Pope Benedict RESIGNING

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Happy 92nd Birthday, Pope emeritus Benedict XVI!  

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-04/pope-francis-benedict-pope-emeritus-birthday-easter-greetings.html
Pope Francis visits Pope emeritus on eve of Benedict’s birthday
16 April 2019, 09:28

Pope Francis with Pope emeritus Benedict XVI
At the beginning of Holy Week, Pope Francis makes a special visit to the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to offer Easter greetings to the Pope emeritus, Benedict XVI.

The visit was announced by ad interim director of the Holy See Press Office, Alessandro Gisotti, who noted that the encounter also offered Pope Francis the opportunity, “with particular affection”, to wish Benedict a happy 92nd birthday.

Joseph Ratzinger was elected to the papacy in 2005 just three days after his 78th birthday, making him one of the oldest popes at the time of his election.
 
https://twitter.com/FatherRosica
Thomas Rosica Retweeted 
 Austen Ivereigh‏ @austeni · 9h 9 hours ago 
 
On his birthday, read Benedict XVI’s 2008 meditation in Notre Dame, “rising in the heart of the city as a living sign of God’s presence in our midst ... It is hard not to give thanks to the Creator of both matter and spirit for the beauty of this edifice”  http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2008/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20080912_parigi-vespri.html …

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https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2019/04/benedict-and-his-critics

Benedict and His Critics
by Gerhard Ludwig Müller
4 . 26 . 19

Pope Francis is happy with Benedict XVI’s profound analysis of the reasons behind the abuse crisis in the Church, and grateful to his predecessor for pointing out the conclusions those in positions of responsibility must draw. Benedict XVI has rich experience with these issues: from his ministry as a priest (since 1953), as a theology professor (1957), as a bishop (1976), as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Pope John Paul II (1981–2005), and as pope (2005–2013).

In the Church, the crucial instrument against sexual abuse is the Motu proprio Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela (2001). This law goes back to John Paul II and Joseph Ratzinger, proving that Benedict was and is the most important figure in the Church’s fight against this crisis. He has the widest view of and deepest insight into this problem, its causes and history. He is in a better position than all the blind who want to lead other blind people—not the truly blind on whom Jesus has mercy, but those he warns against because they see and yet do not want to see (cf. Lk 6:39; Mt 13.13).

At age 92, Benedict XVI is capable of deeper theological reflection than his critics, who lack respect and are ideologically blinded. He is able to get closer to the source of the fire that has set the Church's roof ablaze. The catastrophic fire in Paris, in one of Christendom's most venerable houses of God, also has a symbolic meaning: It makes us appreciate again the work of good firefighters, instead of blaming them for the water damage done in the course of extinguishing the flames. Rebuilding and renewing the whole Church can only succeed in Christ—if we get our bearings by the Church’s teaching on faith and morals.

The recent assembly of the heads of episcopal conferences in Rome (February 21–24, 2019) should have signaled the beginning of getting to the roots of the evil of abuse. Only if we get to these roots can the Church in Jesus regain credibility as the sacrament of redemption for the world, and again communicate the faith that brings salvation which unites us to God. Unfortunately, the practical conclusions drawn from this assembly have not yet been made public, so the U.S. Bishops’ Conference cannot yet put its suspended measures into practice.
 

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http://magister.blogautore.espresso.repubblica.it/2019/05/09/risen-%e2%80%9caccording-to-the-scriptures-%e2%80%9d-a-freshly-published-easter-homily-of-joseph-ratzinger/

09 mag
Risen “According To the Scriptures.” A Freshly Published Easter Homily of Joseph Ratzinger

After the sensational publication of his “notes” on the scandal of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, after the publication of his correspondence with the chief rabbi of Vienna, here comes in double time a new public statement of pope emeritus Benedict XVI, with the publication of twenty-five of his homilies, almost all of them issued for the first time.

Most of them date back to the 1970’s and ’80’s, the most recent is from 2003. They are grouped by liturgical season: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and finally ordinary time.

The publlication was edited by Pierluca Azzaro, who is also the author of the Italian translation of this and other works by Joseph Ratzinger.

The edition of the volume in Italian is the first to come out in bookstores, as of May 2, entrusted by the pope emeritus to the publisher Davide Cantagalli:

> Joseph Ratzinger/Benedetto XVI, “Per Amore,” edited by Pierluca Azzaro, Edizioni Cantagalli, Siena, 2019.

