“Moral relativism leads to totalitarianism”, this is one of the comments of Cardinal Ratzinger in the foreword of this book. He forecasts that Dietrich Von Hildebrand will be recognised as one of the great thinkers of the 20th century, no small accolade.
Alice Von Hildebrand, his second wife, gives a fascinating insight into the intellectual atmosphere of Germany, Austria and even Europe in the early 20th century, all the more interesting as it is like a mirror image of our own. Behind all this is possible to see the steadying influence of the Catholic Church and its teachings shining through. Von Hildebrand, raised in a secular, liberal Protestant family in Florence discovers these teachings and is blown away by their depth and beauty. This heralds his conversion. For the rest of his life, he lives out these teachings. This involves a sturdy fight against Hitler and eventually a penniless flight for his life, which in itself is quite a tale.
Ratzinger describes the life of Von Hildeband as remarkable and inspiring. From early on he detected the unacceptable aspects of National Socialism and steadily fought against it when few saw the dangers. “This illustrates the profound clarity of his moral vision and his willingness to suffer for what he knew was true.” He was “captivated by the splendor of truth, by the radiance of a truth that attracts and unites precisely because it lies beyond the subjectivity of each one of us.” “The joy and freshness of his understanding of Catholic doctrine were contagious”.
“The transcendent beauty of truth had captured his heart and mind, a beauty he found expressed in its highest possible form in the living liturgy of the Church, most centrally in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass”. “It was this same beauty of truth that led him to defend the teachings of Humane Vitae many years later”. “Dietrich was a Catholic and he could not understand why he should leave his Catholic faith at the university gates. He never used his faith as an argument for a position that he was defending, but he had discovered how deeply faith can enlarge and deepen one’s intellectual horizon. It fecundates reason, enriches it, and enables it to perceive nuances and questions that remain veiled to those who have never received that unfathomable gift. He was experientially convinced that faith, far from being an obstacle to intellectual pursuits, actually liberates and purifies the human mind, so deeply affected by original sin.” Alice Von Hildebrand has conveyed the story of the early part of his life in graphic, and gripping form.
C.D. (Kenya, 2018)