His Holiness Benedict XVI Will Be a Monk and Pray for the Church He Loves

By Deacon Keith Fournier
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Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

His Holiness Benedict XVI will give us a prophetic witness of monastic life right within the Vatican.

Monks are a seed of the great renewals of the Catholic Church. It is no accident he took the name Benedict. He had just returned from that retreat at Subiaco, the cave where St. Benedict spent three years in prayer. In a General Audience on April 29, 2008 he called Benedict the Patron of His Pontificate. It is no accident he will keep the name Benedict. He will live a monastic vocation right within the heart of the Vatican. How fitting. How prophetic. How beautiful.

Benedict in prayer

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Vatican City (Catholic Online) - With the voluntary resignation of a Pope who placed the good of the Church he loves before himself we will soon have our first Pope Emeritus. Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., the director of the Holy See Press Office, announced the title at a Press Conference. He also advised that upon his leaving the papal office he will be referred to as His Holiness, Benedict XVI. He will not wear the ring of Peter and will dress in a simple white cassock.

His choice of the name Benedict was an early sign of how he viewed his pontificate. One of the young priests who commented on his election noted that then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger visited Subiaco before the events in Rome began. He prayed and rededicated himself to the Lord and His Church. Benedict the monk helped to rebuild the Church of his age and spread the influence of Christendom. Pope Benedict XVI laid the seeds for a similar work in the Third millennium during his pontificate.

I remember these words from his first homily: "Dear Ones, this intimate recognition for a gift of divine mercy prevails in my heart in spite of everything. I consider this a grace obtained for me by my venerated predecessor, John Paul II. It seems I can feel his strong hand squeezing mine; I seem to see his smiling eyes and listen to his words, addressed to me especially at this moment: 'Do not be afraid!'

He emphasized the work of authentic ecumenism proclaiming: "Thus, in full awareness and at the beginning of his ministry in the Church of Rome that Peter bathed with his blood, the current Successor assumes as his primary commitment that of working tirelessly towards the reconstitution of the full and visible unity of all Christ's followers. This is his ambition, this is his compelling duty."

He told us he was, "a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord". He certainly was. Very little fanfare accompanied his resignation. That is because he knows it is not about him. His humble manner reveals the holy heart of a man given over to the Lord. He is a counter cultural symbol in this age of narcissism and self love.

Pope Benedict XVI's work is not over. He has been a rebuilder of foundations. He will go down in history as one of the great popes. His teaching Magisterium will be unpacked for years to come. He dealt with the need for a purification of the Church. Indications are that the groundwork he laid will inform the agenda of his successor.

He is a theologian of the highest order who is able to communicate with simplicity and beauty because he is a man of deep prayer. He will continue to offer his gifts of teaching and writing as he enters into a life of prayer in his own Subiaco, the monastic enclosure in the Vatican. There he will spend the next chapter in contemplative prayer for the Church he loves.

On February 14, Scott Hahn wrote a beautiful article entitled Benedict Will Still Be There for Us Scott drew an interesting connection from a little noticed action taken by Benedict several years ago: "On April 29, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI did something rather striking, but that went largely unnoticed. He stopped at the town of L'Aquila, which had been struck recently with a bad earthquake, and visited the tomb of an obscure medieval pope named St. Celestine V (1215-1296).But the Pope did much more than say a brief perfunctory prayer.

"Without a word of explanation, after several minutes of prayer, he removed his pallium from around his shoulders and placed it gently on Celestine's glass-encased tomb. A pallium is a sacred garment, like a long, stiff scarf, which happens to be the primary symbol of the pope's episcopal authority as bishop of Rome. And he left it atop Celestine's tomb."

"Fifteen months later, on July 4, 2010, Benedict went out of his way again, this time to visit and pray in the cathedral of Sulmona, near Rome, before the relics of this same saint, Pope Celestine V. Few people, however, noticed at the time. Only now, we may be gaining a better understanding of what it meant. Both acts were more than pious gestures. More likely, they were profound and symbolic actions of a very personal nature, which conveyed a message that a pope can hardly deliver any other way."

