Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT - SHARE
15 Feb 2013
Ever since Pope Benedict XVI made his surprise announcement on the eve of Ash Wednesday that due to his advancing age and increasing frailty he would step down as Pontiff in just over two weeks time, world leaders, politicians - Catholics and non Catholics - have paid tribute to his humility, compassion, his outstanding scholarship and brilliance as a theologian as well as his ability to reach out to all people during his eight year Papacy.
"The United States is grateful to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for his leadership of and ministry to the world's 1.3 billion Catholics," said John Kerry, USA's newly-appointed Secretary of State describing the 85-year-old Holy Father as "a man of action and principle, working to promote human rights and dignity in places around the globe where they have too often been denied."
President Obama also paid tribute to Pope Benedict XVI recalling how much he and his wife Michelle remembered their meeting with the Pontiff in 2009. In extending his appreciation and prayers to His Holiness on behalf of Americans everywhere, the President pointed out the critical role played by the Catholic Church not only in the USA but throughout the world.
One of the first to speak after the German-born Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation was German Chancellor, Angela Merkel who said she had the greatest respect for the difficult decision made by the Holy Father. She then went on to describe him as "one of the most significant religious thinkers of our time."
In the Middle East where Pope Benedict made his historic visit to Israel and the divided city of Jerusalem in 2009, the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Yona Metzger said the Holy Father had done much to improve ties between Judaism and Christianity, which he credited with helping reduce anti-Semitism around the world.
South Africa's Archbishop of Pretoria, William Slattery said the continent's 170 million Catholics would remember the Pope fondly. He admitted that although the news had taken him and South Africans by surprise, people understood the reasons he gave for moving on and praised him for his courage and humility in making this decision.
The newly-elected Archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the Anglican Church, the Most Rev Justin Welby also praised the Papacy of Pope Benedict XVI and recalled how in 2010 he became the first Pope in history to make a State Visit to England.
The Archbishop said he fully sympathized with the Holy Father's decision to step down as Pope, praising him for conducting his Papacy with "great dignity, insight and courage." Archbishop Welby also asked the 80 million strong Anglicans in his care to pray God to bless Benedict XVI in his retirement as well as those entrusted with the task of choosing his successor.
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron was also profound in his praise of Pope Benedict's eight year Papacy and said the octogenarian would be "missed as a spiritual leader to millions" and paid tribute to his "tireless work to strengthen British relations with the Holy See."
One of the most glowing tributes came from Brazil's Conference of Catholic bishops who hailed the Pontiff for his "humility and greatness."
Others internationally who were quick to pay tribute to Pope Benedict XVI included the President of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald Lander who praised his eight years as Pope which he said had "elevated Catholic-Jewish relations to an unprecedented level." He also said Pope Benedict had visited more synagogues than any other Pope in history.
The Secretary General of Mexico's Episcopal Conference, Bishop Eugenio Lira Rugarcia said that although the Pope appeared physically diminished on his trip to South America in March last year, his leadership, faith and ability to inspire had remained undiminished.
"Benedict XVI has been a completely open and transparent man and this decision must have been very hard," he said and praised the Pontiff for always acting firmly and clearly and never trembling or backing away from a difficult decision.
Among the many who have paid tribute to the Pontiff over the past few days have been economists who have praised Pope Benedict not only for his grasp of economics but for his ground breaking and far reaching Caritas in Veritate Encyclical.
Professor Philip Booth, Professor at London's prestigious Cass Business School in London says the Pope was very clear on his economic ideas and had a wise understanding of the problems facing the welfare state.
In the Pontiff's encyclical of 2009 the Pontiff said there would always be suffering which cried out for consolation and help. But he pointed out if a state provided everything, absorbing everything into itself, it would ultimately become a mere bureaucracy and incapable of guaranteeing the very things the suffering person needs - mainly, loving personal concern.
"We do not need a state which regulates and controls everything," Pope Benedict wrote and said "Solidarity as a virtue was far superior to an instrusive welfare state."
The encyclical also won wide praise from both economists and politicians for Benedict XVI's insistence that the state's role was to serve and "family and civil society must always take priority over the state."
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
15 Feb 2013
British PM David Cameron paid tribute to Benedict's tireless work to strengthen British relations
"The United States is grateful to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for his leadership of and ministry to the world's 1.3 billion Catholics," said John Kerry, USA's newly-appointed Secretary of State describing the 85-year-old Holy Father as "a man of action and principle, working to promote human rights and dignity in places around the globe where they have too often been denied."
President Obama also paid tribute to Pope Benedict XVI recalling how much he and his wife Michelle remembered their meeting with the Pontiff in 2009. In extending his appreciation and prayers to His Holiness on behalf of Americans everywhere, the President pointed out the critical role played by the Catholic Church not only in the USA but throughout the world.
Pope Benedict XV1 with Queen Elizabeth
In the Middle East where Pope Benedict made his historic visit to Israel and the divided city of Jerusalem in 2009, the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Yona Metzger said the Holy Father had done much to improve ties between Judaism and Christianity, which he credited with helping reduce anti-Semitism around the world.
South Africa's Archbishop of Pretoria, William Slattery said the continent's 170 million Catholics would remember the Pope fondly. He admitted that although the news had taken him and South Africans by surprise, people understood the reasons he gave for moving on and praised him for his courage and humility in making this decision.
The newly-elected Archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the Anglican Church, the Most Rev Justin Welby also praised the Papacy of Pope Benedict XVI and recalled how in 2010 he became the first Pope in history to make a State Visit to England.
The Archbishop said he fully sympathized with the Holy Father's decision to step down as Pope, praising him for conducting his Papacy with "great dignity, insight and courage." Archbishop Welby also asked the 80 million strong Anglicans in his care to pray God to bless Benedict XVI in his retirement as well as those entrusted with the task of choosing his successor.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel describes Pope Benedict as one of the great thinkers of the age.
One of the most glowing tributes came from Brazil's Conference of Catholic bishops who hailed the Pontiff for his "humility and greatness."
Others internationally who were quick to pay tribute to Pope Benedict XVI included the President of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald Lander who praised his eight years as Pope which he said had "elevated Catholic-Jewish relations to an unprecedented level." He also said Pope Benedict had visited more synagogues than any other Pope in history.
The Secretary General of Mexico's Episcopal Conference, Bishop Eugenio Lira Rugarcia said that although the Pope appeared physically diminished on his trip to South America in March last year, his leadership, faith and ability to inspire had remained undiminished.
Pope Benedict prays at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on his historic tour of Israel in 2009
Among the many who have paid tribute to the Pontiff over the past few days have been economists who have praised Pope Benedict not only for his grasp of economics but for his ground breaking and far reaching Caritas in Veritate Encyclical.
Professor Philip Booth, Professor at London's prestigious Cass Business School in London says the Pope was very clear on his economic ideas and had a wise understanding of the problems facing the welfare state.
In the Pontiff's encyclical of 2009 the Pontiff said there would always be suffering which cried out for consolation and help. But he pointed out if a state provided everything, absorbing everything into itself, it would ultimately become a mere bureaucracy and incapable of guaranteeing the very things the suffering person needs - mainly, loving personal concern.
Newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury paid tribute to Pope Benedict XVI on behalf of the world's Anglicans
The encyclical also won wide praise from both economists and politicians for Benedict XVI's insistence that the state's role was to serve and "family and civil society must always take priority over the state."
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
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