Pope Benedict XVI

2007-07-11T12:02:34Z

Diplomamateur:

[[Image:XVI.jpg|right|His Holiness Benedict XVI p.p.|thumb]]
His Holiness '''Benedict XVI''' ('''Joseph Alois Ratzinger''', born April 16, 1927 in [[Bavaria]], hie adorers call him "Papa Ratzi") is the current [[Pope]] of the [[Roman Catholic]] Church (2005-), succeeding [[John Paul II]].

==Early Life==
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>http://bc.edu/research/cjl/meta-elements/texts/cjrelations/topics/new_pope_defied_nazis.htm</ref> Ratzinger's father opposed Nazism.

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

==Ordination==
He was ordained Father Joseph Ratzinger on June 29, 1951.

==Appointment to the See of Munich==
[[Paul VI]] appointed him Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freisling on March 25, 1977.

==Cardinal==
He was chosen to the [[College of Cardinals]] by [[Paul VI]] on June 27, 1977. He was thereafter known as Cardinal Joseph 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]].

==College Positions==
On November 6, 1998, he was elected Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals. On November 30, 2002 he was elected Dean of the College.
==Accession to the Papacy==
[[Image:Popebenedictbirthday.jpg|right|His Holiness Benedict XVI p.p. on his 80th Birthday|thumb]]
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 was widely regarded as one of the strongest candidates for election to the papacy. On April 19, 2005 after a prior false signal, white smoke appeared at the chimney of the [[Sistine Chapel]], the traditional sign of a new pope. As in the past, the Cardinal Protodeacon, Jorge Cardinal Medina Estevez, appeared on the balcony and proclaimed the following;
<blockquote>
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: 
Habemus Papam! 
Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, 
Dominum Joseph, 
Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ Cardinalem Ratzinger, 
Qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedict XVI. 
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
(I announce to you all a great joy: 
We have a pope! 
A most Eminent and Reverend Lord, 
Lord Joseph, 
Cardinal Ratzinger, of the Holy Roman Church, 
Who has imposed a name for himself: Benedict XVI.) 
</blockquote>

== See also ==
[[Image:C. A. Benedict XVI.gif|right|thumb|Coat of Arms of Benedict XVI.]]
*[[Our Lady of Guadalupe]]
*[[Holy See]]
*[[Sistine Chapel]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.pellegrinocattolico.com/ctv/frame.htm The Vatican] Italian web site.
*[http://flagspot.net/flags/va_ben16.html Personal Flag and Arms of Benedict XVI]

[[Category:Popes|Benedict XVI, Pope]]

[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Catholic Church]]

Pope

2007-07-11T12:00:08Z

Diplomamateur:

'''The Pope''' (from Greek papas, father) is the [[head]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] Church and the Head of State of the State of the [[Vatican City]]; the Bishop of Rome, who, as successor of [[Saint Peter|St. Peter]], is the chief pastor of the whole Church, the Vicar of Christ upon earth. ''Pontifex summus'' is a title of dignity.

''Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock (Cepha) I will build my Church.'' Matthew 16:17-19. ''Be the shepherd of my sheep.'' John 21:16.

The Pope ecclesiastical jury is called the [[Holy See]]. Since 1059 The Pope is chosen by the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Catholic Church.

[[Image:XVI.jpg|right|His Holiness Benedict XVI|thumb]]
 
== Insignia ==

'''Tiara'''

The pope is distinguished by the use of the tiara or triple crown. At what date the custom of crowning the pope was introduced is unknown. It was certainly previous to the forged donation of Constantine, which dates from the commencement of the ninth century, for mention is there made of the pope's coronation. The triple crown is of much later origin. (it remains only a symbol)

'''Cross'''

The pope moreover does not, like ordinary bishops, use the bent pastoral staff, but only the erect cross. This custom was introduced before the reign of Innocent III (1198-1216) (cap. un. X de sacra unctione, I, 15).

