April 2005 Print

After the papal election, Hugh Hewitt invited on his radio show two articulate Catholics: Dwight Rabuse, attorney and talk show host; and Dr. David Allen White, U.S. Naval Academy English Literature professor, "America's Professor" on Shakespeare and classical music.

Hugh Hewitt: David Allen White, your thoughts on the elevation of Pope Benedict XVI.

David Allen White: Quite surprising, Hugh, surprises on a number of different levels. It was a very short conclave; I'm not sure anybody expected it would be that quick. Secondly, it's very rare that the leading candidate goes into the conclave and comes out pope. Usually, there's a surprise, or someone that was unexpected. Cardinal Ratzinger had been named as the leading candidate, and indeed he wound up as pope. And for me, the biggest surprise, and I think a very hopeful sign, is the name he took, Pope Benedict XVI. He is reaching back to an earlier time in the Church. He clearly is a man of the Second Vatican Council, but it may indeed be a gesture of looking for a continuity and a kind of unity with something that had gone before it. It's hopeful, it's very promising, and I look forward with anticipation to this pontificate.

HH: Dwight Rabuse, your reactions?

Dwight Rabuse: Well, first of all, I'm pleased that my friend David shares my enthusiasm about the selection of Benedict XVI. Later in the show, perhaps we can find out whether David and his friends can repack the truck and come back completely.

HH: We're going to get there.

DR: I'm sure we will. No, I think this is an election which is a gesture on the part of the Church to confirm the legacy of Pope John Paul II, and, obviously, a huge disappointment [to those] who think that somehow the selection of popes is somehow akin to the presidency of the United States. The quickness of this selection, I think, confirms for the world that the College of Cardinals is on board with the Ratzinger vision of Catholicism, which is the John Paul vision, which is the eternal vision of the Church.

HH: Now, Dwight, when he stepped up, were you surprised when he came from behind the curtain?

DR: No, no. If you think back a week and a half, you asked me who my picks would be, and I said it would be either Ratzinger or Cardinal Arinze. So I was neither surprised nor disappointed by the selection.

HH: Now, David Allen White, the pope's got many, many jobs. One of them is the selection of cardinals. Forty-eight of the 117 who are eligible to vote for the pope this time are 74 years and older, meaning that if this pope stays on the throne of Peter for six years, they'll be gone and replaced. He has a huge opportunity to remake the Church in his own image. Would it be very different from John Paul II's image, do you think?

DAW: Well, what's interesting, Hugh. There are certain things it's very clear he's going to continue. I think the most promising thing, and the greatest consolation to a great number of devout Catholics, is that we will see no changing at all of the social teachings of the Church. And to me, that is the high water mark of John Paul II’s papacy, he stood firm on all of the Church's social teachings, and Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, will do very much the same. What will happen in other areas? We don't know. It's not clear. I think there were certain areas of disagreement between Cardinal Ratzinger and Pope John Paul II. I will say this. Pope John Paul II had a very clear geopolitical view. He traveled the world, he was out there with the people. I suspect we're going to have more of a stay-at-home pope who's going to spend more time with the internal workings of the Vatican, seeing and arranging what's going on there, which means if there are new appointments or changes, it may be a different kind of cleric who's going to oversee the managing of the Church and keep things running again with the kind of continuity.

HH: Now Dwight, it won't be long, I haven't seen it yet, but it won't be long until he will be compared to Brezhnev's Andropov, that he will be the transitional figure on the way to the great liberalization. I haven't seen Andrew Sullivan come up with this yet, but I go back to the fact that if he even makes ten appointments to the College of Cardinals, it will be a significantly different body than when he began. Do you think he will end up appointing even more conservative bishops than John Paul did?

DR: No, I don't, Hugh, because I think the idea that there is a significant split within the cardinals, between what popular commentators would characterize as liberal and conservatives, is untrue. After all, as you pointed out, Ratzinger is one of three voting cardinals not appointed by Pope John Paul himself, so the entirety of the College of Cardinals reflects very much the thinking of the late pope, which again is very much the thinking of Benedict XVI. So in the spirit of continuity, I think you can look for this pope to make appointments to the various empty bishoprics around the world and to the College of Cardinals very much in the spirit of his predecessor.

HH: Now David, you are of course a member of the Society of Pius X.

DAW: Oh no, Hugh, I am not. I am fond of them, but it's a priestly society.

HH: Oh, I'm sorry.

DAW: So, I'm not a priest, but I'm a supporter of theirs.

HH: A supporter of the Society of Pius X, very conservative Catholics. Do you see hope for the healing of the divide there through this elevation of Benedict?

DAW: We don't know. Again, the new Pontiff is very much a man of the Second Vatican Council. He served as a peritus there to Cardinal Frings of Cologne. So he was there, and, in fact, had some major influence on some of the documents, particularly Lumen Gentium. So he's a man of the Council. He's very much, I think, supportive of the change that has taken place in the Church, but I also do think he has a sense of the divisions, and that there have been some unfortunate gulfs that have opened up. And I think it's entirely possible he might reach out. We don't know. Only time will tell. The other thing I would say, though, and I think this is very important, with the granting of the papal crown have got to come very special graces from God, so that what this Pontiff may do during his pontificate could surprise everyone. We don't know, we don't know.

