1. Why was the music and general manner of the Eucharistic celebration in Berlin permitted to be so very much contrary to the Holy Father's ofttimes indicated preferences?
2. Why was there no Adoration and Benediction at the youth 'Prayer Vigil on Saturday night? A remarkable and deeply sad omission, surely?
3. Why was that dreadful dance drama performed after the Pope left, rather abruptly I thought? (If you didn't have the misfortune to see it, I'll describe it later on in the second part of this post.)
4. Why has the Mass from Erfurt earlier in the day, not been hailed as the best demonstration of reverent liturgical and musical excellence of the entire trip? (It was superb. The Sunday morning Mass was good, but even that was spoiled by a thumping syncopated piano at the Introit, and at other points..
5. Why were more of the Pope's many meetings not televised as scheduled?
6. Why did the German Bishops judge that the rest of the Catholic world would approve of the way the German church showed itself to the Holy Father?
7. Why were they apparently happy to show to us, even if the Pope didn't see, that his example about the reception of Communion is unknown or ignored in Germany?
8. Why has this moment seemed the right one to raise the issue of whether Pope Benedict might resign next year when he reaches his 85th birthday?
9. Why do normally observant commenters keep insisting on the Pope's physical resilience when in fact it is clear that he is increasingly frail? I posted recently, with link to video proof about a fall he had at CG after a private concert, and there has been a recent photo of his walking with a stick. He nearly fell at the end of his last meeting in Germany but nobody remarked it at the time or commented on it later, at least not as far as I have been able to ascertain.
I hope to attempt sensible answers to these questions tomorrow. In the meantime, I've no doubt that my readers will be ahead of me. .
4 comments:
Good questions Jane but as for 9, he does seem fumble occasionally for example he didn't seem to see the handrail when exiting the plane when he arrived in Germany but still his schedule is enormously demanding, he has tremendous stamina.
Thank you very much for your comment Father.
Yes, I too noticed the momentary groping for the handrail. Apparently Mgr Marini has recently supposed to have said that Pope Benedict is almost blind in his left eye. I'm not sure of the foundation of this claim. I was told about it by a friend who had seen it on one of those 'Fan Club' type forums which I tend to avoid, but impaired vision would explain quite a lot.
I hope you agree with me that the stamina to which you refer, is God-given. And He alone knows how much prayer is offered for that gift, both by the Pope himself and by the rest of us.
Peter Seewald's interwiew about the trip linked on WDTPRS this morning is most enlightening and will help me to write the second part of this post.
With my continued prayers for you in the light (or should I say darkness), of the recent and totally unjustified attacks on you and your blog.
Thank you Jane, prayers always of value.
I didn't know about the Pope's eye but he really does seem to have superhuman strength on these visits.
He has hardly a moment to himself.
Yes Father, I agree. Dare I say it? Yes I dare. He is a walking miracle. I think it was William Oddie who said recently on his CH blog that Pope Benedict is almost a one man proof of the existence of God.
In Christ,
J
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