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Twas to be expected. A young Joseph Ratzenberger (17 years) threw down his weapons and headed for the nearest woods at the first sounds of advancing American Armor. An Erwin Rommel, Heinz Guderian, Fedor Von Bock, Alfred Jodl, Albert Kesselring, Friedrich Dollmann, he was not. He was all that Germany had left.
Contrast that with the tale told by Stephen Ambrose in his book "D-Day" about this young American paratrooper aboard the plane with the other members of his 'stick' about to jump into Normandy the night of June 5/6, 1944. After surveying the flotilla of Allied ships underneath him headed for the Normandy coast, he suddenly remembered that this was the night the rest of his high school classmates were supposed to be graduating. He had lied about his age in order to volunteer for the Army.
The 85-year-old pope dropped the bombshell in Latin during a meeting of Vatican cardinals, surprising even his closest collaborators even though he had made clear previously that he would step down if he became too old or infirm to carry on. Benedict called his choice "a decision of great importance for the life of the church." Indeed, the move allows the Vatican to hold a conclave before Easter to elect a new pope, since the traditional nine days of mourning that would follow the death of a pope doesn't have to be observed.
It will also allow Benedict to hold great sway over the choice of his successor, though he will not vote. He has already hand-picked the bulk of the College of Cardinals - the princes of the church who will elect the next pope - to guarantee his conservative legacy and ensure an orthodox future for the church. "Without doubt this is a historic moment," said Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, a protege and former theology student of Benedict's who himself is considered a papal contender. "Right now, 1.2 billion Catholics the world over are holding their breath."
Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, the archbishop of Paris, called the decision a "liberating act for the future," saying popes from now on will no longer feel compelled to stay on until their death. "One could say that in a certain manner, Pope Benedict XVI broke a taboo," he told reporters in Paris. There are several papal contenders in the wings, but no obvious front-runner - the same situation when Benedict was elected pontiff in 2005 after the death of Pope John Paul II. The Vatican stressed that no specific medical condition prompted Benedict's decision, that he remained fully lucid and took his decision independently. "Any interference or intervention is alien to his style," Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said.
It has been obvious to all that the pope has slowed down significantly in recent years, cutting back his foreign travel and limiting his audiences. He now goes to and from the altar in St. Peter's Basilica on a moving platform to spare him the long walk down the aisle. Occasionally he uses a cane. His 89-year-old brother, Georg Ratzinger, said doctors had recently advised the pope not to take any more trans-Atlantic trips. "His age is weighing on him," Ratzinger told the dpa news agency. "At this age, my brother wants more rest." Benedict emphasized that carrying out the duties of being pope requires "both strength of mind and body."
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UNITED STATES
At St. Andrew by the Bay in Annapolis, Maryland, the Rev. Jeffrey Dauses, said that as the world has changed, so have the demands on the papacy. "It's not the world of the Middle Ages. It's not the world even of in the earlier part of this century when the pope pretty much stayed in Rome, did everything from Rome," Dauses said. "Nowadays with travel, with the expectations of an incredibly high profile, public life, he's not a young man. I mean, he's at an age where in our culture he would be taking it easy and resting, and we're expecting him to keep this grueling schedule as pope, and he simply had the ability to say, `I can't do that.'"
HONDURAS:
Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga said he received the news of the pope's resignation "with great regret and much surprise." "This is something completely new for the Catholic Church, though it was discussed during the illness of Pope John Paul II," the cardinal said. "I didn't know Pope Benedict XVI would make this decision, but the last time I talked to him he seemed physically tired. So I understand that the Holy Father has made this decision coherently and because he can't continue."
NORWAY:
Andreas Dingstad, a spokesman for the Catholic diocese in the Norwegian capital of Oslo, said it may be time for a "youngish" pope, possibly from the developing world. "The church is growing most in the south. So I think lots of people will be ready for a pope from Africa, Asia or South America. But who knows, it's the early days still," Dingstad said.
SPAIN:
Spain's bishops are "affected and (feel) like orphans because of this decision that fills us with sorrow, because his rich teaching and his close paternity made us feel safe and enlightened," said Cardinal Antonio Rouco Varela, president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference.
PERU:
- April 16, 1927: Born Joseph Alois Ratzinger in Marktl am Inn, Germany, youngest of three children to Joseph and Maria Ratzinger.
- 1943-1945: Assistant in Germany's anti-aircraft defense and infantry soldier; imprisoned in 1945 in American POW camp in Neu-Ulm.
- June 29, 1951: Ordained along with brother Georg Ratzinger in Freising.
- 1969-1977: Professor at University of Regensburg.
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"All the Cardinals have received their Obama phones and are now on food stamps. Obama will be elected the next Pope"Twas to be expected. A young Joseph Ratzenberger (17 years) threw down his weapons and headed for the nearest woods at the first sounds of advancing American Armor. An Erwin Rommel, Heinz Guderian, Fedor Von Bock, Alfred Jodl, Albert Kesselring, Friedrich Dollmann, he was not. He was all that Germany had left.