HH: Dwight Rabuse, much of the secular press is full of, well they're calling him the inquisitor. They're... honestly, I've seen that in a few places.

DR: Oh, sure. Sure.

HH: And the tough guy, and all this other stuff. They really don't get it, do they?

DR: No, it's hysterical to watch, especially watching these self-professed Catholics like Chris Matthews, who must have been away from the Church for so long, they've completely lost touch and gone native with secular culture. The reign, for lack of a better word, of Cardinal Ratzinger atop the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, while continuing the traditional teachings of the Church in all areas, has been noted for the moderation and gentleness of the man in dealing with dissenters throughout the Church. You know, someone who has been called to heal only 78 theologians, while holding that job for some 24 years, can hardly be characterized as a bomb-thrower or a gavel-pounder. People who know this Cardinal, and know this pope, you know, characterize him as an incredibly self-effacing, gentle man and a gentleman to boot. And I think as the press comes to know that personality, you'll see a softening of their characterizations as well.

HH: David, he chose Benedict as his name. The significance in your eyes?

DAW: Again, it's a reaching back in time. Benedict XV followed a pope who, again, made an enormous mark, and that was Pope St. Pius X, the last pope to be sainted, who had a fairly short reign, from 1903 to 1914. So again, it may partially be the sense that you have a man who in some humility is following an enormous figure in Church history. And it may be a mark of the humility that he spoke of when he made his first public statement to the faithful. But I'd have say, Hugh, [that I have] a slight disagreement with Dwight. I wish he had been tougher in that office. I've said for a long time there's nothing wrong with the Church that a good inquisition wouldn't take care of. So I'm hoping that maybe he'll actually toughen up a bit now that he's pope. And I don't know. We'll have to wait and see, but again, I'm hopeful.

HH: The monastic tradition, begun by Benedict, Dwight Rabuse, much in the news today. Does he...

DR: Yes, and Hugh, I think an earlier caller to your program had noted as much, that perhaps you were commenting on one of the blogs. While there are echoes in the spirit of Benedict XV, I think, in choosing this name, I think more accurately, this pope is going back to St. Benedict, the founder of the Monastic tradition. And if you look at this pope's thinking of the world, and try to contrast it with that of John Paul II, I think the difference of temperament is that Ratzinger is somewhat less optimistic that a dialogue with the entire world is necessarily to the benefit of the Church.

DAW: I agree with that, Hugh.

DR: And he's very much, I think, of the school that this is a time for the Church to coalesce around spiritual truth, to purify itself. And he's talked very openly about a future of the Church, which may show reduced numbers globally, but an increase of spirituality.

HH: Do you agree with that, David?

DAW: I do indeed.

HH: And you think that's a good thing?

DAW: It's a very good thing, and I hope that's the case.

HH: Before I get to the calls, your reaction, gentlemen, to the homily that he preached as a Cardinal yesterday, that was a very forceful condemnation of the dictatorship of relativism. David Allen White?

DAW: Oh, it was magnificent, Hugh, absolutely magnificent. I'm very glad you posted it. I've been printing it out and giving it to people. What's interesting, and I do find this a very hopeful sign, the new pope has a clear vision of what's happened across Europe. I mean the faith is disappearing rapidly in Europe. He's very concerned about it. There is word he was extremely upset that the new European Constitution will not even mention the Christian faith or the Christian heritage of Europe. Although part of the problem, of course, is that in the last 40 years, in France for example, Mass attendance has plummeted from 90% in 1965, to under 5% now. I mean there's just...the tradition is being lost. He is aware of that, he's aware of the problem, and to make that homily before the conclave meant he very well may have lost the position, if he had enemies there. It seems indeed to have been the fact that perhaps that's part of what generated the enthusiasm for him.

HH: That's right. I think it was a very bold statement. Don't vote for me for pope under false pretenses, Dwight Rabuse. I think anyone who can say they elected him with the expectation of anything other than having just heard a rip-roaring, barn-burning declaration when they marched in...

DR: Well, that's exactly right, Hugh, and it shows how disconnected the mainstream media is with where the Church is at today. In the wake of Cardinal Ratzinger's homily yesterday, there was no shortage of commentaries saying, "Oh my goodness, he's blown his chance to be pope, because he's so doctrinaire. He's so conservative." This went on for a number of hours on all the major outlets, until finally late last night I heard an analyst say, "Well, look. Wake up to the fact that 88-90% of the Cardinals sitting in that room, listening to that homily said, 'Yup, that's exactly right.'"

HH: David Allen White, what do you make of the idea that the pope is in for a rough go?

DAW: I think he's in for a very rough go, but understand this. It's always been said that the sixth mark of the Church is persecution. The fifth mark of the Church is persecution. And if he's persecuted, then that's a good sign. It means he's doing Christ's work in the world.