But there will soon follow the editions in English with Ignatius Press, in French with Parole et Silence, in Spanish with Herder España, in Portuguese with Principia, in German with Johannes Verlag, and then also in Croatian, Polish, Serbian.

Not only that. In September there will come out in bookstores - again starting in Italy - a second collection of newly published homilies by Ratzinger, entitled: “Sacramenti. Segni di Dio nel mondo,” this time edited by Elio Guerriero.

It should come as no surprise that pope emeritus Benedict is interested in publishing these texts. The many large volumes of his “opera omnia,” in an advanced phase of publication in several languages, is in fact missing the homilies, which however have a place of absolute prominence in Ratzinger’s life as theologian, bishop, cardinal, and pope. It is not a long shot to say that, like Pope Leo the Great, Pope Benedict too will go down in history for his homilies
 

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Hmmm...

https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2019/05/11/the-dubia-were-answered/

The Dubia Were Answered
Elizabeth A. Mitchell
Saturday, May 11, 2019

Perhaps it was because Notre-Dame de Paris was burning. Perhaps it was because the best place to hide something from view is in plain sight.  Or perhaps it was because we look for power in wind, earthquake, and fire, but miss the “still small voice” of God when He passes by. (1 Kgs 19:11-13)

Whatever the reason, the world watched, read, and missed the answers to the dubia proposed by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in his April essay, “The Church and the Scandal of Sexual Abuse.”

In offering a three-part response to the crisis in the Church, he indirectly answers the five dubia that Cardinals Brandmüller, Caffarra, Meisner, and Burke presented years ago to Pope Francis. The pope emeritus fulfilled a duty that Pope Francis has not, namely, to maintain the bishops and all the faithful in the unity of the Church’s constant teaching on faith and morals.

What did the pope emeritus say?  He gives the Church and the world an unequivocal No, Yes, Yes, Yes, and Yes. Five questions, five answers:

Dubium One: It is asked whether, following the affirmations of “Amoris Laetitia” (nn. 300-305), it has now become possible to grant absolution in the Sacrament of Penance and thus to admit to Holy Communion a person who, while bound by a valid marital bond, lives together with a different person “more uxorio” (in a marital way) without fulfilling the conditions provided for by “Familiaris Consortio” n. 84 and subsequently reaffirmed by “Reconciliatio et Paenitentia” n. 34 and “Sacramentum Caritatis” n. 29. Can the expression “in certain cases” found in note 351 (n. 305) of the exhortation “Amoris Laetitia” be applied to divorced persons who are in a new union and who continue to live “more uxorio”?

Benedict’s response: No.  “We run the risk of becoming masters of faith instead of being renewed and mastered by the Faith.  Let us consider this with regard to a central issue, the celebration of Holy Eucharist.  Our handling of the Eucharist can only arouse concern. . . .What predominates is not a new reverence for the presence of Christ’s death and resurrection, but a way of dealing with Him that destroys the greatness of the Mystery. . . .The Eucharist is devalued into a mere ceremonial gesture when it is taken for granted that courtesy requires Him to be offered at family celebrations or on occasions such as weddings and funerals to all those invited for family reasons. . . .t is rather obvious that we do not need another Church in our own design. Rather, what is required first and foremost is the renewal of the Faith in the Reality of Jesus Christ given to us in the Blessed Sacrament. . . .And we must do all we can to protect the gift of the Holy Eucharist from abuse.”
 

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http://magister.blogautore.espresso.repubblica.it/2019/05/20/cardinal-sarah-endorses-the-%e2%80%9cnotes%e2%80%9d-of-pope-benedict-%e2%80%9cmartyr-for-the-truth%e2%80%9d/

di Sandro Magister
20 mag
Cardinal Sarah Endorses the “Notes” of Pope Benedict, “Martyr For the Truth”

Cardinal Robert Sarah took everyone by surprise on the evening of May 14 in Rome, in the auditorium of the cultural center of the church of St. Louis of the French, when everyone was expecting him to present his latest book, entitled “Le soir approche et déjà le jour baisse,” on the Church’s crisis of faith and the decline of the West.

Because instead, the cardinal said right away, “this evening I will not talk about this book at all.” And the reason - he explained - is that “the fundamental ideas that I develop in it were illustrated, presented, and demonstrated brilliantly last April by Pope Benedict XVI in the ‘notes’ that he had composed in view of the summit of the presidents of the episcopal conferences on sexual abuse convened in Rome by Pope Francis from February 21 to 24.”

