Surprising words

On which criteria should a balance of the developments and outcomes of Pope Benedict XVI’s trip to Germany repose? The news, and notably the comments by the media, highlight the different keys for interpreting this event, which unfolded at various levels and which was multifariously echoed. The various levels of the Papal Visitation encompassed unenclosed political, ecumenical, pastoral and spiritual dimensions, which, by mingling with one another, triggered an internal dynamism marking every event, characterizing as such the entire Visitation. It was evident already from the first day in Berlin, when, after the welcoming address by the Federal President followed by the meeting with the chancellery, the Pope took the floor at the Bundestag with a philosophical reflection that addressed the grounds of law and justice. In doing so, His Holiness traced a large arc, that starts with the relationship between reason and nature coupled with the need to take both into account in the quest for the right decision, to encompass the dignity of the human person and politicians’ responsibilities. It was neither a homily nor the moral sermon that many MPs were expecting. This took by surprise especially the Pope’s critics, who failed to find arguments that would prove him wrong, despite their own intentions. The following day, in Erfurt, ecumenism was the centre of attention. The postulate of ecumenism has a strong social connotation in Germany, the Country of the Reformation, where people who identify themselves as Christian are half Catholic and half Protestant. The problem of numerous mixed marriages between Catholics and Protestants, to which the Church denies a common Eucharist, is painfully felt. And precisely the request of enabling the celebration of the Eucharist is considered a priority of the ecumenical process. The problem linked to high numbers of mixed marriages between Catholics and Protestants, to which the Church denies a common Eucharist, is a thorn in the side. And the request of enabling the celebration of the Eucharist is considered a priority of the ecumenical process. In Erfurt, during the meeting with representatives of the German Evangelical Church, the Pope could not meet this request, causing much suffering and also the disappointment of some Protestants and of many Catholics. In the Church of the Augustinian Convent where Luther was ordained a monk, was held a celebration of the common, ecumenical Word. The fact that this venue hosted the event, and that Benedict XVI in his message to evangelical sisters and brothers explicitly praised the Reformer Luther, can be viewed as a sign of encouragement for ongoing ecumenical commitments. Moreover, the Pope declared that ecumenism is not the result of negotiations, or of decisions. Instead, it has to spring from faith, which includes the responsibility of the faithful, of Catholics and Protestants alike, envisaging the possibility of Christian coexistence put into practice. The Holy Father also met representatives of the Jewish Community and a delegation of the Orthodox Church in Germany, thus continuing the fruitful encounters based on understanding, undertaken in other occasions. Along with these and other meetings with individuals and groups representing the religious, public, cultural and spiritual realms in Germany, the Pope highly valued the encounter with the leaders of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZDK). ZDK represents lay people working in dioceses, associations, organizations and communities to the service of the Church. The encouragement they received by the Holy Father was accompanied by the warning to remain vigil, so as to prevent structural and organizational aspects from prevailing over spiritual commitments. Contemplations and Masses celebrated in the Olympic stadium of Berlin, Eichsfeld, in Erfurt Square, in the airport of Freiburg, where hundreds of thousands of faithful came together for a monumental faith witness, have shown the Holy Father that despite their tendency to criticize Rome and despite their impatient pressures for reforms inside the Church and for the advancement of ecumenism, German Catholics are a vital force capable of spiritual recollection.