Yesterday marked the fifth anniversary of the resignation of Benedict XVI from the Papal Chair. Andrea Gagliarducci on MONDAY VATICAN takes a look back at that historical moment in the Church.
The fifth anniversary of the historic renunciation of Benedict XVI was anticipated by a letter written by the now Pope emeritus to an Italian newspaper. The Pope emeritus described himself as “in a pilgrimage to Home”, a wonderful metaphor to describe the last path of his earthly life.
Five years after, it is worth looking back at the Final magisterium of Benedict XVI, that is, to his words and speeches in those last two weeks that preceded the sede vacante. It was a series of last public words that, in fact, best epitomize the situation of the current Church.
All of those words were overshadowed by the emotion and the lack of clarity of that time: it was a historical moment, lived with the Pope and on the Pope’s side. Rather than listening, we were looking for answers to questions, and those questions were left unanswered. Or, in the end, they got a response, but it was not accepted. Because, as the principle of the Ockham’s razor say, the simpler response is the most correct one. But, as human nature has it, the correct response is never fully accepted.
Benedict XVI thinks that the history of the Church meets eschatological requirements: everything has a sense, including the Church itself. To Benedict XVI, the Church is a living body, as it was to Romano Guardini, one of his favorite theologians.
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For a look of greater depth into what was really going on behind Vatican doors, see Vox Cantoris’ post HERE
Catholicism Pure & Simple 
Benedict XVI asks to “overcome the temptation to subject God to oneself and one’s own interests, or to put him in a corner, and be converted to the correct order of priorities, giving God first place”
Did Pope Francis not read Benedict’ XVI’s advice then? One thing’s for sure anyway, he certainly didn’t heed it!
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