Cardinal Sarah continued:

“His reflection has revealed itself to be a true source of light in the night of faith that touches the whole Church. It has prompted reactions that at times have bordered on intellectual hysteria. I have felt personally struck by the wretchedness and coarseness of several comments. We must be convinced that once again the theologian Ratzinger, whose stature is that of a true father and doctor of the Church, has seen correctly and has touched the deepest heart of the Church’s crisis.
 

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Photos at rhe link

https://cruxnow.com/church-in-uk-and-ireland/2019/06/14/the-pope-brings-drama-of-benedict-and-francis-to-stage/

“The Pope” brings drama of Benedict and Francis to stage
Charles Collins   Jun 14, 2019

NORTHAMPTON, United Kingdom - In 2013, the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the subsequent election of Pope Francis shocked the world, and the contrast in styles between the two men just added to the drama.

The story seems perfect for the stage: The German former doctrinal chief and the Argentinian Jesuit bishop of the slums, each representing competing visions of the Church.

It’s finally happened. “The Pope” opened June 8 at the Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton, England, and runs until June 22.

New Zealand’s Anthony McCarten seems perfect for the job of bringing the two popes to “life” on stage. Three of the last five Best Actor Oscars have gone to men playing historical figures in films written by McCarten: Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking in 2014’s “The Theory of Everything”; Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill in 2017’s “Darkest Hour”; and Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in last year’s megahit “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
 
McCarten has not finished with “The Pope.” He wrote a book called The Pope: Francis, Benedict, and the Decision That Shook the World, released earlier this year. “The Pope” will also be a film- based on the book, not the play - starring Anthony Hopkins as Benedict and Jonathan Pryce as Francis scheduled for release on Netflix later this year.

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vatican-quashes-rumors-of-benedict-xvi-stroke-32364

Vatican quashes rumors of Benedict XVI stroke

Vatican City, Jun 18, 2019 / 11:01 am (CNA).- Pope Benedict XVI is not dead and did not recently suffer a stroke, the Vatican confirmed on Tuesday.

On Monday, rumors circulated on Twitter and other social media platforms that the Pope Emeritus had suffered a “mild ischemia” - a kind of stroke.

“The rumours are false,” Alessandro Gisotti, director ad interim of the Press Office of the Holy See, confirmed to the Catholic Herald on Tuesday.

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, Benedict’s personal secretary, called the rumors “fake news,” Edward Pentin reported on Twitter.
 

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/benedict-xvi-the-churchs-unity-is-stronger-than-internal-conflicts-39329

Benedict XVI: The Church’s unity is stronger than internal conflicts
By Courtney Grogan

Vatican City, Jun 28, 2019 / 04:51 am (CNA).- Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said in an article published Friday that the unity of the Church has always prevailed over internal struggles and affirmed that there is currently only one pope.

“The Pope is one, it is Francis,” Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said in an interview with an Italian magazine published by Corriere Della Sera June 28.

“The unity of the Church has always been in danger, for centuries,” Benedict said. “It has been for all its history. Wars, internal conflicts, centrifugal forces, threats of schisms.”

“In the end the awareness that the Church is and must remain united has always prevailed. Its unity has always been stronger than internal struggles and wars,” the pope emeritus explained.

Italian journalist Massimo Franco interviewed Benedict XVI in the Vatican gardens on the feast of Corpus Cristi June 23, but only published a few direct quotes in his five-page magazine article about the meeting.
 
“Italy has always been a beautiful country, but a bit chaotic,” Benedict said softly and slowly, according to Franco, who noted that 92 year-old former pontiff showed “an enviable speed of thought.”

June 29 will mark the 68th ordination anniversary of Pope Benedict, then Joseph Ratzinger, to the priesthood. The pope emeritus plans to spend the summer peacefully with the usual visit of his brother Georg and few private meetings with guests for breakfast or lunch, according to ACI Stampa.
____________

Photo at the link below--
https://twitter.com/roccopalmo

Rocco Palmo Retweeted 
Vatican News‏Verified account @VaticanNews · Jun 27 
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is seen in the Vatican Gardens, in a recent photo published by the Italian newspaper, Corriere della Sera

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https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/benedict-xvi-asserts-francis-is-pope-in-new-interview
Fri Jun 28, 2019 - 8:46 pm EST
Benedict XVI asserts Francis is pope in new interview
 
VATICAN CITY, June 29, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) — Concerned for Church unity, the pope emeritus, Benedict XVI, has stated in a new interview that Pope Francis is the only pope.

