Colin O’Connor
Per.8
4/8/08
Joseph Ratzinger was born at Marktl am Inn. Marktl am Inn is located in Bavaria, Germany. Joseph’s father was an anti-Nazi police officer. His father later retired from his job in 1937. He settled in a town called Traustein. In 1941 when Joseph Ratzinger turned 14, he had to join the Hitler Youth by law. Later in 1943, when he was 16 he was drafted by the anti-air force corps along with the rest of his class. They were drafted to protect a BMW plant outside Munich. Then Joseph Ratzinger was sent to military training. Then he was sent to Hungary to re-construct an anti-tank defense. Then in April 1944, he deserted the plan. He was held at a POW camp in 1945. When he was there he attended de-Nazification classes. When he was released in June, he went to a Catholic seminary. His brother Georg entered as well. Cardinal Faulhaber of Munich ordained Joseph and Georg Ratzinger on June 29, 1951.
From 1959 until 1963, he was a professor at the University of Bonn. Later in 1966, at the University of Tubigen, he took a chair in diplomatic theology. In 1969, at the University of Regensburg, in Bavaria, Germany he rose to be the dean and vice-president.
He founded a theological journal “Communio” in 1972. The theological journal “Communio” was published into many different languages. Some of the languages were German, English, and Spanish. “Communio” is one of the most important journals. He was named archbishop of Munich in March 1977.
He was elected pope on April 19, 2005. It was only the second day of the papal conclave. Just after four ballots. He was only the 8th German elected pope. He was also one of the oldest people to be elected pope. Pope Benedict XVI can speak 10 different languages.
In November of 2007, I went to Italy with my uncle Father David O’Connor on a pilgrimage. We went to Assisi, Venice, and Rome. When we got to Rome we went to see the Vatican. We served mass 10 feet away from Pope John Paul II in the Catacombs...