Bavaria mourns Joseph Ratzinger: What remains of Pope Benedict

Created: 01/01/2023 20:12

By: Claudia Möllers

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

(95) died on December 31, 2022 in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery in the Vatican.

© ETTORE FERRARI/dpa

In Bavaria, mourning for the late Pope Benedict XVI.

great.

After the initial enthusiasm for the German pope, the later years of his pontificate were marked by problems and scandals within the church.

A comment by Claudia Möllers.

Benedict XVI

was longer a "papa emeritus" as acting head of the Catholic Church.

And that is also the tragedy of a great theologian who had long since retired and wanted to write as a scholar when the cardinals elected him pope in 2005.

At the beginning of his pontificate, Joseph Ratzinger was still able to experience the enthusiasm of the German Catholics that was shown to him during his visits to Bavaria in 2005 and especially in 2006.

The "We are Pope" enthusiasm was followed by an ambivalent relationship with continued admiration from his admirers and growing disillusionment from his critics.

The German Pope has made the Petrine ministry more human

The later years of his pontificate were marked by problems within the Church, the glitch surrounding the lifting of the excommunication of the Lefebvre bishops - including a Holocaust denier - financial and administrative scandals in the Vatican and last but not least the greatest shadow cast on the Church and its Life's work fell: the abuse scandals.

Benedict XVI

has given his church profound writings.

His reflections on the relationship between reason and faith remain groundbreaking.

Joseph Ratzinger will live on as a brilliant theologian.

In dark times for him, he showed the greatness to step down when he realized he would not have the strength to make the changes needed in the church.

The German Pope has made the Petrine ministry more human.

The burden of office is greater than ever.

In times of secularization and individualization, a pope has to change the church - and at the same time hold it together across continents.

Benedict's resignation grounded the papacy without diminishing its importance.

Nevertheless, the ten years with "two popes" were a challenge.

An emeritus must be more clearly distinguishable from the incumbent pope.

Down to the clothes – there will never be two men in white in the Vatican again.

Pope Francis has it in his hands.

On the one hand, he can now "govern" a little more easily.

On the other hand, the 86-year-old Jesuit, who is in poor health, can also consider the option of resigning and setting new standards as emeritus.

Claudia Moellers