By Elizabeth Solsburg, with Doug Culp

Before he became pope, Pope Benedict was well-known as the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, an office that was formerly called the Inquisition. He also is, according to those who knew him best, a humble and gentle man, an accomplished pianist who loves Mozart and a pastor whose greatest gift is his ability to listen.

Joseph Ratzinger was born in Marktl am Inn, Germany in 1927. He celebrated his 78th birthday on April 16, two days before he was elected to the papacy. The son of a cook and a policeman, he felt his life was immersed in the paschal mystery from his birth on Holy Saturday and his baptism the next day in the newly blessed Easter waters.

During the turbulent years of World War II, the Ratzinger family moved into successively smaller communities in an attempt to avoid involvement with the Nazi party. They were not completely successful; young Joseph was drafted into the German army for a while, but deserted near the war’s end and spent time in an American prisoner-of-war camp.

He studied philosophy and theology; was ordained, along with his brother Georg, in 1951; and earned a doctorate in theology in 1953. For years, he was a professor of theology at various universities in Germany. He quickly became renowned for the depth and breadth of his intellect and, in 1962, was selected by Cardinal Joseph Frings of Cologne to be his consultor during the Second Vatican Council. He published numerous essays, sermons and reflections over the years, cementing his scholarly reputation.

In March 1977, Pope Paul VI named him archbishop of Munich and Freising; he was elevated to the College of Cardinals in June of the same year.

Perhaps his most prominent position prior to the papacy was that of prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It is in this role that Cardinal Ratzinger was responsible for defending the orthodoxy of Church teachings.

Despite his difficult role as the enforcer of Church doctrine, Pope Benedict XVI is known to colleagues, neighbors and friends as a gentle, pastoral man with a dry sense of humor. As Cardinal Ratzinger, he lived quietly in an apartment in Rome, walking to work every day and chatting with those he passed in the streets. He is respected for his ability to listen intently and thoughtfully, even to those with whom he disagrees.

As the pope, Benedict XVI travelled extensively and wrote extensively. He authored a trilogy of books on the life of Jesus Christ.

His reign (April 19, 2005 – Feb. 28, 2013) was marked by a call both to restore traditional Catholic practice and worship in order to correct erroneous interpretations of the Second Vatican Council and to return to fundamental Christian values in order to counter growing secularization around the globe. He also often identified relativism with its denial of objective moral truth as the central problem of the 21st century.

These concerns informed many of his major initiatives as pope. He relaxed restrictions on celebrating the Latin Mass; he reached out to the Society of St. Pius X, a traditionalist, schismatic group, in hopes of accomplishing their return to communion with the Holy See; and he issued an invitation to Anglicans disillusioned with recent decisions by the Anglican Church to join the Roman Catholic Church.

In addition, Pope Benedict XVI affirmed the New Evangelization by establishing the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization in 2010. He followed this by declaring a Year of Faith, which continued through Nov. 24, 2013.

After retirement, Pope Benedict spent some time at Castel Gandolfo while a cloistered residence in the Vatican is renovated. He then moved into the cloister, and spent his time in prayer and contemplation.

As the 265th leader of the Catholic Church, Joseph Ratzinger took the name of Benedict. It is the name of the founder of the Benedictine Order, a saint known for his intellectual prowess and for saving Western civilization. St. Benedict is the patron of Europe, a continent Pope Benedict broods over as its adherence to Christianity shrinks. He may have chosen this name as a sign of his desire to strengthen and save the Church in Europe.

And the name Benedict means, “blessing.” His papacy was a blessing for the Church.