Jesuit Father Lombardi granted an interview to Vatican Radio on the occasion of the release of another book of Benedict XVI’s writings

Newsroom (March 7, 2022, 10:10 AM, Gaudium Press) On the occasion of the release of the eighth volume of Benedict XVI’s Opera Omnia, the president of the Joseph Ratzinger Vatican Foundation, Father Lombardi, gave an interview to Vatican Radio.

It is the eighth volume of a total of 16 books which will contain the Opera Omnia of Joseph Ratzinger.

The launching was done by the Editrice Vaticana bookstore and took place at the Pontifical Teutonic College of Santa Maria in Campo Santo.

“Church symbol among the peoples”

This eighth volume with the title “Church symbol among the peoples” and the following volume, still to be published, are dedicated to the theme of the Church in the last 50 years, in the writings of the Pope emeritus.

In the interview, Father Lombardi, president of the Joseph Ratzinger Vatican Foundation and former director of the Holy See Press Office, explained that the Opera Omnia is a feature reserved only for great authors, theologians or philosophers.

He added, “Joseph Ratzinger is a great theologian of our time and therefore certainly deserved the Opera Omnia.

Theological thinking for our time

When asked about the importance of Benedict XVI’s writings, Fr. Lombardi insisted on explaining that Joseph Ratzinger’s theological thinking is fundamental for our time.

“He is a thinker of reference for the Church of our time. And we are interested in this matter, in the volumes of Opera Omnia, we find together, and I would even say, thematically coordinated, many writings that before were dispersed (…)

Although the writings are of various natures (homilies, articles, writings, and others) in the Opera Omnia they are compiled in a systematic way. Thus, the reader can read Opera Omnia in an organized way.

Concepts and strong spirituality

Furthermore, Father Lombardi stated that the faithful can learn a lot from the writings. According to him, Benedict XVI has the ability to combine theological concepts with spirituality.

“There is (in the writings) an ability to present the Christian faith, in terms appropriate to the culture and problems of our time, which is truly extraordinary. And it is not only a conceptual clarity but also a spiritual richness,” he described. (FM)

Compiled by Zephania Gangl