Pope Benedict, defender of the West

The reaction in the Muslim world alone has already transformed this little speech delivered by Pope Benedict at the University of Regensburg in Germany into an international news phenomenon. Apart from the controversy, however, I am convinced that the speech itself (and if you haven’t yet read it in its entirety, do so) will, with time, grow in significance to be seen as much more: a world historical and world-changing event, as well as one of Benedict’s finest hours, and on par with Pope John Paul II’s return to his native Poland amidst Solidarity’s challenge to Soviet Communism during the Cold War. But only if enough of us comprehend the depth not just of Benedict’s defense of the West, but also his challenge to it, and respond by offering him some solidarity of our own.

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I was already wondering about this question Sunday morning, reading over breakfast the latest report of Muslim outrage, and wondering aloud to my wife "whether anyone will have the courage to come to the Pope’s defense." At church, I didn’t exactly get the answer I was looking for. A "visiting" priest whom we’ve seen almost monthly for the last year, a gregarious, opinionated, but typically funny and insightful guy with a white pompadour, led us in his sermon to reflect on Mark 8:27-35, particularly the different responses given when Jesus asks the disciples “Who do people say that I am?” and “But who do you say that I am?” In the course of making a point about mistaken perception, this priest offered us the example of the Pope’s current problem, and in what was, I imagine, supposed to be a defense of Benedict, hoped that the Pope wouldn’t be judged by “what was clearly just a mistake,” when, according to the priest, it was possible Benedict hadn’t even written the speech himself, “Pope’s being very busy guys as they are, etc.”

A quick glance at my wife informed me that my outrage was probably too noticeably etched on my face. She told me after mass that what really had her worried was the fact that the reader for this mass was, you guessed it – me – and, knowing that I still had to get up and read the intercessions, she was genuinely concerned I would insert a couple of my own. Anyway, mass ended, and as I was returning the reading books to the front of the church I knew I would have to pass close to the priest. By this time I had a number of comments racing through my head, some of them rather strong, but this being church and all, hoped harder just to be able avoid him and let the moment pass. But then he approached me. He shook my hand and thanked me for reading, that great gregarious grin showing me he couldn’t possibly have meant to do harm (even if I felt he had done no small amount of it.) “Father,” I said, in the friendliest tone I could muster, “I would invite you to read the Pope’s speech. It’s really quite good, quite profound.” He laughed, admitted he hadn’t read it yet as he had been traveling this week, etc., but demonstrated no misgivings for having shared his uninformed views on the speech with the congregation. For some reason it now seemed necessary to me to sound just as cheery as he, and laughing, I added, "Oh, and Father, it’s probably a good bet that the Pope wrote the speech himself, seeing as though he delivered it at the university he used to teach at." And there we parted company.

Please pardon the personal anecdote before I move on to my actual points. It’s just that, looking back, here I was presented with precisely the kind of opportunity to defend the Pope that I had wondered about earlier that morning. It would have been nicer, of course, if I hadn’t needed to defend him from, of all people, a priest. But I’m glad I said what I said, and even if I didn’t say nearly all that I was thinking, I’m not sure I should have, and I’m even gladder I said nothing in anger. I can only hope that I made some kind of impression and caused more investigation and reflection on his part. But that’s enough for now. Much, much more later…

UPDATE here ...

UPDATE II here ...

UPDATE by Pat: For a round-up of other commentary on Pope Benedict's speech and the reaction to it, visit Benedict's Supernatural Stand by The Anchoress.