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A Further Perspective
Let Us Return to Prayer
How will Benedict XVI be remembered?
When I first heard that Pope Benedict XVI had announced his plans to resign, I made a pledge to avoid all media for the duration. I knew all too well what to expect: juvenile headlines, inaccurate reporting and most dreadful of all, the interviews with what I call “ethnic” Catholics: those who do not follow the precepts of the Church and rarely go to Mass, yet feel eminently qualified to be interviewed by the New York Times merely because they were born into the Faith.
But I also knew that as a faithful Catholic and a writer, it was my regrettable duty to open the newspapers and turn on the TV to see if anything had changed since the last Papal Interregnum. And predictably, nothing had, although there seems to be a different mood among those once again tasked to cover an entity they know little or nothing about and whose mission and methods they so truly despise.
After the death of John Paul II, they seemed gleeful, hoping that the next pope would be one with whom they would “agree.” After all, he started out as a great story for them; he was a novelty; a young Pole on the throne of St. Peter after so many years of aged Italians. Maybe he would be the one who would bring the Church more in line with modern ways.
But the honeymoon ended quickly when John Paul not only upheld the age-old teachings of the Church — as every pope must do — he, along with fellow media bogeymen Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, effectively ended the rule of terror of the USSR. No, John Paul was not the man they thought he would be, but perhaps the next pope would.
But once again media hopes were dashed with the election of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger: the dreaded “Panzer Pope” and the uber-evil “German Shepard.” All true men of Christian faith are despised by the world because they are not of the world, but Benedict particularly rankled because they could not assail him with their usual imprecations of “incuriosity” and “small-mindedness,” because his towering intellect was all too apparent.
So, as the end of his papacy approaches, how will Benedict XVI be remembered by his adversaries? Will it be for the long-awaited and much cherished Moto Proprio, where he “normalized” the extraordinary form of the Mass in Latin, the official language of the Roman Church? Or when he similarly sought to close the windows opened by the media’s reportage of the Second Vatican Council, by ordering the reform of the English translation of the ordinary form of the Mass, which restored its deeper and more beautiful meaning?
How about his scholarly putdown of Islam at Regensburg, where he challenged not only Muslims, but all people to understand that faith and reason are not exclusive of, but critical to, each other? Maybe it will be when he visited the U.S. and offered his apology for the priest sex-abuse scandal but also mentioned society and the media’s contributions to the moral decay that puts all children at risk.
Will it be the fraternal correction of some American nuns who blatantly defy Church teaching and are therefore lovingly and constantly cited by the liberal press? Of course, the overwhelming majority of nuns who are faithful run afoul of the media; like Mother Teresa who lectured the world on the tragedy of abortion when she received her Nobel Peace Prize. In contrast to the dying breed of rebellious sisters of the 1960s hippie generation, there are thousands of young religious, both men and women, eager to live up to their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Which brings us to the real legacy of Pope Benedict XVI.
It was thought that the so-called JP2 wave of young converts would die out with the passing of John Paul II, but the truth is, it continues apace. If John Paul appealed to their hearts, Benedict also challenged their minds; taking ancient phrases like “Deus caritas est” and making their eternal meaning, “God is love,” understandable and real to them. At World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid Benedict exhorted two million young people to “Share with others the joy of your faith. The world needs the witness of your faith, it surely needs God.”
His last profound example of humble witness as the Servant of the Servants of God was well on display at his final public Mass last week at St. Peter’s Basilica. Typically, after enduring what must have seemed to him a tortuous three minutes of applause following comments by his close friend, Cardinal Bertone, near the end of the Mass, he gave a shy smile and simply said, “Thank you. Let us return to prayer.”
Photo: UPI
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Derek Leaberry| 2.21.13 @ 7:09AM
Pope Benedict XVI is a fine man and may have done the best he could with a church degraded by Vatican Two, homosexual infiltration of the clergy, and terrible leadership, especially that of Pope Paul VI. Much like a battleship, an organization as large as the Roman Catholic church is difficult to turn around and Benedict only got his chance late in life and only for a few years.
Yet he accomplished so little. The banal Novus Ordo Mass remains, a Mass closer to liberalism and Protestantism than historic Catholicism. Eucharistic ministers, including women, remain at altar along with girl altarboys. Communion in the hand remains. Most churchgoers attend wearing clothes best worn for picnics. Most of the music is terrible. Most sermons are short and more similar to Jay Leno's opening monologue than a true instruction of Catholic doctrine. Benedict did virtually nothing to reform the Novus Ordo Mass perhaps because it is beyond reform. It is not a Mass that 1900 years of priests would recognize.
And the Latin Mass- the true Mass- is still relegated to the back of the Catholic bus and, in truth, a majority of bishops and priests despise it.
Jack in Wi| 2.21.13 @ 7:51AM
The Latin Mass is not the only true mass. The mass has always been said in several languages and rites. The present Tridentine Mass only goes back to the 16th century. Pope Benedict has restored that so why keep crabbing about it. It is a beautiful mass but hardly the only one.
