Pope full of surprises, friend says

[Janet1983]

Truth or defamation?
The article is from 2005, but the content, if true, would not be less shocking today… Could this really be true? Could the pope before his election really have gone against catholic teaching, even though he was supposed to protect it?
What do you think? Is someone trying to defame him?

I found this article in the Post-Gazette…

In 1976, as a young religion reporter for the major German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine, Heinz-Joachim Fischer interviewed a rising theologian – the Rev. Joseph Ratzinger – and formed a personal and professional friendship with the man who is now Pope Benedict XVI.

…]

Mr. Fischer was also not surprised when, at a meeting with priests in July, Pope Benedict said he wanted further study of the church’s response to divorced Catholics who remarry outside the church. While as the church’s chief doctrinal guardian, he always upheld church teaching about who can receive communion, in pastoral situations he was generous, Mr. Fischer said.

“Cardinal Ratzinger never refused communion to anybody – not to a Protestant, not to a divorced man or woman,” he said.

Read more: post-gazette.com/pg/05280/584270.stm#ixzz0M16FnyP1

 

[rep140]

While brousing Cheri Blair’s autobiography at Barnes and Noble I came across Cheri and Tony’s visit to the Vatican. I was quite surprised that JP II gave Tony communion while he was still Anglican. So, it wouldn’t surprise me if Benedict is also pretty loose in this regard.

I guess the same rules don’t apply to everyone.

 

[nsper7]

While brousing Cheri Blair’s autobiography at Barnes and Noble I came across Cheri and Tony’s visit to the Vatican. I was quite surprised that JP II gave Tony communion while he was still Anglican. So, it wouldn’t surprise me if Benedict is also pretty loose in this regard.

I guess the same rules don’t apply to everyone.

Would it really be a violation of the rules? After all, I thought it was up to the Bishop (who can delegate said decisive authority to a Priest) to decide when an individual non-Catholic can receive Communion or not.

 

[andrewagill]

While brousing Cheri Blair’s autobiography at Barnes and Noble I came across Cheri and Tony’s visit to the Vatican. I was quite surprised that JP II gave Tony communion while he was still Anglican. So, it wouldn’t surprise me if Benedict is also pretty loose in this regard.

I guess the same rules don’t apply to everyone.

Blair may have believed in the Real Presence at that point, and been in the process of conversion. I do not know, but I’d rather assume the best until I have evidence otherwise.

 

[JReducation]

I believe that this is not a matter for us to make an opinion one way or the other. The exceptions to the rule are subject to the bishop. Yes, Pope John Paul II did give communion to Tony Blair before his conversion to Catholicism, so did Pope Benedict. When asked about it, Pope Benedict gave a very polite reply that can be translated as “MYOB”. He said, “It was an act of charity.” The article was on CAF long ago. I’m not sure where it came from.

At Jon Paul’s funeral, Cardinal Ratzinger gave communion to superior general of Taize, Brother Roger, who was Lutheran. We also know that Brother Roger and Pope John Paul were very good friends who often traveled together. Br. Roger also expressed public faith in the Eucharist. Anyway, it may be possible that Br. Roger may have received communion in other situations.

I don’t see the big issue for the rest of us

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF