We were at a dinner a week ago Friday in which Generalissimo Henry Hyde read guests a letter George Weigel sent to Hyde's wife, Jeanne, when she was dying of cancer. A reflection on the mystery of suffering, the letter was a marvel of Christian depth and kindness, eloquently expressed --"a work of literature," as Hyde put it. I can't give you that letter, but think you'll enjoy Weigel's summary of the impact of WYD, from the latest EPPC release.
Whatever else may eventually be said about the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, the experience of World Youth Day 2005 confirms the intuition that many had in Rome during those remarkable days in April, five brief months ago: this will be a great catechetical papacy. Joseph Ratzinger has long had a striking ability to bring the depths of Christian truth to life in a language accessible to everyone, with a simplicity that comes from the most profound erudition. Now, that ability is being displayed on a global stage.
And, again like his great predecessor, Benedict XVI is demonstrating that what the 21st century world craves is not Catholic Lite, but a demanding faith – a faith proclaimed with confidence, humility, and joy by a Church that has taken seriously the Second Vatican Council’s challenge to nourish its spiritual and intellectual life on the Bible, the Fathers of the Church, and the great masters of theology throughout the ages.