Massimo Franco, a reporter for Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper, published an Italian-language interview with Benedict XVI that was conducted in the Vatican gardens. According to the Catholic News Agency (CNA), the pope emeritus, 92, asserted that Pope Francis is the only Roman pontiff.

“The Pope is one; [he] is Francis,” he is reported to have said.
 

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Photo at the link

https://twitter.com/EdwardPentin?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Edward Pentin Retweeted 
U.S. in Holy See‏Verified account @USinHolySee · 6h 6 hours ago 
Ambassador @CallyGingrich and Speaker @NewtGingrich were deeply honored to have a private audience with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in Vatican City. #USHolySee35

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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2019-07/pope-emeritus-benedict-xvi-summer-residence-visit-castelli.html

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI visits papal summer residence near Rome
26 July 2019, 14:18

A file photo of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI in the apostolic gardens in Castel Gandolfo
Pope emeritus Benedict XVI makes an afternoon visit to the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, praying the rosary in its beautiful gardens.
By Devin Watkins

He passed many a summer evening in the quiet and relative cool of the gardens behind the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo during his time on the Chair of Peter.

On Thursday evening, Pope emeritus Benedict XVI relived those peaceful moments with a quick trip to the Alban Hills outside Rome.

Prayerful evening stroll and supper

According to the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, the Pope emeritus stopped off first at the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo to pray the Rosary while strolling through its spacious gardens.

Benedict XVI spent most of his summers as Pope in the papal residence there, enjoying the area’s slightly cooler temperatures compared to the sweltering heat in central Rome.

He would usually stay for the months of July and August, holding the Sunday Angelus prayer in the square in front of the palace.

After his Thursday evening walk, the Pope emeritus stopped off at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sandstone in nearby Rocca di Papa.

Then he had dinner at with Bishop Raffaello Martinelli at the bishop’s residence in Frascati.

It was precisely Bishop Martinelli who had invited the Pope emeritus for supper.
 
https://zenit.org/articles/benedict-xvi-makes-excursion-from-vatican-to-visit-old-papal-retreat-of-castel-gandolfo/
Benedict XVI Makes Excursion from Vatican to Visit Old Papal Retreat of Castel Gandolfo 
Pope Emeritus Welcomed Invitation to Spend Afternoon and Evening in Castelli Romani
July 26, 2019 12:51•Deborah Castellano Lubov

https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2019/07/26/benedict-xvi-takes-short-trip-outside-vatican-visits-towns-outside-rome/
Benedict XVI takes short trip outside Vatican, visits towns outside Rome
Claire Giangravè   Jul 26, 2019

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/amid-jpii-institute-controversy-benedict-xvi-meets-with-recently-dismissed-professor-12168

Amid JPII Institute controversy, Benedict XVI meets with recently dismissed professor

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI met Aug 1 with Msgr Livio Melina of the JPII Institute. Credit: Courtesy photo (Use restricted to CNA))

Vatican City, Aug 5, 2019 / 01:08 am (CNA).- Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI met last week with a recently dismissed professor of moral theology at Rome’s Pontifical John Paul II Institute, amid ongoing controversy regarding recent changes to the Institute.

Benedict XVI invited Monsignor Livio Melina to meet with him in on Aug. 1, a source close to Melina told CNA.

The pope emeritus “wanted to receive Prof. Mons. Livio Melina at a private audience. After a long discussion of the recent events at the Pontifical Institute John Paul II, he granted his blessing, expressing his personal solidarity and assuring him of his closeness in prayer.”
 
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/jpii-institute-profs-dismissed-for-interpreting-francis-in-line-with-tradition-former-president-speaks-out
Mon Aug 5, 2019 - 12:03 pm EST
JPII Institute profs dismissed for interpreting Francis in line with Tradition? Former president speaks out
Diane Montagna

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https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/benedict-responds-to-criticism-of-his-essay-on-the-church-and-the-sexual-abuse-crisis-51446

Benedict XVI responds to criticism of his essay on the Church and the sexual abuse crisis
By Anian Christoph Wimmer

Vatican City, Aug 27, 2019 / 08:49 am (CNA).- Pope emeritus Benedict XVI has responded to criticism of his essay on the abuse crisis, saying many negative reactions have confirmed his central thesis that apostasy and alienation from the Faith are at the heart of the crisis – by not even mentioning God in their critique of his essay.

