Bishop Stephen Chow, SJ
Pope Francis requested prayers for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who was seriously ill and whose condition, as we all knew, had become critical at the end of December. I first heard about Benedict XVI’s deteriorating health in September last year while I was in Rome. Therefore, when the news broke that the pope emeritus passed away, I was not surprised but were nevertheless saddened to see the passing of such a respected father figure.
Benedict XVI, for me, was a fearless man who had the courage to resign from the papacy. There were those in the Church who thought he should not have resigned, but he demonstrated no attachment to power and did not insist on remaining in the See of Peter for the good of the Church. That deserves my respect.
The theology of Benedict XVI is very solid in the history of the contemporary church, and he belongs to the era’s pantheon of theologians. He refreshed his theology with the times in response to the rapidly secularised world. His influence extended beyond his role as pope to his role as a theologian.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was from Germany. He visited the Nazi concentration camps after becoming Pope in 2006. He was at a loss for words in the camps and could only ask God in silence: How could you tolerate all this? There is no doubt that Benedict was passionate about his intimate understanding of humanity.
While we appreciate Benedict XVI as a theologian with rational thinking, we cannot ignore his affective side. He loved playing the piano and listening to music, through which he expressed his feelings. His first encyclical was entitled, God is Love and love was a central part of his thinking, which was continued by his successor, Pope Francis.
The Church is a journeying one and a “Church in progress”, and we must constantly reflect on ourselves, including our limitations, in order to do better. For example, regarding sexual abuse cases, we feel extremely embarrassed and ashamed about them. Despite his human weaknesses, Pope Benedict XVI dealt sternly with the issue. During his tenure, he also introduced measures to prevent money laundering in the Vatican, which should be acknowledged. Furthermore, no one or no pope is flawless. We can only respond as best as we can in our limited capacity. If we realise it is no longer possible for ourselves to continue our mission, we should imitate Benedict XVI’s humility, a holy virtue.
His contribution was, in short, his willingness to lead the Church amid storms, his ability to show the way forward in terms of Catholic faith reflection amid the bombardment of secularisation, and his ability to renew the call of God’s love at a time when hearts were becoming indifferent or detached.
May God be pleased to receive the soul of Benedict XVI, and may he pray for our Church and the world from his eternal heavenly home!
