BENEDICT YEAR-ENDER: A FRENCH VIEW
The Vatican correspondent of La Croix, an online French Catholic newspaper,
contributes this evaluation. Isabelle de Gaulmyn was assigned to the Vatican shortly after
Benedict became Pope, and has generally been positive in her reporting about him.
But as Beatrice in the French section points out, she seems to parrot the usual suspects
in asserting that Benedict has not done much in the past 8 tmonths! Here is a translation -
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A Pope of silence
In eight months, the new Pope has imposed his style, which is also a certain concept
of the role of the Bishop of Rome. His prudense so far disappoints those who expected
a rapid change in the manner of government at the Vatican.
By Isabelle de Gaulmyn
“Let us learn from the silence of Joseph.”
This invitation made by the Pope at the Angelus of the last Sunday in Advent on December 18
could well apply to the Pope himself. In the past eight months, Joseph Ratzinger, who is now
Benedict XVI, has succeeded in imposing on the Vatican a veritable regime of silence.
At the risk of disappointing those who, in vain at the moment, are waiting for
a significant sign of the new Pontificate’s orientation.
Of course, it was necessary that after those days in April - when the majority of the
cardinals themselves acknowledged having been overcome by the emotions aroused throughout
the world by the death of John-Paul II – for calm to come back within the Bernini colonnades.
Likewise, one can see in this silence – as journalist and Vatican historian Giancarlo Zizola suggests –
a way for Benedict to assert a “gentle discontinuity” at the highest level of church leadership
to distinguishes him from his predecessor.
Initially ill at ease with crowds – “In Cologne, he had to be reminded all the time
to greet the youth,” says one Vatican source [
This is absurd! – he knew he was there
for WYD – who else was he going to greet during all those public open-air events?] –
the Pope is now visibly more relaxed. And it is no longer rare to see him interject
a funny or informal remark during his Angelus messages. However,
he does not seem to seek out these public “performances.”
So, the Pope no longer presides himself at beatification ceremonies. Benedict has
curtailed the lengthy post-audience greetings, and he avoids, whenever possible,
having to receive VIP groups. For his first Christmas, he limited himself
to the midnight Mass and to the Urbi et Orbi blessing.
“The pope is no longer the only celebrant in the Church,” rejoices a member of the Curia.
As for his written output, he announced during his interview with Polish television
in October, that it would be significantly less than his predecessor’s.
The papal travels are another measure. Even if the planned visit to Turkey
had not been postponed, his only foreign trip in 2005 was to Cologne.
In Italy, he has not left Rome except to go to Bari. [
Was he not in Les Combes
and Castel Gandolfo? Did he not visit the shrine at Mentorella?] He has said he will travel less.
His age is certainly a factor.
But this more modest concept of the papal function also indicates an ecclesial vision:
the wish to find a dimension more appropriate to the role of the Bishop of Rome
in the universal Church.
Finally, silence too as far as those who are around him. No one really knows the Pope’s intentions.
There’s an anecdote claiming that to a cardinal who had come to present his resignation
because of age, the Pope simply said, “Thank you,” and walked him out, without further explanation.
Benedict XVI is a man who, although he listens a lot, also decides by himself.
And for the moment,has done little. In eight months, only four personnel changes.
After he had named Mgr. William Levada the new Prefect of the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith in May, the next important appointment was not made till December 1,
with a new papal theologian, the Polish Dominican Wojciech Giertych.
In November, he replaced the secretary of the Congregation for the Divine Cult and
Sacramental Discipline, Mgr. Domenico Sorrentino (appointed Bishop of Assisi), with
the Sri Lankan Albert Malcolm Ranjith; and in October, he entrusted a layman –
Alberto Gasbarri, who had been technical director of Radio Vatican - to replace
Mgr. Renato Boccardo as coordinator of papal trips.
But the Vatican’s politics and diplomacy remain in the hands of two men chosen by John Paul II –
Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, and the secretary for relations with other states,
Mgr. Giovanni Lajolo.
Benedict XVI’s silence fills St. Peter’s Square.
