I’m not a fan of Pope Benedict. While I disagreed with Pope John-Paul on most issues, and am no longer a Catholic, the man himself seemed warm, kind and big-hearted. I thought it was an especially amazing example when he forgave the man who shot him and refused to share the details of their conversation…Pope Benedict, on the other hand, is now involved in covering up sexual abuse by priests and ignoring the pleas of victims. Long before this, when he was Cardinal Ratzinger, he attacked Anthony de Mello, a Catholic priest, writer and teacher whose work combines Christian teachings with Eastern and mystical wisdom. Cardinal Ratzinger tried, successfully for a time, to ban de Mello’s works, and the church continues to warn that his books are “anti-Catholic.” I think de Mello was a genius, and he had the courage to stand up to the church he loved and say, “You’re missing the point.” As both a young priest and psychologist, de Mello said he gave people superficial Band-aids for their troubles, but he later found a way, through Awareness, to provide a deeper healing. I strongly recommend his works.