"Absolute Continuity" Between Pope Benedict XVI. to Pope Francis.Munich (kath.net / KNA) Archbishop George Gänswein expected no revolutions in the Vatican under the new Pope. "Pope Francis does not want to reform the faith, but the faithful," the Prefect of the Papal Household said in an interview broadcast on New Year's for Bavarian television. "The special thing is surely that he is a man who can not be put before any carts." He also does not expect that the Vatican "from tomorrow will have a new face," said Gänswein in conversation with journalist Susanne Hornberger.
Francis is a man of great gestures, gradually, however, the substantive elements would come to the fore. Gänswein who is still the private secretary of Benedict XVI. is seeing an "absolute continuity" between the two popes. As evidence, he described the encyclical "Lumen Fidei" (The Light of Faith) by Pope Francis on which Benedict XVI already worked. I've done a lot of preparatory work. Differences were stressed by the Archbishop on the issues of faith and reason and relativism. The results achieved by St. Francis in contrast to Benedict XVI. were in "second line."
In the exclusive interview under the title "On the Way to the Vatican" Gänswein describes the new pope as a "very open, very honest man." In meetings with people he does not make differences between politicians, Church dignitaries and ordinary people. In addition, Francis possesses the great gift that he immediately produces a warm connection in meetings, "the ice breaks away," said the Archbishop. "That takes immediately puts to rest any uncertainty or stage fright."
Link to Kath.net...Link to Kath.net...Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMGD
Why are so many denying the obvious errors and the effect on the Faithful?
ReplyDeleteLynda, are you the same Lynda as the commenter I used to read on Ex Umbress et Imaginibus blog?
ReplyDeleteHappy new year!
ReplyDeletePope Francis seems always to be looking for a problem to solve. When really there's only three options. Oneself, the devil, or God. But he spends his time running about 'solving the problem' tradition and security, and solid faith. I'm not surprised he doesn't want to change the faith that would require confronting oneself, the devil, or God. But if you point the finger at 'them', ah the 'faithfull...hmmm the faithful...what else about the faithful needs to be solved...now let me think?'
ReplyDeleteNow ++Gänswein has to be rolled out to explain what Francis really means. Reform the faithful, though? Like the FFI? I'd have thought it's the less-than-faithful who'd merit the Pope's attention. Happy New Year and God's blessings to all.
ReplyDeletep.s. in the ecumenical spirit of contributing to the lack of clarification, it must be stated that when one attributes anything to 'Pope Francis - zero - as he has also apparently rejected the 'Ist' bit of him being the 1st Pope named Francis', one is usually using the phrase 'Pope Francis' to refer to a collegial communications group mind or egregore as some of an esoteric bent would have it, and not necessarily emitting from the awakened consciousness of Jorge Bergoglio, Pope Francis, in isolation.
ReplyDeleteGanswein is just another German. Like he doesn't see that a Pope never can reform the Faithful while ignoring the tenets of 2000 years of the articulated Faith?
ReplyDeleteHe's pushing for an appointment to a major see in Germany and he's been told the price.
Sean
I admire Archbishop Ganswein very much. His love and respect for Pope a Benedict is laudable. I remember be touched when I saw the Archbishop break down in tears as Pope Benedict was leaving the Apostolic Palace for the last time. However, his statement that their is absolute continuity between Francis and Pope Benedict is difficult to believe. Good help us all.
ReplyDeleteThe second point of Lumen Fidei is very interesting and does indeed sum up the problem we face as faithful Catholics. The certainty of the faithful is viewed as a barrier and an illusion to truth. Goodness we appear to have a Nitzschean Pope.
ReplyDeleteClearly there is not an absolute continuity between the two papacies and ++ Ganswein is neither an idiot nor a liar. Could there be a problem with the translation from German? ++ Ganswein has seen complete continuity in his own office between the two papacies. This is clearly not the same as a complete continuity between the two papacies. Could this be an alternative and acceptable translation?
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with the translation, and +G has said similar things before. He's painstakingly attempting to be loyal to the current Pope while challenging the radicals attempting to harness this pope to their agendas. I'm not sure why you'd think this was an inadequate assessment.
