A look into the life and writings of Pope Benedict XVI

The world was shocked when Pope Benedict XVI announced that he was abdicating the seat of Peter on February 11, 2013. The Catholic community and many outside of it took a collective breath wandering what this meant for the Church and the world. Four years later we now know that the beloved Pope Benedict has committed himself to prayer in service to the Church and her faithful. The story of this humble man who now simply wishes to be called Father Benedict is told by James Day in his new book from Sophia Institute Press Father Benedict: The Spiritual and Intellectual Legacy of Pope Benedict XVI.

The introduction of the book opens with a scene that was a turning point for Pope Benedict on March 25, 2015. The location is Leon, Mexico and the pope fell, slamming his head which caused a bleeding wound. “That night in Mexico, a month shy of eighty-five, and having steered the barque of Peter for seven years under a hostile antipathy toward the Church, a drained Benedict XVI knew that his last gift to give was possibly his greatest – and most unexpected. Just as no Jesuit becomes pope, no pope leaves the office alive. Yet both things happened in 2013.”

What follows in the book is an easily approachable read on the man whom many consider to be the greatest theologian of our time.  This is not an easy task but James Day pulls it off incredibly well. He unpacks the massive tome of writings of Benedict showing readers just how they provide the answers we need today to combat the many ills the Church and society as a whole today. Benedict provides the answers to face individualism, materialism, secularism, and godlessness. These “-isms” threaten to tear our society apart at the seams. Pope Benedict spent much of his pontificate and the years leading up to it, fighting these “-isms” in both spoken and written word.

This is where James steps in to help readers discover these hidden gems. There is no doubt that volumes of text had come from the pen of our beloved Pope Benedict during his time as Pope when he was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. This does not include the many audiences and speeches he gave. For the common layman, it can be difficult to know where to start and what to read. I consider this book to be a great beginner’s introduction to the thought and writings of Pope Benedict XVI. Even seasoned Benedict readers will find some hidden gems about Benedict.

Pope Benedict XVI will undoubtedly one day be considered one of the greatest thinkers of the Church, many believing he could be named a Doctor of the Church. The key to Benedict, however, is his humility. In his years as pontiff, Benedict steered the church with a firm but steady hand. He put catechesis of his flock at the forefront of his mission. He taught us how to withstand the constant assailing of the “-isms” of this world. James Day guides us through the many written, spoken, and published works of Benedict to lead us to a firmer resolve as Catholics. Let us thank Father Benedict for his work and James Day for his guidance.

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