Benedict XVI bravely faced two major scandals that hit the Church

January 5, 2023 / 8:14 p.m.

The Apostolic Nuncio in Colombia, Msgr. Luis Mariano Montemayor, affirmed during a Thanksgiving Mass that, during his pontificate, Benedict XVI “courageously faced” the scandal of sexual abuse and the lack of administrative transparency in the Vatican, two events that hit the Church.

Benedict XVI led the Catholic Church from April 2005 to February 2013, when he resigned from the pontificate. He since then resided in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae monastery, where he passed away on December 31. This January 5 he was buried in the crypts that are under the Basilica of Saint Peter.

From the Cathedral of Bogotá, the Vatican representative recalled this Thursday that Benedict XVI “faced with courage and determination, as Pope, two major scandals that have seriously affected the reputation of the Church and its pastoral work: the abuse of minors and the lack of administrative transparency”.

“Benedict – recalled the Apostolic Nuncio – has upheld the policy of zero tolerance in terms of abuse of minors by clergy or Church officials”.

In addition, he pointed out, “he was the first Pope to find to a group of victims during his trip to the United States in 2008 and has expedited the procedural rules for dismissal from the clerical state.”

Likewise, Benedict XVI was the first Pope in history to “expose Vatican finances to external scrutiny by the Council of Europe’s agency against money laundering and financing against terrorism.”

The Nuncio said that this allowed “the creation of the Vatican Financial Information Authority in 2010”. “Yes, thank you Pope Benedict for teaching us the good government of the Church,” he said.


Benedict XVI: One of the greatest intellectual figures

From the Primada Cathedral of Colombia, Msgr. Luis Mariano Montemayor pointed out that the words of the Apostle Saint John: “God is love and whoever remains in love, remains in God and God in him”, well “define the spirituality and mood of the pontificate of His Holiness Benedict XVI”, who began his pontifical teaching with the encyclical Deus caritas est.


The German pontiff “has been without a doubt one of the greatest intellectual figures of our time,” he said.

“He has dedicated the teaching of his pontificate to the positive proposal, and literaryly clear and beautiful, of the mystery of the Christian faith and of the traditional teaching of the Church, illuminating at the same time, with expertise, the great problems that afflict our society. modern,” he said.

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Benedict XVI, highlighted the Vatican representative, has advocated “for an enriching cooperation between civil society and religious communities, for the humanization of economic globalization and for citizen commitment in favor of an integral ecology that respects the dignity of man.”

In his homily, Mons. Montemayor also referred to the criticism that the late Pope received, when he was described as gloomy and arrogant. Benedict XVI “has amply demonstrated that he is actually a man of great humility, fine gentleness and moving kindness,” said the Papal Nuncio.

Benedict XVI bravely faced two major scandals that hit the Church