The Catholic Weekly 19 July 2020

catholicweekly.com.au 11 19, July, 2020 Last year, Volderholzer is- sued a press statement repre- senting the minority position in which he declared: “In a many-hour debate some improvements were achieved in detail. But I have made it clear on several occa- sions that the thematic orien- tation of the [synodal] forums seems to pass by the reality of the crisis of faith in our coun- try.” In the last week Benedict XVI travelled with the Bishop to the shrine and reliquary of St Wolfgang in the Cathedral, and prayed a litany for the aid of Wolfgang, the patron saint of the Cathedral and city of Regensburg. Bishop Voderholzer found the visit “emotionally charged” as he was struck by the cour- age and love as well as the “humble and discreet” great- ness of the Pope Emeritus. He observed that Benedict’s visit to his brother and to his beloved Bavarian landmarks inspired not only the dying Georg, but also the Regens- burgers around the two men, filling themwith a hopeful sense of the love of Christ and eternal destination of all hu- man life. “He speaks with a weak voice, almost whispering” ob- served the Bishop of the Ben- edict XVI, noting that he had accepted the dependent and frail stages of his life but (he found) Benedict’s analytical clarity, reasoning andmemo- ry were “phenomenal.” Monica Doumit is on leave. Anna Krohn is a longtime contributor toThe Catholic Weekly, an educator and educational writer who has given numerous talks to Catholic groups around the country. The last visit of the Ratzinger brothers O n 1 June the web- site of the Regens- burg Diocese in Ba- varia was marked by a simple black banner which read: “Georg Ratzing- er ist heimgegangen”. Georg Ratzinger, the composer and former choirmaster of the re- nowned Regensburg Cathe- dral Choir, the Domspatzen (The Cathedral Sparrows), “has gone home.” The website accompanied the news with tribute photos and notes of milestones in Monsignor Ratzinger’s musi- cal life, including the celebra- tion in 1976 of the 1,000 year anniversary of the choir. After a long period of de- clining health, Georg died at the age of 96, one day after the anniversary of his priest- ly ordination in 1951 which he shared with his younger brother Pope Emeritus, Bene- dict XVI. The closeness of the two el- derly brothers, their desire to spend time praying, talking about old times and just pot- tering with each other, had been a feature of Pope Bene- dict’s papacy and also in his retirement. Georg, generally seen as the gruffer andmore blunt-speak- ing of the two men, visited his brother in the Vatican several times a year until his ill-health prevented it. They spoke by phone almost daily. The Bishop of Regensburg, Rudolf Voderholzers, paid tribute to the musical and aesthetic genius of the older Ratzinger brother, but he also recalled the moving experi- ence he had witnessed be- tween the two brothers in the past fortnight. Benedict XVI, who is now frail and 93, travelled fromhis monastic seclusion in the Vat- ican Gardens to Regensburg to visit his ailing brother for a last time. Over five days, the Pope Emeritus was able to visit his brother’s bedside nine times and to celebrate Mass with him. On the Feast of the Sa- cred Heart the Bishop cele- brated the Mass with them. The Bishop sensed the cen- trality of this devotion to both men and that Benedict’s vis- it was a pilgrimage from one “homeland” to the eternal one. He also said that it was clear that the two brothers were nourished even in their old age, by the deep foundation- al affections and Catholic faith borne out of the “sacrament of love” between their parents. While in the Diocese, Ben- edict XVI, with the aid of a wheelchair and his travelling entourage, was able to visit the graves of his parents Maria and Josef and his sister and to visit his former house and his neighbours. Benedict’s mercy mission, was primarily an intimate and personal trip, but it also coin- cided with the Festal week of St Wolfgang, which tradition- ally leads up to the ordination of priests in the diocese of Re- gensburg. It is clear that Bishop Vol- derholzer was personally moved by Benedict’s pres- ence and his links with the Di- ocese. Volderholzer is one of the minority of 12 German Bish- ops who have been arguing within the synodal process, that the haemorraging of Catholic faith in his country should be approached with concerted evangelical re- newal and an emphasis upon priestly and lay formation, catechesis and vocational en- richment, rather than by what he sees as the misleading and misguided agenda of the Ger- man Bishops’ Conference ma- jority. Then-Pope Benedict XVI is seen in a file photo strolling in a garden in Bressanone, Italy, with his brother, Mons Georg Ratzinger. Mons Ratzinger, 96, died on 1 July. PHOTO: CNS, /L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO VIA REUTERS It was the end of something beautiful – and the start of something indescribably more T o the point with Anna Krohn Fundraising for NEW DIVINE MERCY CHURCH This will be a truly beautiful church and an important place of pilgrimage. As can be seen in the photos cladding of the wall is well underway. We ask for your financial and prayerful support, as a lot of work needs to be done on the inside in order to bring the Church to a stage where we can open it on 19 April 2020. Your generosity and support is greatly appreciated. May God bless you! - Fr Paul DONATION FORM I would like to support the work of building the new Divine Mercy Church with a one-off donation of:  $25  $50  $100  $250  $500  $1000 other $.................................. or  I authorise the Divine Mercy Church Building Fund to make automatic monthly deductions of $........................ from my credit card until further notice. Also, any bequests would be very gratefully accepted. Donations can also be made by Direct Transfer to: Bendigo Bank 633 108 Acc No. 158396895 Payment type:  Cash  Cheque/Money Order  Visa  MasterCard Card No: _________________________________________________ Expiry Date: _____________ Amount: $________________ Card Holder’s Name: ______________________________________ Signature: ________________________________________________ Title:____________________ Name: __________________________ Address: _________________________________________________ Postcode:________________ Phone: ( ) _________________ Email: ______________________________________________ Please send this form with your donation to: DIVINE MERCY CHURCH BUILDING FUND PO Box 8, Bullsbrook, Western Australia 6084. P: +61 (0) 8 9571 8068 Thanks to the generosity of donors good progress has been made on the Divine Mercy Church in Western Australia. Lower Chittering, WA DONATE ONLINE: www.divinemercychurchwa.com.au He sensed that ... Benedict’s vis- it was a pilgrim- age from one “homeland” to the eternal one.”