? The pope has made seven trips outside since his : • 2005: Cologne, (), August 18-21. • 2006: , May 25-28; , , July 8-9; , Germany, September 9-14; Turkey, November 28-December 1. • 2007: Brazil, May 9-14; Austria, September 7-9.

How many Catholics are in the United States? There are approximately 67.5 million Catholics in the United States, comprising 23% of the total U.S. population.

How do I contact or write the pope? Pope Benedict XVI State, 00120 Italy

The papal e-mail address is [email protected]. WHO IS BENEDICT XVI? Pope Benedict XVI is the leader of the , which has more than 1.2 billion members around the world. He is the 265th pope and the 54th non-Italian pope. The oldest pope in three centuries, he was 78 years old when elected.

When was he elected? Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger succeeded Pope John Paul II on , 2005.

Who chose him? Cardinals have elected the pope since 1059. According to rules dating back to 1274, during a papal election, the cardinals are locked into the and can have no contact with the outside world until the voting is complete. The exact vote counts are secret, the ballots are burned, and the cardinals are forbidden to reveal the vote results. Pope Benedict was elected by 115 members of the Sacred from all over the world who were under the age of 80. The cardinals began voting on April 18, 2005. Cardinal Ratzinger was elected the next afternoon, after four ballots.

Why did he take the name Benedict? Cardinal Ratzinger took the name Benedict in honor of Pope Benedict XV, an advocate of peace during , and St. , who helped to resurrect civilization in after the collapse of the .

What is the pope’s ? Many people misunderstand the responsibilities of a pope, thinking that he is a figure who unilaterally dictates what Catholics must do and believe. This is not so. The Catholic is a gift from Christ through the . The pope functions as the head of the , to work in unity with them to teach, lead, and sanctify — to safeguard what has been handed down, not invent new ideas.

The Lord made St. the visible foundation of his Church. He entrusted the keys of the Church to him. The of the Church of , successor to St. Peter, is “head of the , the and of the universal Church on ” (CIC, can. 331). — From the of the Catholic Church, #936.

What is his background? Joseph Alois Ratzinger was born on April 16, 1927, in the little Bavarian village of am Inn. He was ordained a Catholic priest on June 29, 1951, and went on to earn a in theology from the University of Munich in 1953. He became a professor of theology in 1959 at the , and was soon one of the most well-known theologians in Germany. From 1962 to 1965, he was a theological advisor to the . In 1977, he was appointed Archbishop of Munich and by Pope Paul VI; later that year, he was named a cardinal. His , , is also a priest. What did he do before he was elected? Joseph Ratzinger was the most senior member of the Sacred College of Cardinals, the highest ruling body of the Catholic Church, as well as head of the Catholic Church’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican office that safeguards the teachings of the Catholic faith.

How many languages does he speak? Aside from his native German, Benedict XVI speaks Italian, French, English, Spanish, Dutch, and fluently. He also has some knowledge of Portuguese and can read and biblical Hebrew.

What does he have on his coat-of-arms? The pope’s has three main symbols: a Moor wearing a , a shell, and a bear with a pack on its back. The Moor was the symbol of the of Munich and Freising for over 1,000 years; the scallop shell has long been used as the emblem of ; the bear with a backpack is a symbol from the legend of Freising’s patron, St. . The story goes that Corbinian met a bear that attacked the horse carrying the ’s baggage. To punish the bear, Corbinian forced it to carry his pack all the way to Rome.

Does he actually wear shoes? Yes, the pope wears red leather loafers with white socks. The papal shoes are the work of the pope’s personal shoemaker — not Prada, as was first reported.

What does the pope enjoy doing for relaxation? When he was younger, he enjoyed hiking in the and Dolomite mountains. The pope is very fond of reading and playing the piano. He particularly appreciates Mozart and Beethoven. He is fond of local Bavarian specialties such as Weisswurst and Bavarian sausages, and has always enjoyed Christmas cookies as well as Fanta soda.

How can I learn more about Pope Benedict and his for the Church? Since his election, Pope Benedict has written several major documents including (“God is ”) and (“Saved by Hope”), and recent books The Apostles, Questions and Answers, and the best-selling of , which has been translated into 32 languages.

Did he write any books before becoming pope? He wrote more than 40 books, including God of Jesus Christ; A Turning Point for Europe?: The Church in the Modern World — Assessment and Forecast Principles of Christian ; Behold the Pierced One; Principles of : Building Stones for a Fundamental Theology; Called to Communion: Understanding the Church Today; and Introduction to . Many of his books remain classics and are used as textbooks.