Who Is Benedict XVI?

An Introduction To The Pope On His First Papal Visit To The U.S.

(CBS)  Pope Benedict visits the United States this week. But unlike his predecessor John Paul II, the current pope is an unknown quantity to many Americans. Just how unknown is what Martha Teichner will show us in this Sunday Journal:

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Benedict the XVI, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was elected pope three years ago, but he'll arrive in Washington Tuesday, for his first official visit to the U.S., as the pope Americans know practically nothing about. He is most notable for not being John Paul II.

"I think from the very beginning it was seen that he wasn't as big a media draw as John Paul had been, said. CBS News Vatican consultant Father Thomas Williams.

"Pope John Paul II was a born actor, he was a great communicator, and not only by his humor, but by a lot of symbols, by gestures, by grand gestures," Father Williams said. "And Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict, is not that sort of man. He is much more a teacher, more professorial, but he's not as good at the grand gestures. He's not as charismatic as Pope John Paul II was."

More than half-million people spilled out of St. Peters Square on the day of John Paul's funeral. One of Benedict's first acts as Pope was to fast-track his predecessor for sainthood.

Benedict was a reluctant pope. He has said he prayed not to be selected, but on April 19, 2005, the white smoke appeared and Joseph Ratzinger emerged. The choice was a shock, even for longtime Vatican watchers like David Gibson.

"I'm supposed to be one of those people who know how to pick, who's gonna come out on that balcony in St. Peter's Basilica dressed in the white cassock, and I didn't expect it to be Joseph Ratzinger," he said.

Gibson has written a biography of Benedict, "The Rule of Benedict: Pope Benedict XVI and His Battle with the Modern World" (HarperOne). In matters of doctrine, he says for more than two decades Cardinal Ratzinger was Pope John Paul's enforcer.

"It was a great, dynamic duo: John Paul II, the globetrotting pastor with a smile and the charisma, was the good cop of Christendom. Meanwhile, back in Rome, Joseph Ratzinger, the German theologian, was something of the bad cop," Gibson said.

Conservative Catholics were ecstatic that the man known as God's Rottweiller was now in charge. Reform-minded Catholics were distraught … but he's surprised everybody.

"He's moving the center of gravity of the Catholic Church to the right, to a more traditional view, no doubt about it, but he's doing it in a much more deliberate and quieter way than a lot of people on, let's say, his right flank would've wanted or hoped," Gibson said.

"People will often say, oh, well now, as pope he's so much more soft and fuzzy, and likeable," said Father Richard Neuhaus, who has known the pope for many years. "He was always - not soft and fuzzy, by any means, but he was always likeable, always gentle, a great listener."

Father Neuhaus describes him as very private, but ready to joke about his very German discipline.

"He started describing his day and what he does and meetings, boom-boom-boom-boom, and then he says, 'I go play the piano for 30 minutes.' Exactly? 'Oh no,' he pauses and he says, 'Sometimes 37.'"

Joseph Ratzinger was born April 16, 1927 (he will turn 81 this week), and grew up in Bavaria. Although his father was vocally anti-Nazi, he was forced to join the Hitler Youth, and then at the age of 17 was drafted into the German Army. The pope's past proved moderately controversial, more so the speech he gave in September 2006, at Regensberg, the German university where he once taught.

Whether he was naive or trying to be provocative, when he quoted a 14th century Byzantine emperor who claimed that Islam was inherently violent, millions of Muslims were outraged. There were riots; people were killed. Pope Benedict has been working to repair the damage ever since; his trip to Muslim Turkey helped.

In fact, he comes to the United States with a high approval rating. Of the people who know who he is, more than half like him; among Catholics, nearly three-quarters (although Pope John Paul II's numbers were higher, at 76% of Americans).

In Kaitlin Karcher's religion class at Our Lady of Grace School in the New York City borough of Queens, they're praying for the pope.

At Divine Mercy Academy, Christopher Jordan's school not far away, they're studying what a pope does.

