You think any of Benedict's moral fiber rubbed off on Rowan?
Posted on 04/25/2005 6:00:12 AM PDT by JustaCowgirl
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Grinning and cracking jokes, Pope Benedict on Monday shed the stress of his election and inauguration for a jubilant audience with several thousand fellow Germans at the Vatican.
The 78-year-old Bavarian seemed almost overcome by joy and stagefright as he strode down the aisle of the Paul VI audience hall waving to the crowds amid flashing cameras and pilgrims straining to shake his hand or kiss his ring.
A shy man thrust into the limelight by his election last Tuesday, he drew laughter and applause when he apologised for arriving late from an inter-religious meeting.
"Germans are known for being punctual -- it seems I've become a bit of an Italian," he joked.
He also recounted with a sly smile that he had begged God not to make him Pope as successive ballots in the secret conclave showed it was likely that "the guillotine would fall" on him.
"God clearly didn't listen to me," he remarked with a sigh.
The former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger celebrated his inaugural Mass on St. Peter's Square on Sunday in Latin and Italian according to Vatican protocol, disappointing some of the many thousands of Germans who had come specially for the day.
STILL A BAVARIAN
Remarking on all the Bavarian flags he saw in the audience hall, he reassured them he had kept his roots despite 23-1/2 years working as the Vatican's doctrinal authority in Rome.
"I've stayed a Bavarian, even as Bishop of Rome," he said.
The crowds loved it. "He was less hard then before," said Rolf Croisier, a Latin teacher from Freiburg who took 75 students to the audience. "He was good, making jokes."
Earlier on Monday, Benedict held a more formal meeting with leaders of other religions who had attended his inauguration.
Renewing calls made from the start of his papacy, he urged other Christian churches to work with him for unity. He also mentioned Muslims for the first time, praising dialogue with them as a valuable contribution to true peace in the world.
Later on Monday, the Pope was due to pay homage at the tomb of St. Paul the Apostle in the southern suburbs of Rome.
The pilgrimage to the 4th century Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls will be the first time the new Pontiff has made an official foray outside the tiny Vatican City state since his election on April 19.
APPEAL TO YOUTH
Benedict entered last week's conclave as one of the presumer frontrunners, but he told the Germans:
"As slowly the balloting showed me that, so to speak, the guillotine would fall on me, I got quite dizzy. I had thought I had done my life's work and could now hope for a peaceful end of my days.
"So with deep conviction, I told the Lord: 'Don't do this to me! You have younger and better men, who can do this work with a very different verve and strength'. In this situation ... the Lord clearly did not listen to me."
At the same time, he said another cardinal slipped him a note reminding him that, in his sermon at John Paul's funeral, he had quoted Jesus Christ telling St. Peter -- the first pope -- to follow him.
"Remember what you preached and don't refuse," he quoted the cardinal as telling him. After a well-timed delay, he added: "So in the end, I had no choice but to say yes."
Benedict assured youths in the audience he would attend the World Youth Day Catholic jamboree scheduled for August in Cologne, Germany.
In an apparent reference to his reputation as a stern defender of Catholic orthodoxy before becoming Pope, he then asked for their trust.
"I appeal for your indulgence if I make mistakes, like any person does, or if some things that the Pope has to say and do on the basis of his conscience or the conscience of the Church seem hard to understand."
oh yeah, you are also leaving out, in the case of Benedict XVI, why he asked to retire to Baveria three times in the past 15 years. Last time was pretty recent, too. Kind of undermines the credibility of the NYPost article.
"Every Cardinal, when he first arrives in Rome, no doubt dreams that the Holy Spirit might well one day chose to work through him, were he to be elevated to the Papacy.."
That's certainly possible. He did keep Cardinal Ratzinger in essentially the number two position for many years knowing that Ratzinger wanted to return to Germany. A well-respected priest I know said that among him and his priest friends it was clear that among the cardinals Ratzinger was head and shoulders above the rest. They also thought, like many of us, that he had no chance of being elected Pope.
Some information about his thoughts during the conclave.
It's a shame how people project their own behaviors or motivators on other people. The piece about how Benedict campaigned was just another example of that. Benedict says what he means about the faith, loving it, respecting it, and living it, and people say he is politicking.
People are responding to him not because of his politicking, but because of how well he reflects Christ.
>> [S]ounds like the new Pope had help from Karl Rove... <<
Hehe. Have you seen the DU rantings?
"It's like Bush dying after four terms and finding out the new President is Karl Rove."
And yes, it IS all Bush's fault! Dozens of posters have ranted about how Bush did it.
If there wasn't so much evidence to the contrary one could, if one wasn't inclined to look at facts or evidence, be swept up in the projections and wishes of the uninformed.
It's also difficult to attribute characteristics which you don't have yourself (and therefore, are suspect or unknown to you) onto other people.
In this photo made available by the Vatican daily L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI, center, greets Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill, left, a senior representative of the Russian Orthodox Church, during a meeting in the Sala Clementina at the Vatican, Monday, April 25, 2005. Benedict told ecumenical leaders on Monday that he fully supported the need to work toward uniting Christians divided by schism. (AP Photo/Osservatore Romano)
Wouldn't you have loved to be a fly on the wall at this meeting!
Pell is quite impressive.
---It's also difficult to attribute characteristics which you don't have yourself (and therefore, are suspect or unknown to you) onto other people.---
Tells you a lot about the complainers and accusers!
"or if some things that the Pope has to say and do on the basis of his conscience or the conscience of the Church seem hard to understand.""
This is an unusually open statement, I assume it refers to the fact he is now a politician/statesman in his role and will be required to say things inconsistent with his personal views or things he has done or said in the past, as his obligations have changed dramatically.
Oh, yeah. I also would've loved to have been a fly on the wall in Frank's office when Benedict walked out onto the balcony last Tuesday.
It's on LOUD in the other room, think this is the second or third time I've seen it.. I love Cardinal Pell and I noticed in one fast shot of the balcony where all the bishops stood when the new Benedict XVI, he was standing there smiling along with Cardinal George of Chicago.
I also like Joan 'what's her name' and I love Fr. Neuhaus.
For all his boyish looks, Raymond Arroyo is excellent at what he does. I hope he stays at EWTN.
Ditto:
"The more I read about him the more I love him! Benedict XVI is a wonderful choice. God has smiled on His church."
Let us keep this holy man in our prayers. His beautiful homilies show that he can defend our Faith through gentle persuasion and brilliant reason.
Doncha just love this guy?
YES, I DO!
You are right, JaC. It IS a very CLEVER tagline. I noticed it days ago, but didn't take the time to mention it.
Thanks!
"or if some things that the Pope has to say and do on the basis of his conscience or the conscience of the Church seem hard to understand.""
This is an unusually open statement, I assume it refers to the fact he is now a politician/statesman in his role and will be required to say things inconsistent with his personal views or things he has done or said in the past, as his obligations have changed dramatically.
__________________________________________
That might be what he meant by that statement. I took it to mean that he was telling them that they should not turn away from the church or from him if they personally disagree with some specific position held by him or by the church.
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