Prophet of Catholic conservatism

The magisterial Benedict XVI, one of the greatest minds ever to be elected pope, has bequeathed a lasting legacy

Daniel Johnson

FOR ALL THE MAGNIFICENCE OF THE setting, it was a simple ceremony: conducted for the most part in Latin, the lingua franca of the universal Church, but with most readings and prayers in the vernacular, some read by women. It was not an overtly traditional Mass: for the first time in history, the long-form Roman Canon was not used at the funeral of a pope. Though he had championed the right to celebrate the Tridentine Mass, this was a post-Vatican II liturgy. The young Joseph Ratzinger had, after all, helped to shape the Ecumenical Council and held firm to its promise of a “new Pentecost”. Pope Francis presided, enthroned before the coffin of his predecessor, though his own physical frailty was such that most of the offices of the Mass…

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The Critic (Digital) - 1 Issue, February 2023

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