Ten-year-old Christopher and 13-year-old Kaitlin were stunned to learn they'd been chosen to present flowers to Pope Benedict when his plane, the Shepherd One, arrives in New York on Friday morning.

"My jaw just fell, and I said, 'Wow,'" said Christopher.

"It's something that will be with me for the rest of my life," said Kaitlin, who admitted it was a little scary.

The band from Xaverian High School in Brooklyn will be on hand for his arrival, too. Wondering about protocol, their band leader asked if they would be expected to kiss the pope's ring, and was told no. "He's not that kind of pope."

So what kind of pope is he?

For 67 million American Catholics, that's a complicated question. Nearly 1 out of 3 Americans raised Catholic has left the church. Masking those defections is the fact that immigrants, overwhelmingly Hispanic, have taken their places.

Troubled by the priest sex scandal, the shortage of priests, the role of women, birth control and abortion, American Catholics will be looking for common ground with a pope who believes the creeping secularism, the so-called "Cafeteria Catholicism" they've been accused of, is unacceptable.

"He's got to address some of these problems," David Gibson said, "and if he doesn't, there's going to be a certain degree of disillusionment, there's going to be a certain degree of erosion."

American Catholics will be parsing Benedict's words, seeking in his itinerary something so they can connect personally with him the way they did with Pope John Paul II.

For Kaitlin Karcher's father, Robert, a disabled fireman, it's the scheduled papal visit to Ground Zero.

"It means a lot to me that he's going," Karcher said. "I feel that's hallowed ground, it really is. I lost six members of my company there, and they're still there"

Last year Christopher Jordan served as an altar boy at the Vatican alongside Pope Benedict. For Phyllis Jordan, having her son chosen to present him with flowers is beyond a connection.

"This is the greatest honor that anyone could have," she said, tearfully. Because? "Because of our Catholic faith."

At the Vatican, Augustinian monks who serve as papal valets wait for orders about what to pack for Pope Benedict's trip. Which of the world's most extraordinary hand-me-downs will cloak him in their history and their symbolism? One made for Pope John Paul II (Benedict wore it for the first month of his papacy). A take-apart travel staff given to Pope Pius IX in 1877. And the papal crest … his calling card … as he sets out to discover America.

[inventagod]

Oh, you mean - Joe Ratzinger?
Doesn''t he head up the pedophile mafia?

[jocasey49]

I am personally offended by your story on Pope Benedict. I am a regular and avid listener to your program and it is rare that the views expressed are as biased as this story. pope Benedict''s German backgroud, most specifically his participation in the Nazi idealogy is [I would hope] offensive to all Jews. Your discussing his popularity with Catholics is only part of what needed to be polled...what about the feelings of Jewish americans, such as myself that have lost family and generations due to WW II and the Nazi regime. I found myself waiting for that to also be included in your story...It was not. A Papal apology just does not suffice!

[sbcarlosm]

Reaching out to touch little boys all over the world.

As the pope says "Puer amat puerum"

[lorddagan]

I am personally offended by your story on Pope Benedict. I am a regular and avid listener to your program and it is rare that the views expressed are as biased as this story. pope Benedict''''s German backgroud, most specifically his participation in the Nazi idealogy is [I would hope] offensive to all Jews. Your discussing his popularity with Catholics is only part of what needed to be polled...what about the feelings of Jewish americans, such as myself that have lost family and generations due to WW II and the Nazi regime. I found myself waiting for that to also be included in your story...It was not. A Papal apology just does not suffice!


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Posted by jocasey49 at 11:37 AM : Apr 13, 2008
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Nothing against you, but the pope was FORCED to be a part of the "Nazi Youth". Now, I am not taking up for what he may or may not have done, but to view him in the way that yourself and others may view him is unfair. Simply because of the fact that he, like so many German youth, was forced to be a part of that twisted regime. They were not given a choice...

