Joseph Ratzinger was a conservative, an intellectual, a great theologian and a true cat lover. The former pope had a library of 20,000 books, played the piano, spoke many languages, enjoyed watching black and white comedy films, and loved Beethoven and Mozart.
He was born on April 16, 1927 in the German state of Bavaria, the son of a policeman and a cook. He was just a teenager when World War II broke out. At the age of fourteen he became a member of the Nazi Hitler Youth against his will. This was compulsory for boys his age.
Ratzinger had to interrupt his clerical training in Traunstein after being drafted into the Munich anti-aircraft division. Toward the end of the war he deserted. Ratzinger was captured by the allies and spent several weeks in a POW camp.
After the war he trained as a priest and was ordained a priest in 1951. Ratzinger worked as a professor of theology at various German universities until he became archbishop of Munich in 1977. A few years later, Ratzinger was appointed head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. His duties at this agency, which oversees purity of faith, earned him the nickname “God’s Rottweiler.”
Elected pope at age 78
Ratzinger was elected the 265th pope in 2005 at the age of 78, having previously declared that he did not want to become pope. He was the oldest titular pope since Pope Clement XII in the 18th century. He was also the first German pope since Victor II in the 11th century.
“After the great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals have chosen me, a simple and humble worker in God’s vineyard,” Ratzinger told the crowd in St. Peter’s Square shortly after his election.
He chose the name Benedict, derived from the Latin word for blessing. Ratzinger was highly regarded as a theologian, but not everyone was impressed with his leadership skills.
By focusing on condoms, sexuality becomes banal.
Like his predecessor John Paul II, Benedict XVI too had a traditional and conservative vision of the Catholic faith, abortion, homosexuality, women priests and celibacy. He did everything to defend Christian values in an era that he believed was characterized by moral degradation.
In December 2012, the pope called same-sex marriage a threat to world peace. He expressed himself in similar terms about abortion and euthanasia. Abortion would cause “irreparable damage” to development, peace and the environment. Furthermore, he thought that euthanasia was the “fundamental right to life” threat.
He also held conservative views on contraceptives: “Focusing on condoms makes sexuality trivial. That’s why people no longer see sex as an expression of love, but as a kind of drug.” Incidentally to found considers the use of condoms acceptable in some cases. For example, to reduce the risk of HIV infection.
The heaviest accusations against the Church
Ratzinger faced one of the most vehement accusations ever against the Roman Catholic Church during his pontificate. The church has faced a flood of allegations of child sexual abuse by clergy.
He spoke to the victims and apologized. He also stressed that bishops must report abuses and introduced rules that allow priests to be quickly removed from office.
In 2011 and 2012, Ratzinger is said to have removed nearly 400 priests from office for molesting children. He then reveals it in a Vatican document that has come into the hands of the news agency ap.
Benedetto has been accused of not doing enough to fight the abuses and punish the perpetrators. Sometimes the priests were transferred on their own and allowed to continue the abuse elsewhere. According to critics, during his time at the helm of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he did not understand the seriousness of the situation.
“To the extent that you mention child abuse by priests, I can only bear that with deep dismay. But I’ve tried not to hide these things,” Benedict said on the matter.
Butler leaks sensitive documents
Furthermore, his butler Paolo Gabriele was discredited in October 2012 because he had leaked sensitive documents to the media. From that pale that there was a power struggle going on inside the Vatican.
According to his friend and theologian Max Seckler, Ratzinger “suffered a lot” from those intrigues. “It’s hard to imagine what intrigues there are in Rome that you have to deal with. That was a heavy burden for him,” Seckler said.
The pope managed to gather large crowds of the faithful. Hundreds of thousands of young people came to see him during World Youth Days in Cologne and Sydney. It also attracted an estimated 2.8 million visitors to the Vatican in 2005. Far more than its predecessor.
Benedict XVI called on believers to pay more attention to God during their busy lives filled with modern electronics. Despite that call, in October 2012 he found the time to become the first pope with a personal Twitter account.
How @Pontifex (Latin for bridge builder) sent his first English-language tweet to the world. “I am delighted to connect with you via Twitter. Thank you for your generous responses. I bless you all from my heart.”
Not in office until his death
At the age of 85, Benedict XVI has announced want to resign, because he could no longer perform the duties due to his advanced age. Transatlantic voyages were no wiser. He also had difficulty walking.
According to the Vatican, this was Ratzinger’s own decision and he was not pressured. In 2010, he said he would step down if his health deteriorated.
It had been nearly six hundred years since a pope had held office until his death. It has only happened twice before: in 1294, Pope Celestine V resigned after just six months, and in 1415, Pope Gregory XII resigned.
Moving to the former convent
On February 27, 2013, Benedict XVI during a speech in the Vatican City emotional goodbye. Tens of thousands of people had gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his latest public performance. Benedict XVI said that his pontificate has had moments of joy, but also “headwinds”. It seemed then, according to the pope, “as if the Lord was sleeping”.
He kept the title of His Holiness and from that moment he could call himself Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Also together henceforth he advises wearing a “simple white cassock” (barra) and brown shoes instead of red. After his abdication, the former pope temporarily stayed for the first time in his holiday residence Castel Gandolfo. He then took up residence in a former convent in Vatican City. He rarely appeared in public anymore.
The former pope’s health deteriorated rapidly on Wednesday. During his service, the current Pope therefore invited prayers for him. The next day, the Vatican announced that Benedict’s health was serious. Saturday has arrived die.
