It is with great sadness that I announce the death of Pope Benedict XVI. He is the oldest person who was ever pope. This is not to be confused with "oldest pope" as Benedict retired at the age of 85, making him the 4th oldest pope at the end of the papacy.
Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict, had a long and distinguished academic career before being elected pope in 2005.
He was born in Germany in 1927 and studied theology at the University of Munich and the Higher School of Philosophy and Theology in Freising. After ordination to the priesthood in 1951, he continued his studies and earned a doctorate in theology in 1953.
Ratzinger began teaching theology at the University of Bonn in 1959 and later held positions at the University of Münster, the University of Tübingen, and the University of Regensburg. In 1977, he was appointed to the chair of dogmatic theology at the University of Regensburg, where he served as dean of the faculty of theology from 1984 to 1989.
In 1981, Ratzinger was appointed as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a position he held until his election as pope in 2005. He also served as a member of the International Theological Commission from 1969 to 1981 and as its president from 1981 to 1985.
Throughout his academic career, Ratzinger was known for his scholarship on the theology of the Church Fathers, the history of dogma, and the relationship between faith and reason. He is the author of numerous books and articles on these and other topics, and his work has been widely respected in the Catholic Church and beyond.
After retiring from the papacy, Pope Benedict led a quiet life in a monastery. He will be greatly missed. He provided great insight into the faith and he was a truly great man!
No comments:
Post a Comment