[rob416]

Breaking News. "Bush readies for the Popes visit". The question I have is the Pope ready for Bush? I quess if he is invited to The White House for breakfast they will serve eggs benedict.

I''m sure the Pope will express his opinions on the War in Iraq when meeting with the President. I just hope he dosen''t mind talking to a wall. Asking Bush to end a unjust military conflict is like asking the Pope not to do Sunday Mass.

[mailrick-2009]

How wonderful! And yet the poor still starve and the children still suffer.

[lorddagan]

Honestly, I don''t much for this "visit". After all the Catholic church has done for the world.........wow

[kenjiro1]

Gopsux (whoever you are), you''re comment should be erased.
You remind me of all the gun toting, bible thumping, red-necked yokels that I saw when my family and I were traveling in the South last year on vacation visiting Civil War battlefields and monuments.
As Japanese-Americans (we were all born here except my grandmom, 81), we were subjected to racial and religious slurs by the locals in Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, and N. Carolina. Gopsux, you remind me of all these low-life people who called us " *****", "slopes", "******", and "***", and who practically spit on my Dad when he pleasantly inquired at a diner along a major route "where the nearest Catholic Church is...so we can go to Mass?"
*** hate this Pope because he reminds all of us what sin and immorality is, and calls it by name.
Bible Christians hate Catholics because they think they are the only ones who know Jesus. They remind me of fundamentalist Muslims in Iran.
Only God can judge who possesses the true Christian Faith, and I think those (like the people we incountered down South last year), who go around stirring up racial and religious hate, are in for a big surprise when it comes their time to see Jesus face to face.
Keep lousy comments about the Pope to yourself.

[pollroller1]

Kenjiro1, I am really sorry that you and your family were treated so badly. There are a lot of bigots in the world.
I do have to tell you one thing and this has nothing to do with who you are are where you come from. There is no such place as heaven or hell. The bible is just a book of stories and fairy tales written by other humans.

[xalen54]

Kenjiro1, Catholics are just better, deal with it. If you are so into "Bible Christians" then why don''t you worry about your own religion? You are like an annoying little atheists who won''t shut up.


*I am also Japanese-American & I am proud of my Catholic faith*

[xalen54]

Even though I am Catholic doesn''t mean I believe everything the Bible says. The Bible was written by man, not God. There is a great possibility that they could have gotten it wrong.

[xalen54]

& no matter where you go, there will always be people who discriminate against others. Not because of their religion, but it is because people are diverse, & so is their thinking. You just have to accept that there is someone out there that is racist towards us, or against (insert race here) & so on.

[cpaide]

will he be taking the morman kids from texas back to the vatican for some "reprogramming"?

[irliberal]

Even though I am Catholic doesn''''t mean I believe everything the Bible says. The Bible was written by man, not God. There is a great possibility that they could have gotten it wrong.

Posted by Xalen54 at 03:19 PM

You''re not a Catholic. You''re not even a Christian. Congratulations.

[rushlimpdrug]

They were not given a choice...
Posted by LordDagan at 12:18 PM

Lord?

Is that you Lord?

Lord, when are you coming to America,
and how will we know it is you?

Can you give us a sign?

[omded]

Who is Benedict XVI?

Another Bozo in "Holy Garments".

[isnogod-2009]

"Pope John Paul II was a born actor

That''s all you have to do to be a shielded pedophile, and leech riches from the masses. There''s a sucker born every minute.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in this ring I present the pageantry of the Catholic Church, in the all the grandeur you''ll never get to live in.

[downsteamjim]

Who is Benedict XVI. Benedict IV squared.

[irliberal]

IRLiberal,

Catholics are distinguished in part by their adherence to informed interpretation of the Bible and other sources rather than literal acceptence.

Posted by CBS_Oliver at 05:04 PM

I''m an ex Catholic. Im not sure where your "interpretative" fantasies come from but they didn''t come from the Catholic church. Perhaps wishful thinking on your part?

