Washington D.C., Jan 4, 2023 / 14:00 pm
In his teachings, Pope Benedict XVI “always unites charity and truth,” said Chad Pecknold, a professor of theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., while reflecting on the impact of the late pope on EWTN News Nightly.
To Pecknold, the hallmark of all Benedict XVI’s theology is “that encounter with Jesus Christ [that] is divine charity.” Calling to mind Benedict’s final words before his death, Pecknold said Benedict “sums it up at the end of his life by saying, ‘Jesus, I love you.’”
Benedict “had a vision of how to communicate the love of Jesus Christ,” said Pecknold, pointing out how from the beginning of his ministry “he focused on a Christo-centric way of looking at the whole world.”
After the Vatican announced the former pope’s death on Dec. 31, Pecknold tweeted a tribute to Benedict and his legacy.