Download or read book The Ratzinger Report written by Vittorio Messori and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 1985 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cardinal Ratzinger speaks candidly and forcefully about the state of the Church in the Post-Vatican II era. Here is the complete text of a meeting many have called a "historical turnabout" in the Church. The roots of the crisis that has troubled Catholics in the twenty years since the Council are analyzed with forthright clarity by one of the most authoritative voices in the Vatican. Here is a clear and uncompromising report on the dangers that threaten the Faith, from one who every day receives the most reliable information from every continent. Yet Ratzinger's observations are as hopeful and balanced as they are clear-sighted, forcefully re-affirming the immense and positive work of Vatican II, whose genuine fruits this book provides a guideline for achieving.
Download or read book The Ratzinger Report written by Pope Benedict XVI and published by . This book was released on 1985 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Theological Highlights of Vatican II written by Pope Benedict XVI and published by Paulist Press. This book was released on 2009 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Joseph Ratzinger's report on the debates and struggles that made up each of the four sessions of Vatican II (1962-65), along with theological commentary.
Download or read book God and the World written by Joseph Ratzinger and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2013-10-29 with total page 470 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During his years as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, well-known Vatican prelate Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger has given three in-depth interviews. The first two interviews have become best selling books: The Ratzinger Report and Salt of the Earth. Because of the tremendous reception those books received, the Cardinal agreed to do another interview with journalist Peter Seewald, who had done the very popular Salt of the Earth interview. This third in-depth interview addresses deep questions of faith and the living of that faith in the modern world. The interview took place over three full days spent at the Benedictine Abbey of Monte Cassino in a setting of the silence, prayer, and hospitality of the monks. For this meeting with the highly regarded Churchman, theologian, and author, the seasoned journalist, who had fallen away from the faith but eventually returned to the Church, once again provided a very stimulating, well-prepared series of wide-ranging questions on profound issues. The Cardinal responds with candor, frankness and deep insight, giving answers that are sometimes surprising and always thought provoking.
Download or read book Salt of the Earth written by Joseph Ratzinger and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2013-07-18 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, well- known Vatican prelate and head of the Congregation on the Doctrine of the Faith, gives a full-length interview to secular journalist Peter Seewald, on a host of controversial and difficult issues facing Catholicism and Christianity at the end of the millennium. Similar to his best-selling book interview in 1985, The Ratzinger Report, he responds with candor and insight, giving answers that are often surprising and always thought-provoking on a series of wide-ranging topics regarding the present and future state of Christianity. Ratzinger begins by discussing his own life, including his family life, being a theology professor and writer, becoming a Bishop, Cardinal and the Pope's top authority on doctrine. He then discusses the problems of the Catholic Church today and talks about the challenges and hopes of the future of Church and the world at the beginning of the Third Millennium.
Download or read book Light Of The World written by Peter Seewald and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2010-10-29 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Never has a Pope, in a book-length interview, dealt so directly with such wide-ranging and controversial issues as Pope Benedict XVI does in Light of the World. Taken from a recent week-long series of interviews with veteran journalist Peter Seewald, this book tackles head-on some of the greatest issues facing the world of our time. Seewald poses such forthright questions to Pope Benedict as: What caused the clergy sexual abuse in the Catholic Church? Was there a "cover up"? Have you considered resigning? Does affirming the goodness of the human body mean a plea for "better sex"? Can there be a genuine dialogue with Islam? Should the Church rethink Catholic teaching on priestly celibacy, women priests, contraception, and same-sex relationships? Holy Communion for divorced-and-remarried Catholics? Is there a schism in the Catholic Church? Should there be a Third Vatican Council? Is there any hope for Christian unity? Is Christianity the only truth? Can the Pope really speak for Jesus Christ? How can the Pope claim to be "infallible"? Is there a "dictatorship of relativism" today? Twice before these two men held wide-ranging discussions, which became the best-selling books Salt of the Earth and God and the World. Then, Seewald's discussion partner was Joseph Ratzinger, head of the Vatican's chief doctrinal office. Now, Joseph Ratzinger is Pope Benedict XVI, the spiritual leader of the world's over one billion Catholics. Though Seewald now interviews the Pope himself, the journalist "pulls no punches", posing some of the thorniest questions any Pope has had to address. Believers and unbelievers will be fascinated to hear Benedict's thoughtful, straightforward and thought-provoking replies. This is no stern preachment or ponderous theological tract, but a lively, fast-paced, challenging, even entertaining exchange.