'''Pallium'''

He further uses the pallium at all ecclesiastical functions, and not under the same restrictions as do the archbishops on whom he has conferred it.
<ref> [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12260a.htm The Pope] Catholic Encyclopedia </ref>

'''Fisherman's Ring'''

It is a gold ring decorated with a depiction of St. Peter in a boat casting his net.

== Benedict XVI ==
[[Image:BENEDETTO XVI.jpg|right]]
Today the Pope is [[Pope Benedict XVI]], otherwise called "Papa Ratzi". On May 11, 2007 he canonized [[Brazil]]'s first native-born saint. During the ceremonies the Holy Father said that today's world "needs transparent lives, clear souls, pure minds"; Christians, must resist the temptation to think of their lives as "mere objects of pleasure."

''Gerald Fogarty, a [[Jesuit]] priest and professor at the University of Virginia, said that some Catholics were disappointed with Ratzinger's selection because he symbolized the conservative side of the church's ideological split, especially in the United States''.<ref> [http://www.cfr.org/publication/10595/ Benedict XVI: Conservative]</ref>
 
 

== Controversy ==

The Pope is claimed to be infallible in matters of doctrine (see [[Dictatus Papae]]). The concept of [[Papal Infallibility]] is used to proclaim articles of faith, which are essential to adhere to be considered a Catholic. These articles are therefore considered to be a Dogmatic definition. Such pronouncements are rare, and the concept does not mean that Catholics are to believe everything that the Pope says is correct. The last issue was asserting the [[Assumption of Mary]].

[[The First Vatican Council]], of 1870, anathematized all who dispute the Pope's primacy of honor and of jurisdiction (it is lawful to discuss the precise nature of that primacy, provided that such discussion does not violate the terms of the Council's Dogmatic Constitution). [[The Second Vatican Council]] '''modified''' many of the diktats of 1870.

Critics of the papacy claim that past Popes who claimed successorship to St. Peter, such as [[Callixtus III]] and [[Alexander VI]] from the Borgia family, were so corrupt as to be unfit to wield power. An [[omniscient]] and [[omnibenevolent]] [[God]], they claim, would not have given those people the powers claimed for them by the Catholic Church. Opponents of these critics reply that even the worst Popes failed to wreck the traditions of the Church.

== See also ==

*[[Saint Peter]]
*[[Paul]]

== External links ==

*[http://www.cwnews.com/index.cfm Catholic World News] Conservative updates and commentary.
*[http://freeforumzone.leonardo.it/viewmessaggi.aspx?f=65482&idd=431&p=97 Papa Ratzinger Forum]
*[http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/benedict_xvi/index.html?inline=nyt-per Times Topics] The New York Times.

