Perhaps not surprisingly, the Italian press universally praised Ratzinger for his brilliance as a theologian and his work to consolidate the core traditions of the church.But then there is everything else. Ratzinger was John Paul II's attack dog, creating spirited acts of misdirection as he exponentially increased the number of exorcisms while burying open adjudication into charges of pedophilia. As a Catholic who has long ago given up on organized religion of any kind, I cannot fathom what the devil Francis is doing from day  to day. He called Ratzinger a saint. One can only hope this does not turn into another "santo subito" as it did with John Paul II, although why I care is beyond me. I had great hopes for Francis; sadly, he seems a Pope of half-measures. As for Douthat, he remains clueless. Ratzinger never understood the core to faith, is faith. Reason and faith are simply two separate and distinct paths. One may choose to walk both, but that does not make them any less different.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Italian press universally praised Ratzinger for his brilliance as a theologian and his work to consolidate the core traditions of the church.But then there is everything else. Ratzinger was John Paul II's attack dog, creating spirited acts of misdirection as he exponentially increased the number of exorcisms while burying open adjudication into charges of pedophilia. As a Catholic who has long ago given up on organized religion of any kind, I cannot fathom what the devil Francis is doing from day  to day. He called Ratzinger a saint. One can only hope this does not turn into another "santo subito" as it did with John Paul II, although why I care is beyond me. I had great hopes for Francis; sadly, he seems a Pope of half-measures. As for Douthat, he remains clueless. Ratzinger never understood the core to faith, is faith. Reason and faith are simply two separate and distinct paths. One may choose to walk both, but that does not make them any less different.

user
yes
assistant