"In the year 1294, this man (Father Pietro Angelerio), known by all as a devout and holy priest, was elected pope, somewhat against his will, shortly before his 80th birthday. (Ratzinger was 78 when he was elected pope in 2005.) Just five months later, after issuing a formal decree allowing popes to resign (or abdicate, like other rulers), Pope Celestine V exercised that right. And now Pope Benedict XVI has chosen to follow in the footsteps of this ...

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1 - 8 of 8 Comments

rafaelmarie
2 months ago
@:)JMJ+

I just read this letter from St. Catherine on another thread and thought it would be good to add to this discussion.

"He is insane who rises or acts contrary to this Vicar who holds the keys of the blood of Christ crucified. Even if he was a demon incarnate, I should not raise my head against him, but always grovel and ask for the blood out of mercy. And don’t pay attention to what the demon proposes to you and you propose under the color of virtue, that is to say to want to do justice against evil pastors regarding their fault. Don’t trust the demon: don’t try to do justice about what does not concern you.

God wants neither you nor anyone else to set themselves up as a righter of the wrongs of His ministers. He reserves judgment to Himself, and He reserves it to His Vicar; and if the Vicar does not do justice, we should wait for the punishment and correction on the part of the sovereign judge, God Eternal." (Letters, Vol. I. Letter No. 28).

"He left you this sweet key of obedience; for as you know He left His vicar, the Christ, on earth, whom you are all obliged to obey until death, and whoever is outside His obedience is in a state of damnation" (Dialogue, Treatise on Obedience)

"For divine obedience never prevents us from obedience to the Holy Father: nay, the more perfect the one, the more perfect is the other. And we ought always to be subject to his commands and obedient unto death. However indiscreet obedience to him might seem, and however it should deprive us of mental peace and consolation, we ought to obey; and I consider that to do the opposite is a great imperfection, and deceit of the devil." (Letter to Brother Antonio of Nizza)

THE PRIESTHOOD IS A MASTERPIECE OF
CHRIST'S DIVINE LOVE, WISDOM AND POWER

NEVER ATTACK A PRIEST

"Jesus, Mary, I love You, Save Souls."
CRITICISM OF PRIESTS

Our Lord's revelations to Mutter Vogel

"One should NEVER attack a priest, even when he's in error, rather one should pray and do penance that I'll grant him My grace again. He alone fully represents Me, even when he doesn't live after My example!" (page 29, Mutter Vogel's Worldwide Love, St. Grignion Publishing House, Altoting, South Germany (29. 6. 1929)).

When a Priest falls we should extend him a helping hand THROUGH PRAYER AND NOT THROUGH ATTACKS! "I myself will be his judge, NO ONE BUT I!" "Whoever voices judgment over a priest has voiced it over Me; child, never let a Priest be attacked, take up his defense." (Feast of Christ the King 1937) "Child, Never judge your confessor, rather pray much for him and offer every Thursday, through the hands of My blessed Mother, Holy Communion (for Him) (18.6. 1939)&nsp; "Never again accept an out-of-the-way word about a Priest, and speak no unkind word (about them) EVEN IF IT WERE TRUE! Every Priest is My Vicar and My heart will be sickened and insulted because of it! If you hear a judgment (against a Priest) pray a Hail Mary." (28. 6. 1939)

"If you see a Priest who celebrates the Holy Mass unworthily then say nothing about him, rather tell it to Me alone! I stand beside him on the altar!" "Oh pray much for My priests, that they'll love purity above all, that they'll celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with pure hands and heart. Certainly the Holy Sacrifice is one and the same even when it is celebrated by an unworthy priest, but the graces called down upon the people is not the same!" (28. 2. 1938)

Mary. Queen of the Clergy, pray for them.

I WILL HAVE TO CONFESS...

