{"id":2785,"date":"2013-02-25T05:58:00","date_gmt":"2013-02-25T05:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tomfarandasfolly.com\/?p=2785"},"modified":"2025-09-28T18:46:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-28T18:46:12","slug":"a-fine-tribute-to-benedict-xvi-by-fr-rutler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tomfarandasfolly.com\/?p=2785","title":{"rendered":"A fine tribute to Benedict XVI by Fr. Rutler"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fr. George Rutler, Anglican convert and noted speaker and author. He is the pastor of the Church of Our Saviour<\/a>, on Park Ave. and 38th St.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

FROM THE PASTOR
\nFebruary 24<\/span><\/strong>, 2013<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\n<\/span>by Fr. George W.
\nRutler<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n


\nThe meteorite that
\nexploded over Russia's Ural Mountains with the force of
\nthirty atomic bombs had the biggest impact since the one
\nthat exploded over Tunguska in 1908 with a force more
\npowerful than all the bombs, including the atomic ones
\ndropped in the Second World War. But such a force of
\nnature, when observed passing safely by with
\nbreathtaking speed, can also be a sign of the beauty
\nand brevity of all things. So it was in \u201cThe Year
\nof Three Popes\u201d when the death of Paul VI was followed
\nby the death of John Paul I just four weeks after his
\nelection, and then the election of John Paul
\nII. Cardinal Confaloniere said of John Paul I, in the
\nexquisite Latin for which he was famous: \u201cHe
\npassed as a meteor which unexpectedly lights up the heavens
\nand then disappears, leaving us amazed and
\nastonished.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

   The impact of that pope's sudden death
\nseemed at the time to be immeasurably hurtful, and yet he
\nmade the way for many providential events. Now the
\ngracious abdication of Pope Benedict XVI also amazes and
\nastonishes. When he assumed the papacy, he knew the
\nwork would not be easy: \u201cPray for me, that I may not
\nflee for fear of the wolves.\u201d  Without
\nhistrionics or self-pity, he quietly took up his burden in
\nthe succession of St. Peter to whom the Lord said,
\n\u201cSimon, Simon, Satan has desired to have you, that he
\nmay sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that
\nyour faith fail not; and that when you are converted, you
\nwill strengthen your brethren\u201d (Luke
\n22:31-32).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

   In many glorious ways, Benedict
\nXVI has done just that. With unerring fidelity he
\nhas explained the sacred deposit of the Faith to its
\nopponents, both cultured and uncultured, with patient
\neloquence and stunning insight. Many reforms in the
\nChurch\u2019s structure and the purification of abuses were
\nhis intense initiatives. Rather like St. Francis of
\nAssisi going to meet with the caliph of Egypt clad only in
\nsimplicity, Benedict XVI refused to wear a bullet-proof
\nvest when he went to Turkey, turning the anger of many to
\nrespect. A new reverence and beauty in worship has been
\nhis gift to the Church through his renewal of the sacred
\nrites, and the provision of an ordinariate for whole groups
\nseeking full communion with the Church \u201camazed and
\nastonished\u201d many. Now, his renunciation of the Keys
\nentrusted to him, teaches the essence of the papacy as
\na stewardship that transcends the charisms of any
\nindividual. Officially, a pope is Bishop of Rome, Vicar of
\nChrist, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme
\nPontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy,
\nArchbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign
\nof the State of Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of
\nGod. But to the world, this Pope has also been a very
\ngood Father.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fr. George Rutler, Anglican convert and noted speaker and author. He is the pastor of the Church of Our Saviour, on Park Ave. and 38th St.   FROM THE PASTOR February 24, 2013 by Fr. George W. Rutler The meteorite that exploded over Russia's Ural Mountains with the force of thirty atomic bombs had the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2785","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomfarandasfolly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2785","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomfarandasfolly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomfarandasfolly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomfarandasfolly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomfarandasfolly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2785"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tomfarandasfolly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2785\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5265,"href":"https:\/\/tomfarandasfolly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2785\/revisions\/5265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomfarandasfolly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2785"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomfarandasfolly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2785"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomfarandasfolly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2785"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}