Pope Opposes Harry Potter Novels - Signed Letters from Cardinal Ratzinger Now Online

LifeSiteNews.com ^ | July 13, 2005 | LifeSiteNews.com

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Pope Opposes Harry Potter Novels - Signed Letters from Cardinal Ratzinger Now Online

RIMSTING, Germany, July 13, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - LifeSiteNews.com has obtained and made available online copies of two letters sent by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was recently elected Pope, to a German critic of the Harry Potter novels. In March 2003, a month after the English press throughout the world falsely proclaimed that Pope John Paul II approved of Harry Potter, the man who was to become his successor sent a letter to a Gabriele Kuby outlining his agreement with her opposition to J.K. Rowling's offerings. (See below for links to scanned copies of the letters signed by Cardinal Ratzinger.)

As the sixth issue of Rowling's Harry Potter series - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - is about to be released, the news that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger expressed serious reservations about the novels is now finally being revealed to the English-speaking world still under the impression the Vatican approves the Potter novels.

In a letter dated March 7, 2003 Cardinal Ratzinger thanked Kuby for her "instructive" book Harry Potter - gut oder böse (Harry Potter- good or evil?), in which Kuby says the Potter books corrupt the hearts of the young, preventing them from developing a properly ordered sense of good and evil, thus harming their relationship with God while that relationship is still in its infancy.

"It is good, that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly," wrote Cardinal Ratzinger.

The letter also encouraged Kuby to send her book on Potter to the Vatican prelate who quipped about Potter during a press briefing which led to the false press about the Vatican support of Potter. At a Vatican press conference to present a study document on the New Age in April 2003, one of the presenters - Fr. Peter Fleedwood - made a positive comment on the Harry Potter books in response to a question from a reporter. Headlines such as "Pope Approves Potter" (Toronto Star), "Pope Sticks Up for Potter Books" (BBC), "Harry Potter Is Ok With The Pontiff" (Chicago Sun Times) and "Vatican: Harry Potter's OK with us" (CNN Asia) littered the mainstream media.

In a second letter sent to Kuby on May 27, 2003, Cardinal Ratzinger "gladly" gave his permission to Kuby to make public "my judgement about Harry Potter."

The most prominent Potter critic in North America, Catholic novelist and painter Michael O'Brien commented to LifeSiteNews.com on the "judgement" of now-Pope Benedict saying, "This discernment on the part of Benedict XVI reveals the Holy Father's depth and wide ranging gifts of spiritual discernment." O'Brien, author of a book dealing with fantasy literature for children added, "it is consistent with many of the statements he's been making since his election to the Chair of Peter, indeed for the past 20 years - a probing accurate read of the massing spiritual warfare that is moving to a new level of struggle in western civilization. He is a man in whom a prodigious intellect is integrated with great spiritual gifts. He is the father of the universal church and we would do well to listen to him."

English translations of the two letters by Cardinal Ratzinger follow:

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger Vatican City March 7, 2003

Esteemed and dear Ms. Kuby!

Many thanks for your kind letter of February 20th and the informative book which you sent me in the same mail. It is good, that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly.

I would like to suggest that you write to Mr. Peter Fleedwood, (Pontifical Council of Culture, Piazza S. Calisto 16, I00153 Rome) directly and to send him your book.

Sincere Greetings and Blessings,

+ Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

=======================

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger Vatican City May 27, 2003

Esteemed and dear Ms. Kuby,

Somehow your letter got buried in the large pile of name-day , birthday and Easter mail. Finally this pile is taken care of, so that I can gladly allow you to refer to my judgment about Harry Potter.

Sincere Greetings and Blessings,

+ Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

Links to the scanned copies of the two signed letters by Cardinal Ratzinger (in German) - In PDF format: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005_docs/ratzingerletter.pdf http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005_docs/ratzingerpermission.pdf

jhw

[Barnacle]

and it probably isn't the biggest issue we face today

Mainsteaming witchcraft into American culture is not exactly a "small issue".

I'm one of those people who believe in the supernatural forces of good and evil. How a Christan could endorse or turn a blind eye to this plague is beyond me.

[B Knotts]

I'm not disagreeing that the issue is a big one. I guess I was just wondering if the particular book(s) were the biggest threat on the horizon. I think it's more of a case that this represents just another piece of the overall diseased culture.

I would add that there is an unfortunate tendency to downplay the reality of evil, and especially of the evil one, among Catholics. That goes for "liberal" and "conservative" Catholics.

