“Idiosyncratic and flawed interpretation.”

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Pope Benedict XVI. on his arrival at the World Youth Day in Cologne on 18 September. August 2005 © Wolfgang Radtke (KNA)

The 90-minute documentary film about Benedict XVl. by British-German director Christoph Rohl has provoked sharp criticism. The film as a whole paints a very distorted picture of Ratzinger, according to the German bishops.

The German theatrical release of the new film "Defenders of the Faith" about Pope Benedict XVI. and the abuse crisis in the Catholic Church has drawn sharp criticism from.

While the German Bishops' Conference welcomes "any constructive contribution to uncovering sexualized violence, its causes and environment," it does not see a constructive contribution in "Defenders of the Faith".

"Strongly distorted image"

The film draws "altogether a strongly distorted picture of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger/Benedikt XVI."who is "always concerned with the purity of the Church and the priesthood, never with the victims". "This is an idiosyncratic and erroneous interpretation."

Above all, he said, Benedict XVI. had been, as the first Pope ever on several trips with victims of sexual abuse met, in particular in September 2011 in Erfurt. This circumstance is concealed, which makes the film unserious. It is regrettable that the opportunity for a historical-critical portrait of Pope Benedict XVI has been missed., that could have done it justice in a differentiated way has been missed.

In an interview with the Catholic weekly newspaper "Die Tagespost", the Munich publicist and Ratzinger expert Peter Seewald described Christoph Rohl's directorial work as a "collection of polemics, half-truths and untruths". She is "not to be taken seriously as a contribution to the discussion".

"Tendentious and manipulative"

Theologian Christian Schaller, deputy director of the Pope Benedict XVI Institute. in Regensburg, said Thursday that the film is "tendentious and manipulative," which contradicts the claim of a documentary. Joseph Ratzinger's person is portrayed in a way that does not correspond to reality, he said. The reason for this is that the director approached his subject with the intention of "showing Pope Benedict XVI". To reveal himself as an accomplice of the abusers".

Harsher action under canon law

Schaller pointed out that Ratzinger had already seen in the 1980s the weaknesses of the way abuse had been handled in the church until then. He has laid the groundwork for tougher action under canon law against the perpetrators of the crime. The film had omitted these and other essential facts.

Seewald said that it was concealed, for example, that Benedict XVI. had suspended some 400 clergy, including bishops and cardinals.

"Brutal falsification of history"

It is also a "brutal falsification of history" to hold Ratzinger responsible for the fact that "the atrocious deeds of the founder of the Legionaries of Christ could not be uncovered. Ratzinger brought down Marcial Maciel late, but "quasi single-handedly".

The publicist explained that not all measures taken by the German pope would have met. Especially in comparison to his successor, his crisis management was "not so bad".

In the dispute over Augsburg Bishop Walter Mixa, the church policy spokesman for the Greens and the Forum of German Catholics (FDK) have now also spoken out. On this site, the Green Party's Josef Winkler regretted Claudia Roth's choice of words, but maintained his criticism of Bishop Mixa's content. This defends itself on Thursday in the this site. In a statement, Hubert Gindert of the FDK stressed the "incompatibility of Green and Christian positions," saying Roth's remarks were reminiscent of the "aggressive tone of the Nazis and the Communists". Meanwhile, the public relations officer of the diocese of Augsburg regrets his own NS comparison.

In a speech on the dispute over the expansion of childcare, Green Party leader Claudia Roth had dubbed Augsburg Bishop Mixa a "crazy, divisive grandfundi from Augsburg". Thereupon the public relations officer of the diocese Augsburg, Dirk Hermann Vob, reproached her, her attack reminds in the choice of words "in frightening way of the propaganda agitation of the National Socialists against the Catholic church and its representatives". He said he has long recognized "disturbing fascistoid traits" in Roth's personal attacks and her attempt to turn herself into a "censorship authority".This comparison had then led to serious disgruntlement between the Central Council of Jews in Germany and the Catholic Church. Central Council President Charlotte Knobloch demanded steps against Mixa from the Vatican in Munich on Monday.

