Reviews for The Ratzinger report

The average rating for The Ratzinger report based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-10-14 00:00:00 John Wolforth It is outdated. We have had two Popes elected since the book was published in 1995 and he did not even consider Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) a candidate. He starts by describing the process of the conclave which was interesting. Then the author becomes a overly vicious critic of Pope John Paul II's policies, governing style, personality, and even his piety. The author is clearly not a practicing Catholic and treats with disdain Catholic beliefs and practices. If you are a Catholic that regards Pope John Paul II as a saint, don't read it.

Review # 2 was written on 2012-02-20 00:00:00 Caroline Fitzgerald This isn't really the same book it appears as the original 1st edition I think? Hebblethwaite's wife 'updated' this book after his death and the edition I saw with her work included is a rather different work in total than the original. There's some softening of the tone to the detriment of the original I believe and I hope to be able to have time to compare them side by side before long. The added material in the updated version is a distraction from the vital politics that was played out in the face of the cold war, the eve of the 21st Century and the actions of among others including the 'next' pope in waiting who is Ratzinger. The moves by the players in the original book to overturn or certainly greatly diminish the influences of Vatican II seem to take less prominence in the revised version. Still I need to sit down and go through both if time and access permit. 20 years or more have passed since Hebblethwaite wrote of the time that much of the book is about. Now very fascinating and important prognostication as to the direction that the Roman Church would take.