Pope Benedict XVI

2012-08-01T23:42:41Z

Exhaustedbean: /* Early Life */

[[Image:Pope Benedict XVI 1.jpg|right|200px]]
His Holiness '''Benedict XVI''' ('''Joseph Alois Ratzinger''', born April 16, 1927 in [[Bavaria]]) is the current [[Pope]] (2005- ) of the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. He succeeded Pope [[John Paul II]].

==Early Life==
He was born in Braunau am Inn, [[Austria]] on April 20, 1889. As a child, he lived in Traunstein where much of his philosophy developed. Ratzinger joined the [[Hitler Youth]] in 1939 - membership being required by law - but was unenthusiastic and refused to attend meetings.<ref name="new_pope_defied_nazis">http://bc.edu/research/cjl/meta-elements/texts/cjrelations/topics/new_pope_defied_nazis.htm</ref> At the end of 1944, he was drafted into the German Army and assigned to the Traustein Garrison. He deserted in April or May 1945. <ref name="new_pope_defied_nazis" /><ref>Blanco, Pablo. A Biography of Joseph Ratzinger.</ref>
Ratzinger's father opposed Nazism.

==Education==
He studied at the higher School of Freising and the University of Munich, receiving a Doctor of Theology Degree in 1953.

==Ordination==
He was ordained to the priesthood of the Catholic Church on June 29, 1951.

==Appointment to the See of Munich==
[[File:Firma papal.jpg|thumb|Signature.]]
[[Pope Paul VI]] appointed Father Ratzinger Archbishop of the Archdiocese of [[Munich]] and Freisling on March 25, 1977.

==Cardinal==
He was chosen to membership in the [[College of Cardinals]] by Pope [[Paul VI]] on June 27, 1977. He was thereafter known as Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. On November 25, 1981, Pope [[John Paul II]] named Cardinal Ratzinger "Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith", one of the major Curial institutions of the [[Holy See]].

==College Positions==
On November 6, 1998, Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals. On November 30, 2002 he was elected Dean.

==Accession to the Papacy==
[[Image:Popebenedictbirthday.jpg|right|His Holiness Benedict XVI p.p. on his 80th Birthday|thumb]]
On April 2, 2005, John Paul II passed away. Following the prescribed mourning period, the College of Cardinals was summoned to the Vatican for the Papal Conclave. Cardinal Ratzinger was widely regarded as one of the strongest candidates for election to the papacy, both for his expertise in theological matters and his reputation as a conservative. On April 19, 2005, after a prior false signal, white smoke appeared at the chimney of the [[Sistine Chapel]], signalling the election of a new pope. There were reports that several rounds of voting were needed before Ratzinger achieved the super majority that was required.

As in the past, the Cardinal Protodeacon, Jorge Cardinal Medina Estevez, appeared on the balcony and proclaimed the following;
<blockquote>
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: 
Habemus Papam! 
Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, 
Dominum Joseph, 
Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ Cardinalem Ratzinger, 
Qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedict XVI. 
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
(I announce to you all a great joy: 
We have a pope! 
A most Eminent and Reverend Lord, 
Lord Joseph, 
Cardinal Ratzinger, of the Holy Roman Church, 
Who has imposed a name for himself: Benedict XVI.) 
</blockquote>

On April 2008, Pope Benedict XVI made his first visit to the [[United States]]. He celebrated mass at [[Washington D.C.]] in a baseball stadium and then at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick and also Yankee Stadium in [[New York City]]. During this journey he became the first pope to visit an American [[synagogue]].

''"We need your message to reject this dictatorship of relativism and embrace a culture of justice and truth,"'' said [[George W. Bush]] welcoming Benedict to the [[White House]].

==Social Networking==
The Vatican has expressed its desire to communicate to the world's 1 billion Catholics via the internet. The Pope has created the website [http://www.pope2you.net Pope2You] with applications geared toward [[Facebook]], its [[YouTube]] video channel, [[iPhone]] apps and WikiCath. Presentation of the message says,

{{cquote| ''Be sure to announce the Gospel to your contemporaries with enthusiasm. You know their fears and their hopes, their aspirations and their disappointments: the greatest gift you can give to them is to share with them the "Good News" of a God who became man, who suffered, died and rose again to save all people.''}}

==References==
<references/>

== Also See ==
[[Image:C. A. Benedict XVI.gif|right|thumb|Coat of Arms of Benedict XVI.]]
*[[Our Lady of Guadalupe]]
*[[Holy See]]
*[[Sistine Chapel]]
*[[Roman Catholic Church]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.vatican.va/ The Vatican]
*[http://flagspot.net/flags/va_ben16.html Personal Flag and Arms of Benedict XVI]
*[http://www.vatican.va/news_services/or/or_eng/text.html#1 Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of Ireland.] Regarding child sexual abuse by members of the Church.

[[File:Papa Benedetto XVI PD WC.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Pope Benedict XVI, 2005.]]

[[Category: Religion]]
[[Category: Christianity]]
[[Category: Catholic Church]]
[[Category:Popes|Benedict XVI, Pope]]

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Pope Benedict XVI