[downsteamjim]

To CBSOliver: There was a grain of truth in your comment. You seperated regular people from liberals.

[kenjiro1]

Xalen54- I was defending the Catholic Church, not condemning it. What I was saying is that my family and I were subjected to harrassment in a southern State when we inquired about where the nearest Catholic Church was for Mass. Apparently there wasn''t one...but the locals let loose with a string of colorful anti-Catholic slurs all the same. That''s what I meant. Those people think they are the only true Christians...just like the Muslims in Iran think they are the only true Muslims, etc.
I''ve read alot of hate in these comments directed towards the Pope. That''s sick. Would anyone do it to Billy Graham, or if he were still around...Jerry Falwell? Or the Dalai Lama?
I''m a young Catholic, 23, and I love the traditions of the Catholic Church. I''m not into the "make-everything-up-as-we-go-along" Masses my parents (who are in their early 50''s) like. I go to the Tridentine Latin Mass, and I respect the Pope for brining it back.
But I''ve studied religion alot, and to me there seems to be only 1 religious tradition which has never (at least as far as I know), instigated wars for the sake of religion, been part of war due to religion, or persecuted others because of their religion. That''s Buddhism. I''m not considering converting (although it was the religion of my family 400 years ago), but it''s interesting that some Buddhists (the Dalai Lama etc.), act more like good Christians than some people who are Christian....(Pastor Hagee, Bob Jones, Jimmy Swaggart etc.).

[denn034]

"will he be taking the morman kids from texas back to the vatican for some ''reprogramming''?"
Posted by cpaide

Yesterday, I said that I felt the FLDS were a cover for crime and shouldn''t be given religious protections under the First Amendment. Your "reprogramming" comment, cpaide, causes me to think twice about that. Let me finish by pointing out that wikipedia under "Name of the Beast" lists Martin Luther as suggesting that Benediktos, the Greek version of the angelicized Benedict, can be rendered using Greek gematria as 666. An interesting fact of Christian history that''s for sure.

[denn034]

"Catholics are distinguished in part by their adherence to informed interpretation of the Bible and other sources rather than literal acceptence."
Posted by CBS_Oliver

I''ll grant that some verses can be non-literal like the "healing in his wings" statement in the Psalms. However, taking non-literalism to the extreme so allegorizes scripture that it becomes meaningless. Let me finish by pointing out that Hitler had to take a non-literal or allegorical approach to scripture to justify religiously his forsaking of the scriptural protections for the Jews like Genesis 12:13 and the Catholics have apologized not long ago for it''s actions during WWII.

[denn034]

That Wikipedia article is entitled Number of the Beast. My mistake.

[cicada786]

"Catholics are distinguished in part by their adherence to informed interpretation of the Bible and other sources rather than literal acceptence."
Posted by CBS_Oliver

Catholics have consistently de-judify all passages and important people in both testaments of the bible. To finish the make over to match their fantasy the Catholic church anglicizes all the biblical characters like Mosses and Jesus to appear perfect specimens of an Aryan race.

Who in the Catholic church realistically portrays in paintings, sculpture and scripture the biblical persona as mid-eastern and north african? Who in the Catholic church will even acknowledge that Jesus had black kinky hair?

[kenjiro1]

Everyone knows (who has sense) that the historical Jesus was not a tall, white skinned, blue eyed with brown hair. But neither was he African or black!
Jesus probably looked very much , and probably exactly, like what the people of Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Iran look like today....olive or tan skinned, dark eyes, dark hair.

[edjansen7]

It is my sense that this pope, in his exclusive perspective of the church, wants to role back the clock prior to the Vatican II Council. If there is any hope for the future of the Roman Catholic Church, I believe it will need a bishop who is looking into the future, rather than trying to regain the past. The issues of sexual perversion within the clergy, the unwillingness to change the celebacy requirements and dare I say, refusal to look at making women as equal citizens in the Kingdom of God must be addressed in an open way; willing to give up old ways that just don''t work any more. Face it guys, you''re not making it. Regardless of how powerful and unchangeable you believe you are, you''re losing your influence in the world because people, especially people who have lived in a free culture, are no longer willing to buy into your authoritarian ways. Question: Who did Jesus LORD over? Who did he control? What demands did he make of people? "Not by power, nor by might, but by my Spirit," says the LORD.