HH: Dwight, you agree with the idea that he's coming in with a lot of baggage?

DR: Well, I agree he's coming in with a history, but I think it's a wonderful history. And I think it presents an important moment for the Church. There are any number of Catholics, or at least self-described Catholics, who for years have been saying John Paul's a great, personable guy, but we're going to wait him out, because the next pope is somehow going to be more liberal as American politics defines that. I think this shows that ain't going to happen. There's not going to be a pope who reverses any fundamental teaching of the Church.

DAW: There cannot be. I agree totally, Dwight.

DR: And as Pope Benedict XVI has been teaching for years, you've got to make a decision. If you do not like the teachings of the Catholic Church, well and good. Don't be a Catholic. Go somewhere else.

HH: (Reacting to caller's theory on name selection) I'm not going to buy that, Dwight. I think it is far more likely that he was thinking of the first Benedict.

DR: I think he's thinking of the first Benedict, too. Although, if you look back to Benedict XV, with all due respect to my friend David Allen White, Benedict XV followed a legendary, saintly pope, and used his period of the papacy as a time of consolidation, and I think, to a great degree, that is what Ratzinger sees, too. He's following an historic pope, and I think he sees his pontificate as almost necessarily shorter in time, and a period in which the work of a great predecessor can be consolidated. So they're both attributes in the selection of the name.

HH: Now, David, I want to ask you an off-the-wall question. If he's uniquely German in any way-setting aside, though it is impossible to do so, the disfigurement of the German character that Hitler worked-what does that mean to be German?

DAW: Well, a couple of things. It's clear-minded, single-visioned; and the other thing that the Germans are very well known for their organizational skills. And I go back to my earlier point, that the word is that there are internal, just organizational troubles in the Vatican, that many of the offices need to be set in order, and who better than a German to make sure that things are organized very thoroughly once again. The other glorious thing is, being German, he's a great lover of music. In fact, he's a master musician.

HH: Oh, is he?

DAW: A very accomplished pianist, and apparently of close to professional status. And his favorite composer is Mozart, which again is a very good sign.

HH: Well, you know, that's so old world, though.

DAW: It is old world, and that's a very good thing. Here's another curiosity, Hugh. You know, the St. Malachy prophecy for this pope was the Glory of the Olive.

HH: Yes.

DAW: And for a long while, people had said that they thought that might mean that this pope would come from the Benedictine Order, because the olive has been long connected with the Benedictine Order. It simply might refer to the fact that he took the name of Benedict, and may be looking back to St. Benedict. So it may be that that prophecy has already been fulfilled.

HH: Yes, very well put.

HH: Gentlemen, here's a little commentary from a Catholic commentator at "Catholic Commentary" [a Catholic website–Ed.]:

It is interesting the Holy Spirit chose a man baptized Joseph, and that he, Joseph Ratzinger, chose Benedict as his pontifical name. Mr. and Mrs. Ratzinger, having no idea that their newborn son would one day be called to run the Catholic Church, decided to name their baby after St. Joseph. Surely, Providence inspired their choice. St. Joseph, among his many other titles, is knows as the Terror of Demons. Beside the very reality of the meaning of that phrase (evil spiritual forces fear the intercession of St. Joseph), this title reflects the grave responsibility Joseph took upon his shoulders to protect our Lady and their son, Jesus. It also reflects St. Joseph's purity, and his willingness to order his will toward whatever was best for his family. Spiritual bad guys can't abide the light of holiness and purity, and no man born to original sin was holier and more pure of heart than Joseph. Furthermore, St. Joseph's primary title is Patron (Father) of the Universal Church. His is first place among the saints.

St. Benedict, who lived in the  sixth century, was the founder of the Benedictines (the very first religious congregation), is also famously known for his power to intercede against the forces of spiritual evil. The St. Benedict medal, perhaps the most popular Catholic medal after the Miraculous Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is considered lead-pipe-lock insurance against the forces of evil for those who wear it. The medal itself, designed by St. Benedict, contains the first letters of Latin words which make up phrases that castigate and even humiliate spiritual beings. One of our favorites among them is directed to the head bad guy himself, Lucifer: "Go bark at the moon!"

St. Benedict is the Bruce Willis of Catholic saints: "Yippie Kai Yay!" Many scholars honor St. Benedict with another title. As a result of his history-making deeds and the legacy of the founding of religious congregations, which provided the social, educational, and organizing basis for Christendom to slowly rise from the chaotic remains of the Roman Empire, St. Benedict is also known as the Father of Western Civilization.

St. Joseph is a holy father.

St. Benedict is a holy father.

Joseph Ratzinger, now His Holiness Benedict XVI, is our Holy Father. We have a man named Joseph. We have a Pope named Benedict. Bad guys on earth and under the earth, you're in for a scrap. Expect the world, the flesh, and the devil to commence their attacks upon Joseph-Benedict in short order.

Expect them to fail.