Travels, consistory, writings keep Pope Benedict busy in 2007

Published: 2007-12-14

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI never gives the impression of being overburdened, yet a look back at 2007 reveals a long list of papal activities and achievements. The pope's output included four major documents and a lengthy book, more than 200 speeches and sermons, two foreign trips and three in Italy, the creation of new cardinals, and encounters with a lineup of world leaders, including U.S. President George W. Bush. In April -- just before celebrating his 80th birthday -- the pope published "Jesus of Nazareth," which made the case that Christ must be understood as the Son of God on a divine mission, not as a mere moralist or social reformer. In June, the pope issued a 55-page letter to Chinese Catholics, setting out new guidelines to favor cooperation between clandestine Catholic communities and those officially registered with the government. In July, in a long-awaited and much-debated document, the pope relaxed restrictions on the use of the Tridentine Mass, the Latin-language liturgy that predates the Second Vatican Council. November saw the release of the pope's second encyclical, "Spe Salvi" (on Christian hope), which warned that without faith in God humanity lies at the mercy of ideologies that can lead to "the greatest forms of cruelty and violations of justice."

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