It was in the midst of Benedict XVIs papacy that the Church sex abuse scandal reached its height. At that time, many believed that how he dealt with it would also dictate how he would be remembered by posterity. Then, at 85 years of age, he resigned. The first Pope to do so in nearly 600 years. And, suddenly, the narrative changed. His unexpected announcement broke with centuries of tradition and shocked the world, but it also paved the way for his immediate successor...
FR. FEDERICO LOMBARDI SJ
Former Vatican spokesperson
(At that age) he could do almost nothing of what is expected of a Pope. He couldn't travel, or preside over public celebrations, or hold long meetings, or make complex decisions. It's clear he did the right thing, the most reasonable thing before God and humanity.
Doing “the right thing”, at such a challenging time, wasn't always easy for Pope Benedict XVI. Aside from dealing with the growing sex abuse crisis, he had to contend with the infamous “Vati-leaks” scandal, a high-profile breach of security that involved the stealing, and subsequent publishing, of secret Vatican documents.
Still, when it came to confronting the abuse scandal, he demonstrated explemplary courage and resolve. Not only did he openly acknowledge the extent and horror of the issue, he changed canonical laws to ensure these crimes would be prosecuted. Under his watch, nearly 400 predator priests were defrocked in just two years. The inquiries into abuse that he ordered led to the resignation of several bishops. And, what is less well known, is the number of times he met personally and privately with victims of clerical abuse.
What is also less well remembered is the key role he played during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II when he was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. Apart from being one of the Pope's closest advisors, as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he oversaw the completion of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which was published in 2005.
Pope BenedictXVI will always be remembered as a highly-respected biblical scholar and prolific writer of over 60 books. His series of publications on Jesus of Nazareth continue to be best-sellers. Their brilliant analysis of the person of Jesus, introduces readers to a deeper understanding of Christianity. His writings on the relationship between science and faith are studied in numerous translations around the world. And his 3 encyclicals, “God is Love”, “In Hope We are Saved”, and “Charity in Truth” are considered masterpieces in their own right.
This is how his successor, Pope Francis has described him:
POPE FRANCIS
A theologian who was able to open and nourish his reflection and his cultural dialogue towards all these directions together, because faith and the Church live in our time and are friends of every search for truth. I am speaking of Joseph Ratzinger.
“Searching for truth” was at the center Joseph Ratzinger's life: as a priest, bishop, and Pope. His tireless teaching and example will forever be an insipration to the rest of us... to do the same.
SP