Download or read book Milestones written by Pope Benedict XVI and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 1998-01-01 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents the life and acccomplishments of the man who became Pope Benedict the Sixteenth, from his early life in Nazi Germany, through his theological education, to his appointment as archbishop of Munich and Freising in 1977.
Download or read book New Outpourings of the Spirit written by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2007 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The volume consists of two fundamental texts by Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, on the ecclesial movements and new communities within the Church since the Second Vatican Council. These writings are particularly meaningful with regard to the intense spiritual journey which the ecclesial movements and the new communities are experiencing in view of their meeting with Pope Benedict XVI on Pentecost 2006. These writings are a precious guide for the entire Church, leaders and laity alike, who are invited to welcome the new "outpourings of the Spirit." The first part of the book presents in an articulate and exhaustive way the theological vision of the Pope on these ecclesial movements and the new communities. It is his talk titled Church Movements and their Place in Theology which he gave at the beginning of the World Congress of the Ecclesial Movements in Rome in 1998. It combines extraordinary theological depth with a warm pastoral tone. The second part of the book is very different from the first, but complements the first part. It contains the dialogue of Cardinal Ratzinger with a large group of Bishops from all continents, convened together for a seminar on the topic, The Ecclesial Movements in the Pastoral Concern of the Bishops held in Rome in 1999. This dialogue format was very favorably received by the Bishops, and it is quite wide-ranging, touching on topics such as the relation between the old and the new charisms, the institutional dimension and the charismatic dimension of the Church, and the Church's mission in a non-Christian society and more.
Download or read book Theology of the Liturgy written by Joseph Ratzinger and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2014-05-13 with total page 855 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This major volume is a collection of the writings of Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI) on the theology of the Liturgy of the Church, a subject of preeminence to him as a theologian, professor and spiritual writer. It brings together all his writings on the subject, short and long, giving his views on liturgical matters and questions over many years and from various perspectives. He chose to have his writings on the Liturgy for the first volume published of his collected works (though listed as vol. 11) because, as he says in the Introduction: "The liturgy of the Church has been for me since my childhood the central reality of my life, and it became the center of my theological efforts. I chose fundamental theology as my field because I wanted first and foremost to examine thoroughly the question: Why do we believe? But also included from the beginning in this question was the other question of the right response to God and, thus, the question of the liturgy." By starting with the theme of liturgy in this volume, Ratzinger wants to highlight God's primacy, the absolute precedence of the theme of God. Beginning with a focus on the liturgy, he said, tells us that "God is first". He quotes from the Rule of St. Benedict, "Nothing is to be preferred to the liturgy", as a way of ordering priorities for the life of the Church and of every individual. He says that the fundamental question of the man who begins to understand himself correctly is: How must I encounter God? Thus learning the right way of worshipping is the gift par excellence that is given to us by the faith. The essential purpose of his writings on the liturgy is to place the liturgy in its larger context, which he presents in three concentric circles. First, the intrinsic interrelationship of Old and New Testament; without the connection to the Old Testament heritage, the Christian liturgy is incomprehensible. The second circle is the relationship to the religions of the world. The third circle is the cosmic character of the liturgy, which is more than the coming together of a circle of people: the liturgy is celebrated in the expanse of the cosmos, encompassing creation and history at the same time.
Download or read book Joseph Ratzinger written by Maximilian Heinrich Heim and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2007 with total page 652 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a major work on the theology of Joseph Ratzinger by a highly regarded German theologian, priest and writer. Since his election to the Papacy, Ratzinger's theology, and in particular his ecclesiology (theology of the Church), has been in the limelight of theological and ecumenical discussions. This work studies in detail Ratzinger's ecclesiology in the light of Vatican II, against the ongoing debate about what Vatican II really meant to say about the life of the Church, its liturgy, its worship, its doctirne, its pastoral mission, and more.
Download or read book Inside the Vatican written by Thomas J. Reese S.J. and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 1998-02-19 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are one billion Catholics in the world today, spread over every continent, speaking almost every conceivable language, and all answering to a single authority. The Vatican is a unique international organization, both in terms of its extraordinary power and influence, and in terms of its endurance. Popes come and go, but the elaborate and complex bureaucracy called the Vatican lives on. For centuries, it has served and sometimes undermined popes; it has been praised and blamed for the actions of the pope and for the state of the church. Yet an objective examination of the workings of the Vatican has been unavailable until now. Drawing on more than a hundred interviews with Vatican officials, this book affords a firsthand look at the people, the politics, and the organization behind the institution. Reese brings remarkable clarity to the almost Byzantine bureaucracy of congregations, agencies, secretariats, tribunals, nunciature, and offices, showing how they serve the pope and, through him, the universal church. He gives a lively account of how popes are elected and bishops appointed, how dissident theologians are disciplined and civil authorities dealt with. Throughout, revealing and colorful anecdotes from church history and the present day bring the unique culture of the Vatican to life. The Vatican is a fascinating institution, a model of continuity and adaptation, which remains constant while functioning powerfully in a changing world. As never before, this book provides a clear, objective perspective on how the enormously complex institution surrounding the papacy operates on a day-to-day level, how it has adapted and endured for close to two thousand years, and how it is likely to face the challenges of the next millennium.
Download or read book The Ratzinger Reader written by Joseph Ratzinger and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2010-07-08 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: `An invaluable, unique resource for readers of Roman Catholic theology' PHILIP ENDEAN, S.J., CAMPION HALL, OXFORD, UK `First as a theologian, then bishop and later the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Joseph Ratzinger is often thought to have moved steadily to the right. In this collection, Gerard Mannion and Lieven Boeve dispel such easy generalizations. With judiciously chosen and suitably lengthy extracts from Ratzinger's writings, accompanied by helpful editorial comments, these two leading European Catholic theologians demonstrate the continuity of the one Ratzinger and consequently shed light on the complexity of his present-day role as Pope. Anyone who wishes to understand better the current face of Roman theology is greatly in their debt.' PAUL LAKELAND, FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY, USA `An indispensable guide for understanding the theology of Joseph Ratzinger. Ratzinger insists that his theological opinions are distinct from his official positions as prefect and pope, but this collection shows otherwise. A very personal theology has become the official theology of the church.'---BRADFORD HINZE, FORDHAM UNIVERSITY, USA `Anyone attempting to gain serious familiarity with the theology of Joseph Ratzinger will find this book invaluable. It is not just a conventional reader but a uniquely structured, signposted guide through the terrain of Ratzinger's theology as a whole. It comes at exactly the right time in emerging Ratzinger scholarship, providing a pathway for the uninitiated as well as a compact one-volume resource for those who are further along the road. I recommend it highly.'-JAMES CORKERY, S.J., MILLTOWN INSTITUTE OF THEOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY, DUBLIN, IRELAND
Download or read book The Rise of Benedict XVI written by John L. Allen, Jr. and published by Image. This book was released on 2007-12-18 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the author of Conclave and All the Pope’s Men comes the story of Pope John Paul II’s last days, the behind-the-scenes dynamics within the College of Cardinals that led to the choice of Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI. On April 18, 2005, the College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church gathered to elect a successor to Pope John Paul II. Faced with several potential candidates, the cardinals made a bold choice, entrusting the Keys of the Kingdom to 78-year-old Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, a man whose views on the challenges facing the Church and the broader culture could not be more unambiguous, or controversial. Questions arose as the world watched while Ratzinger was installed as Pope Benedict XVI, the 266th pontiff of the Catholic Church. Why Ratzinger? Why someone so clearly identified with the previous pope? Why not a “compromise” choice? Why a Cardinal from Western Europe and not from Africa or Latin America? What would this mean for the future of the Catholic Church? No one can tell the story of exactly what took place during the closed doors meeting, known as the conclave, when Cardinals from around the world cast their votes for the next pope, better than John L. Allen, Jr. As a correspondent for National Catholic Reporter and a Vatican analyst for CNN and National Public Radio, Allen has spent years covering Vatican politics and personalities, and his unique access to Roman halls of power has enabled him to write the ultimate behind-the-scenes account of the election of Pope Benedict XVI. The Rise of Benedict XVI is based on extensive research and exclusive interviews with eight cardinals representing five nationalities, guaranteeing readers an intimate glimpse into this monumental decision. But Allen’s insight also means that he is in a unique position to evaluate the accomplishments and legacy of the man now known as Pope Benedict XVI, and to provide some analysis of the direction he would take the Catholic Church in the coming years. Ratzinger’s long career as a major Vatican insider, force of influence, and occasionally polarizing figure, has ensured that his pontificate will be one of the most fascinating in the history of the Catholic Church. Benedict XVI would certainly have a major impact on the lives of the faithful around the world, and John Allen’s riveting new book is the definitive work on this turning point in history.
