Before his election as Pope in 2005, I and many other priests around my age came to know then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger through his writings. We read some of his books for classes in seminary, but aside from that, many of us read Ratzinger on our own and appreciated his brilliant insights on theology and the Sacred Liturgy. We appreciated him as a great collaborator to Pope John Paul II.
When he was elected Pope, I was thrilled. During the days of the 2005 papal conclave, I visited a classroom in the school at Queen of Heaven in Cherry Hill, my first assignment, and I mentioned his name off the top of my head as a possibility. When there was finally white smoke and his name was announced, the schoolchildren who were watching the conclave on TV clapped and cheered because they recognized his name.
From 2008 to 2011, I lived in Rome and did graduate studies in Canon Law. I was privileged to be in Pope Benedict’s presence a number of times for different ceremonies. All of the other American priests I lived with admired and respected him. We would take any opportunity we could to serve as “Communion Priests” who would assist at papal Masses. This meant that we would be very close to the papal altar. Pope Benedict celebrated Mass with great attention and devotion. Those Sacred Liturgies were among the most beautiful and uplifting I have ever been present for. His homilies were always, of course, outstanding.
Two examples come to mind when I think of the human side of Pope Benedict. The first was on a Palm Sunday, when a seminarian was holding the microphone – at the end of a long pole – for the Holy Father. The seminarian was shaking and very nervous. The microphone kept bobbing around and getting closer to hitting Pope Benedict in the face. Pope Benedict never lost his temper or became annoyed. He kindly smiled and gently pushed the microphone away.
The second was at the beatification of Pope John Paul II in 2011. Again, I was a “Communion Priest” and close to the altar at the outside ceremony in the Piazza of Saint Peter’s Basilica. The attendance was massive. When Pope Benedict preached the homily, at some points, he became somewhat emotional. We could hear it in his voice. What I remember shining through in those moments was his deep friendship and personal affection for his predecessor.
After I returned from Rome, I served as vice chancellor, and it was about two years later that Pope Benedict resigned. Pope Benedict was a great theologian, but working in my area, I can say that modifications to and the application of Canon Law during his reign, which he would of course have been attentive to, were insightful and well-received by myself and my colleagues. They were sensible, clear and never disruptive to areas of life within the Church when Canon Law is involved.
Under Pope Benedict, the Church made a smooth transition following the long and robust papacy of Pope John Paul II. My overall impression of the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI – studying his writings, being in his presence, and then professionally interacting with his canonical reforms – is that it was an optimistic time.
Father James Bartoloma is pastor of Holy Family Parish, Sewell, director of the diocesan Marian Commission and former chancellor of the Diocese of Camden.
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