The pontificate of Holy Father Benedict XVI’s has been difficult due to the difficult situation in the world, particularly in Europe, during the last decades. During that time, the laicization processes have deepened. We have been witnessing a growing hostility and aggression against the Church and generally against the Christian values. The anti-Christian trends have demonstrated themselves particularly strongly in Europe, today being the most secularized continent of all. The hostile trends have also been present in the European Union politics. Even John Paul II strived for the basic European documents to be constructed on Christian values, but that did not prove to be possible. The anti-Christian tendencies had been growing and Pope had to face it. He did what he could to defend the truth about Europe and the Church but first of all, he demonstrated that life without God – both social and national, life not shaped by God’s law, becomes deformed.
The pontificate of the present Pope, Benedict XVI, is best characterized by the words: “Where God is, there is the future„. That is why Holy Father has continuously reminded the significance of faith and how important it is to build our private, family and social life on God’s law and on His word. He stressed it particularly strongly during his visit to Germany. Then, during his speech at the German Parliament, Bundestag, Benedict XVI cited Saint Augustine’s words referring to government and law making bodies who do not observe natural law, who neglect laws revealed by God and called them a villain gang. That was truly significant.
Dethronement of the truth
Fighting moral relativism has been a crucial aspect of Pope’s work. Today’s liberalism equals all of the religions, granting them same value and making morality dependant on the situation. According to this attitude, a man gets able to determine what is wrong and what is good. We know though that stands the exclusive privilege of God. God in His law clearly stated what is good and what is bad. Man is not a creator of this law, he is its follower and his role is to read God’s law. We now witness that various parliaments try to determine the truth, put it under debate instead of just uncovering it. It is a really dangerous practice. Holy Father has been aware of that and put much effort into fighting the dictatorship of relativism.
This pontificate has also been characterized by a great care for the family, especially during the last year, when the Milan Congress and World Meeting of Families took place. Benedict XVI sent a great message to families. Facing the gender ideology, civil partnership, abortion and in vitro, he did his best to defend the holiness of family and its institution, which, dating the origins of creation, proves to be older than Church itself.
For the unity of Christians
Holy Father has been very much concerned about the unity of Christians. Coming from a country known as the cradle of Protestantism, he has bitterly regretted the breaking of Christianity. He has done a lot to unify the Church, let alone the gestures towards Anglicans, for whom he created a special ordinary, thanks to which a lot of them could return to the Catholic Church. There have also been gestures towards Lefebvrists. The Pope has many a time offered a olive branch, which unfortunately has not always met with approval and goodwill, over which he deeply mourned. He allowed the Tridentine Mass (mass celebrated in traditional rite) to show that the Church also respects this liturgy. He just requested that Lefebvrists accept truths proclaimed by the Second Vatican Council. Unfortunately, they objected some documents including the Declaration of Religious Liberty and the Decree of Ecumenism as well as some fragments of Pastoral Constitution of the Church. To date, it has been difficult for them to accept the Second Vatican Council teachings, which is the condition under which they could get unified with the Church and Pope. This task still remains unsolved.
This is how I see the main lines of this pontificate. It is hardly possible to compare Benedict XVI to John Paul II, but if we try to do it, I would point out that the Polish Pope always concentrated on a human being, addressing the Church with his legacy: “Do not be afraid! Welcome Christ!”. John Paul II was fixed on a human as a work of God. His teachings put a strong emphasis on human rights and human dignity. Benedict XVI has completed this approach with a look on God. He has always pointed out how important God himself, His laws, the faith in Him, friendship with Him and generally building private and family life basing on Him and on His law are.
I would also like to underline the Pope’s great spirituality. His word, his homilies and speeches have always been intensely deep. His teachings have always been received as coming directly from the heart and mind of a man plunged deep in God, living God and prayer in his everyday life. I think the decision we learned about yesterday and which surprised us in some sense, was born in deep prayer and is a proof of great responsibility for the Church. Pope has been aware that the Church is to face big challenges, and that his own physical strength will not be sufficient. That is why he has come to such a decision. To my mind, the Pope’s decision grew from deep prayer, and Benedict XVI speaks the words of the Holy Spirit.
