Pope Benedict XVI Blog

Pope Benedict at 80: Blowing on the coals of faith

By John Thavis
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- When Pope John Paul II turned 80 in 2000, it fueled yet another round of speculation about whether the ailing pontiff might break with tradition and resign.

In contrast, Pope Benedict XVI's 80th birthday April 16 finds him with the wind in his sails.

The pope's new book on Jesus was being released in several languages, an event that will no doubt launch the Christological themes of his pontificate into wider circulation.

In March the pope published a major document on the Eucharist, and sources said he was preparing to release a long-awaited decree liberalizing use of the Tridentine Mass.

Following a recent Vatican summit, the pope's announced letter to Chinese Catholics was anticipated eagerly in April, in hopes that it could offer a new path of dialogue with the government and help heal internal church divisions.

Meanwhile, the pope was preparing for his first papal trip to the Western Hemisphere, a mid-May journey to Brazil for a crucial planning session among Latin American bishops.

Pope Benedict, who marks the second anniversary of his election April 19, seems fit and energetic in public appearances. He glides through crowds and lingers with well-wishers and often delivers his most incisive remarks off the cuff.

Although the pope sometimes suggests he may have little time in office, he shows no sign of ill health or failing stamina. During Holy Week, he seemed unfazed by the heavy schedule of 10 major liturgies and encounters.
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posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 10:50 AM