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[[Image:XVI.jpg|right|'''His Holiness Benedict XVI'''|thumb]]His Holiness '''Benedict XVI''' ('''Joseph Alois Ratzinger''', born April 16, 1927 , in [[Bavaria]], [[Germany]]) is was the current [[Pope]] (2005-2013) of the [[Roman Catholic Church]] (2005-), succeeding . He succeeded Pope [[John Paul II]].On February 28, 2013, he resigned the papacy stating that his "strengths due to an advanced age are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry."<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/02/11/pope-benedict-xvi-resigning-on-feb-28-due-to-age-health-reasons-conclave/ Pope Benedict XVI resigning on Feb. 28]</ref>

==Early Lifelife==He was born in Marktl am Inn, [[Germany]] , on April 16, 1927 as Joseph Ratzinger. As a child, he lived in Traunstein where much of his philosophy developed. Ratzinger joined the [[Hitler Youth]] in 1939 - membership being required by law - but was unenthusiastic and refused to attend meetings.<ref name="new_pope_defied_nazis">http://bc.edu/research/cjl/meta-elements/texts/cjrelations/topics/new_pope_defied_nazis.htm</ref> At the end of 1944, he was drafted into the German Army and assigned to the Traustein Garrison. He deserted in April or May 1945. <ref name="new_pope_defied_nazis" /><ref>Blanco, Pablo. A Biography of Joseph Ratzinger.</ref>

His Holiness He studied at the higher School of Freising and the University of Munich. He received , receiving a Doctor of Theology Degree in 1953.

He was ordained Father Joseph Ratzinger to the priesthood of the Catholic Church on June 29, 1951.

[[Pope Paul VI]] appointed him Father Ratzinger Archbishop of the Archdiocese of [[Munich]] and Freisling on March 25, 1977.

He was chosen to membership in the [[College of Cardinals]] by Pope [[Paul VI]] on June 27, 1977. He was thereafter known as Cardinal Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. On November 25, 1981, Pope [[John Paul II]] named Cardinal Ratzinger "Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith", one of the major Curial institutions of the [[Holy See]].

On November 6, 1998, he Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals. On November 30, 2002 , he was elected Dean of the College.  

On April 2, 2005, John Paul II passed away. Following the prescribed mourning period, the College of Cardinals was summoned to the Vatican for the Papal Conclave. He Cardinal Ratzinger was widely regarded as one of the strongest candidates for election to the papacy, both for his expertise in theological matters and his reputation as a conservative. On April 19, 2005 , after a prior false signal, white smoke appeared at the chimney of the [[Sistine Chapel]], signalling the traditional sign election of a new pope. There were reports that several rounds of voting were needed before Ratzinger achieved the super majority that was required. As in the past, the Cardinal Protodeacon, Jorge Cardinal Medina Estevez, appeared on the balcony and proclaimed the following;

On [[File:Pope Benedict XVI waves from plane 2008.jpg|thumb|Pope Benedict XVI waves to cheering crowd on his arrival to Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, USA.]]In April 2008, Pope Benedict XVI made his first visit to the [[United States]]. He celebrated mass at in [[Washington , D.C.]] (Baseball Stadium) in a baseball stadium and then at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick and at Yankee Stadium in [[New York City]] (Cathedral of Saint Patrick and Yankees Stadium). During this journey he became the first pope to visit an American [[synagogue]].

''"We need your message to reject this dictatorship of relativism and embrace a culture of justice and truth,"'' said President [[George W. Bush]] in welcoming Benedict to the [[White House]].

{{cquote| ''Be sure to announce the Gospel to your contemporaries with enthusiasm. You know their fears and their hopes, their aspirations and their disappointments: the greatest gift you can give to them is to share with them the "Good News" of a God who became man, who suffered, died and rose again to save all people.''}}

==ReferencesQuotes=="The collapse of the Marxist-inspired governments of Europe was for this theology of redeeming political practice a kind of twilight of the gods: precisely there where the Marxist ideology of liberation had been consistently applied, a total lack of freedom had developed, whose horrors were now laid bare before the eyes of the entire world. Wherever politics tries to be redemptive, it is promising too much. Where it wishes to do the work of God, it becomes not divine, but demonic."<smallref><references[https:/>/books.google.com/books?id=kSrjXVX8quYC&pg=PA116 Truth and Tolerance: Christian Belief and World Religions]</smallref> ==Works==* ''Truth and Tolerance: Christian Belief and World Religions'', 2004

*[httphttps://wwwarchive.vatican.vais/news_services/or/or_eng/text.html#1 SXZYk Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of Ireland.] Regarding child sexual abuse by members of the Church.*[http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-benedict-xvi-announces-his-resignation-at-end Full text of Pope's declaration of resignation]