YES, I'VE BEEN CRITICAL OF OUR BELOVED HOLY FATHER, POPE BENEDICT XVI.

AND IF I'VE BEEN GUILTY OF A GRIEVOUS SIN, MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON MY DECREPIT SOUL.

I WILL GO TO CONFESSION TO MAKE SURE THAT I AM FORGIVEN OF MY SIN, IF I DID SIN.

PRAY FOR ME.

I ONLY WANTED TO PRESENT MY THOUGHTS ON WHY I DISAGREED WITH HIS ABDICATION.

GOD BLESS.
:)JMJ+
2 months ago
How dare all of you call our Holy Father a deserter??
Or insinuate that he was bribed??
He is the successor of PETER, who was appointed by Jesus Christ!
Our Lord instituted the Church, and gave us the Holy Spirit to lead us.
The infallible and indestructible one, holy, catholic, and APOSTOLIC Church appointed Pope Benedict as pope.
And this holy man, who has been pope for 8 years, finally decides, as a quiet and unassuming man by nature, that he will withdraw due to health problems.
He is NOT 'abandoning' the Church. The world has been corrupted, and while there may be corrupted, sinful, and weak humans that participate in the Church, it will never crumble like the rest of the world.
Although our wonderful Holy Father will be missed, it is better for him to retire, if he feels called, as pope who is endowed with special gifts of the Holy Spirit, to do so.
Therefore, not one of us should even THINK about accusing Pope Benedict as 'deserting us.'
He is doing what he feels called to do by the Holy Spirit.
Besides, even if we are saddened by his leaving, we are NEVER allowed to criticize priests, bishops, cardinals, archbishops, popes, deacons...all the clergy of the Church are never supposed to be criticized. Our Lord stated specifically that in a vision to Mutter Vogel. (If you own a Pieta prayer book, it is page 34. If you do not, I recommend you buy one, they are fabulous.)
Please do not attack our Pope with unkind lies and accusations. I am sure that the Church will once again be lead by the Holy Spirit to make a decision that is beneficial to all.
God bless you!
:)JMJ+
judy gray
2 months ago
Let It Be. I cannot understand why some are writing a thesis as a comment to this article. In times of trial, war, etc., one does not send the elders out into the melee. I think Pope Benedict soon to be a monk, was wise, brilliant and humble at the same time to make this decision. Sorry but the times have changed dramatically in the last seven years. This is not the first time a pope has resigned. Stop trying to dig up anything off the top of your head.
michael
2 months ago
The good Holy Father spoke about heading up Mt. Thabor to pray for the Church as a "monk." Sorry, dear Papa, but you go up Calvary first. When St. Peter wanted to build tents and camp out on top of Thabor, our Lord told him the others to head back down. Such glory is not experienced without the Cross. Pope Benedict...you are abandoning the flock. No pope has ever left the Church under such circumstances. You told us there were wolves, then why are you fleeing? There are stories of problems with homosexuality in the Vatican....are you fleeing when there is great need for stability? Are you being blackmailed? Pope's don't retire. Why will you still be wearing white and keeping the name Benedict and maintaining the title of bishop of Rome emeritus? This is a disaster. The captain goes down with the ship and the pope stays with the Church as she enters a passion.
Tom McGuire
2 months ago
Great article on the role of Monks and particular the role of Benedictine tradition in the Church. More emphasis on the Kerygma in your articles and less attacks and negative statements will go a long way in inviting people to choose the Way of Jesus Christ.

