New York Times Makes the Pope Majestic

OK, I don't like Ratzinger. We have family reasons dating from early 1940s not to. So when an article about Catholic-Jewish reconciliation was published in Wednesday's New York Times in which he was said to have called on Jews to meet his conciliatory gesture with “ a commitment on their part to fulfill the further steps necessary to realize full communion with the church,” including “recognizing the majesty and authority of the pope and of the Second Vatican Council,” I thought "right.. first a demented infallibility, now he wants to take on some more G-d's attributes and become majestic as well?? And this is supposed to be re conciliatory?"

I was wrong.

Ratzie actually said the following: "Auspico che a questo mio gesto faccia seguito il sollecito impegno da parte loro di compiere gli ulteriori passi necessari per realizzare la piena comunione con la Chiesa, testimoniando così vera fedeltà e vero riconoscimento del magistero e dell’autorità del Papa e del Concilio Vaticano II."

I know enough lame Latin to be aware that magistero and maesta are two different items. Magisterium is Latin for teaching, instruction, or advice, and it means in this context the teaching authority, of the Roman Catholic Church. So the guy wants us to recognize the teaching, not his personal majesty.

Well, I am not sure about us accepting this, Ratzie, but at least it is a relief to know you are not in the process of usurping Adonai.