By Fr. John Trigilio, President, Confraternity of Catholic Clergy

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI leaves a legacy only rivaled by Pope Saint John Paul II. While the latter reigned for 26 years, the almost 8 years of the former were still significant. It was Pope Benedict who inaugurated the Year for Priests in 2009 specifically coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the death of Saint John Marie Vianney, patron of parish priests.

The Confraternity of Catholic Clergy is a national association of priests and deacons dedicated to sacerdotal fraternity and promoting ongoing spiritual, intellectual, human, and pastoral formation of its members. We mourn the death of Papa Ratzinger (Pope Benedict) and we express our deepest and heartfelt gratitude for his fatherly care over the universal Church but in a particular way to his personal priestly identity and work.

Pope Benedict continued the work of his predecessor by being a priestly pope, i.e., a shepherd shepherds. While JP2 was the philosopher par excellence, B16 was the theologian of equal status. John Paul brought the Gospel and the Petrine Ministry to the four corners of the earth, Benedict brought the Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi to that same world.

His attention and reverence for the Sacred Liturgy and Divine Worship inspired all of us parish priests to see and celebrate the Sacraments, especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as the raison d’etre of our ordained ministry. His gift of the 3rd Typical Edition of the Roman Missal brought more elegance and precision of sacred language to the Ordinary Form of the Mass.

As Cardinal Ratzinger, he was truly the Defensor Fidei, the Pillar of Orthodoxy. Not an Inquisitor General, but the Guardian of Truth. His letter of October 28, 1995, declaring that Pope John Paul II’s teaching in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (that only baptized males can be ordained) is infallible doctrine (while not ex cathedra, rather part of the infallible ordinary Magisterium) shed light and clarity where it was much needed.

He sent a letter to then Cardinal McCarrick in 2004, Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion, made it abundantly clear that Catholic politicians who support abortion should not receive Holy Communion and that Catholic voters should not be cooperators in evil by voting for politicians who promote abortion. McCarrick sat on that until it was leaked by an Italian journalist.

As Roman Pontiff, he issued Summorum Pontificum in 2007 that allowed universal celebration of the Extraordinary Form (Tridentine or Traditional Latin Mass) along side the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Novus Ordo or Mass of Paul VI). He issued Anglicanorum Coetibus in 2009 creating the Anglican Ordinariate for those clergy of the Church of England to become reunited with the Roman Catholic Church.

Professorial, yes, but Josef Cardinal Ratzinger and later Pope Benedict XVI was always genteel and priestly. He was a wise teacher par excellence and was indeed a classy pontiff. Humble and honest. I had the distinct honor and privilege to meet him in person when Father Ken Brighenti and I presented him a copy of our book, John Paul II for Dummies, co-authored with Father Jonathan Toborowsky.

He spoke with us for over seven minutes and gave his full attention. Several years later we got to meet him again when we were given the honor of distributing Holy Communion (along with Father Peter Stravinskas) at the Papal Mass in the Vatican on Epiphany 2012 when Bishop Charles Brown was consecrated.

He was not as gregarious as Pope Saint John Paul the Great but was certainly affable and cordial. Intelligent as Aquinas but never condescending or patronizing. If JP2 is someday proclaimed Doctor of Light or Luminous Doctor, B16 should also be declared Doctor of Truth. His epic works such as Jesus of Nazareth, Spirit of the Liturgy, Feast of Faith, et al., can and should be read and listened to (audio versions) over and over as they are pregnant with wisdom and knowledge.

Holy Mother Church was blessed by his priesthood and his papacy. May the Good Lord and His Holy Mother reward him for all he has done for our holy religion.

℣. Requiem æternam dona ei, Domine
℟. Et lux perpetua luceat ei:
℣. Requiescat in pace.
℟. Amen.

Father John Trigilio, Jr., PhD, KGCO
President, Confraternity of Catholic Clergy
Faculty, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary (Emmitsburg, Maryland)