[ndjam]

Kenjiro1-- How do you know what he looked like? Were you there? Ive seen alot of Arabs from Syria, Jordan and Palestine who are pretty white.

[xalen54]

my bad then

[jerr11]

Who Is Benedict XVI?


Larry Craig in a popemobile.

[jerr11]

It covers the topic of antisemitism and supercessionism from the time of the Apostles to the planting of the large papal cross at Auschwitz.


Posted by CBS_Oliver at 10:53 PM : Apr 13, 2008



Sounds like more Zionist propaganda cra*p!

How can the apostles be anti-semitic?

They were Jews!

And how can you be anti-semitic if you believe in a Jewish Messiah?

Gimme a break!

[gce65]

Who is Benedict XVI?
He''s the guy who recognizes Bush as the Antichrist and refuses to eat a meal (break bread) with him.

[brianbwb-2009]

Joey the Rat''s father was a Hitler Youth. No one was "forced" to join, they either chose to oppose the crimes of the Nazis, of they chose to assist them, both choices have consequences.

Ratzinger''s attempted vilification of Muslims, and disrespect to all other non-Catholics,as indicated in his "one true church" statement, shows an intolerant nature that indicates that the apple didn''t fall too far from the tree.

One thing is for sure, because of him, the doctrine of "papal infallibility" has been shown to the world to be total fantasy.

[demslie]

He is guardian of the feces-filled Vatican murderous, thieving, toilet/church in Rome, as have been all other Popes throughout history.
Flush them all down to the hell that they created, and to where they belong.

Posted by damnedrelign

The Pope knows that he was coming to a nation that is dominated by Angry Hatefule Atheist Democrats who hate Christianity as much as any Muslim Terrorist. The world already knows that Democrats hate Religion, hate Republicans, hate Capitalism, hate the Military, hate Family Values, hate Sucessful People, hate White people, Hate the American Flag. You can tell by the Angry, Hateful Posts here that the Popes visit has made Democrats as Hateful as Iran and Al Qaeda who hate America the same as Democrats.

[demslie]

Ah, the Great Christian Mythology. Successfully causing Death for over 2000 years now.

Posted by FloydZepp

What an idiot. Its Muslim and Arabs that have been causing death for over 2000 years. And its Democrats that are helping and supporting them to do that today.

[DaveGress]

demslie - to use the word HATE so much means that you feel it, a lot.

[honestabe8]

demslie is right: if there weren''t muslims or arabs in the world, there would be no war or death. (sarcasm intended)

[hungry1968]

Who Is Benedict XVI?





A former member of the Nazi youth movement, a life long devotee of the church of brainwashed fools, that helped cover up all of the priest molestations and rapes, by giving big, fat, checks to the victims in the form of ''hush money''.

Why do you ask?

[hungry1968]

The Pope knows that he was coming to a nation that is dominated by Angry Hatefule Atheist Democrats who hate Christianity as much as any Muslim Terrorist. The world already knows that Democrats hate Religion, hate Republicans, hate Capitalism, hate the Military, hate Family Values, hate Sucessful People, hate White people, Hate the American Flag. You can tell by the Angry, Hateful Posts here that the Popes visit has made Democrats as Hateful as Iran and Al Qaeda who hate America the same as Democrats.

Posted by demslie at 06:49 AM : Apr 14, 2008





YOURS is the ONLY post mentioning ''democrats''.

Your delusional off-topic ranting, only confirms our suspicions of brain washed christians.

