[[Image:Pope Benedict XVI 1.jpg|right|200px]]
His Holiness '''Benedict XVI''' ('''Joseph Alois Ratzinger''', born April 16, 1927 , in [[Bavaria]], [[Germany]]) is the current [[Pope]] (2005-2013) of the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. He succeeded Pope [[John Paul II]]. On 11 February11, 2013 , he announced his resignation for 28 that he will resign the papacy on February28, 2013, stating that his "strengths due to an advanced age are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry."<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/02/11/pope-benedict-xvi-resigning-on-feb-28-due-to-age-health-reasons-conclave/ Pope Benedict XVI resigning on Feb. 28]</ref>
==Early Life==
He was born in Marktl am Inn, [[Germany]] , on April 16, 1927. 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.
==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==
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On In April 2008, Pope Benedict XVI made his first visit to the [[United States]]. He celebrated mass at in [[Washington , D.C.]] in a baseball stadium and then at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick and also at 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 President [[George W. Bush]] in 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.''}}
== See also ==
*[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.
*[http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-benedict-xvi-announces-his-resignation-at-end Full text of Pope's declaration of resignation]
==Footnotes==
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