Augsburg diocesan advisor Vob moves away from NS comparison Meanwhile, Vob pleads for "verbal disarmament" on both sides. He backed away from his own NS comparison at the same time in a press release in Augsburg on Wednesday. This historical comparison was "unnecessary in retrospect," the public relations officer acknowledged.In view of the intemperance of Roth's statements, which were unprecedented toward a Catholic bishop in Germany, the criticism "initially came out harsher than necessary". With his reaction, he had not wanted to offend anyone, but to admonish a democratic culture of debate.At the same time, Vob called on the Greens to clarify their position "in order to re-establish a reasonable basis for discussion between Bishop Mixa and the party". The diocesan retracted his statement that the Greens were no longer electable for Christians. "Of course, there is also common ground between the Church and the Greens in important policy areas, such as the preservation of creation or bioethics," Vob said.

Winkler: All parties involved should row back Josef Winkler, church policy spokesman for the Green Party, admits on this site that one cannot expect a factual counter-argument if one turns against a bishop in this manner. Nevertheless, the reaction of Bishop Mixa's spokesman was absolutely exaggerated. To put Claudia Roth on the same level with the National Socialists is "an inappropriate comparison". "I think that's where all the participants should row back a bit and weigh their words better," Winkler said. In a political debate, it's possible to lose one's cool. Only, he said, they should not dwell on it and take up the differences more on the basis of their real ies. "The political debate certainly stops at "wacky,"" explains Winkler. "I think now, however, the steam should be taken out of the boiler."

Forum of German Catholics: "Greens" are enemies of Christianity! From the " Forum of German Catholics", however, come statements that are more likely to fuel the dispute. "What you get to hear from Claudia Roth was most recently the aggressive tone of the Nazis and the communists," explained their chairman Hubert Gindert. The leader of her party would have unmasked all the talk by other "Greens" about the compatibility of their political goals with Christianity and the church as tactical maneuvers: "Even 20 years later, Cardinal Hoffner's statement about the incompatibility of Green and Christian positions remains," said Gindert. The "Greens" are simply enemies of Christianity and fight against Christian forms in the legal system, society and culture. They were to blame for the "collapse of public education in some parts of Germany" and the "decline of ethics in dealing with sexuality, marriage and the family."Mixa also received backing from the State Committee of Catholics in Bavaria. National committee head Helmut Mangold called on Roth to apologize for her "intolerable" choice of words. Mixa argues "factual and restrained" in dispute over family policy. However, Mangold distanced himself from the statements of the diocesan spokesman. The Nazi comparison is "not appropriate".

Already the first official speeches in the context of the Pope's visit Benedict XVI. pointed the way: not only friendly banter, but also the addressing of sensitive ies. Pope Benedict XVI. Emphasized that society needs a profound cultural renewal and the rediscovery of fundamental values on which a better future can be built. President Wulff appealed to the Catholic Church to show more mercy and to open up.

Pope Benedict XVI. highlighted the importance of religion for human coexistence at the start of his tour of Germany. Religion is a foundation for successful coexistence, the Catholic Church leader said during his meeting with German President Christian Wulff on Thursday in the garden of Bellevue Palace in Berlin. There is a need for "a binding basis for our living together, otherwise everyone will only live his individualism".

The pope expressed his conviction that his official visit "will further strengthen the good relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Holy See". But he had not come primarily "to pursue certain political and economic goals, as other statesmen rightly do, but to meet people and talk about God".

Speaking about his homeland, Benedict said, "The Federal Republic of Germany has become what it is today through the power of freedom shaped by responsibility before God and before one another." Germany needs "this dynamism, which involves all areas of the human, to be able to continue to develop under the current conditions".

Wulff defends pope's trip and urges opening up of church
German President Christian Wulff has welcomed Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Germany. defended against criticism. The visit will strengthen Christians and "help us all find orientation and standards," Wulff said in his address. The Pope's welcome at Wulff's official residence, Bellevue Palace, marked the start of Benedict XVI's four-day visit to Germany.

Wulff emphasized that a "longing for meaning" is growing in Germany and elsewhere. This is an opportunity and responsibility for the churches and religious communities. At the same time, he said, religious ties can no longer be taken for granted. Addressing the pope, the German president said, "You are coming to a country in which the Christian faith is no longer self-evident, in which the church must redefine its place in a pluralistic society."

Wulff called on the churches not to retreat on themselves "despite austerity measures and a shortage of priests. The Federal President continued: "What the Christian churches are doing in diakonia and charity in caring for the poor and weak in our country and all over the world is simply great and indispensable for cohesion!" Church and state are rightly separated in Germany, he said. But he said the church should not see itself as a "parallel society": "It lives in the middle of this society, in the middle of this world and in the middle of this time."

