April 19, 2010, marks the fifth anniversary of the election of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI. Following Pope John Paul II, whose pontificate was the second-longest ever, Pope Benedict was expected by both friends and foes to be a "transitional pope." Twenty years older at his election than his predecessor, Pope Benedict, many thought, would simply consolidate the the generally changes John Paul had made in the wake of Vatican II.
They were wrong. After a rather slow first year as Pope, the Holy Father picked up the pace dramatically, as the Vatican Information Service notes:
In the five years of his pontificate, Benedict XVI has published three Encyclicals: "Deus caritas est" of 25 December 2005, "Spe salvi" of 27 November 2007, and "Caritas in veritate" of 30 June 2009; one Apostolic Exhortation on the Eucharist; the Apostolic Constitution "Anglicanorum coetibus"; nine "Motu Proprio"; the book "Jesus of Nazareth", and hundreds of addresses, homilies, letters and messages. He has made fourteen apostolic trips abroad and sixteen pastoral visits within Italy. Among the more important events of his pontificate were his visit to Auschwitz in 2006 and to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, also in 2006, his 2008 address before the United Nations, and his 2010 visit to the synagogue of Rome. He has called two Synods, the first in 2008 on the Word of God and the second on Africa in 2009. A third Synod, on the Middle East, is due to take place later this year.
We should specifically draw attention to the Holy Father's 2008 apostolic visitation to the United States and his 2009 pilgrimage to the Holy Land; his restoration of the Traditional Latin Mass as one of two forms of the Roman Rite, alongside the Novus Ordo; his overtures to the Society of Saint Pius X and the Orthodox Churches; and his clarification of important questions of ecclesiology.
This is an incredible list of accomplishments for a man who turned 83 last week, and few popes in the past century could point to any five years in their pontificates that were as active and important. And Pope Benedict shows few signs of slowing down—indeed, with every passing month, he seems to exhibit a greater urgency in his efforts at reforming the Church.
And that, more than anything else, may explain the recent attacks on the Holy Father. Many outside the Church, and even some within, do not care for the direction of Pope Benedict's pontificate. By attempting to put him on the defensive, they hope to make the initial predictions of a "transitional pontificate" a reality.
Those of us who recognize the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the Holy Father's actions know that they will not succeed.
You are so right. The fact that our Holy Father has suddenly attracted so much virulent attacks from all corners from the Catholic haters, rebellious Clergy and religious, the hedonistic “Sodom and Gommorah” Brigade,is an accurate confirmation that he is doing all the rights things for the Catholic Church.
You sure are right, his is not a ‘passing cloud’ Pontificate, but one that will transform the cleanse the Bride of Christ beyond recognition by the time he is through with his Mission!!!!!!