== References ==

<references/>

==Previous Popes==

#[[Peter]]
#[[Linus]]
#[[Anacletus]]
#[[Clement I]]
#[[Evaristus]]
#[[Alexander I]]
#[[Sixtus I]]
#[[Telesphorus]]
#[[Hyginus]]
#[[Pius I]]
#[[Anicetus]]
#[[Soter]]
#[[Eleuterus]]
#[[Victor I]]
#[[Zephyrinus]]
#[[Callixtus I]]
#[[Urban I]]
#[[Pontian]]
#[[Anterus]]
#[[Fabian]]
#[[Cornelius]]
#[[Lucius I]]
#[[Stephen I]]
#[[Sixtus II]]
#Dionysius
#Felix I
#Eutychian
#Caius
#Marcellinus
#Marcellus I
#Eusebius
#Miltiades
#Sylvester I
#Mark
#Julius I
#Liberius
#Damasus I
#Siricius
#Anastasius I
#Innocent I
#Zosimus
#Boniface I
#Celestine I
#Sixtus III
#Leo I
#Hilarius
#Simplicius
#Felix III
#Gelasius I
#Anastasius II
#Symmachus
#Hormisdas
#John I
#Felix IV
#Boniface II
#John II
#Agapetus I
#Silverius
#Vigilius
#Pelagius I
#John III
#Benedict I
#Pelagius II
#[[Gregory the Great|Gregory I]]
#Sabinian
#Boniface III
#Boniface IV
#Adeodatus I
#Boniface V
#Honorius I
#Severinus
#John IV
#Theodore I
#Martin I
#Eugene I
#Vitalian
#Adeodatus II
#Donus
#Agatho
#Leo II
#Benedict II
#John V
#Conon
#Sergius I
#John VI
#John VII
#Sisinnius
#Constantine
#Gregory II
#Gregory III
#Zachary
#Stephen II
#Paul I
#Stephen III
#Adrian I
#Leo III
#Stephen IV
#Paschal I
#Eugene II
#Valentine
#Gregory IV
#Sergius II
#Leo IV
#Benedict III
#Nicholas I
#Adrian II
#John VIII
#Marinus I
#Adrian III
#Stephen V
#Formosus
#Boniface VI
#Stephen VI
#Romanus
#Theodore II
#John IX
#Benedict IV
#Leo V
#Sergius III
#Anastasius III
#John X
#Leo VI
#[[Pope Stephen VII|Stephen VII]]
#John XI
#Leo VII
#Stephen VIII
#Marinus II
#Agapetus II
#John XII
#Leo VIII
#Benedict V
#John XIII
#Benedict VI
#Benedict VII
#John XIV
#John XV
#Gregory V
#Sylvester II
#John XVII
#John XVIII
#Sergius IV
#Benedict VIII
#John XIX
#Benedict IX
#Sylvester III
#Benedict IX
#Gregory VI
#Clement II
#Benedict IX
#Damasus II
#Leo IX
#Victor II
#Stephen IX
#Nicholas II
#Alexander II
#[[Pope Gregory VII|Gregory VII]]
#Victor III
#[[Pope Urban II|Urban II]]
#Paschal II
#Gelasius II
#Callixtus II
#Honorius II
#Innocent II
#Celestine II
#Lucius II
#Eugene III
#Anastasius IV
#[[Adrian IV]]
#Alexander III
#Lucius III
#Urban III
#Gregory VIII
#Clement III
#Celestine III
#Innocent III
#Honorius III
#Gregory IX
#Celestine IV
#Innocent IV
#Alexander IV
#Urban IV
#Clement IV
#Gregory X
#Innocent V
#Adrian V
#John XXI
#Nicholas III
#Martin IV
#Honorius IV
#Nicholas IV
#Celestine V
#Boniface VIII
#Benedict XI
#Clement V
#John XXII
#Benedict XII
#Clement VI
#Innocent VI
#Urban V
#Gregory XI
#Urban VI
#Boniface IX
#Innocent VII
#Gregory XII
#Martin V
#Eugene IV
#Nicholas V
#Callixtus III
#Pius II
#Paul II
#Sixtus IV
#Innocent VIII
#[[Pope Alexander VI|Alexander VI]]
#Pius III
#Julius II
#Leo X
#Adrian VI
#Clement VII
#Paul III
#Julius III
#Marcellus II
#Paul IV
#Pius IV
#Pius V
#[[Pope Gregory XIII|Gregory XIII]]
#Sixtus V
#Urban VII
#Gregory XIV
#Innocent IX
#Clement VIII
#Leo XI
#Paul V
#Gregory XV
#Urban VIII
#Innocent X
#Alexander VII
#Clement IX
#Clement X
#Innocent XI
#Alexander VIII
#Innocent XII
#Clement XI
#Innocent XIII
#Benedict XIII
#Clement XII
#Benedict XIV
#Clement XIII
#Clement XIV
#Pius VI
#Pius VII
#Leo XII
#Pius VIII
#Gregory XVI
#Pius IX
#Leo XIII
#Pius X
#Benedict XV
#Pius XI
#Pius XII
#[[John XXIII]]
#[[Paul VI]]
#[[Pope John Paul I|John Paul I]]
#[[Pope John Paul II|John Paul II]]

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[[Category:Popes|Popes]]

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Pope Benedict XVI

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