Since his death in December 2022, there have been countless tributes paid to Pope Benedict XVI, extolling his legacy as one of the greatest minds and shepherds of the contemporary Church.
In this episode, we aim to offer our own tribute, by focusing on the late Holy Father’s contributions to Catholicism’s understanding of the relationship between the Church and the State.
In particular, we turn attention to speeches which Benedict delivered within the walls of some of the most iconic halls of power in Europe - namely, Westminster Hall in London, England in 2010 and the German Parliament in 2011.
These speeches addressed essential questions around how we organize our life in common; what constitutes the foundation of Western civilization; what the role of truth and justice is in public life; how natural law can anchor public discourse; and what a true ecology of man looks like.
Our guest is Fr. Raymond de Souza, one of North America’s leading Catholic commentators, whose columns appear regularly in the National Post and National Catholic Register. Fr. de Souza serves as a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Kingston, Ontario.
References
Fr. Raymond de Souza official website
Fr. Raymond de Souza, “Sea to Sea”, Convivium [reflections on Pope Benedict’s September Speeches]
Fr. Raymond de Souza, “Benedict XVI’s lifelong friendship with God”, National Post (January 5, 2023)
George Weigel, “Parting Reflections” (January 6, 2023) [fourth installment of “Letters from Rome” series on the death of Pope Benedict XVI]
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Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.