Posted on 06/25/2007 2:27:02 PM PDT by markomalley
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- With a touch of envy, Pope Benedict XVI told employees of the Vatican Library and the Vatican Secret Archives that he had hoped to retire 10 years ago and spend the rest of his life studying, researching and writing.
"At the end of my 70th year of age, I would have liked it very much if the beloved John Paul II would have allowed me to dedicate myself to the study and research of the interesting documents and items you carefully safeguard," the pope told the employees June 25.
"The Lord had other plans for me and here I am among you, not as a passionate scholar of ancient texts, but as the pastor called to encourage all the faithful to cooperate for the salvation of the world, each one doing God's will where he places us to work," the 80-year-old pope said.
Surrounded by ancient stone carvings, manuscripts and coins, Pope Benedict addressed the employees as the Vatican Library was about to close its doors for three years of major reconstruction and remodeling.
He also used the June 25 visit to announce that Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, who has headed the library and archives since 2003, will become president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue Sept. 1. Pope Benedict announced his replacements:
-- Italian Bishop Raffaele Farina, prefect of the library, was named an archbishop and "archivist and librarian of the Holy Roman Church," or head of the Secret Archives.
-- Italian Msgr. Cesare Pasini, head of Milan's famous Ambrosian Library, was named prefect of the Vatican Library.
Until the library opens again in September 2010, scholars will have access to its collections by ordering copies in digital, photographic, photocopied or microfilm formats.
Many of the books and manuscripts will be transferred to temporary warehouses while one wing of the library undergoes major work to reinforce the floors and walls.
The growing collection of ancient and modern volumes has put too much stress and strain on the 16th-century building, a library official told Catholic News Service in May.
Founded in 1475, the Vatican Library is home to almost 2 million books and manuscripts. About 100 scholars visit the library every day.
During his visit, Pope Benedict was treated to an exhibit that included the fourth-century Vatican Codex, a complete text of the Bible in Greek; an illustrated manuscript, created before 1403, featuring St. Augustine's Commentary on the Psalms; and handwritten letters and versions of Aesop's Fables written by Martin Luther.
Pope Benedict described the Vatican Library as "a welcoming house of science, culture and humanity, which opens its doors to scholars from every part of the world without distinction of nationality, religion or culture."
By assisting the scholars and making the documents available, he said, the library helps people come to appreciate the "synthesis of culture and faith" promoted by the Catholic Church.
The Secret Archives contain the papers and documents of the popes. In 1881 the Vatican adopted a procedure similar to that practiced by many national archives in opening successive collections to scholars.
In 2006, Pope Benedict ordered the opening of the papers related to the pontificate of Pope Pius XI, who died in 1939. The papers include material written by and referring to the future Pope Pius XII, who was Vatican secretary of state under his predecessor.
The materials requested by scholars, Pope Benedict said, demonstrate an interest not only in the popes of long ago, but also those of "times near to us, even very near."
Pope Benedict said he knew that research and publication sometimes give rise to polemics, apparently referring to ongoing questions about Pope Pius XII before and during World War II.
The pope praised the archives' employees for "keeping far away from sterile and also often weak partisan visions of history" by offering scholars access to all the material without trying to hide or screen anything.
Pope Benedict asked the employees to "always offer a welcoming image of the Apostolic See, aware that Gospel message also is transmitted through your coherent Christian witness."
Can it be a “secret archive” if they keep talking about it?
bump
hmmmm... someone’s full of themselves, I think
Too bad you can bottle charisma. John Paul had it in bucketfulls.
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