 |
| Benedict XVI, Msgr. Gänswein, Lebanese Delegation Praying Rosary in the Vatican Garden |
(Vatican) Curial Archbishop George Gänswein has reported in an interview with Corriere della Sera from last February 15, about the life of Pope Benedict XVI. two years after his resignation. The frequency of such interviews indicates media interest for the unusual situation of an incumbent and an "emeritus" Pope. To Gänswein, equipped with the special authority of being the closest associate of Benedict, it seems to fall the task of emphasizing the "continuity" between the two pontificates. This insistence would not be necessary if this "continuity" were actually so evident. Most media representatives disagree, even among the faithful there is some doubt. Corriere della Sera refers to its formal legal nature, and less on the content.
Benedict himself was "sure": The resignation "was necessary"
"He plays Mozart, studies" and "loves to go for walks. He is very relaxed," said the Prefect of the Apostolic House. On the question of how Benedict XVI. now sees his resignation, Gänswein replied, "Benedict XVI. is satisfied that the decision taken and announced was the right one. He has no doubt. He is sure of it: His decision was necessary" He did everything with his conscience repeatedly tested before God and made the decision in the knowledge that his forces are dwindling and it is not about his person, but he goes "for the good of the Church."
"The reasons can be found in his declaratio," says Archbishop Gänswein with which Benedict XVI. announced his resignation in a few words. "The Church needs a strong helmsman. All other considerations and hypotheses are wrong," said the former papal secretary, who then addressed the resignation by confirming: "You are quite right: it was a great act of government for the Church."
Doubters Missing "Feeling with the Church" - Benedict Promised "Obedience" to Francis
Corriere della Sera turned the interview on the strong doubts about the continuity between the two pontificates. They were described as legal uncertainties that are primarily fueled by the Catholic journalist Antonio Socci. What is "be answered to those who are in doubt as to the validity of the resignation or the election of Francis?" Curial Archbishop Gänswein said this: "You can not form a hypotheses on things that are not true, but completely absurd. Benedict himself has said that he made up his mind freely and without any pressure. And has said to the new Pope, 'I promise' reverence and obedience.
Why there is then this doubt about, Corriere della Sera wants to know, to include a possible answer yourself: "Does he feel absent from the Church?" "Yes," Gänswein said, "doubts about the resignation and the election stem from the fact."
And how was Benedict XVI. today? There are always reports of concern about his health, said Italy's most important newspaper. "There is a lot of malice, people who want to harm Benedict XVI., who is a man of almost 88 years. It is normal that sometimes his legs give him some problems at his age. That's all. He has his daily routine. He is very methodical. And his head is working fine. His spirit is great. Since the Urban University has asked that the Banquet Hall be named after him and Cardinal Filoni has asked him to Lectio in October for the opening of the academic year, he has written a beautiful text about the 'question of truth' and asked me to read it to him."
Benedict 'lives very methodically, receiving visits and corresponds "
How does Benedict XVI. spend the days? "His typical day begins with Mass in the morning, as always, a little later, at 7:45. Then follows the thanksgiving, the breviary, a quick breakfast. In the morning he prays, reads, studies, drafts correspondence and sometimes receives visits. At half past one o'clock we have lunch and then take a walk on the terrace, two or three rounds before he rests. At a quarter past three we go to the Vatican Gardens. We walk to the Grotto of Lourdes, pray the Rosary and remain there in prayer. Then there is time for prayer and study. At half past seven clock we have dinner and watch the Italian news on television. Benedict prays evening Compline in the chapel and then withdraws. Sometimes he plays the piano. Especially in the past few weeks he has started to play again often! Mainly Mozart, but other pieces that just come to his mind. He plays from memory, without notes."
In allusion to his papal name after the great Benedict, Father of Monasticism and the retreat to the monastery, Archbishop Gänswein said: "Yes, he has chosen a monastic life. Now he only goes out if Pope Francis asks him, while other invitations he does not accept." Gänswein quoted the Pope literally: "I chose this life, I have to be consistent in accordance with my decision."
Benedict and Francis "very different", but "united in substance"
The question of the substantive continuity has caused varying degrees of unease in the Catholic world is only nearly touched in the interview. Benedict XVI. and Francis, "are different, sometimes very different, in expression. But they are united by substance, of content, to proclaiming to propagation and defense of the deposit of faith," said Curial Archbishop George Gänswein.
Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: cristiano Umanesimo
image: cristiano Umanesimo
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG
C'mon who believes it? Such a brilliant mind, culture, none compares to him, well let's say that it was a free-compelled decision, I'm sure that Benedict has chosen to resign and knows very well the consequences of it, if he's relaxed and serene, I don't think he's forgotten the Church, he's pope and once pope you're pope for ever maybe it's more useful his constant prayer, but, please stop repeating this silly story, they will never be in substantive continuity, don't insult our intelligence, let's wait for the Synod on october and we'll see....God bless+
ReplyDeleteFrancis daily does the work of the devil. The anti-Catholic world adores him and souls that are racing to Hell because of their mortal sins expect Francis to give them a free pass in October. Sexual perverts are a protected species and babies are still slaughtered by the thousands in their mother's wombs. The filth that is Islam has contaminated the entire earth and martyring Christians again.
DeleteIf Benedict is "relaxed and serene" he is definitely NOT in his right mind.
1984 speak. Black is white; White is black. The renunciation of the Papacy appears more and more like a function of Modernism. Is there no one who will speak the truth, in spite of the persecution, anymore??? Lord, have mercy.
ReplyDeleteAnd Benedict may not obey Francis in his constant opposition to the Faith and morals but has a grave duty to oppose Francis. Does anyone care about the salvation of souls anymore??
ReplyDeleteThere are many reasons why he resigned, but it wasn't because of lack of faith and love for the Christ's Spouse, I repeat, let's wait for the Synod in october when, maybe, Bergoglio will say the last words, I bet Benedict in case of schism and denial of true CatholicFaith, will intervene, he didn't leave sua sponte, no, I'll never believe it. Let's pray for him and our souls, time is running away, estote parati.God bless+
DeleteThe theme in regard to Pope Benedict XVI's resignation is that the Church "needs a strong helmsman".
ReplyDeleteThese are the same people who inform us that the image of today's collapsed Catholic Church, weakened, broken down, humiliated, lacking the great power and influence that She had enjoyed, pushed around by the world is a wonderful and beautiful sight to behold.
These are the same people who tell us that there is greatness in suffering and weakness.
These are the same people who tell us that the sight of an elderly Saint Peter, weakened physically and led by the hand to wherever his persecutors had pleased is a beautiful thing.
These are the people who tell us that the image of an elderly and broken down Pope Saint John Paul II testifies to the greatness that is found in suffering.
However, those same people insist also that a "strong" physically fit Pontiff is what the Church needs.
Forget suffering. Be strong.
Hmmm...very confusing.
Steve.
Here we go again! Another vatican "handler" or "minder" telling us what Pope Benedict XVI, said. Are there no ipads or video camera's in Rome, where we can actually see what Benedict says? We see plenty of pictures of him, wearing the red slippers, papal coat of arms, and the white zuchetto/skull cap, reserved for pope's only, and even some letters he wrote, without his signature, of course, but, we still have not seen him on video tape. Why? These freemasons that are in control of the vatican, really think we are that stupid. Socchi is one of the few people that actually understands what is going on, along with Fr. Paul Kramer.
ReplyDeleteArchbishop George Ganswein doesn't convince me. Why did Pope Benedict XVl really step down? That is what Catholics faithful to Christ's Church are rightfully asking. No one believes that Pope Benedict is in full agreement with Pope Francis. When the destruction of the FFI began, why did Pope Benedict XVl say in response, "Summorum Pontificum has been wounded"? The heresy of Modernism is in full force and no one can deny it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear that he studies, prays, drafts correspondence, writes addresses, says Mass, can still walk about, has a strong mind and spirit, plays the piano from memory alone....and all this TWO YEARS after he resigned. So why did he have to resign exactly - why was it the right decision?
ReplyDeleteHe can still do everything a Pope needs to do. If he felt frail, he had plenty of good men around him like Burke, Pell, Canizares, Ruini who could have done the heavy lifting - some delegation was all that was needed.
OTOH if there really is continuity of substance between the two men, then BXVI was more a part of the problem than we give him credit for.