[Coleus]

Harry Potter and the Paganization of Children's Culture

Harry Potter distorts the soul, says Pope

Pope Opposes Harry Potter Novels - Signed Letters from Cardinal Ratzinger Now Online

Benedict XVI-New Pope Hits Out at Harry Potter Books

Harry Potter and the Chair of Peter (Lead us not into temptation has meaning to Benedict XVI.)

Links to the scanned copies of the two signed letters by Cardinal Ratzinger (in German) - In PDF format:
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005_docs/ratzingerlet...
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005_docs/ratzingerper...
See LifeSite's Harry Potter resource section at:
http://www.lifesite.net/features/harrypotter/

Pope Benedict Opposes Harry Potter Novels

http://www.lifesite.net/features/harrypotter/obrienpotter.html

[1stFreedom]

>>For cryin' out loud, they're fantasy novels, get over it.

Take a look around you... How much of our culture has been influenced by books, movies, and television?

How has the concept of love and romance been affected? Do you think there is any relation to how Hollywood treats sex and the number of kids participating in it?

Print, television, and film help to define the culture. Young people take what is presented to them in these media formats, and they integrate it into thier belief system.

So, there isn't anything to get over. Rather, open your eyes and realize how *negative* books, film, and other media can be.

[biblewonk]

That's quite a bit more broad a statement/complaint than Harry Potter isn't it? You could say "Hey there is sin everywhere and some people aren't Christians!!! what are we going to do about it???".

[B Knotts]

Well said...that's why I particularly like then-Cardinal Ratzinger's statement that what we're dealing with are "subtle seductions." That's a very good way to put it.

[DefiantZERO]

Okay, so let's just ban everything that we don't like, and throw away the same freedoms we fight for.

[1stFreedom]

>>Okay, so let's just ban everything that we don't like, and throw away the same freedoms we fight for.

I wasn't aware *you* were fighting for freedom..

And I never said to ban everthing we don't like.. What I'm saying is that this opposition from the Pope to the faithful should not be ignored by the faithful. Society could learn a thing or two by not ignoring it as well...

This culture of death, culture of sex, exists *primarily* because of the support of the Christian community. It's time the Christian community wake up and smell the coffee -- and stop reading books and watching movies which preserve the perverse culture we live in...

[DefiantZERO]

I don't think the faithful *should* be blindly following what the Pope says. Each individual should take from the entertainment industry what they themselves see and make their choices accordingly.

Certain books, movies, etc. I may not agree with, and I won't read/watch them. Nevertheless, I wouldn't assume that everyone wanted my opinion on what they should think. What makes the Pope's opinion more important than anyone else's? Yea, he's dedicated to his faith, possibly more than anyone, but devotion to anything doesn't necessarily make someone any more equipped to tell others what to think.

The whole position of Pope can be summed up with two words: sheep herder.

[1stFreedom]

>>I don't think the faithful *should* be blindly following what the Pope says.

And what makes you so wise to say so? What credentials concerning the faith do you have? And on what authority do you make such a statement?

How many years of theology have you studied? How much have you written which has been reviewed by the Bishops??

>>Nevertheless, I wouldn't assume that everyone wanted my opinion on what they should think.

aha, but you already assumed that already by proclaiming "I don't think the faithful *should* be blindly following what the Pope says". You already gave your opinion on how people should think.

You basically told everybody how they should think, something you deny that the pope should do.

So do they blindly follow you or the pope?

>>What makes the Pope's opinion more important than anyone else's

Credentials. Experience. Education. Position. Guidance of the Spirit. Faith. Visible leader of the Church. Advice of the Episcopate. Intelligence. Theological Education. Experience with the Congregation for the Doctrine & Faith. Relationship with Christ. Input of theologians world wide...

Need any more reasons why his opinions are more important than anyone else??

>>doesn't necessarily make someone any more equipped to tell others what to think.

See above.

>>The whole position of Pope can be summed up with two words: sheep herder.

Maybe to you, but those who listen to this "sheep herder" may not know the exact reason why behind the beliefs, but could easily find the answers.

Not knowing the intricate details doesn't mean the sheep are wrong. And watch out, because the resources of the Church are availble to the sheep, and many of them could wipe the floor with you in a debate on the positions of the Papacy...

[phatus maximus]

Greetings all...I find it unbelievable that there are 800+ posts for something like this...Any thing on this planet could end up being used or viewed as contrary to God and a potential a distraction to faith...money, the occult, food and so on and so on and so on...we're surrounded by temptation, tests etc.....the goal is to focus on Christ and leave the rest behind...now all of you please get some rest and read the scriptures...