'A brilliant mind.' Stark County Catholics reflect on Pope Benedict XVI's legacy

The death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has prompted discussions about his ministry.

Paul Crawley will always remember his 29th birthday. The Waynesburg man said it was the same day the pope stepped down.

"I remember seeing him getting into the helicopter and leaving the Vatican, and I'm like, 'Well, this is unique birthday present," he said with a laugh.

Crawley, a right-to-life activist and parishioner of St. James Catholic Church, said the late pontiff, who died on Dec. 31 at age 95, lived a life worthy of emulating.

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"I think he reminded us of where we've been as a church," Crawley said. "It's been said for those who fail to study history are doomed to repeat it."

Crawley said he believes that Benedict, the 265th pope and the first to resign in 600 years, made the right the decision back to step down in 2013 at age 85.

"I feel the papacy is actually a more stressful job than being president because when you're president, there you're in there a minimum of four, and a maximum of eight years," he said. "When you're pope, you're pretty much there for the rest of your life."

Crawley said he believes Benedict handled the church's sex abuse scandals "as best he could."

"Meeting with the sex abuse victims, it was the right road to take," he said.

Crawley also lauded Benedict's scholarship.

A prolific writer, Benedict has been described as one of the greatest Catholic theologians of the modern era. In 1981, he was appointed the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, or defender of the faith, followed by his elevation to the papacy in 2005.

An 'ecclesial giant'

At a special Mass celebrated earlier this week at St. Paul's parish in North Canton, Bishop David Bonnar described the late pontiff as "an ecclesial giant."

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“Pope Benedict's story is one of humble and faithful service to the Church rooted in a passionate commitment to promoting and protecting the truth of the Gospel," Bonnar said recently. "His episcopal motto, ‘Cooperators of the Truth’ illustrates his uncompromising intentionality to the truth."

Bonnar noted that Benedict's final words as pontiff point to the last leg of his earthly journey, which was focused on preparing for eternal life.

"He said, ‘I’m simply a pilgrim who is starting the last stage of his pilgrimage on Earth,'" he said. "May he now occupy the room prepared for him in God’s kingdom and see God face-to-face."

Crawley said the late pope never compromised his faith.

"He had such a brilliant mind I appreciate him," Crawley said. "Standing on your Catholic faith and what it teaches and refusing to go with the times as far as changing doctrine, which you sometimes hear, only God can do that, and he revealed that God doesn't change. I appreciate his life."

Retired Monsignor Lewis Gaetano said he appreciated Benedict's scholarship and his call urging people to live out their Catholic faith, as found in his encyclical, "Deus Caritas Est," written in 2005.

"The focus being on the unbounded love of God for all humanity and the need for humanity to create a just world order - calling the church to exemplify the love and justice of God in our daily actions," Gaetano said. "I believe he tried to teach in the encyclical that the reality of God is not an ally of our particular ideologies, but rather the reality of God is the incarnation of love and justice within humanity."

'A bridge figure'

Bishop John Michael Botean, prelate of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church, which is headquartered in Canton, concurs with the others that Benedict XVI was a towering theologian and scholar who used his gifts in service to his church.

"Pope Benedict’s powerful intellect has benefitted the church in many ways, not the least being his theological insight and careful, clear writing style," Botean said. "He truly was a man of the church, reflecting in his own life and thought much of what was going on in the post-Conciliar Catholic church as it passed through - and still is journeying through - the many changes asked for by Vatican II."

Botean describes Benedict as an ideal "bridge figure" between Popes St. John Paul II and Francis.

"He was misunderstood, I think, by many in both poles of church polity, but his contribution will ultimately contribute much more light than heat as we continue to read and digest his thinking," he said. "May God receive him warmly into his kingdom!"

Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly said the worldwide organization has greatly benefitted from Benedict's ministry.

“One cannot consider the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI without immediately thinking of his magisterium and theological insights, which Pope Francis recently affirmed ‘are not directed towards the past, but are fruitful for the future," Kelly said in a statement. “Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclicals, books, homilies and other writings form a theological treasury and profound testimony to Jesus Christ and his church, which he served with such humility and fidelity."

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com

On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: "A brilliant mind" Local Catholics discuss Benedict's legacy