From an interview with Bishop Charles Scicluna of Malta, the Vatican’s highly respected former prosecutor of child sex abuse cases:
In 2004, Maciel celebrated his 60th anniversary of priestly ordination at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. All the Roman Curia went, bishops and cardinals included. The only one to stay home was Ratzinger, then the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In fact, he knew well who he was dealing with, so much so that a month later, he officially moved forward a Vatican investigation of him. It caused him enormous suffering because he was well aware of how much esteem Maciel enjoyed in the Roman Curia. However, he went against the tide for love of the truth. . . .
The policy of Ratzinger was to purify the church from its filth, but also to use mercy. He was always aware, like St. Paul, that the people of God hold a treasure in vessels of clay. The strongest image he tried to refer to was a vision of St. Hildegard of Bingen, the 12th-century German mystic and naturalist. She saw a beautiful woman whose clothing was ripped and torn on account of priests and their sins. That woman is the Catholic church, muddied by the sins of priests but still beautiful despite it all, desirable, and a place whoever errs can always start over, in other words a place of mercy.
February 20th, 2013 | 2:48 pm
Thank you a million times for posting this. I just wrote on my blog today about how St. Peter Damian said that each one of us is a little Church. I have felt, after suffering from being fired for being too orthodox year ago, for example, that we are all suffering like Hildegard’s Lady Church.
The two Doctors of the Church nail it–we, as the Body and Bride of Christ will suffer more and more. Either we accept it or not. I already have and I am sure more Catholics are rapidly coming to the conclusion that it is time to get tough–thinking of the military phrase…..
February 20th, 2013 | 3:30 pm
BXVI’s momma didn’t raise no fool.
February 20th, 2013 | 7:14 pm
Thank you for this. I had a feeling Ratzinger (it seems very disrespectful to refer to him in that way, but I don’t know his “title”: Father?) is a good man who takes his faith and it’s subsequent responsibilities very seriously. His ability to truly honor the Church, women and the victims of faithless, derelict priests should be an inspiration to Catholics.
February 20th, 2013 | 10:06 pm
@Denise Bowen: we can refer to him, as Baptist Timothy George reminded us two days ago, as “the Holy Father” — at least until the evening of Feb 28.
February 20th, 2013 | 11:19 pm
I’m not sure which feeling is now stronger for me: gratification that Joseph Ratzinger refused to be maneuvered into public support for a man he knew to have perpetrated injustices, or sorrow that so many other prelates in Rome did not.
Either way, it seems that the 2005 conclave elected a man superior in perception and character to the mean of the body from which he emerged. For that, we should be grateful. He will be hard to replace.
February 21st, 2013 | 3:40 pm
I think as more and more stories come out, we will see what a great man Benedict XVI was. He will also be known as “Great” and declared Doctor of the Church.
February 21st, 2013 | 5:26 pm
I agree. And, I personally believe (and devoutly hope)that Pope Benedict will be canonized before Pope John Paul II. Canonization is not a popularity contest……at least I hope it is not.
February 22nd, 2013 | 10:36 am
The depressing thing is that all those cardinals who went to Maciel’s party will be helping pick Benedict’s successor.
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