JP| 2.21.13 @ 11:45AM
The Mass was always said in Latin. Yet, during the period 1100-1600, there were several sects within the Church that for various reasons "nationalized" the Mass. Much of the discord of the Reformation has been overstated in that there was much discord already (see Slovakia, many of the Scandanavian and North German Dioceses before Luther). The Council of Trent only put onto paper what was always considered the norm. Hence the Trinentine Rite.
dominic1955| 2.21.13 @ 5:29PM
The Mass is much larger than the Roman Rite. None of the Eastern Rite Masses are said in Latin yet they are just as Catholic as any other and of the same vintage as the Traditional Roman Rite. Add to that the fact that the Roman Rite itself was said in Greek and Glagolitic long before Vatican II.
The Mass codified at Trent was indeed in the very same vein as the Roman Rite had been before Trent and in this way was nothing like the NO, which is neo-Roman at best.
C. Vernon Crisler | 2.21.13 @ 7:52AM
As a Protestant, I can say the same thing about Protestant churches -- the music is usually terrible and the sermons -- well, it would be nice if they were short considering how vapid they are. I'm not familiar with the NO Mass, but if it's close to today's Protestantism, I feel your pain.
Ryan| 2.21.13 @ 9:23AM
That's why I like attending churches where the preaching is expositional rather than topical. Usually makes for better sermons and covering more difficult matters that the text presents.
PJ| 2.21.13 @ 9:42AM
Benedict did everything that was needed to reform the Novus Ordo Mass. It's now up to the 100s of bishops to make sure their 1000s of priests are celebrating it correctly.
BTW, the Extraorinary Form of the Latin Rite is here to stay.
Some hope for you to hold on to: The Latin Mass is attracting many young people who will 1 day influence the bishops (if you know what I mean!).
KyMouse| 2.22.13 @ 8:09AM
KAL Flight 007 left Alaska on course on Aug. 31, 1983, but eventually strayed into Soviet air space, with fatal results. That’s analogous to what has happened to Roman Catholicism over time: It still proclaims several essentials of Christianity (e.g. Jesus’ deity), but errors have multiplied until it’s dangerously off course.
The question of authority is crucial – the Bible claims to be authoritative in matters of faith and practice (e.g. Acts 17:11, II Tim. 3:14-16); but in 1545, the Catholic Church decreed that its traditions are equal to Scripture (and in effect, are superior to it – when the Bible and Catholic teaching differ, which do Catholics follow?)...
KyMouse| 2.22.13 @ 8:11AM
...Catholicism denies the essential Christian doctrine of justification exclusively through faith in Jesus. Catholicism teaches that it dispenses God’s graces; but the Bible says that sinners receive grace and forgiveness directly, through faith in Jesus, our only mediator (Ephesians 2:8-9, I Tim. 2:5, Heb. 4:16). Catholicism says that Jesus’ death did not pay for all of the believer’s sins, but the Bible insists that His sacrifice on the cross was all-sufficient (Heb. 7:27).
Is Mary “co-redeemer,” with power to save Catholics (“No matter how sinful one may have been, if he has devotion to Mary, it is impossible that he be lost” – St. Hilary of Poitiers)? The Bible makes no such claims: Mary appears last in Scripture simply as a member of a prayer group (Acts 1:14).
Even the requirement to lie prostrate before popes is against Scripture – the apostle Peter and an angel of God forbade mortals to do so before anyone but God (Acts 10:25-26, Rev. 22:8-9).
Tradition has a place, but never above Scripture (John 10:35). When the Bible and Catholic teaching differ, which do you obey – and why?
Appleby| 2.21.13 @ 7:11AM
I was at the Atlanta airport in one of those Air Canada Delays, waiting for my plane and the declaration that "habemus Papa" and fortunately my flight was delayed long enough to allow me to see the announcement -- and the total meltdown of two Lesbian businesswomen sitting across from me in the gate area in reaction thereto. They informed the world in strident, bellowing voices that they had been in Atlanta for a convention of Lesbian Businesswomen and that they were horrified and dismayed by the election of a Pope who (gasp!) upheld the tenets of the Catholic Church and would not, as they had prayed, forge ahead with female priests, abortion and homosexual marriage. I restrained myself from asking them if they'd heard of the Episcopal church, which has embraced all three and is riding that handcart right down the slippery slope. I just sat there and said a thanknful prayer for the new Pope and reflected that once again, God proved that You Can't Make This Stuff Up. I'd be delighted if the Holy Spirit chose Cardinal Timothy Dolan as the next Pope and all the Usual Suspects would explode.
Jack in Wi| 2.21.13 @ 7:38AM
Appleby: Lisa Fabrizio has written a fine essay. Cardinal Dolan used to be my archbishop. I met him at 2 prolife events. At one of them is was an all day affair, with only a few people. I got to talk to him. He said Mass for us at the seminary. I think he is a fine and dedicated priest, and terrific communicator. There is a big buzz in Italy about him as the next Pope according to a headline on Drudge. I doubt if it will happen. But you are right. Their heads would explode.
