Who on earth came up with the idea of moving Pope Benedict XVI's Berlin Mass to the Nazi Olympic Stadium!?

The Archdiocese of Berlin has decided to relocate the site of Pope Benedict XVI's Berlin Mass, scheduled for 22 September, from the Charlottenburg Palace to the city's Olympic Stadium. This place was infamously built by the Nazis in an attempt to justify their regime around the world. It was at this venue that Adolf Hitler also sought to promote his ideas about racial supremacy, and where Jesse Owens, the black track and field athlete, embarrassed the Nazi dictator by winning four gold medals during the 1936 Olympics.

Why anyone with any sense would allow Pope Benedict XVI to celebrate Mass at this place is beyond me. It is true that Bl Pope John Paul II used the venue for a Beatification Mass in 1996, but he was Polish and completely unconnected to the Nazi regime - bar for the fact that he was one of its foreign victims. But, it is well-known that our present pontiff was forced to join the Hitler Youth as a teenager, and even served in the German military during the Second World War. Whilst those of us who have read his memoirs know that Joseph Ratzinger despised the Nazis and their evil, it is a fact that the Church's enemies have constantly used our good Pope's youth to slander him by describing him as "a Nazi."

Is it possible that, what with the shame of a Nazi past forcing silence on the matter, this slur on Pope Benedict XVI is not really expressed by German secularists or enemies of the Church? It would be difficult to slander someone by calling him a Nazi for having been a member of the Hitler Youth when one's own grandfather probably joined the same movement! Surely, though, those members of the German Church responsible for planning the Pope's visit to Germany this September are aware that many on the left, the gay lobby, as well as atheists and secularists around the world have done their best to damage the Papacy and the Catholic Church by referring to Pope Benedict XVI as "a Nazi." One need only type "Pope Benedict..." into Google to notice that one of the first auto-filled suggestions for the search contains the word "Nazi."

The fact that Pope Benedict XVI is now going to celebrate Mass in this temple to Nazisim, which many outside Germany view with the same contempt as they would the park where the Nuremberg Rallies were held, is a dream come true for the Church's enemies. They will maximise this folly to its full potential, whilst others will wonder why this Pope is being led from one gaffe to another by those who are meant to be advising him.

Here is part of the announcement that was published by the Archdiocese of Berlin earlier today (my translation, with help from Google Translate): -

Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate the Eucharist on the first day of his visit to Germany, 22 September 2011, at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

"So many people want to celebrate Holy Mass with the Pope that the front of the Charlottenburg Palace would be bursting at the seams," said Diocesan Administrator Bishop Dr Matthias Heinrich. "It is greatly encouraging for the faithful in the Archdiocese of Berlin that so many people from across Germany and beyond have registered to attend the service."

"We already have nearly 50,000 applications," added Monsignor Ronald Rother, who is responsible for the preparation of the Pope's visit to the Archdiocese of Berlin. He also renewed the invitation to join the event, saying, "It is still possible to register via www.papst-in-deutschland.de and by signing applications within the parishes of the Archdiocese of Berlin. "

"This decision ensures that we can consider all applications," said the general coordinator of the Pope's trip, Fr Hans Langendörfer SJ. "Many have good memories of attending Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II in 1996." The Olympic Stadium in Berlin is barrier free and offers proven safety measures, it is also equipped with seats, many of which are covered. "This will just help older people to be able to attend the Papal Mass," said Langendörfer.

The transfer of the Papal Mass to the Olympic Stadium was agreed between the Vatican, the German Bishops' Conference and the Archdiocese of Berlin.

To read the statement in full, please see the website for the Archdiocese of Berlin. To read one of the first reports on this story in the world press, please see the Telegraph's piece, entitled "Pope's Berlin Mass moved to Nazi Olympic site."

Hopefully, the Holy Spirit will soon begin to pour out some wisdom on those who advise the Pope, for with friends like those who organise these Papal events, who needs enemies?

[The Berlin Olympic Stadium in 1936; Deutsches Bundesarchiv; published under a Creative Commons licence; source: Wikimedia Commons]