Religion & Law

Here, from the Ignatius Press blog, is a collection of reflections on the Pope's fifth anniversary.  Fr. James Schall's, on the Pope as "scholar", caught my eye:

The three functions traditionally attributed to a pope are to teach, to sanctify, and to rule. The first function means keeping the revelation that was handed to Peter and the apostles intact and known to men. The second concerns the sacramental and prayer side of human life, primarily with the integrity of the Eucharist. The third function is the daunting task of appointing and guiding bishops and other leaders in the Church. The Lord told Peter to strengthen the brethren. Most people recognize that they need it. Many think this latter function is the most crucial and difficult of all.

Popes need to exercise courage in all three areas. The most difficult thing consists in telling the truth in a world, as Pope Ratzinger often says, that is relativist and is no longer willing to hear the truth of things, particularly divine things and increasingly of human things, lest it might affect the way they live. . . .

The present Pope is easily the most learned man in public life in the world today. I have the impression that academia and the media know this as a fact but dance gingerly around it, fascinated yet leery. They ?feel? in their bones, however, that he cannot really know anything important. . . .