Benedict XVI - God’s Rottweiler?

A reflection by Sister Pamela Hussey

'God's rottweiler is the new Pope' announced the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday 20 April.  

But the man who came out onto the balcony on 19 April to salute the waiting crowds in St Peter's Square after his election as the 265th Pope did not look like a human rottweiler. Some observers of the scene that day commented: 'We saw and heard a different man from the Cardinal that [we] were accustomed to reading about. He seemed shy, as he had to be prompted to remain at the balcony to receive the applause of the crowd below. And when he spoke, he asked humbly for prayers and seemed to respond with surprise to the cries of the crowd chanting: 'Benedetto, Benedetto, Benedetto!'

Certainly a different man from the Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger who headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), historically linked to the Inquisition, the Index and the Holy Office. The CDF achieved notoriety through its treatment of some well-known theologians, including the Brazilian Leonardo Boff and the Sri Lankan Tissa Balasuriya, whose excommunication was, in fact, lifted in response to worldwide public protest. The Pope appears to be a different man from the Cardinal - those who know him personally vouch for him as a warm, accessible human, as well as a man of formidable intellect, a leading theologian.

It is certain that he will not be the media personality that his predecessor John Paul II, became - witness the absolutely unprecedented coverage of his final illness, death and funeral. As Benedict XVI began to tour the Piazza in a white jeep after his inaugural mass, a commentator remarked that this was not his line. But it was clear on that day that he wanted to reach out to people: one journalist said he was surprised at how 'tactile' Benedict was, reaching out to pat people on the shoulder or the arm, to shake their hands. And instead of having all the cardinals come up to kiss his fisherman's ring at the mass, as was customary, there were only three, the others in the procession being twelve representatives of the whole people of God, including, for the first time ever, a religious sister.  

At the beginning of his homily Pope Benedict XVI said: 'And now, at this moment, weak servant of God that I am, I must assume this enormous task, which truly exceeds all human capacity. How can I do this? How will I be able to do it? All of you, my dear friends, have just invoked the entire host of saints … In this way, I too can say with renewed conviction: I am not alone.' At this point he was interrupted by loud cheers, and he lifted his eyes from the text briefly to say: 'You see, we see it. We hear it.'

Later in his homily: 'Dear friends. At this moment there is no need for me to present a programme of governance. … My real programme of governance is not to do my own will, not to pursue my own ideas, but to listen, together with the whole Church, to the word and the will of the Lord, to be guided by Him, so that He himself will lead the Church at this hour of our history.'

Pope Benedict XVI has given us great hope that as shepherd he will reach out to and listen not only to his own flock but to all people of faith, to the world.