Yes CHRISTIANS - the brain washing, and delusional teaching, are hallmarks of christianity as a whole - not something limited to the catholic church. Though the catholics are the worst of the worst.

[hungry1968]

As Japanese-Americans (we were all born here except my grandmom, 81), we were subjected to racial and religious slurs by the locals in Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, and N. Carolina. Gopsux, you remind me of all these low-life people who called us " *****", "slopes", "******", and "***", and who practically spit on my Dad when he pleasantly inquired at a diner along a major route "where the nearest Catholic Church is...so we can go to Mass?"

Posted by Kenjiro1 at 02:45 PM : Apr 13, 2008





You can guarantee that the "locals in Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, and N. Carolina" that you encountered were ALL BIBLE THUMPING CHRISTIANS!!!


LOL!!!

[honestabe8]

hungry: i think demslie''s posts are not attributable to him being a brain washed christian. i think they are more attributable to him being a morton downey jr. wannabe

[grumpas]

Pope John Paul II called us ''Smvrgesbord Catholic''s'' not ''Cafeteria Catholic''s''. Either way I solved the problem I stopped being a practicing Catholic. When the Catholic Church starts using a little common sense to their birth control policies and stops supporting human suffering through over population I might consider going to back Church. But, not until.

[honestabe8]

liberalbias: you think that atheists are the worst of the worst? because we don''t believe your fairy tale?

[honestabe8]

liberalbias: you think that atheists are the worst of the worst? because we don''t believe your fairy tale?

[aswoodill]

I think the best way for those of you who are sincere in trying to answer the question of who this man is would be to actually read some of his work... not bits and pieces or comments about it, but actually take the time and effort to get to know the heart of another human being. This man who believes that "He (God)has loved us first and he continues to do so; we too, then, can respond with love. God does not demand of us a feeling which we ourselves are incapable of producing. He loves us, he makes us see and experience his love, and since he has %u201Cloved us first%u201D, love can also blossom as a response within us." (God Is Love #17)

The Holy Father loves us as brother and sister human beings... I pray that others will look inside themselves and find that love for their neighbor and let it bloom in their lives.

Peace be with you.

[damnedrelign]

When will the Catholic Church compensate it''s victims'' progeny for the torture, for the murder, and for the plunder, that it and its agents perpetrated against its millions of innocent victims throughout the Catholic Church''s bloody, perverted history?

[aswoodill]

"DamnedRelign"... Come on, you can''t expect anyone to believe that in the last 2,000 years you believe that the Catholic Church has been the ONLY power to corrupted. Most people with a junior high school history book could form the same argument for every single group/power/church/country etc. that had the ability to inflict damage on humanity... (If it would help I can mention in more detail the Roman Catholics who have been killed for their faith for the last 2,000 years and continue to do so as recently as last month) so you can either hate all of humanity with the same zeal you attack the Roman Catholic Church or you just come off as a narrow minded bigot.

I can''t imagine what kind of pain you must be suffering to be so angry, but I pray that you find peace one day.

[aswoodill]

Thanks for your reply Damned,
--------------------------------
"What they need is a little sacrosanct science and reason, not to mention logic."
--------------------------------
This argument may have been ok even as recently as one hundred years ago, but you''re talking about a faith that today proclaims that "...there can never be any real discrepancy between faith and reason. Since the same God who reveals mysteries and infuses faith has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind, God cannot deny himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth." "Consequently, methodical research in all branches of knowledge, provided it is carried out in a truly scientific manner and does not override moral laws, can never conflict with the faith, because the things of the world and the things of faith derive from the same God." (CCC #159), so I''m not really sure that anything other than your anger towards religion is what you base your ideas upon... not exactly logic or reason.

As far as your next posting, It has been a bit difficult for me to form a reply... not much there to debate other than (again) your anger. My Catholic faith is based upon love... love of God and love of my fellow man... if these things are too "delusional" for ya, then I don''t know what else to say... but I do wish you well.

John Paul pray for us.
Scott