A Ratzinger family photo with (L to R) Maria, Georg, Maria (mother), Joseph, and Joseph Ratzinger, Sr., circa 1951. Photo courtesy of Ignatius Press.
Posted on 12/31/2022 5:34:54 PM PST by marshmallow
Here is a look back at the key dates and events in the life of Pope Benedict XVI:
1927 — Joseph Ratzinger is born on Holy Saturday, April 16, in the Bavarian town of Marktl am Inn, Germany, and is baptized on that same day.
1936 — Ratzinger makes his first Communion in the parish church of the Assumption of Our Lady on March 15.
1937 — Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber administers the sacrament of confirmation to 10-year-old Joseph Ratzinger on June 9 in the Traunstein, Germany, parish church of St. Oswald.
1939 — At age 12, Ratzinger enters a minor seminary in Traunstein in the same year that German dictator Adolf Hitler orders the invasion of Poland and World War II begins.
1941 — By law, Ratzinger is required to enter the “Hitler Youth” at age 14. He finds the group wretched and never wears his uniform, according to Benedict XVI’s biographer, Peter Seewald.
1943 — At age 16, he is drafted into the German army and conscripted into the military’s auxiliary anti-aircraft service. He is sent to Hungary where he sets tank traps in the final months of World War II.
1945 — Ratzinger deserts the army with his brother, Georg, to rejoin the seminary. He is briefly held in a prisoner of war camp. Benedict would later say that the Nazis led “a sinister regime” that “banished God and thus became impervious to anything true and good.”
1946–1951 — He studies philosophy and theology at the University of Munich and at the higher school in Freising.
A Ratzinger family photo with (L to R) Maria, Georg, Maria (mother), Joseph, and Joseph Ratzinger, Sr., circa 1951. Photo courtesy of Ignatius Press.
1951
June 29 — Ratzinger is ordained a priest on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.......
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicworldreport.com ...
Some just can’t leave the ‘abuse’ theme alone.
I was so happy when Ratzinger became Pope. Still not sure why he resigned and very disappointed by it. Frank has definitely got to go though.
Big fan of Pope Benedict…but I think his decision to retire was not a good one.
For later
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.