In a brief statement in reaction to such criticism published in German magazine “Herder Korrespondenz,” the former pope pointed to a “general deficit” in the reactions to his essay, saying that many critical responses missed the very point he was making.

in April by Catholic News Agency, the National Catholic Register, and in the original German by CNA Deutsch as well as other media, Benedict’s essay described the impact of the sexual revolution as well as – independent from it – a collapse of moral theology in the 1960’s, before suggesting how the Church should respond by recognizing that “only obedience and love for our Lord Jesus Christ can point the way.”

Reactions to the essay have been particularly strong in Germany, where insiders say the former pope, a native Bavarian, has long been subject to sustained criticism from certain quarters.

Benedict cited the example of a critical response to his essay from a German professor of history, pointing out that while the professor’s response was four pages long, “the word God does not appear [once],” even though apostasy was the central claim of the scholar’s argument.

Such a critique of his essay thus "shows the seriousness of a situation, in which the word ‘God’ in theology even seems to be marginalized.”
 
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/full-text-of-benedict-xvi-the-church-and-the-scandal-of-sexual-abuse-59639
Full text of Benedict XVI essay: 'The Church and the scandal of sexual abuse'

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Video at the link

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/two-popes-teaser-trailer-anthony-hopkins-as-pope-benedict-xvi-1235378

Anthony Hopkins Confronts Successor Over Criticism in 'The Two Popes' Teaser Trailer
11:29 AM PDT 8/29/2019  by  Katherine Schaffstall

Sidney Cole, Lisandro Fiks and Maria Ucedo round out the cast of the Fernando Meirelles-directed film.

Netflix released the teaser trailer for The Two Popes on Thursday.

The Fernando Meirelles film follows Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce), who requests permission from Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) to retire in 2012 after becoming frustrated with the direction of the church. Pope Benedict instead summons his harshest critic and future successor to Rome to reveal a secret that shakes the foundation of the Catholic Church. Once at the Vatican, the two very different men confront elements from their pasts in order to find common ground and forge a future for their followers around the world.

Sidney Cole, Lisandro Fiks and Maria Ucedo round out the cast.

The trailer opens with Pope Benedict XVI playing the piano for Cardinal Bergoglio, who ultimately becomes Pope Francis. The men discuss The Beatles and while Benedict says that he is familiar with the band, he mistakes their song "Eleanor Rigby" for a person.
 
The film's world premiere will take place at the Telluride Film Festival. The Two Popes will be in select theaters on Nov. 27 before it's added to the streaming service on Dec. 20.

Hmmm...came across the following article from 2013:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/the-pope/9931030/Pope-Francis-run-in-with-Benedict-XVI-over-the-Prophet-Mohammed.html
Pope Francis' run-in with Benedict XVI over the Prophet Mohammed
Pope Francis came close to losing his position within the Catholic Church after he criticised his predecessor seven years ago.
By Alasdair Baverstock
10:11AM GMT 15 Mar 2013

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Update:  First reviews for "The Two Popes"

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2019/09/the-first-reviews-are-in-for-the-two-popes/

The first reviews are in for ‘The Two Popes’
September 2, 2019 by Deacon Greg Kandra

The movie premiered at the Telluride Film Festival this weekend. One review calls it, in its headline, “A charming buddy movie about the future of the Catholic Church.”

Make of that what you will.

Without offering a complete review, the Bible of Hollywood, Variety, did report on the premiere and noted the movie was greeted warmly with both laughter and tears:

Little did the audience at the world premiere of “The Two Popes” know that the papal two-hander is actually very funny.

No, it’s not a comedy, but the jokes and ribbing between Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins) and the future pope, Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce), played well in the packed Chuck Jones’ Cinema, as did hearing Abba’s “Dancing Queen” played over footage of the College of Cardinals making its way into the Vatican for the Papal election.

In other words, director Fernando Meirelles’ film, inspired by Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to resign and subsequent transfer of power to the more progressive Cardinal Bergoglio, is not a straight drama. Although the film did earn the audience’s admiration, and some sniffles toward its end.

“I’m feeling that there’s something out of place in the world,” [Meirelles] said, before praising Pope Francis for “building bridges” during a time when certain leaders (he didn’t name names) are more interested in dividing people with “physical walls, economic walls and technical walls.”

Written by Oscar-nominated “Darkest Hour” screenwriter Anthony McCarten, Meirelles said, “This film is about tolerance and learning to listen to one another.”

From The Hollywood Reporter: