Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: Hope, Confidence, and Looking Forward

Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Germany is over. I figure now would be a good time to recap what happened, and what he said. Some of it, anyway. And add my two-cents-worth of opinion, of course.

This is the first of seven posts:

1. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: Hope, Confidence, and Looking Forward"
   (September 27, 2011)
2. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: Liberation, Transformation, and Getting Personal"
   (September 27, 2011)
3. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: Scandal, Abuse, and the Cross"
   (September 28, 2011)
4. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: Harlots and Pharisees, Agnostics and Routine Believers"
   (September 29, 2011)
5. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: Dissent, Conversion, and Knowledge"
   (September 30, 2011)
6. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: We're Not About 'Joyless Saints' "
   (October 1, 2011)
7. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: 'Where God is, There is a Future' "
   (October 3, 2011)

Now, what Benedict XVI said:

Hope, Confidence, and Looking Forward

"...'I encourage the Church in Germany to pursue with resolute confidence the path of faith which leads people back to their roots, to the heart of the Good News of Christ,' said the Pope at Lahr Airport on Sept. 25.

"Pope Benedict said that he hoped the past four days would reverse the societal trend of the past few decades to 'remove religion from people's lives.'

" 'This gives me confidence for the future of Christianity in Germany. As in previous visits, it was clear how many people here are bearing witness to their faith and making its transforming power present in today's world.'..."
(CNA (September 25, 2011))

Reading that the Pope has hope and confidence in what's to come isn't much of a surprise: but it's nice to hear now and again. It's also good to hear about how many folks 'bear witness,' even when it's not fashionable.

Numbers aren't the whole story, though. The Holy Spirit gives us a "special strength," obliging us "to spread and defend the faith by word and deed." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1285)

That "special strength" sounds nifty, but the obligation that goes with it? No wonder the Catholic parish in Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon was called Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility. I'm okay with that name: particularly considering some of the 'feel good' churches that popped up in the last half of the 20th century. And that's another topic.

More posts in this series:

• Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take
  • On the "Featured Topics" page

Other related posts:

• "Getting Involved in Constructing a Better Future? Sounds Like a Plan"
  (September 21, 2011)
• "First Amendment Suspended for 9/11 Memorial Service: Wrong, but Understandable"
  (September 10, 2011)
• "Listening to the Holy Spirit"
  (May 29, 2011)
  • Guest post
• "Christianity: A Religion of Hope"
  (May 5, 2011)
• "Religion isn't Bad?"
  (April 12, 2010)

In the news:

• "As he departs, Pope is hopeful for Germany's Christian future"
  CNA (Catholic News Agency) (September 25, 2011)