ZAPOPAN, Jalisco; Friday, March 17, 2023.- Three months after the death of Benedict XVI, Dr. Monica Patricia Garcia Magdaleno, head of the Academy of Theology of the Guadalajara Campus, organized a day of reflection as a tribute to the former Professor Ratzinger. The speakers were Dr. Isabel Troconis, Eng. Pedro González and Monsignor Ángel Rodríguez Luño.
The day of reflection "Cooperators of the Truth", the motto of his archbishop's and cardinal's coat of arms, was a hybrid event attended remotely from various parts of Mexico, the United States and Italy, as well as dozens of those who attended in person. Among the audience were young and not so young; Catholics and non-Catholics; Spaniards, Mexicans, Venezuelans, North Americans; some dedicated to theology, philosophy, engineering, communication, business, history and literature, among others.
Dr. Isabel Troconis
Dr. Isabel Troconis, daughter of Venezuelan parents, born in Washington and professor of Dogmatic Theology at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, presented from Rome the thought of Ratzinger/Benedict XVI. She explained the main legacy of the magisterium of the German pope.
Benedict XVI
As a "Cooperator of truth", Benedict XVI translated classical doctrine by explaining the core of faith, showing the figure of Christ to the man of today, through the faithhope and, most especially, charity-love charity-love.
Just as "Every child comes with his bread under his arm [...] every Pope brings his specific gift for the Church".
Pedro González, MEDEX of IPADE, advisor to several construction and financial companies and tireless reader and conversationalist of the honoree, gave a tour of the authors and music that accompanied the Pope Emeritus throughout his life. He began with his meeting with the then Cardinal Ratzinger. His personal reflections were the fruit of a deep knowledge, admiration and affection for Ratzinger. He assured that few Popes in history will have had, like Benedict XVI, the joy and the gift of witnessing in life, the perfect choice of the Holy Spirit of the pontiff who succeeded him: Pope Francis. Benedict XVI was confident that the Holy Spirit would continue to assist the Church, whoever the Pope was.
"I am fully convinced that it was a very happy period for him. To see that action of the Holy Spirit in Pope Francis, that continuity, so many good things he has done [...] generated happiness for him".
At the end, a video of Monsignor Ángel Rodríguez Luño, Professor Emeritus of Moral Theology at the University of the Holy Cross, Consultor of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was shown. In the video he offered his testimony about the years he worked side by side with the then Prefect of the Congregation: Cardinal Ratzinger. He addressed questions about the Cardinal's closeness, his depth and charity in addressing complex issues that came to the Congregation. As well as the simplicity, clarity and delicacy of the Prefect Ratzinger in transmitting what he thought to his collaborators.
There were a large number of comments and questions, both in person and online, during the two and a half hours of the day of reflection. Both attendees and speakers expressed the desire and hope to continue the dialogue on the figure of one of the most influential intellectuals of the late twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first. At the end, three works of Benedict XVI were raffled among the attendees.
Prints
The online attendees actively participated with questions and expressed their joy for the masterful presentations. Some of the comments about the event were: "... A beautiful discovery, the figure of Pope Benedict XVI...", "... A day full of meaning...".
Those present asked about Benedict XVI 's exchange with Habermas, who told him that it was necessary to live as if God existed, or if Christians are forced to live as if in an isolated village. To which Dr. Troconis recommended the German Pope's speech in the English Parliament, in which he insisted on the need to broaden reason and to recognize that the human being is the same in all times and all places, preventing the risk of believing that man is his own designer. They also asked if the film "The Two Popes" did justice to the figure of Benedict XVI, about the idea of filia in the Pope's thought, what they recommended to read to learn about the Pope's thought and how the approach to Ratzinger's thought influenced their personal lives.
A meeting worthy of the honoree: joyful, profound, ecumenical and hopeful.