Wulff appealed to the Catholic Church to show more mercy and open itself up. For example, he said, it should be asked how it deals "with breaks in people's lives" or what place lay people have next to priests and women next to men. The head of state also mentioned dealing with the ie of abuse and ecumenical dialog. Wulff said he was pleased that the German bishops had begun a process of dialogue on the future of the church. "I know from many conversations that not only the laity expect a lot from this," said the German president, who is Catholic and remarried after a divorce.

Pope speaks on plane about protests and abuse
During his flight to Germany, Pope Benedict XVI had. Expressed understanding for the protests in his home country. "Protests are normal in a secularized democratic country," Benedict XVI said. in a brief conversation with the journalists traveling with him. However, he said many also had "great expectations and great sympathy for the pope". And in many sectors of the German population, there is also a growing longing for a voice of morality in society.

The Pope also commented on the subject of abuse: "I can understand that in the face of crimes such as the sexual abuse of minors by priests, people close to the victims say: this is not my church, the church is a force of humanity and morality, and if its own people do the opposite, I can no longer be in this church.". He said the church must learn to endure such scandals and resolutely fight any abuse.

He was very much looking forward to the visit, stressed the pope, who answered a total of four journalists' questions – three of them in German, one in Italian. Benedict XVI added that he was particularly looking forward to the encounter with Protestant Christians. From the beginning of the planning of the trip, he understood the ecumenism as an important accent of his journey.

He said he was grateful to the Protestant Christians for allowing a meeting to take place at the historic site of the former Augustinian monastery in Erfurt, where Martin Luther received his theological and spiritual training. Especially in today's secularized society, the common witness of Christians is urgently needed, even if there continue to be considerable differences between Protestant and Catholic Christians, the pope said.

The Pope answered the question whether he still felt German after more than 30 years in the Vatican with a clear yes. He was shaped by his birth, by linguistic formation and by the culture of the country – with its size and gravity, he said. Even today, he continues to read more books in German than in other languages. But for the Christian, baptism adds membership in the community of the church, especially since he has supreme responsibility for this church, the pope said.

Merkel talks with Pope about Europe and financial markets
On the day of the pope's visit, not everything goes as usual, even for a German chancellor: "I still have to meet my husband somewhere," says Angela Merkel, looking questioningly at her security officers. After her talks with the Pope, they escorted the Chancellor through the many corridors of the Catholic Academy in Berlin.

In a small courtyard at the headquarters of the German Bishops' Conference, the CDU chairwoman informs about her meeting with Pope Benedict XVI., to which her husband Joachim Sauer also added. Merkel speaks in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary, with snipers lying diagonally above her on the roof of the academy. The building is widely cordoned off, delegations can only keep up with security officers at a walking pace.

Merkel, accompanied by Archbishop Robert Zollitsch and Prelate Karl Justen, says that the topics of Europe and the financial markets in particular came up for discussion. It became clear that politics "should have the power to shape things for the people, and not be driven". This is a very big task in the age of globalization, he said.

As a gift, Merkel presented the Pope with a sheet of music with Gregorian chants from a German missal from the 14th century. until 17. Century. The pope returned the favor with a majolica, a ceramic decorated with a fountain motif from the Vatican gardens.

Friendly atmosphere during conversation
Before the visit, there had been irritation about the location of the meeting. Merkel wanted to receive the German pope in the chancellery, the pope preferred the nunciature in Berlin-Neukolln, his embassy in the capital city. The choice then fell on a more neutral location, the Catholic Academy at the Berlin headquarters of the German Bishops' Conference. Merkel now diplomatically says she is pleased that the Pope "is not only in the beautiful nunciature, which is wonderful, but also at the headquarters of the German Bishops' Conference and here in the Catholic Academy, which also means a lot to me personally". Spiritual life under the sign of Christianity distinguishes this place.

Pope spokesman Federico Lombardi added afterwards that the conversation had taken place in a "very friendly atmosphere" and that the Pope's criticism of Merkel in 2009 over the rehabilitation of Holocaust denier Richard Williamson had "absolutely not" weighed on the conversation. In fact, he said, the pope took the opportunity to express his great appreciation for Germany. He also emphasized Germany's important role in the euro crisis.

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