The passing of the former Cardinal Ratzinger is worthy of mention. Benedict was appreciated by many Catholic faithful because he adhered to an orthodox, traditional view of Catholicism and Christian faith. In fact, he enabled the Latin Mass to be celebrated in many places once again, which many Catholics appreciated.
As someone who was raised Catholic, I share many evangelicals’ disagreements with Catholicism. A major breakthrough took place, however, with Pope John Paul II who conceded in his teachings– perhaps for the first time in the modern Catholic Church– that salvation is by faith, not works. Benedict did not reverse that finding.
I am not sure I entirely understand the circumstances that led to his resignation at age 85. But his replacement– Francis– has been absolutely disastrous.
Readers might find interesting the fact that he was German, had come of age during Hitler’s reign and served in the military before deserting. A Wikipedia entry describes his life at that time.
At least he did this….albeit not so robustly
Pope denounces American societal mores
17/04/2008
Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday berated US bishops for their poor handling of the child sex scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic church, but laid part of the blame on the breakdown of values in US society.
Benedict told a gathering of bishops they had “sometimes very badly handled” the decades-old problem of pedophile priests. But he urged efforts “to address the sin of abuse within the wider context of sexual mores.”
“What does it mean to speak of child protection when pornography and violence can be viewed in so many homes through media widely available today?” the pontiff said on the first full day of his US visit.
Instead, he suggested as a remedy an urgent reassessment of “the values underpinning society.”
Describing clerics who sexually abuse children as “gravely immoral,” the octogenarian pope warned that the scourge of pedophilia “is found not only in your dioceses but in every sector of society.”
“It calls for a determined, collective response,” he said, but did not outline any firm action that the Vatican intended to take to purge the church of pedophile priests.
Instead, he had measured praised for the efforts made so far by the US church to heal the wounds left by the scandal.
“Your efforts to heal and protect are bearing great fruit,” he told the bishops.
“If they are to achieve their full purpose, however, the programs you have adopted need to be placed in a wider context,” the pope said, urging church leaders to join with parents, teachers, and the media to protect children.
“Children deserve to grow up with a healthy understanding of sexuality and its proper place in human relationships,” the pope said in a speech delivered after evening prayer in the crypt of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
“They should be spared the degrading manifestations and the crude manipulation of sexuality so prevalent today.”
The US church was plunged into the worst crisis in its 200-year history in 2002 when the Archbishop of Boston confessed he had protected a priest who had sexually abused young members of his church.
After the scandal blew up, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops drafted a charter for the protection of children and has issued an annual report outlining progress made in implementing the plan.
Last year, 689 new allegations of abuse were lodged, and the church paid out 615 million dollars (400 million euros) to settle child sex abuse cases involving members of the clergy — 54 percent more than the previous year — the annual progress report said.
Victim support groups and activists accuse bishops of covering up for predator priests or, worse, of sexually molesting children themselves, and have called for firm action from the Vatican against all abusers.
In his speech Wednesday, the pope did not outline any concrete steps that would be taken, but urged the bishops to give more guidance to priests, who “have experienced shame over what has occurred.”
Fred, the man was right. Of course, the prevalence of homosexuality within the Catholic priesthood is an issue that nobody wanted to discuss. To confront this head-on would have required a major collision with the seminaries and the like.
If priests were allowed to marry, then they would have a more healthy and moral outlet for any sexual drive they might have. But Benedict opposed allowing priests to marry, which would have changed the entire “business model” of the church that relied upon clergy being paid very little.