“Lord, help me to know you better. Help me to always be one with your will. Help me to live my life not for myself but always with You for others. Help me be your friend!” With this invocation, Benedict XVI remembered, on June 29, 2011 in St. Peter’s Basilica, his 60th anniversary of priestly ordination.
On June 29, 1951, he was ordained, together with his brother Georg, by the then Archbishop of Munich and Freising, Cardinal Faulhaber.
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In the homily he delivered five years ago when he was still the Pope of the Catholic Church, Benedict XVI stated that “this is a moment of gratitude, of gratitude to the Lord for the friendship that he has given me and that I want to give to all of us. Gratitude to the people who trained me and accompanied me.”
Benedict XVI, who was ordained Bishop on May 28, 1977 (38 years ago), was born in Marktl am Inn, in the diocese of Passau (Germany) on April 16, 1927.
Among the various and important tasks he carried out in the service of the Church, it is worth highlighting that in 1962 he participated in the Second Vatican Council as theological consultant to the then Archbishop of Cologne (Germany), Cardinal Joseph Frings.
He also served for years as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, President of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and the Pontifical International Theological Commission, as well as Dean of the College of Cardinals.
On February 11, 2013, he announced his resignation from the pontificate, which became effective on Thursday, the 28th of the same month. Joseph Ratzinger currently lives in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery in the Vatican, where he dedicates himself to reading and prayer.
One of his last and most remembered appearances was next to Pope Francis during the canonization of Saint John Paul II and Saint John XXIII, considered by the press as “the day of the four Popes.”
In addition, he participated in two consistories for the creation of cardinals: in February 2014 and 2015; and at the beatification of Pope Paul VI on October 19, 2015.
On June 28, 2016, the 65th anniversary of his priestly ordination was commemorated in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican. Pope Francis, several cardinals and bishops were present.
Originally published June 29, 2016. It has been updated for republication.
Central Editorial
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