DeleteThis is what the German is. G says, "absolute Kontinuitaet" .Franziskus sei ein großer Mann der Gestik, nach und nach kämen aber auch inhaltliche Elemente zum Vorschein. Gänswein, der noch Privatsekretär von Benedikt XVI. ist, sieht eine „absolute Kontinuität“ bei den beiden Päpsten. Als Beleg führte er die Enzyklika „Lumen fidei“ (Das Licht des Glaubens) von Papst Franziskus an, zu der bereits Benedikt XVI. viel Vorarbeit geleistet habe. Unterschiede machte der Erzbischof bei den Themen Glaube und Vernunft sowie Relativismus fest. Diese stünden bei Franziskus im Unterschied zu Benedikt XVI. in „zweiter Linie“.
DeleteThe reason I find this an inadequate assessment is because there is obviously not an absolute continuity between the two Popes. There may be a absolute continuity IN the two popes (individually) there may be an absolute continuity in the Archbishop's office between the two popes but there is plainly not an absolute continuity BETWEEN the two Popes. Archbishop Ganswein has not to my knowledge said similar things before. Certainly Pope Francis cannot tamper with the doctrines of the Church. In that sense one can say there is doctrinal continuity, is that absolute continuity? I would say plainly no if you take the normal meaning of "absolute" to be "complete, without exception". I would admit I have no knowledge of German. However Archbishop Ganswein is not stupid and does not say stupid things, I am therefore forced to conclude that maybe the translation does not respect his characteristic nuanced commentaries. :-)
DeleteHe's been at pains to demonstrate his loyalty two weeks ago when he seemed to be complaining about Francis, and immediately issued a correction saying he hadn't said what was attributed to him. I think he's fighting a rearguard action and preserving B's legacy while avoiding any appearance of actionable disloyalty as was the case with Burke.
DeleteWhether what you say is consistent with his alleged honesty and intelligence, I don't know, but his statements, while they may seem inconsistent to you, do fit well with the man's state nuts in past, which you ain't gonna find anywhere else but here. Fishwrap did the story and completely misquoted him and then failed to print his retraction which we did.
We've been translating German here since 2009 and have a track record for accuracy and getting things you can't get at home. But by all means, believe and conclude what you want.
Ma Tucker, it is certainly a very odd assertion that appears to be at odds with the facts. The English version is not very natural but I think it nevertheless conveys the gist of what is being said.
DeleteMy translation is absolutely consistent with other competent translators as you can see here: http://www.linguee.de/deutsch-englisch/uebersetzung/absolute+kontinuit%E4t+.html
ReplyDeleteI don't doubt the translation of "absolute+kontinuit". What exactly does it apply to, that would be my question. Is there a "between" in there? Could it be attributed to his office between the Popes and not the Popes themselves?
DeleteWhat does the following mean Tancred ? :
"The results achieved by "St." Francis in contrast to Benedict XVI. were in "second line." "
If Pope Francis is in absolute continuity with Pope Benedict why would Archbishop Ganswein indicate a very important passage of "contrast" in "Lumen Fidei"? Here below I presume is the reference from said encyclical:
"2. Yet in speaking of the light of faith, we can almost hear the objections of many of our contemporaries. In modernity, that light might have been considered sufficient for societies of old, but was felt to be of no use for new times, for a humanity come of age, proud of its rationality and anxious to explore the future in novel ways. Faith thus appeared to some as an illusory light, preventing mankind from boldly setting out in quest of knowledge. The young Nietzsche encouraged his sister Elisabeth to take risks, to tread "new paths… with all the uncertainty of one who must find his own way", adding that "this is where humanity’s paths part: if you want peace of soul and happiness, then believe, but if you want to be a follower of truth, then seek".[3] Belief would be incompatible with seeking. From this starting point Nietzsche was to develop his critique of Christianity for diminishing the full meaning of human existence and stripping life of novelty and adventure. Faith would thus be the illusion of light, an illusion which blocks the path of a liberated humanity to its future."
You see it is all a little strange with content that lacks both internal consistency and external consistency with reality.
Lumen Fidei was B16's creation, which Framcis only completed. I'd think that was self-evident.
DeleteYou probably didn't read the other article where +G warned dissidents that Francis isn't what they hope him to be, either.
DeleteI think many of the Catholic flock are rightly fearful of Pope Francis.
ReplyDeleteGaenswein's comments are interesting. He is a tangible link between both the Benedict papacy and Francis papacy. I wonder are the views that Gaenswein expressed shared by Benedict? We have no way of knowing. I have to say that at this point I can only try to maintain my trust and allow my trust to over rule what my brain is tells me. Intellectually I see no continuity, but my trust tells me that perhaps I need to allow more time.
God preserve us.