...has been welcomed in Germany where, contrary to the predictions, there was a warm welcome, vast crowds at an open-air Mass, a friendly meeting with the Jewish community. He gave an excellent address to the German Parliament - worth reading: here.
This is a Pope of rich wisdom, especially on the relationship between faith and reason, and the respective roles and duties of Church and State. The Lefebvrists, now busy pondering on whether or not to rejoin the Church, are stuck in a muddle on the latter issue and those that do decide to return will find a good way forward here.
But why won't the BBC and much of the British media just give themselves a break and start reporting things fairly? The Pope, answering questions on the plane en route to Berlin was at ease with the idea of people turning out in protest demonstrations against him, noting with goodwill that they were free to do so. In the event, numbers protesting were far smaller than expected, and the real news is that - as in Britain - that people are finding this gentle and fatherly man of God some one who brings a message worth hearing.
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Thank you for the link to the Pope's address, I was hoping to read that some time today. He's amazingly on target as usual.
"But why won't the BBC and much of the British media just give themselves a break and start reporting things fairly?"
The media is anti religion in general and anti Catholic especially. From what I have seen of the BBC, and I admit it's limited, they are particularly anti religion.
Thank you for the link Joanna.
This is a wonderful address. How could we expect any less than this level of brilliance from Pope Benedict? He has certainly made the best use of the talents God left in his care. (Matt 35:14-30)
The Holy Father's address at the Konzerthaus im Freiburg was fantastic too.
Two quotes which stick in my mind:
"Blessed Mother Teresa was once asked what in her opinion was the first thing that would have to change in the Church. Her answer was: you and I".
and
"The Church opens herself to the world not in order to win men for an institution with its own claims to power, but in order to lead them to themselves by leading them to Him of whom each person can say with Saint Augustine: he is closer to me than I am to myself"
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