The last day of 2022 saw the passing for a better world of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, an exceptional figure of the Church whose motto was to be "cooperators of the truth". Shortly before his death sentence on Good Friday, Jesus said to Pontius Pilate: "I was born for this, I came into the world for this, to bear witness to the truth" (John 18:37). "What is the truth?" was Pilate's retort.
Pilate's retort dominates today's discourse. People cast doubt on the existence of God, everything is relative, there is 'your truth' and 'my truth' we are told. Hence, there is denial of the laws of God and good is called evil and vice-versa. "Modern man does not want God. That is why mankind is heading to perdition" said the Virgin Mary at Medjugorje.
What is truth? The truth is God. The truth is that Jesus came to earth to bear witness to His Father, who is God and Truth. "I am the way, the truth, and the life," Jesus said. Every Catholic must have the courage to defend the truth, to defend God and His teaching even if it is not fashionable and even at the cost of one's life. In this sense, Benedict XVI truly bore courageous witness to Jesus and to the truth.
Before he became Pope, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was for more than 23 years the closest collaborator of Pope John Paul II, who entrusted him with writing the Catechism of the Catholic Church (published in 1992 after 6 years of work) which summarizes everything one must know and do to be saved. This is a subject of the utmost importance, since it is our eternity that is at stake: an eternity of happiness with God in heaven, or an eternity of suffering in hell, separated from God.
Today there is not only material destitution, there is also spiritual and moral destitution, which manifests as slavery to vice and sin. This is why humanity needs more than ever the mercy of God and the forgiveness of sins by having recourse to the sacrament of Penance. This is God's gift: to forgive and erase our sins.
Benedict XVI was known for his humility and meekness. Another saint known for his great meekness is Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor of the Church, who died 400 years ago. He left us many writings to make holiness accessible to all.
Bearing witness to the truth was also the mission of Louis Even, the founder of MICHAEL. When in 1934 he discovered the Social Credit solution (also called Economic Democracy) of Scottish engineer Clifford Hugh Douglas, he exclaimed: "I will thank God all my life for having put this light on my path. Everybody must know about this light." In this issue, we are publishing two of his articles, one about public budgets and the other about progress.
Louis Even's example of total self-dedication inspired many apostles to follow him. One of the souls who followed Louis Even was Thérèse Tardif, our Director Emeritus, who left us for a better world on January 1, 2023 in her 94th year. Miss Tardif dedicated her entire life to the cause of justice, truth and the defense of the poorest.
To all our readers who have enjoyed the teachings of Louis Even and the light of the MICHAEL journal, please bear witness to the truth by making our material known to others and finding new subscribers to our publications. Good apostolate work to all!