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Ad limina apostolorum - To the thresholds of the Apostles

This explains further:
www.cwnews.com/news/biosg...glossID=11

Benedict XVI Is To Reinterpret the Second Vatican Council.

This article is from Sandro Magister:

Benedict XVIs homily during the December 8th mass in Saint Peters, exactly forty years after the end of the Second Vatican Council, is eagerly awaited.

There are conflicting interpretations within the Church of this event and its consequences. One wide-spread idea is that Vatican II marked a new beginning in Church history, and that thanks to it its spirit more than the words of its actual texts the dogmas, laws, structures and traditions of the Church entered a phase of permanent reform. However, Joseph Ratzinger has shown on a number of occasions that he does not share this reading of the facts. And so has amongst others his cardinal vicar for the diocese of Rome, Camillo Ruini.

Only last June Ruini declared: It is time that history produces a new reconstruction of Vatican II one that finally tells a true story.

www.chiesa.espressonline....3223&eng=y

Photo AP

Pope Benedict XVI decried what he called the mistaken idea that leading a virtuous life was "boring" as he marked Thursday's 40th anniversary of the end of Vatican Council II, which sparked modernizing reforms in the 2,000-year-old Roman Catholic Church.

Among those who were eager participants at the 1962-1965 council but who later questioned whether its legacy was too loosely interpreted by liberal clergy was a young German theologian, Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict.

He praised his predecessors in the papacy for guiding the Church "on the route of authentic council (inspired) renewal, working ceaselessly for the faithful interpretation and implementation" of the council.

During a solemn anniversary ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica, Benedict used his homily to talk about use of freedom and its relationship with evil.

"Man nurtures the suspicion that God, at the end of the day, takes something away from his life, that God is a competitor who limits our freedom and that we will be fully human only when we will have set him aside," Benedict said.

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception was a holiday in Italy but it was an extremely busy day for Pope Benedict who had a crowded public schedule.

This morning he presided at a mass in St Peters Basilica to mark the 40th anniversary of the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council which also fell on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.


He looks so small next to this big guy

Photos Vincenzo Pinto

In his homily he focused on original sin and what it means to say that Mary was kept free from all sin from the moment of her conception.

"All of us bear in ourselves a drop of the poison of that way of thinking," he said. "We call this drop of poison 'original sin.'"
More here http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0506990.htm
In the Angelus after the mass he addressed the crowd from his window and blessed the Olympic flame on its journey through Italy from Athens to Turin.


Photo Reuters

The flame was carried by Swiss guard 24-year-old Anton Kappler who wore a yellow, orange and white tracksuit and running shoes instead of his uniform. The pope asked that the Olympic flame "remind everyone of the values of peace and brotherhood that lie at the foundation of the Olympics."
More here http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0506984.htm
In his Angelus address the pope said, "in a special way, we pray today for all mothers. Through Mary's intercession may they foster love and holiness in their families." and he called the Second Vatican Council "the greatest church event of the 20th century."

In the afternoon Pope Benedict made the traditional journey by car to the statue of the Blessed Virgin in the Piazza dEspagna where he prayed and laid a wreath. For his trip through the chilly streets of Rome Benedict wore the red velvet mozzetta with ermine trim. Rocco Palmo points out that this has not been seen on a Pope for thirty years.

Looking cute in red velvet

Photo AP


Photo Reuters

With Cardinal Bernard Law

Photo AP

Hiding from the Roman rain

Photo AP

Today Pope Benedict also visited the exhibition at the Vatican on the Second Vatican Council organized by Italian Catholic Action and the Italian bishops' conference.

This summary of local news stories was sent to me by a Bavarian friend:

Pope Benedict XVI returns next year to the places where he grew up and formerly worked. Between 10 -15th September 2006 the Holy Father visits his Bavarian homeland. He will visit Munich, Regensburg, Altoetting and Marktl am Inn. The trip was announced by the Cardinal Archbishop in Munich on December 8th.

The detailed schedule will be announced later by the Vatican. It is expected that more than 100,000 youth will travel to the four locations to see the Pope.

It has been suggested that the Pope will live for the entire period in Regensburg and drive from there to the other Bavarian locations. There has been speculation that the Schloss of Gloria Thurn und Taxis has been considered as a possible residence although this is not officially confirmed.

This visit to Germany will be a very personal journey for Benedikt as he will visit places closely connected with his past life. The Pope was born in Marktl am Inn in 1927. Nearby is the pilgrimage shrine of Altoetting which has been close to his heart since he was a child. He has visited many times, in both an official and private capacity. Pope Benedict visited the shrine privately in the year of his 75th birthday and went on a pilgrimage to Altoetting in 2002, together with his brother Georg Ratzinger and the Archbishop of Salzburg. He was ordained in the diocese of Munich in 1951 and became Archbishop of Munich in 1977 until he left for Rome in 1982.

Pope Benedict is particularly connected to the diocese and city of Regensburg, where he was a theology professor at the university. His parents and his sister are buried there and his brother Georg lives there.

Georg Ratzinger was present when Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Mueller made the announcement of Benedicts visit. He said with some emotion It naturally makes me happy that the Pope is able to come to Regensburg. It is not certain if Benedict will be able to make a visit to his house in Pentling and although Georg would gladly accommodate his brother in his house in the Luzengasse he accepts this will hardly be possible. Georg Ratzinger also wryly observed that the paths in the Ziegetsdorfer cemetery have recently been dramatically improved, perhaps in anticipation of a visit by the Pope. Georg Ratzinger stressed the personal nature of this journey for his brother who looked forward to seeing again the places where he had lived so long and been happy. He is eager to see his homeland again.