Benedict XVI to Juventutem for Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage

During the Mass last night at Ss. Trinità and today at San Pietro, a little bit of Benedict XVI’s message was read to the pilgrims.  The message was more or less complete depending on the language of translation.

However, no reading was complete.

Namely….

I finally have time to thank you for your letter of last 21 August. I am glad that the Usus Antiquior now lives in full peace in the Church, also for young people, supported and celebrated by great Cardinals.

I will be with you spiritually. My state as “monk in secluded enclosure” does not permit also an external presence. I go out of my enclosure only in special cases, invited personally by the Pope.

In communion of prayer and of friendship,

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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16 Comments

  1. Unwilling says:

    Beautiful humility. Clausura ἵνα καὶ οἱ δόκιμοι φανεροὶ γένωνται ἐν ὑμῖν. I find the use of “stato” and “invitato” startlingly illuminating — even though, on second thought, so appropriate and inevitable. Yet he seems to have an unregulated freedom of publication. Or only via Archbishop Gänswein? Thank you.

  2. Iacobus M says:

    Deo gratias pro Papa (Emerito) Benedicto!

  3. Venerator Sti Lot says:

    When we read, “I go out of my enclosure only in special cases, invited personally by the Pope”, are we being reminded of something we (could have) learned, previously, or now first informed of something hitherto unknown?

    Does it mean, in effect, that the Pontifex Maximus is the ‘Abbot’ of the Pontifex Maximus Emeritus?

  4. Thomas S says:

    It’s my understanding that the “great cardinal” who will be offering this particular Mass that Benedict was invited to attend is named Burke. Quite complimentary to the one his own successor is slighting so. [He mentioned “cardinals”. For these events there were scheduled Cards. Sarah, Pell and Burke.]

  5. Mike Morrow says:

    The self-cloistered existence of Pope Benedict XVI is unfortunate. His presence at the Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage would be very appropriate. The honor of his presence would be a most cherished gift for those at the pilgrimage, and for we many others who can only observe.

    [Just to play Devil’s Advocate for a moment: his presence could also have been a distraction. Moreover, this movement will live beyond what I hope are Benedict XVI’s long and healthy years.]

  6. TNCath says:

    The man is the best. May God protect him always!

  7. Random Friar says:

    It’s very nice, although the signature seems shaky? Poor Holy Father’s years are catching up to him.

  8. Maltese says:

    Michael Davies said of Benedict that “he is fully on our [Traditionalists’] side–I believe it.

  9. robtbrown says:

    Maltese says:

    Michael Davies said of Benedict that “he is fully on our [Traditionalists’] side–I believe it.

    I think you mean Cardinal Ratzinger.

  10. jmcj says:

    I don’t want to get into any conspiracy theories, but it seems to me that the Pope Emeritus was conveying some unwritten information. Is it a jab to the opponents of the EF Mass when he writes: “I am glad that the Usus Antiquior now lives in full peace in the Church…”? He addresses the fact that there are young people involved even though Pope Francis has been alleged to have expressed his inability to understand why young people would be interested in the EF. It’s quite interesting that he mentions “great Cardinals” when speaking of three Cardinals who were not at all happy with the recent Synod of Bishops.

    He leaves only when invited by the Holy Father. Could Pope Benedict have asked to attend the Mass and been denied? To say one way or another would probably be idle speculation, since he says so little about it; however, it does show the great humility of the Pope Emeritus to impose such a restriction on himself out of deference to Pope Francis.

    All in all, the little note was very thoughtful of him and very intriguing (at least to me, that is).

  11. Gerard Plourde says:

    “it does show the great humility of the Pope Emeritus to impose such a restriction on himself out of deference to Pope Francis.”

    I think that Pope Benedict’s humility is an example to all of us. Further, I believe that his voluntary withdrawal into a cloistered life following his resignation is meant to be an example for future Popes. He recognizes (as the stated in his resignation announcement) that the vocation of maintaining the course of the Barque of Peter as Christ’s Vicar requires good health and strong faculties and therefore should allow for retirement. At the same time, once retired, a Pope Emeritus must remove himself from the world so as to preclude the chance of confusion on the part of the faithful and the hierarchy, a confusion that Satan would seek to exploit.

  12. Unwilling says:

    I see strict “obedience”, but I do not see “voluntariness” in the letter. On the contrary, the language of needing permission suggests, if not the contradiction, at least the contrary.

  13. Venerator Sti Lot says:

    Unwilling,

    Does not “Il mio stato di ‘monaco in clausura’ “, whatever the exact weight of the quotation marks, imply a ‘state’ voluntarily undertaken?

    jmcj writing “It’s quite interesting that he mentions ‘great Cardinals’ when speaking of three Cardinals who were not at all happy with the recent Synod of Bishops” brought me to note the date of this little letter – “10-10-2014” – a date before a lot of things happened publicly with respect to the Synod. Thus, one might also say, ‘who were to prove not at all happy with details of the recent Synod as it transpired’ (or some such). Might it be called a ‘prophesying “greatness-in-action” in certain circumstances’ ?

  14. Unwilling says:

    Venerator, if “voluntary” means “asked for” or “unilateral”, then the word “stato” (although not contradicting) does not imply voluntariness. But the phrase “non me permette [unless] invitato” suggests at least the contrary. In fact, it makes me wonder whether [but not assert!] that a post regnal agreement along these lines, apparently obvious at the time, might now be somewhat regretted by Benedict (as Lear regretted his retirement).

  15. Venerator Sti Lot says:

    Unwilling,

    Much to wonder about (so far as I can see, though not knowing what more I might know, if assiduous enough!). For example, would/might it be some sort of ‘lapse’ (of courtesy?) were the Pope Emeritus to ask the Pope regnant something along the lines of, ‘may I humbly ask if you would be so gracious as to invite me to attend [such-and-such]’?

  16. Urs says:

    I finally have time to thank you for your letter of last 21 August. I am glad that the Usus Antiquior now lives in full peace in the Church, also for young people, supported and celebrated by great Cardinals.

    “I will be with you spiritually. My state as “monk in secluded enclosure” does not permit also an external presence. I go out of my enclosure only in special cases, invited personally by the Pope.”

    um….it is probably just me…and I am NOT one of those Benedict is still the pope or one of those who thinks that there was something more to his retirement than being 85 YEARS OLD in an extremely demanding job….but…that statement sounds a little bit like….prison….Does the pope have to invite him out or ok it for him to go out or ok his visitors?

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