Mass for Pope Benedict XVI

Celebrated by Archbishop Denis Hart
at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne,
on Sunday, 24th April, 2005, at 11.00am

Introduction

“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father, except through me.” ( John 14:6)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The challenge is to realise that the Father can be seen through Jesus and it is he who we must follow.

Today we gather to thank God for the election of Pope Benedict XVI, a great theologian, a staunch defender of the Catholic faith, a man of holiness, charity and welcome.

We pray that he will guide us in holiness, truth and life during the years of his pontificate. We are one with him in love, as we offer Mass for him, united with the billion Catholics throughout the world thanking God for his wonderful providence yet again.

Today also we remember the Anzacs who fought at Gallipoli to defend the freedom, which we have inherited because of their bravery ninety years ago tomorrow. May they rest in peace.

So that together we may continue our journey, let us call to mind our sins.

Homily

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As I read this Gospel I focused on the words of Jesus, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God still and trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house.”

Tomorrow is the 90th Anniversary of Anzac Day. The courage, self-sacrifice, and generosity of young Australian men and women has done much to found our nation. We remember with devotion their bravery and goodness, while praying for them and for the families from which they were torn so abruptly. May their deeds inspire us to be generous in serving others. We will remember them.

After eighteen days once again we have a Pope, the Father of our family. The news that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has been elected as the 264 th successor of Saint Peter is a great joy to our Catholic community.

It is difficult to imagine a man better prepared. He had shared in the Second Vatican Council and as a theologian, a gifted student, a teacher, the author of many books, providing penetrating analysis of the situation of the Church, he is uniquely skilled to communicate the faith. He has a great ability to explain profound truths with simplicity.

Joseph Ratzinger was born in Bavaria on 16th April, 1927, and after a youth and student time in Nazi Germany he was ordained a priest in 1951. As a theologian he wrote a dissertation on Saint Augustine in 1953, a second dissertation on Saint Bonaventure, gained a Doctorate of Theology in 1957, and became a Professor of Freising College in 1958. He was Professor first at Bonn University (1959-1963), at Munster (1963-1966) and Tubigen (1966-1969), when he returned to the University of Regensburg.

In 1972 he founded the theological journal, ‘Communio’, was Archbishop of Munich in 1977 and Cardinal the same year. Since 1981 he has been Prefect of the Congregation for Doctrine and Chairman of the International Theological Commission. He has been Dean of the College of Cardinals since 2002.

Joseph Ratzinger has always been a staunch defender of the Catholic Faith, seeing theological orthodoxy as a mustard seed carrying the capacity to be true to itself and to grow. This “being true” is the basis of his insistence on orthodox doctrine as the foundation of faith.

His personal manner is sincere and unassuming. He is profoundly spiritual and prayerful. Many visitors to Saint Peter’s Square have received directions from him, unaware of who was guiding them. He is urbane and polite, a gifted musician who uses music as a recreation.

The previous Benedict XV (1914-1922), himself also a German, was one who sought to be a figure of unity and reconciliation. Benedict XVI seeks to embrace the whole Catholic tradition of prayer, study and two thousand years of theological reflection and teaching.

As we welcome him as Pope we see his great gifts as being placed sincerely and unassumingly at the service of God and his people. May the Lord bless him and give him life as we rejoice in his acceptance of the awesome office of the papacy for all of us - to teach, to sanctify and to shepherd.

We have been given a special privilege and it is his invitation, coming to the Father through Jesus, that we offer to other men and women. His light is our sufficiency. He is our Way, Truth and Life. As Jesus has seen the Father, so he invites us to see and this changes our life and our perspectives, driving out fear and trouble and leaving a firm trust. ‘Trust in God still and trust in me’ is the light of our journey.

+ Denis J. Hart,
Archbishop of Melbourne.