Pope Benedict- Pope of the Simple Folk

There were quite a few stories marking the Pope's 82nd birthday. The Ratzinger Forum translated quited a few here on this page.

I was very struck by this one that appears to be from Vatican Radio. Comments in red are added by the poster at Ratzinger Forum


BENEDICT XVI: POPE OF THE SIMPLE FOLK -
And not a paradox by Rodolfo Lorenzoni
April 15, 2009


I will cite a personal experience only because I thought it is significant enough. A few days ago, I was invited to a RAI-3 broadcast conceived and conducted by Corrado Augias [74-year-old TV host-journalist who teamed up with history professor Pesce to write two consecutive anti-Christian best sellers, INCHIESTO SU GESU (Inquiry on Jesus) and INCHIESTO SULLA CHIESA (Inquiry on the Church)]. In the minutes that preceded the start of the live broadcast, Augias, chatting informally with me, made a statement which I found striking: "I would like to understand and make others understand who this Pope really is, because frankly, I don't believe it is clear at all." [Typical statement by someone who simply does not wish to see what is abundantly evident and essentially simple!]

One of the most eminent representatives of secular culture in our country was saying that Benedict XVI constitutes for many an enigma still to be deciphered!

Who then is Papa Ratzinger? So many definitions have been attempted, each of which doubtless contains part of the truth: the theologian Pope, the Pope who defends Tradition, the Pope of liturgy, etc.

I wish to humbly offer for your consideration another definition, which takes nothing away from those already named but can only serve to enrich them: Benedict XVI is the Pope of the Simple Folk. I know many will raise an eyebrow - How on earth, they may well ask, can someone who can raise us to the highest planes of theology, metaphysics, and doctrine be the Pope of Simple Folk?

The paradox is really only an apparent one, and Benedict XVI himself explained it. I wish to cite textually the words he said some 10 years ago addressing a conference about St. John:

It is not the educated ones who will determine what is true of our baptismal faith, rather it is our baptismal faith that determines what is valid in educated interpretations. It is not the intellectuals who will take the measure of simple folk, but rather the simple who will take the measure of intellectuals. The task of the Church Magisterium is to defend the faith of the simple people against the power of the intellectuals: it must protect the faith of the simple folk, those who do not write books, who do not speak on TV, and cannot write editorials in the newspapers - this is the Church's democratic role. It must give a voice to those who would otherwise have no voice at all.

A splendid doctrinal statement and a declaration of intention on the part of the man who, several years later, would present himself to the world as "a humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord".