Where is pope ratzinger from

But he could not avoid the realities of the day. Ratzinger was briefly a member of the Hitler Youth in his early teens after membership became mandatory in In , Ratzinger and fellow seminarians were drafted into the anti-aircraft corps. He has said his unit was attacked by Allied forces that year, but he did not take part in that battle because a finger infection had kept him from learning to shoot.

After about a year in the anti-aircraft unit, Ratzinger was drafted into the regular military. Ratzinger was sent home and then called up again before deserting in late April He was captured by American soldiers and held as a prisoner of war for several months. Ratzinger returned to the seminary at the University of Munich in the fall of and was ordained a priest in Two years later, he earned his doctorate at the University of Munich.

He earned his teaching licentiate in and became a professor of Freising College in , teaching dogma and fundamental theology. Ratzinger became a professor at the University of Bonn in He was viewed as a reformer during this time. In , Ratzinger helped found the theological journal Communio , which became one of the most important journals of Catholic thought. In , he became vice dean of the College of Cardinals and was elected dean in Ratzinger defended and reaffirmed Catholic doctrine, including teaching on topics such as birth control, homosexuality and inter-religious dialogue.

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