Pope Francis: A Christian life based on achieving higher positions is ‘pure paganism’

Blessed Titus Brandsma, O.Carm. / public domain

Vatican City, Nov 25, 2021 / 04:32 am (CNA).
Pope Francis has recognized a miracle attributed to Titus Brandsma, an outspoken opponent of Nazism martyred at Dachau concentration camp in 1942.The p… […]

Vatican City, May 19, 2017 / 11:45 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis warned that ideologues sow confusion and division in the Church in the name of false clarity, rather than relying on the Pope, the bishops, and Church councils inspired by the Holy Spirit.

“We are human, we are sinners,” he said, adding that there are difficulties even in the Church. Being sinners leads to humility and drawing closer to God who saves us.

Looking to the early Church, Pope Francis made a distinction between those who had “forceful discussions” but “a good spirit,” and those who “sowed confusion.”

“The group of the apostles who want to discuss the problem, and the others who go and create problems,” the Pope distinguished. “They divide, they divide the Church, they say that what the Apostles preached is not what Jesus said, that it is not the truth.”

The Pope’s words came in his homily at Casa Santa Martha May 19, Vatican Radio reports. He reflected on the Council of Jerusalem of 49 A.D., recounted in the Acts of the Apostles, which rejected claims that gentile converts to Christianity would have to be circumcised.

In the early Church, he charged, “there were jealousies, power struggles, a certain deviousness that wanted to profit from and to buy power.”

In the end, the apostles’ discussion came to agreement.

“They had hearts open to what the Holy Spirit said. And after the discussion ‘it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us,’” the Pope said.

This is not “a political agreement” but “the inspiration of the Holy Spirit” that led them to reject the “necessities” some would require of Christian converts, like a refusal to eat meat sacrificed to idols and a requirement to abstain from “illegitimate unions.”

The “liberty of the spirit,” however, allowed gentiles to enter the Church without circumcision.

At that first Church Council, Pope Francis said, “the Holy Spirit and they, the Pope with the bishops, all together,” gathered together in order “to clarify the doctrine,” as would be done through the centuries at successive councils so that “what Jesus said in the Gospels, what is the Spirit of the Gospels, would be understood well.”

The Pope encouraged the congregation not to be afraid in the face of “the opinions of the ideologues of doctrine.” He stressed that the Church has “its proper Magisterium, the Magisterium of the Pope, of the bishops, of the councils.” They should follow the path “that comes from the preaching of Jesus, and from the teaching and assistance of the Holy Spirit.” This path is “always open, always free,” because “doctrine unites, the Councils unite the Christian community” but “ideology divides.”   

Pope Francis further warned against divisive elements in the Church.

“But there were always people who without any commission go out to disturb the Christian community with speeches that upset souls: ‘Eh, no, someone who says that is a heretic, you can’t say this, or that; this is the doctrine of the Church,’” he said.

“And they are fanatics of things that are not clear, like those fanatics who go there sowing weeds in order to divide the Christian community.”

He said their “great error” results from when Church doctrine, which comes from the gospel and is inspired by the Holy Spirit, “becomes an ideology.”

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Pope Benedict XVI greets the faithful in St. Peter’s Square on the occasion of the Beatification of Pope John Paul II on May 1, 2011, in Vatican City, Rome. / Jeffrey Bruno / Shutterstock

CNA Newsroom, Dec 28, 2022 / 11:00 am (CNA).

On Dec. 28 the press office of the Holy See announced that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s condition had taken a turn for the worse and that he was receiving medical care at his residence at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican.

The news has sparked an outpouring of prayer for the 95-year-old retired pope and renewed interest among Catholics and others around the world in the details of his life and pontificate. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Benedict XVI:

How many years was Benedict pope?

He was pope for eight years, from April 19, 2005, to Feb. 11, 2013.

When and why did Benedict resign?

Benedict announced his resignation from the papacy on Feb. 11, 2013. On that day he explained that, due to his advanced age, he no longer had the strength to properly exercise the Petrine ministry.

Why is he called pope emeritus?

The title with which the pontiff is designated, who of his own free will decides to resign from the papal ministry, is pope emeritus or also bishop emeritus of Rome.

Where does Pope Benedict XVI live?

Pope Benedict XVI lives in Mater Ecclesiae, a monastery in Vatican City. This place was named in honor of the Virgin Mary (Mother of the Church) and is located on Vatican Hill within the Vatican gardens.

How old is Pope Benedict?

Benedict is 95 years old.

Where is Benedict from?

Benedict was born in the city of Marktl, in Bavaria, southern Germany.

How many trips did Benedict make?

During his pontificate, Benedict visited 24 countries on six continents. Antarctica was the only continent he didn’t travel to as pope.

Did Benedict have siblings?

Yes, Benedict was the youngest of three siblings. His siblings were Georg and Maria Ratzinger, both of whom have died. Georg, who died on July 1, 2020, was a priest.

Why did he take the name, Benedict XVI?

After being elected pope, he chose the name Benedict XVI inspired by the memory of St. Benedict of Nursia, the man who founded the Benedictine order and who is considered the patron saint of the West, and also as “a link to the venerated Pontiff, Benedict XV, who guided the Church through the turbulent times of the First World War.”

Is it true that Benedict was part of the Nazi army?

Although his family did not support the Nazis, at age 16, Joseph Ratzinger was forcibly recruited into the German army during World War II. He never saw combat, and in 1945 he deserted and was taken as a prisoner of war by U.S. troops.

Is it true that Benedict loves cats?

Yes, Benedict loves cats and had two as pets when he was pope. One of them was a stray cat that he found in Rome.

In an interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC in 2005, Cardinal Tarsicio Bertone, who a year later would become the Vatican’s secretary of state, said that Benedict was an “inveterate cat-lover.”

“On his walk from Borgo Pío to the Vatican, he stopped to talk with the cats; don’t ask me in what language he spoke to them, but the cats were delighted. When the cardinal approached, the cats raised their heads and greeted him,” the cardinal said.

Is it true that Benedict likes beer?

Yes. In fact, Weideneder Brau Vertriebs GmbH, a family-owned brewery in the town of Tann, Germany, created a special beer called Pabstbier (Pope’s Beer). The label read: “Dedicated to the Great Son of our Country, Pope Benedict XVI.”

How many languages does Benedict speak?

The pope emeritus is fluent in nine languages: German, Italian, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Latin, Ancient Greek, and Biblical Hebrew.

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