Scholars say German professor-pope stands the test of time writes Maria Wiering Beginning well before he was elected pope in 2005, Pope Benedict XVI made substantial contributions to theology and Catholic thought through his prolific writing, academic lectures and long-form interviews, say scholars who study his work. In the wake of his death, Benedict has been…
Fr John Harris OP During the last week I have been remembering the times I met with Cardinal Ratzinger when I was studying in Rome. I never met him after his election as pope. Back in November 1993 I wrote a letter to an Irish national newspaper, when an article in that paper had described…
Carol Glatz/OSV Pope Benedict XVI “spread and testified to” the Gospel his entire life, Pope Francis told tens of thousands of people gathered January 5 for his predecessor’s funeral Mass. “Like the women at the tomb, we too have come with the fragrance of gratitude and the balm of hope, in order to show him…
Joy and Hope “Know that God will never abandon you. Turn your eyes to him often. He gave his life for you on the cross because he loves you. Contemplation of this great love brings a hope and joy to our hearts that nothing can destroy. Christians can never be sad, for they have met…
My spiritual testament When, at this late hour of my life, I look back on the decades I have wandered through, I see first of all how much reason I have to give thanks. Above all, I thank God himself, the giver of all good gifts, who has given me life and guided me through…
In an age when so many seek safety in groupthink, Pope Benedict was never afraid to offer a contrasting point of view, writes Prof. Francis Campbell There is an image I will always recall when I think of Benedict XVI. It was a side view of him as he spoke. Beyond him, watching him intently,…
A Nigerian bishop has denounced “a deliberate plan to unleash evil” on Christian villagers following reports that dozens of people were killed in a violent attack December 18 in Kaduna State. “The motivation for these attacks as far as we know is that it’s a deliberate plan to unleash evil and to terrify our people…
The president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, once again attacked the Catholic Church in the Central American country, accusing it of “calling for bloodshed,” and said, “I never had respect for the bishops.” The Sandinista dictator made the statement December 19 during the 25th commencement for graduates in police sciences from the Walter Mendoza Martínez Police…
Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila called it irresponsible and a “flat out lie” for The Denver Post daily newspaper and some other local media to scapegoat Catholic teaching on human sexuality as contributing to hatred against transgender people and the wider LGBTQ community that led to a mass shooting at a Colorado gay bar. He made…
In the long run, Pope Benedict will be remembered as one of the greatest theologians of the modern period, writes Fr D. Vincent Twomey SVD As doctoral student of Joseph Ratzinger from 1971 to 1978, it was my privilege to come to know one of the greatest theologians of our time. Like most of his…