Download or read book What it Means to be a Christian written by Pope Benedict XVI and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2006-01-01 with total page 73 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents three sermons on how to live as a Christian in the modern secular world, discussing the true meaning of love for God and for one's neighbor and the importance of faith, both for oneself and as a witness to others.
Download or read book On the Way to Jesus Christ written by Joseph Ratzinger and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2010-10-21 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jesus Christ is as popular as ever. Films, books, and news articles ask,"Who was Jesus Christ?" Even outside of Christianity he continues to appeal to people. And yet for so many, the popular Jesus is not the Jesus of Christianity. The popular Jesus makes no demands and never challenges people. He accepts everyone and everything under all circumstances. On the Way to Jesus Christ is a series of meditations that Pope Benedict XVI wrote while he was Prefect for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. The true Jesus he writes, is the Jesus of the Gospels who "is quite different, demanding and bold. The Jesus who makes everything okay for everyone is a phantom, a dream, not a real figure. The Jesus of the Gospels is certainly not convenient for us. But it is precisely in this way that he answers the deepest question of our existence, which--whether we want to or not--keeps us on the lookout for God, for a gratification that is limitless, for the infinite. We must again set out on the way to this real Jesus." This book also examines whether Jesus Christ is the only savior, and the Church's responsibility to evangelize. It concludes with reflections on Jesus' Presence in the Holy Eucharist, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church's presentation of the Christian mystery as seen through the Catechism's dynamic view of Sacred Scripture. On the Way to Jesus Christ is for anyone--believer or nonbeliever-who wants better to understand the true Jesus, the Jesus of the Gospels, the Christ of Christianity.
Download or read book Faith and the Future written by Pope Benedict XVI and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2010-05-11 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Increasingly, the future is becoming a theme for theological reflection. In the background we can detect a growing concern among many people for the future of faith. Does faith have any future at all, and, if so, where in all the confusion of today's trends will we discover its embryo? But the problem of the future assails not only the believer. In the ever more rapidly advancing process of historical evolution, man is confronted with enormous opportunities, but also with colossal perils. For him, the future is not only hope, but sorrow a nightmare, indeed. He cannot avoid asking what part faith can play in building tomorrow's world. Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, approaches this problem of universal concern from a variety of angles, bringing his deep personal faith and theological brilliance to bear on these serious questions.
Download or read book God is Near Us written by Pope Benedict XVI and published by Ignatius Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: According to the Second Vatican Council, "We ought to try to discover a new reverence for the Eucharistic mystery. Something is happening that is greater than anything we can do. The magnitude of what is happening is not dependent on the way we perform it, but all our efforts to perform it aright can always be at the service of the great act that precedes our own and that we cannot achieve for ourselves... The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows." This profound statement about the Eucharist stands at the center of this book by Cardinal Ratzinger. In these previously unpublished texts, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and a scholar of international repute, leads the reader into the heart of the Christian faith and its central mystery. Cardinal Ratzinger compellingly shows us the biblical, historical, and theological dimensions of the Eucharist. The Cardinal draws far-reaching conclusions, focusing on the importance of one's personal devotion to and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, for the personal reception of Communion by the individual Christian, as well as for the life of the Church. For Ratzinger, the drive toward any transformation of the world on the social plane also grows out of the celebration of the Eucharist. He beautifully illustrates how the omnipotent God and Creator comes intimately close to us in the Holy Eucharist, the Heart of Life. Book jacket.
