Habemus Papam! (We Have a Pope!)   The Universal Church welcomes her new shepherd,  Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger!    Pope Benedict XVI While we will never forget the beautiful life of John Paul II, we extend love and prayers to our new Holy Father. May the Spirit guide and protect him, Vatican officials make him feel welcome, and Catholics everywhere show their support for him.  We can only imagine the conflicting mix of emotions he must be experiencing at this amazing time in history!     Born on April 16, 1927, Ratzinger just celebrated his 78th birthday! He was born in Bavaria, Germany and grew up during the Nazi occupation. He deserted the German Army during World War II and spent time in a POW camp. He was ordained a priest June 29, 1951. He was made Archbishop of Munich and Freising in 1977. In June of that year Pope Paul VI named him a Cardinal, and in 1982 he became Cardinal-Bishop.  In 1998 he became Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals and then in 2002 was elected as Dean. In 1981, Pope John Paul II appointed Ratzinger as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith where he served until the death of Pope John Paul II. As the new pope, Benedict XVI will be responsible for appointing his successor to that office. On a more personal note about Benedict XVI, he is similar to Pope John Paul II in that he is a gifted linguist. He is reported to speak ten different languages. He is also a trained pianist. He is the eighth German pope and is known as a conservative regarding matters of the Faith.     Books by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger       Rich in humor and culture, passion and love for the cause of God and of man, Milestones is the autobiography of one of the most influential men in the Catholic Church at the turn of the millennium. In his famous Apology, Cardinal Newman accounted for his conversion to Catholicism. In this biography, which in certain respects recalls Newman's masterpiece, Ratzinger tells of his family life, the years of the Nazi oppression and of the war, his extraordinary academic path, and his participation in the Second Vatican Council.    Read more...     Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, well-known Vatican prelate and head of the Congregation on the Doctrine of the Faith, gives a full-length interview to a secular journalist on a host of controversial and difficult issues facing Catholicism and Christianity at the end of the millennium. Similar to his best-selling book interview in 1985, The Ratzinger Report, he responds with candor and insight, giving answers that are often surprising and always thought-provoking on a series of wide-ranging topics regarding the present and future state of Christianity. Read more...     Cardinal Ratzinger compellingly shows us the biblical, historical, and theological dimensions of the Eucharist. The Cardinal draws far-reaching conclusions, focusing on the importance of one's personal devotion to and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, for the personal reception of Communion by the individual Christian, as well as for the life of the Church. For Ratzinger, any transformation of the world on the social plane grows out of the celebration of the Eucharist. He beautifully illustrates how the omnipotent God comes intimately close to us in the Holy Eucharist, the Heart of Life.   Read more...     During his years as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger has given three in-depth interviews. The first two became best selling books: The Ratzinger Report and Salt of the Earth. This book is the result of the third interview and addresses deep questions of faith and the living of that faith in the modern world. Read more...         This is a book of wisdom and insight that explains how providential are the trials through which the Catholic Church is now passing. Topics include: the need of the Papal Primacy to ensure Christian unity; the true meaning of the Priesthood as a sacrament and not a mere ministry; the necessity of the Eucharist as the Sacrifice of the Savior now offering Himself on our altars; the role of the Bishops as successors of the Apostles, united with the successor of St. Peter, the Bishop of Rome; and much more! Read more...     Is truth knowable? If we know the truth, must we hide it in the name of tolerance? Cardinal Ratzinger engages the problem of truth, tolerance, religion and culture in the modern world. Describing the vast array of world religions, Ratzinger embraces the difficult challenge of meeting diverse understandings of spiritual truth while defending the Catholic teaching of salvation through Jesus Christ. "But what if it is true?" is the question that he poses to cultures that decry the Christian position on man's redemption.    Read more...     Click here to see our entire Pope Benedict XVI selection.     How important is the Pope to the Catholic Church? Do we still need a Pope in the modern age? How is this Pope related to Peter, the first Pope?    Get the answers to these questions and more in the following valuable resources. Be prepared to answer questions about the Papacy from non-Catholic co-workers, friends, or family! Answering Common Objections 6 CDs / Tapes The Pope: Holy Father - Dr. Hahn shows you how Protestants misunderstand who, and what, the Roman Pontiff is for Catholics. And he offers exciting ways to help Protestant friends and relatives understand the true nature and function of the papal office. Purgatory: Holy Fire; Mary: Holy Mother; The Saints: Holy Siblings - To approach the veneration of saints from a Biblical perspective, Hahn begins with the Book of Hebrews and the “Old Testament Hall of Fame.” He shows how the saints constitute a “cloud of witness” which hovers over the world giving glory to God and “cheering on” the Christian family on earth. The Eucharist: Holy Meal - Dr. Hahn also highlights the specific objections some Protestants have with the Catholic Mass and provides listeners with key Scripture passages that will help their Protestant friends and relatives understand the true nature of the Eucharist. Dr. Hahn traces the Biblical background of the Eucharist as a sacrifice and as the establishment of the New Covenant. Scott explains how the Eucharist is the way in which God swears His final and eternal promise (or covenant oath) to His children—a promise which makes Christians His sons and daughters. Dr. Scott Hahn is a widely acclaimed speaker and author of many best-selling books. St. Peter and the Primacy of Rome in Scripture and the Early Church Steve Ray, a former Evangelical Protestant and Bible teacher, goes through the Scriptures and the first five centuries of the Church to demonstrate that the early Christians had a clear understanding of the primacy of Peter in the see of Rome. He tackles the tough issues in an attempt to expose how many are misunderstanding the Scriptures and history. He uses many Protestant scholars and historians to support the Catholic position. This book contains the most complete compilation of Scriptural and Patristic quotations on the primacy of Peter and the Papal office of any book available. It has over 500 footnotes with supporting evidence from Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical, and non-Christian authorities. Stephen Ray is the author of the best-selling story of his conversion, Crossing The Tiber. The Keys of the Kingdom 5 CDs / Tapes Learn how to articulate and defend the God-given authority of the Pope and his successors with this inspiring and easy-to-understand presentation. The Keys of the Kingdom strongly refutes the Protestant arguments against the Papacy. Completely revised and digitally re-recorded, Tim Staples’ five CD (or audiotape) series will definitely empower you to bring others closer to the family of God, the Roman Catholic Church. Now better than ever, you will not find a more complete presentation on this topic anywhere! Tim Staples is a popular Catholic apologist, author and speaker.     Save 20%, 365 days a year, with Catholic Advantage. Join the Catholic Advantage Buyers' Club. Brought to you by The Catholic Company.   Have you heard about Parish Products? 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