Pope Benedict XVI - Books and Quotes

"Many voices try to persuade us to put aside our faith in God and his Church, and to choose for ourselves the values and beliefs by which to live. They tell us we have no need of God or the Church. If we are tempted to believe them, we should recall the incident in the Gospel, when the disciples, all of them experienced fishermen, toiled all night but failed to catch a single fish. Then, when Jesus appeared on the shore, he directed them to a catch so great that they could scarcely haul it in. Left to themselves, their efforts were fruitless; when Jesus stood alongside them, they netted a huge quantity of fish. My dear brothers and sisters, if we place our trust in the Lord and follow his teachings, we will always reap immense rewards."

Pope Benedict XVI, Homily, Apostolic Visit to Malta, 18 April 2010.

 

I couldn't agree more! 1977!

 

"Lord, show us that love is stronger than hatred, that love is stronger than death. Descend into the darkness and the abyss of our modern age, and take by the hand those who await you. Bring them to the light! In my own dark nights, be with me to bring me forth! Help me, help all of us, to descend with you into the darkness of all those people who are still waiting for you, who out of the depths cry unto you! Help us to bring them your light! Help us to say the “yes” of love, the love that makes us descend with you and, in so doing, also to rise with you. Amen!"

Pope Benedict XVI, Easter Vigil,
7 April 2007.

 

"How can we become holy, friends of God? We can first give a negative answer to this question: to be a Saint requires neither extraordinary actions or works nor the possession of exceptional charisms. Then comes the positive reply: it is necessary first of all to listen to Jesus and then to follow him without losing heart when faced by difficulties. "If anyone serves me", he warns us, "he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honour him" (Jn 12: 26).
Like the grain of wheat buried in the earth, those who trust him and love him sincerely accept dying to themselves. Indeed, he knows that whoever seeks to keep his life for himself loses it, and whoever gives himself, loses himself, and in this very way finds life (cf. Jn 12: 24-25).


Pope Benedict XVI, Solemnity of
All Saints, 1 November 2006.

 

"The Christian life requires, as it were, the 'martyrdom' of daily fidelity to the Gospel; the courage, that is, to allow Christ to increase in us."

Pope Benedict XVI - General Audience, 29 August 2012

 

It's so amazing a thing to know we have such a responsibility to tend to God in the garden within us. All powerful, all mighty, and also all humble, all patient.

 

"Help each other to live and to grow in the Christian faith so as to be valiant witnesses of the Lord. Be united, but not closed. Be humble, but not fearful. Be simple, but not naive. Be thoughtful, but not complicated. Enter into dialogue with others, but be yourselves."

Pope Benedict XVI,
Genoa, 18 May 2008.

 

A lot of these posts with short quotes are from a Fb page called Pope Benedict XVI - In the Court of the Gentiles.

 

St Bridget of Sweden: Wife, Mother, Mystic and Co-Patroness of Europe

In his General Audience of 27 October 2010, Pope Benedict XVI presents St Bridget of Sweden as one of Europe's most outstanding Christian figures and explains why St John Paul II proclaimed her Co-Patroness of Europe.

He divides her life into two complementary vocations.

The first is that of wife and mother. Born into a deeply Christian noble family in Sweden in 1303, Bridget lived a holy marriage with her husband, Ulf, lasting twenty-eight years. Together they raised eight children, one of whom, St Catherine of Sweden, also became a saint. Their home became a true "domestic church," sustained by prayer, charity and the grace of the Sacrament of Marriage. Benedict XVI highlights their family life as a model of conjugal spirituality, noting that husbands and wives can journey together towards holiness and that the Christian witness of a wife often helps lead her husband more deeply into the life of faith.

The second stage of her life began after her husband's death. Bridget embraced a life of prayer, penance and charity, receiving the mystical revelations later collected as the Revelations. While the Church has never pronounced on each revelation individually, it has recognised the authenticity of her overall spiritual experience. Her writings centre above all on Christ's Passion, the immeasurable love of God revealed on the Cross, the compassionate motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the constant call to conversion addressed to every Christian, including rulers, clergy and religious.

Throughout her life, Bridget remained unwaveringly faithful to the Church and to the Successor of Peter. She travelled to Rome to seek papal approval for the Order of the Most Holy Saviour (the Bridgettines) and courageously urged the Popes to return from Avignon to the See of Peter. Her life demonstrates that authentic reform of the Church is always born of holiness, fidelity and love rather than rebellion.

Pope Benedict XVI presents St Bridget as a model for every Christian vocation: spouse, parent, widow, consecrated person and mystic. She reminds us that holiness is attainable in every state of life when lived in faithful union with Christ. As Co-Patroness of Europe, she also bears witness to the Christian roots that shaped the continent's civilisation.

Benedict concludes by praying that, through her powerful intercession, Europe may rediscover those roots and that all Christians may one day attain the full unity for which Christ prayed.

"Europe may always be nourished by its Christian roots, invoking the powerful intercession of St Bridget of Sweden, a faithful disciple of God and Co-Patroness of Europe."

Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience:
Saint Bridget of Sweden, 27 October 2010, Vatican City.

Available at: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20101027.html.

 

Pope Benedict XIV regarding Islam

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regensburg_lecture

 

On on another thread a few weeks ago I mentioned Fr. Raimon Panikkar, who was of Hindu and Catholic heritage. His father was Indian and his mother Spanish Catholic. I think both he and Fr. Ratzinger were young theologians and friends at the time of Vatican 2. Their paths later diverged but they seem to have kept in touch.
I remember being surprised while reading an article by a Spanish journalist who visited Raimon Panikkar at home, when he had retired and was living in Spain.
While having dinner together the phone rang and when Fr. Panikkar answered, it was Pope Benedict calling to speak with him about the heated reaction to his Regensburg lecture.