A book for the Pope's 85th birthday
Translated from the 4/10-4/11 issue of
Benedikt XVI — Prominente über den Papst (Benedict XVI: Famous people speak about the Pope) is the title of a book presented to the Pontiff on Angel's Monday, April 9 in Castel Gandolfo after the Regina calei prayers, by Edmund Stoiber, who was Minister President of Bavaria from 1993-2007.
We publish herewith a translation [in Italian, from the German] of the Preface of Mons. Georg gaenswein, Beendict XVI's private secretary, who wrote one of the testimonials and edited the book published by Media Maria Verlag of Germany.
NB: As this book was conceived for the German market, the prominent personalities who give their testimonials in the book are all German.
Twenty persons speak out
about Pope Benedict XVI
Foreword
by Georg Gaenswein
On April 19, 2005, three days after his 78th birthday, cardinals assembled in Conclave in the Sistine Chapel elected the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, to be the head of the Catholic Church. He chose to be called Benedict XVI.
On April 16, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI will turn 85 and will then be completing seven years of his Pontificate.
This book - which some readers may find rather sweeping and 'promotional' - was not meant to be anything showy or sensational, but simply a modest birthday gift for the Holy Father.
Twenty personalities from the Church, politics, culture, economy and sports each agreed to write a short contribution expressing their personal view of the person and work of the Pontiff.
As diverse as the biographies and activities of the authors are their experiences and perspectives from which emerge a portrait of the Supreme Pastor of the Church.
Appropriately, not just Catholics have expressed themselves but also evangelical Christians. They do not hide their religious faith, nor do they fear to indicate certain desiderata from their own personal viewpoints.
Every contribution is like a piece in a mosaic which ultimately contributes to a multicolored image in which it is possible to identify the essential contours of Pope Benedict XVI's Pontificate.
The titles of the various essays follow a thread and offer a panoramic view of the contents. The presentations are such that the reader will not just take note of the book but become truly immersed in what it says. And I cannot but invite you from the heart to do so. It is certainly worth reading.
It might be superfluous to note but for reasons of correctness, it must be underscored expressly that this work is not anything obliging produced by commission 'from the top'.
The writers were not given any instructions - everyone had full freedom to say what they wished. Nor was there any censorship at all. Each one wrote what he had in his mind and in his heart, and each naturally takes responsibility for what he says.
But one thing that they all had in common was the sincere desire to do justice to Pope Benedict, but without blinders. Moreover, there was no room here for 'political correctness'.
Stated positively, what served as an orientation for the authors was 'that initial goodwill without which there can be no understanding', to use the words of the Holy Father in his Foreword to Jesus of Nazareth, Volume 1.
All the contributors did feel themselves committed to such a request by conviction and by inclination.
The authors wish the Holy Father, on his 85th birthday, health in body and in spirit, and the abundant blessings of God in everything he does: Beatissimo Pater, ad multos annos, ad multos et felicissimos annos!