The rhythm of the Church is not that of (lay) politics. Nevertheless, in the first 8 months
(of their respective Papacies), John XXIII had called a council and John-Paul II
had promulgated his first encyclical. Thus, some disappointment.
A ranking member of the Curia complains that the Curia continues within
the same incoherence that marked the last years of the preceding Papacy –
overlapping services, a lack of coordination. No one has a precise idea of
what he ought to be doing…”
But if he speaks rarely, this Pope speaks strongly. Less about diplomatic questions,
about which he has held back, but on social questions (ethical and political).
On a wider scale, he has been weaving, in the course of his Angelus messages,
through messages for certain events or occasions, and in some
addresses and homilies –
a vision of man and his relationship to truth.
The texts for Cologne, the message for the World Day of Peace, or for the opening of
the academic year at Catholic University, are dense and demanding. In a world
which he considers to be rudderless,and against the temptations of relativism, Benedict XVI
advocates truth based on Christ, whose centrality in the Church he does not cease to remind us.
The strongest gesture Benedict XVI has made since he became Pope is (to re-introduce)
the Eucharistic Adoration, which he “imposed” on the Bishops in the middle of their Synod –
an hour of
silent prayer in fromt of the Holy Sacrament, surrounded by cardinals and bishops
from around the world – the image was uncommon.
“The Pope prefers to convince rather than seduce,” a cardinal remarked.
This demand is not off-putting. On the contrary. It is not the least paradoxical that
this regime of silence is attracting the faithful more and more. (At least) 20000
pilgrims come to the Wednesday audiences – an influx never seen during his predecessor’s years.
Benedict XVI’s silence fills up St. Peter’s Square.
The Pope's projects for 2006
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The first encyclical
The Pope is said to have signed it December 8 or December 25 [
Vatican spokesman
Joaquin Navarro-Valls said Dec. 25]. Entitled “God is love”, the encyclical centers
on the gift that God made to man through Christ. Thus, not a “program of government”
but yet another reminder from the Pope of the centrailty of Christ, of the Son of God
come to earth. “For him, the mystery of Salvation is essential to Christianity, and
it should be kept in presentations about God,” one cardinal remarks.
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The reorganization of the Curia
Some refer to a large overall plan which will also allow the abolition of services
that have become useless. Even without getting there, some changes are required
in the Curia, if only because of age. But for the moment, the Pope has chosen to keep on
Cardinal Agnelo Sodano, 78, as Secretary of State.
One also awaits with interest this Pope’s first consistory, in which he has a chance
to place his personal touch on the College of cardinals through the bishops
he chooses to elevate to cardinal.
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Ecumenism
This is one of his priorities. There is progress with the orthodox churches,
and since Benedict’s election, relations with Moscow have become more relaxed.
The International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches
will convene in Serbia in 2006, after 6 years of interruption. The work will focus on
synodality and primacy within the Church. And if the dialogue with pProtestants is less advanced,
the Pope has been meeting Methodist, Anglican and Lutheran leaders.
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The Judeo-Christian dialog
”It is perhaps the first time that a Pope shows himself as sensitive to relations
with the Jews,” an observer has noted. Benedict has not missed occasions for meetings:
the synagogue in Cologne,receiving the Grand Rabbis, the international Jewish committee,
the president of Israel. It appears the Pope wishes to proceed to a theological dialog,
even if today, relations are darkened by continuing disagreement over the status
of the Catholic Church in the Holy land.
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Asia
Even if there is slow progress, an accord with China no longer seems impossible.
Peking welcomed the election of Benedict XVIU but prohibited 4 Chinese bishops from going
to the Synod. And just as Rome has given assurances that it has no problem abolishing
the nunciature in Taiwan, the bishops named by the “official” church in Peking also now
have quasi-official recognition by the Holy See. Less spectacularly, Vietnam too
is on the way to normalizing relations with the Vatican. At the end of November, 57 priests
were ordained in Hanoi by Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe as the Pope’s special envoy.
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The trips
Although not one trip has so far been officially announced by the Vatican, the Pope
will at least be going to Poland in the spring and to Bavaria in September.
He may also go to Spain in July for the World Meeting of Families in Valencia.
And Istanbul remains a fond wish for the Pope.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 31/12/2005 9.11]