Monday, November 21, 2005
POPE BENEDICT FULL OF SURPRISES
Chiesa reports on the Pope's interaction with the world's bishops on their ad limina visits. He remonstrated with the Austrian bishops, encouraging them to defend the faith, and he dropped a little surprise into the lap of the South American bishops:
The topic of their conversation was the upcoming general conference of CELAM, the fifth of these after the previous ones held in Rio de Janeiro in 1995, in Medellin in 1968, in Puebla in 1979, and in Santo Domingo in 1992.
The conference was already set for 2007, but the place and the exact date remained to be determined. The four bishops were prepared to hold it in Rome, in order to ensure the pope’s participation in the work.
But Benedict XVI said to them all of a sudden: “It will be held in Brazil,” and immediately asked what the country’s most venerated Marian shrine is. “The Aparecida,” they replied. And the pope: “In Brazil, at the Aparecida, in May. I’ll be there.”
The four cardinals were taken completely by surprise. And so were the leaders of the Roman curia – the pope hadn’t discussed the matter with any of them. What induced Benedict XVI to choose Brazil may have been what Cardinal Hummes said at the synod a few days earlier:
“The number of Brazilians who declare themselves Catholics has diminished rapidly, on an average of 1% a year. In 1991 Catholic Brazilians were nearly 83%, today and according to new studies, they are barely 67%. We wonder with anxiety: how long will Brazil remain a Catholic country? In conformity with this situation, it has been found that in Brazil there are two Protestant pastors for each Catholic priest, and the majority from the Pentecostal Churches. Many indications show that the same is true for almost all of Latin America and here too we wonder: how long will Latin America remain a Catholic continent?”
But the choice of the Aparecida also left the four cardinals speechless. That is indeed the most frequently visited shrine in Brazil, but it is located in an isolated part of the state of San Paolo, and it lacks the structures capable of hosting a large-scale continental congress.
But none of the four cardinals dared to object. The pope had decided, and his reasons were all too clear. He has at heart a vigorous renewal of the Catholic faith on the Latin American continent, and symbols are very valuable in this regard.
There’s time to build a convention center on the plain of the Aparecida, until May of 2007.
He knows how to use symbols--I read this move as a direct appeal to the Blessed Virgin to help in rebuilding the faith of South America. Since the state of the Church worldwide is very possibly beyond man's hope of recovery, he goes right to the perfect solution. The Blessed Virgin holds the heart of her Son in her hand, as was demonstrated at the wedding feast at Cana. We could have no better advocate.
He also knows how to use surprise--he didn't ask and he didn't prepare them. He demonstrated that he will lead. Thank You God!
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Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
