Writings of Pope Benedict XVI
On April 19th, 2005, Joseph Cardinal
Ratzinger was elected to be the 265th pope.
He took the name Benedict XVI. As Pope John Paul
II's chief doctrinal officer and key advisor, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
was the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from
1981 to 2005.
 He is the most revered prelate, scholar, theologian, teacher and Catholic
author of our time. Pope Benedict possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of
theology; a command of biblical, patristic, scholastic, and contemporary
sources; and an elegance as a thinker and writer.
He received his doctorate in theology in
1953 from the University of Munich.
Beginning in 1959, he taught theology at the
University of Bonn. Pope Benedict became more widely known when,
during the Second Vatican Council and at the age
of 35, he was appointed chief theological advisor for the
Archbishop of Cologne, Cardinal Joseph Frings, for the
four year duration of the Council.
After continuing his teaching at several German universities,
Ratzinger was appointed by Pope Paul VI in
March 1977 as Archbishop of Munich and Freising. In
June 1977, he was elevated to Cardinal.
Pope John Paul II summoned Cardinal Ratzinger to Rome in
November 1981, and named him Prefect of
the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, President of the
Pontifical Biblical Commission, and President of the International
Theological Commission.
Pope Benedict writes with conciseness,
clarity, simplicity, optimism and kindness; and uses
copious reference to Holy Scripture, of which he has an
encyclopedic knowledge. His insight into God's Law
is clear and precise, for all to understand.
When we pray we speak to
God;
but when we read, God speaks to us.
In prayer,
God hears our
petitions,
but in reading we listen to His Voice.
Spiritual reading and
prayer are the
arms by which
hell
is conquered and paradise
won.
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