A Tribute to His Holiness

I was about to sleep in our residence in Bacoor, Cavite when GMA Channel 7 news program Saksi extended their show to broadcast a very important breaking news. Live from the Vatican City, news anchor Vicky Morales excitedly reported that after four ballots during the very rare papal conclave in 2005, a new leader of the one billion Catholic people was finally elected. Habemus Papam!

With all humility. Photo from Getty Images.

Joseph Aloisius Cardinal Ratzinger from Germany was chosen to succeed John Paul II, the most loved Church leader of the 21^st century. From being an ordinary servant of the Church, Ratzinger suddenly became one of the most influential leaders in the world and in his own right; successor of the Kingdom of God here on earth.

When he first stepped out of the papal window in a very busy afternoon in that part of Europe, an image of a youthful official did not surprise the large number of devotees present in the St. Peter’s Square. Ratzinger was, after all, one of the most trusted and loyal officials of the late Pope. He had strict-looking face, which somehow showed his inclination to a would-be-very disciplined life.

I remembered the serious look in most of the people in the crowd while waiting for new leader to speak. But things started to get lighter when it was announced that Ratzinger would be called as Benedict, a name symbolizing humility.

His holiness was the 16^th Benedict and the 265^th pope to assume the post of the Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman province, Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City, and Servant of the Servants of God.

The pope will always have a legacy, which will be known after he relinquishes his position, usually after dying of a natural death. Benedict had traveled different places around the world and talked to different people, who others were unlikely to be met by the head of the Catholic Church. He even engaged in various activities highlighting the Church’s way of embracing the updated world. The most significant act that he did was when he became the first pope to use the power of social media to spread the word of God.

Benedict has never forgotten his German roots, which is known for being one of the bravest men in the world. He faced some of the toughest issues of the Church and bravely made hard decisions that would serve as solutions to the slowly decaying image of religion.

Until one day (night in the Philippines), he stunned the world by announcing to all the people that he would be resigning effective today, February 28, 2013.

His reason—"lack of strength of mind and body"—seemed to have shocked the world and instantly, he was again at the center of the center of all the issues here on earth. After hundreds of years, Benedict XVI was the first pope to be called as Pope Emeritus since Pope Gregory XII in 1415. He was also the first Catholic leader to voluntarily resign since Pope Celestine V in 1294.

When Pope John Paul II consulted him about resignation, he once mentioned that there is no room in the Catholic Church for a Pope Emeritus. After all, the leader of the Catholic Church is also the voice of God here on earth.

When Jesus was on the cross and fulfilling his destiny of saving mankind in one of the harshest ways, he never quit or abandoned the idea of sacrificing his life. Now, pope showed his humility by allowing the people to be aware that he was not really the Lord. He was just a servant, a human elected by other men to lead a large flock.

What he did was an act of sacrificing, in another way, his life as a leader in order to usher in a new perspective, which could better serve the entire religion. More than anything else, I believe that he did all his best and now, he deserves a rest.

Pope Benedict XVI, then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, will surely be missed and may the good Lord bless and keep him until they meet again.