"The 92 years of Benedict and this" penitential path "which unites two pontificates"

Vatican City (AICA):On the occasion of the 92nd anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI, Italian journalist Andrea Tornielli referred to the debate recently raised in his notes on the subject of abuse in the Church. With the title Benedict's 92 years and this penitential path that unites two pontificates, he evoked the documents that unite him to his successor, Francisco, around the fight against this scourge.

The birthday of the Pope Emperor is accompanied this year by the debate around his writings on abuse. That's what Italian journalist Andrea Tornielli says in an editorial that reviews three documents that unite the last two bishops of Rome to fight this scourge, as part of the N92 anniversary. of the German pontiff.

Full text of the editorial

The Pope Emperor has reached the goal of 92 years and this year his birthday is accompanied by a lively debate around one of his writings, some of his notes as he has them called on the issue of child abuse. In this text, Benedict XVI asks what are the correct answers to the plague of abuse and writes: "The antidote to the evil that threatens us and the world can only consist in the fact that we abandon ourselves to The love of God There can be no hope in a church created by us, built by the hands of man, that merges with his own abilities. we must do, it is obvious that we do not need another church invented by us.Today, the Church is largely perceived only as a kind of political apparatus and the crisis provoked by many cases of abuse by priests urges us to consider the Church as a bad act that we must absolutely take in our hands and form a new way But a church made by us can not represent any hope.

When celebrating Joseph Ratzinger's birthday, it may be useful to highlight the approach taken by Benedict XVI and his successor Francisco to the scandals and abuses perpetrated against minors. A little meditative and un pompous response, which does not lend itself to being reduced to slang.

This is a response that does not rely on structures (even if necessary), on new emergency rules (also needed) or on increasingly detailed and precise protocols to ensure the safety of emergency services. children (in all cases essential): all useful instruments already defined or in the process of being defined. The first of Benedict, and that of Francis, is a deep and simply Christian answer. To understand it, it is enough to re-read three documents. Three letters to the people of God, in Ireland, in Chile, and all over the world, which two popes have written at the most tense moments because of the scandals.

In a letter addressed to the faithful of Ireland in March 2010, Pope Ratzinger explained that measures aimed at adequately combating individual crimes were essential, but that they were not enough on their own. needed a new vision that inspires current and future generations. cherish the gift of our common faith.

Benedict XVI invited everyone to offer for one year, by Easter 2011, Friday 's penances for this purpose. I ask you to offer your fast, your prayers, your reading of Holy Scripture and your works of mercy for the grace of healing and the renewal of the Church in Ireland. I encourage you to rediscover the sacrament of reconciliation and to take more often the transforming power of His grace.

The pope must also pay special attention to Eucharistic adoration. Prayer, adoration, fasting and penance. The Church does not accuse external enemies, she is aware that the strongest attack comes from inner enemies and from sin in the Church. And the proposed remedy is the rediscovery of the essentials of faith and a penitential church, which recognizes itself as needing forgiveness and help from above. The heart of the message, imbued with humility, pain, shame, contrition, but open to hope, is the evangelical Christian gaze.

Eight years later, on June 1, 2018, another letter from a pope to Christians in a country affected by the pedophilia scandal is made public. This is the letter that Francisco sends to the Chileans.

Calling on you, asking them to pray was not a functional resource, nor a simple gesture of goodwill. On the contrary, I wanted to put the subject where it should be: the condition of the People of God (). The renewal of the ecclesial hierarchy in itself does not generate the transformation to which the Holy Spirit impels us. We are required to promote together an ecclesial transformation that concerns us all.

Pope Bergoglio insists that the Church is not built, not confused: a church with wounds is not placed in the center, does not believe itself perfect, does not try to conceal or conceal its evil, but rather puts It is only the one who can heal the wounds and bears a name: Jesus Christ.

On August 20, 2018, we arrive at Francis's letter to the people of God on the subject of abuse. The first of a Pontfice addressed to the faithful of the whole world on this subject. This new call to the people of God also ends in the same way:

For that, help prayer and penance. I invite all the holy and faithful people of God to the penitential exercise of prayer and fasting according to the Lord's mandate, which awakens our conscience, our solidarity and our commitment to a culture of caring and no longer to against all types of abuse.

In addition, penance and prayer will help us to raise our eyes and our hearts to the suffering of others and to overcome the affinity of domination and possession which often becomes the root of these evils.

Once again, Francis proposes a penitential path, far from any triumphalism, as reaffirms his homily on Palm Sunday and the image of a strong and protagonist Church, which seeks to hide its weaknesses and its sin. . The same proposal of his predecessor.