Today Pope Benedict addressed the General Inspectorate for Public Security in the Vatican. (See Zenit for full story). It is impossible to imagine that he delivered his speech without his own Policeman father being present in his heart. The young Joseph Ratzinger learned at close hand, something of what that vocation demanded at one of the worst junctures in human history. One expects that most, if not all, of his audience knew of it. Peter Seewald's book 'Benedict XVI: An Intimate Portrait' (Ignatius Press 2007)includes the best exposition that I've ever read, of what actually happened to the Ratzinger family both in the build up to Hitler's war, and during it. The knowledge brought this news item vividly to life. The Pope was not mouthing empty platitudes. He was speaking from memory.
In Christo pro Papa
No comments:
Post a Comment