Latest on the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Joseph Ratzinger, live: news and reactions

Few Catholics may or may not remember much about Benedict XVI’s papacy, but they won’t forget how it ended: his sudden announcement of his resignation — the first pope in 600 years — and his dramatic departure from the Church. unspecified territory.

But to some, it was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger who became pope that was a surprise.

After the death of John Paul II, Vatican watchers predicted that the College of Cardinals would elect a loving, pastoral pope like him. But perhaps a non-European can better reflect the changing demographics of the Church. That they chose a German who had spent most of his life outside the parishes and in the rarefied world of Vatican politics surprised some and worried others. However, Ratzinger’s predecessor and mentor paved the way for him by naming him head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The Vatican entrusted him with the application of ecclesiastical doctrine and clerical discipline. As a result, he was one of the few cardinals who had regular contact with other cardinals. And John Paul II furthered his odds by naming him dean of the College of Cardinals, tasked with voting to elect a pope who would guide the cardinals in an unusual process.

From the beginning of his pontificate, Benedict XVI made it clear that he was not going to win a popularity contest. For decades he fought against what he called relativism: the inflexibility of the Church’s principles in favor of modern society. For Benedict, the Church had to stand firm, even if it lost some Catholics who thought the Church should become more liberal.

He often said that if the church was small, at least it would have true defenders of the faith. But at the same time, perhaps paradoxically, he himself faced a kind of moral relativism. As scandal descended upon the Church and priests on both sides of the Atlantic were accused of sexually abusing young people and children, it became clear that Benedict, as a cardinal, either ignored what was happening or failed to discipline clergy accused of pedophilia.

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