Contrast that with the tale told by Stephen Ambrose in his book "D-Day" about this young American paratrooper aboard the plane with the other members of his 'stick' about to jump into Normandy the night of June 5/6, 1944. After surveying the flotilla of Allied ships underneath him headed for the Normandy coast, he suddenly remembered that this was the night the rest of his high school classmates were supposed to be graduating. He had lied about his age in order to volunteer for the Army.
Can you document where that account of the 17 year old Ratzinger came from? It sounds very specific. Most bio accounts do not make mention of the night of his desertion as you put it. In fact, Widipedia, which is not great fan of Christianity, summarizes his youth and association with the Nazis in these terms.
Pope Benedict XVI - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Following his 14th birthday in 1941, Ratzinger was conscripted into the Hitler Youthas membership was required by law for all 14-year-old German boys after December 1939but was an unenthusiastic member who refused to attend meetings, according to his brother. In 1941, one of Ratzinger's cousins, a 14-year-old boy with Down syndrome, was taken away by the Nazi regime and murdered during the Action T4 campaign of Nazi eugenics. In 1943, while still in seminary, he was drafted into the German anti-aircraft corps as Luftwaffenhelfer (air force child soldier). Ratzinger then trained in the German infantry. As the Allied front drew closer to his post in 1945, he deserted back to his family's home in Traunstein after his unit had ceased to exist, just as American troops established their headquarters in the Ratzinger household. As a German soldier, he was put in a POW camp but was released a few months later at the end of the war in the summer of 1945. He reentered the seminary, along with his brother Georg, in November of that year
Kind of sad
First time in almost 600 years that a pope has resigned.
Pope Benedict to resign at the end of the month, Vatican says - CNN.com
Part of his bio the day he was named to the Papacy. I'm lead to believe that wikipedia is subject to change from time to time with the rough edges occasionally receiving a little extra polishing.
Same thing with Barry Obama's relationship with Frank Marshall Davis. Polished, sanitized, and smelling like a rose.
The standard issue German anti aircraft gun was the Krupp manufactured 88 mm cannon. It could reach planes flying at 25,000 ft. It's elevation could be depressed to allow it to be used as an excellent anti tank weapon as well. The American Army figured they needed five M-4 Shermans to take out one Panzer or Tiger Tank. Same ratio would be available to deal with an anti tank gun. While you're firing at one tank, four others are taking aim directly at you. The American 75 mm round didn't have enough oomph to penetrate the Panzer's front armor, but human skin wasn't that well armored. Sayonara. Joseph apparently felt serving communion was a more viable option than serving up anti tank rounds to an approaching enemy. Far better than gathering up your body parts for reassembly, an arm here, a leg there, a head here, some intestine from here, here, and here. Now what exactly happened to my hands and feet?
Part of his bio the day he was named to the Papacy. I'm lead to believe that wikipedia is subject to change from time to time with the rough edges occasionally receiving a little extra polishing.
Same thing with Barry Obama's relationship with Frank Marshall Davis. Polished, sanitized, and smelling like a rose.
The standard issue German anti aircraft gun was the Krupp manufactured 88 mm cannon. It could reach planes flying at 25,000 ft. It's elevation could be depressed to allow it to be used as an excellent anti tank weapon as well. The American Army figured they needed five M-4 Shermans to take out one Panzer or Tiger Tank. Same ratio would be available to deal with an anti tank gun. While you're firing at one tank, four others are taking aim directly at you. The American 75 mm round didn't have enough oomph to penetrate the Panzer's front armor, but human skin wasn't that well armored. Sayonara. Joseph apparently felt serving communion was a more viable option than serving up anti tank rounds to an approaching enemy. Far better than gathering up your body parts for reassembly, an arm here, a leg there, a head here, some intestine from here, here, and here. Now what exactly happened to my hands and feet?
I will assume you or wikipedia is correct on this, that is, up against an American assault of superior means he deserted the German army he was conscripted into. This also occurred in April 1945! This is hardly the same as fighting for your nation when you know the cause is true and honorable and deserting that. Is it? Yet you sound like you want to make him out to be a coward and nothing more. It sounds disingenous to say the least.
Joseph Ratzinger is a holy and brilliant man and very humble. He uses simple words to explain sublime ideas or matters. He is a scholar, not a "people's pope." Sorry, some things are just too important to sway from just to make the masses feel happier.
Pope Paul kissed the Qur'an and proclaimed that the God of Islam and the God of Christianity were the same God.
That was frightening enough, considering Allah has no son.
The NWO church charter makes any exclusive way to Heaven a hate crime. That makes Christians open game.
John 14:6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me".