Cardinal Donald Wuerl said it so well in an interview with the National Catholic Reporter:
"Engaging secularism is going to be the major challenge. I think that is going to mean a return to a very basic kerygma. We sometimes get so caught up in one or another aspect of the teaching, we forget that if a person hasn’t been introduced to Christ, if a person hasn’t embraced the risen Lord and the church that’s an expression of that experience, what we’re saying just sounds like a bunch of rules or negative statements limiting their personal freedom. We have to get back to that core kerygma."
Paul-Emile Leray
2 months ago
1. Fides et ratio.
2. Mustard seed (humility)
3. A humble faithful reasoned genius willingly parallelling the mustard seed?
4. I sense the best is yet to come. Sometimes God writes straight with crooked lines, to human perception?
5. When I am weak, I am strong. Interestingly, this goes well with the mustard seed.
6. On the ocean floor, the waters are silent; on the surface lots of noise. I see parallels
with non discursive prayer and discursive prayer, not to state that discursive prayer is noise but sometimes less is more. After the tree has grown many branches, perhaps all those branches need to be placed together to form a bamboo nicely pruned pointing to the heavens while rooted down on earth? (in proper soil)
7. Notice who the press secretary is.
8. Notice who the superior general of the order that this press secretary belongs to is.
9. Humble great men. (if only secular media could see reality instead of sensationalizing so many things)
10. Peace and harmony are possible. Contemplation in action, possible. A cow in mid-afternoon seems rather docile to humans as it chews while seemingly half asleep. And yet, it gives fruit in the form of milk twice a day. True? True. Sometimes going slow is going fast. Sometimes going fast, to human perception, results in nothing but one great big collision to then never move again!
11. Up, down, side to side, forward and backward looking ahead by looking back into the dark abysm of time and his-story, linear, lateral, circular; while God writes straight with seemingly crooked lines.
12. On the one hand, plan your work; on the other hand, tell God your plans and he might laugh. All of the above. No plan results in often nothing. Yet, God often takes our blueprints and shreds them since after all the will of God or the will of man is the stronger? When I look at and observe a volcano erupting or an earthquake, or again a meteorite falling from the sky, or once again a tsunami; yet again, planets existing in perfect unity and harmony suspended in space I have full clarity in seeing the difference between God's will and human will power. If human will is so strong, let us all then escape death and put existence into existence. Let us create out of nothing. Impossible.

True scientists see no contradiction present between faith and reason since accurate faith leads to reason, a reasonable mind leads to faith. IDIOTS are atheists and agnostics. Ouch! I hear dogs barking but then again on the other hand, as some say in either Spain or Portugal; if we listen to all the dogs bark, we can never make it to the grocery store. Therefore, be not afraid. May the dogs bark all they want. And when their vocal cords are broken, perfect! An ideal situation for non-discursive contemplation and meditation to have them listen to the symphony of silence. (and that, is BEAUTIFUL)

Pope Benedict XVI is a humble mustard seed and genius servant. I sense the filter of the artesian well is about to result in the waters springing forth more fresh water than ever! Perfect! In depth, there is height. Extreme cold burns (Jacques Maritain). Soon, springs of water will flow from many artesian wells the world over. Watch. After all, the center of the earth affects all plate tectonic realities. The moon affects ocean tides. All are ONE, in THE TRINITY. I sense The Holy Spirit is shining much light on Pope Benedict XVI, so much that he can go from up to down, down to up, back and forth very fast. Humility. (versus power, control, money, status, prestige, fame, societal positionning, social status of various natures, things OF this world and so forth)
P.S.- While I would certainly hesitate to joke too much about the Pope, 'the great humble mustard seed' might be appropriate in his case. Why not live a monastic life-style? Simplicity is wonderful! The symphony of harmonious silence is the best music of all. I hope he shares some of his fruit in the form of writings from time to time. I wish for him that the conditions in the vineyard will be well suited for the tree to bring forth fruit for the many hungry souls practically starving to death on planet earth. When the glass is empty, new water fills it. The mustard seed is about to grow some more. (for the good of everyone)
Paul-Emile Leray
jh
2 months ago
God bless His Holiness Benedict XVI. And thank you, Deacon, for enlightening us on so many aspects of his pontificate.
rafaelmarie
2 months ago
How could he be a monk if he's the Pope?

And if he truly loved the Church, why did he abandon (abdicate) her?

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