PJ| 2.21.13 @ 8:18AM
Sorry Jack, Dolan will not be the next pope. (I'll eat my words if I'm wrong.) I don't consider him to be a good administrator which is what the Curia needs right now. We have enough written material from the last to popes that should keep the theologians busy studying for a lifetime or 2.
Yet I heard also that Bertone is "politicking" for Dolan. How interesting is that!
SUBVET| 2.21.13 @ 10:15AM
Appleby...........a true catholic would have reached out to these two.....don't forget it's our job to spread the WORD.
John II| 2.21.13 @ 10:35AM
Nice story, Appie. But there won't be any explosions--just a gradual thinning out and eventual extinction of the Progressive dinosaur.
I've been teaching at an HCU (Historically Catholic University, gone secular) for nearly 40 years now. When I started, three years before the advent of JPII, the place was already on a steep slippery slope; today it still calls itself "Catholic," for which it could be sued for false advertisement if anyone cared.
But no one does. Including me. According to a poll of "attitudes" taken on campus some years ago, fewer than 20 percent of the faculty profess any belief whatever in any transcendent order. I wasn't surprised, and I don't care anymore.
My wife and I made other arrangements for our own kids' college education, they're all grown and happily married, and we already have 10 grandchildren living in the Faith. My own conversion to the Catholic thing many years ago was partly driven by my slowly acquired historical sense that, if the Church were merely a human institution, she would have collapsed and disappeared within the first three or four hundred years of her existence. The whole affair to this day remains humanly improbable.
And all the trouble we've witnessed in my lifetime is just another passing glitch.
John II| 2.21.13 @ 10:36AM
Oh, and one more thought: I think it's very likely that, within another half century or so, the Church will be driven underground by a toxic mixture of aggressive Western secularism and encroaching Islamic jihadism (the two dispositions have a lot in common, if you think about it), but the Church will survive.
Silver Bullet| 2.21.13 @ 11:06AM
I second your thoughts.
I half-jokingly tell people that it's the "job" of the Church to be crucified, over and over; and that if we aren't being crucified by the world and hated by it, we aren't doing our "job." We are the Body of Christ in history.
People ask how Jesus would be received in today's world? Why, exactly as He was 2000 years ago -- with incredulity, willful disbelief, hostility, mockery, and -- ultimately -- crucifixion (or whatever method of torture/execution you choose).
By the way, there are Christians in Africa who to this day are literally crucified by Muslims. You have to dig through the news to find this out, because the so-called "media" in the USA will never tell us what goes on over there.
These days, too, we will never hear the truth about how the Church is persecuted in the Western World, including the USA, with its supposed freedom of religion. (Or, as Obama deliberately misconstrues this right, freedom of "worship" -- so long as you don't actually put a cross -- gasp! -- onto the outside of your "worship space."
JP| 2.21.13 @ 11:51AM
Pope JPII once wrote that the natural state of the Church is doing persecution (or, as you sad "crucifiction). The entire idea of purgatory is one of purgation (ridding ourselves of our attachment to Sin). And the only renewel is through Christ. We cannot identify with the Risen Christ because we ourselfves haven't yet died. Therefore, it is to the Cross and the Crucified Christ that we must look to.
And while we do not suffer like the Christians in Niger (at the hands of Muslims), we can at least try to fight temptation and offer up those little "sufferings" to Christ. Saint Therese of Liseux wrote much about the Little Way.
Occam's Tool| 2.22.13 @ 12:00AM
JP: I fear it's going to get much worse for Christians soon. The next 20 years or so are going to be very unpleasant, however much isolationists like the Ronulans want to ignore it.
Occam's Tool| 2.21.13 @ 11:58PM
Yes, JohnII, and a lot of the reason that Islam will triumph is because of Catholics like Wisconsin Jack. Quite sad, really.
My declining years will be "interesting" ones. We will not see essentially boring years like the Gingrich decade for quite some time to come; I figure another 30 years at least. Boredom is good.
David T| 2.21.13 @ 11:21AM
Benedict XVI was a great and humble man. His relatively short pontificate will leave a lasting mark on the Catholic Church and Christianity in general. The Holy Spirit, of course, will pick his successor, but it's always fun to speculate. The top three choices right now appear to be Cardinals Ouellet of Canada, Cardinal Scola of Milan, and Cardinal Turkson of Ghana, any one of whom would make a fine Pope. Cardinal Arinze, alas, at 80, is too old, even by papal standards. Cardinal Dolan, an American, stands no chance. Cardinal Bergoglio of Argentina, runner-up last time to Cardinal Ratzinger, Cardinal Schoenborn of Austria, and Cardinal Carrera of Mexico are dark horses.
homme nike air max BW | 2.22.13 @ 2:41AM
And predictably, nothing had, although there seems to be a different mood among those once again tasked to cover an entity they know little or nothing about and whose mission and methods they so truly despise.