I refer again to the comments of theologian Fr. Vincent Toomey. As a former student, Toomey attended Benedict's class reunion in August 2013, 6 months after Benedict resigned. Asked how Benedict looked at the time, Toomey said that the emeritus pope looked physically shattered. In August 2014, attending the same annual reunion, asked how Benedict looked compared to August 2013, Toomey said he could not believe how well Benedict looked. Make of that what you will.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any reason to reject that which Pope Benedict XVI declared in regard to his resignation as Pope.
ReplyDeleteWhat bothers me is that he held up as holy and wonderful the image of the weak, broken-down, smaller Church that emerged as She collapsed during and following Vatican II.
Then, when Pope Benedict resembled physically that very image, he resigned as Pope.
If weakness and physical frailty are wonderful and holy images, when would Pope Benedict XVI not offer that image to the Faithful and world as a frail Pontiff.
I understand the argument that a frail Pontiff (Pope Saint John Paul II, for example) would struggle to teach, govern and sanctify the Faithful.
But I will always cherish and respect Pope Saint John Paul II for having served the Church to the final second of his life as our reigning Pontiff.
I will always cherish and respect elderly Saint Peter who, when strengthened along the Via Appia, continued to serve the Church as Pope to the final second of his life.
Anyway...Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI did as he saw fit. So be it.
Peace to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
Steve
With all due respect, pope John Paul 2 didn't reign to the final second of his life, other ones reigned in his name, signed documents, elected bishops and so on, he himself said in one memory book he didn' t reign, he was always abroad and in the last times he was in hospital for much time, so we really don't know why Benedict stepped down, only God can know it, but for sure there were many serious problems and a resistance by the curia against his government, maybe he didn't want to be used as a tool like his predecessor. Only time will say the truth. Let's pray for him and for our souls, Lent is beginning.
ReplyDeleteHe receives a lot of people in that enclosure, that's for sure.
DeleteIf it is true that others may reign in a Pope's (example as you noted, Pope Saint John Paul II) name, signed documents and elected bishops, then that would constitute a grave danger to the Church.
DeleteAre you certain that for all practical purposes, the Papacy during Pope Saint John Paul II's had been exercised as you described?
Was Pope Saint John Paul II, for all practical purposes, a figurehead for men who, in effect, acted as Popes...yes, Popes in the plural?
Pope Saint John Paul II did not actually govern the Church?
At any rate, I will always love and respect Pope Saint John Paul II's determination not to resign as he said that a Pope cannot "come down from the Cross".
Pax.
Steve
Why don't we know the "real" reason as to why Pope Benedict XVI stepped down?
DeleteHe declared to the Church and world the exact reason as to why he resigned as Pope.
Pope Benedict XVI declared that "I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.
"However in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the barque of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.
"For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter..."
Pope Benedict stated precisely the reason as to his resignation.
Pax.
Steve
Hope a lot of right people, for Holy Church' sake.....rumors say even card. Burke was there....it's the Ashes, let's pray...
ReplyDeleteWell, two years later...I speculate that the gay mafia dossier has some evidence implicating Benedict. We must remember that Benedict the XVI is a progressive. When a man like Francis becomes pope, it is small wonder why some want to lean on Benedict.
ReplyDeleteIn the time of the greatest council on earth, Vatican II, there were two factions of progressives. There were the conservative progressives and then the radical leftist progressives. Benedict XVI, Dulles, Wojtila and a few others stood for the conservative progressive, while Rahner, Schillebexx(sp), Congar, Kung, and a few others stood for the radical progressives. It is well documented that both groups were in disagreement on how to take the church forward. The former wanted to do it slowly and peace meal. The latter wanted to do it more openly and quickly.
For the last 30 years, the conservative progressives have had their way, now it is time for the radical progressives to take over. All the tacit liberalism and progressive stuff is really of the mind of the most of the hierarchical church. The more conservative people just don't want it to be so public. After 30 years, the radicals are understanding they are running out of time to convert the novus ordo church into the world church. They can do it much quicker with Francis and now, they don't care about casualties along the way. Why did John XXIII lift the ban of the Catholic Church attending the World Council of Churches? He sent in observers in 1959 for the first time in the history of the council's existence.
We must wake up and see that Vatican II was a ploy to destabilize the Catholic identity and saturate it with Protestantism in such a way that in a short while, Catholics no longer understand what it means to be different or set apart from the other church or the world in which they live.
Benedict has to be part of Francis' plan to keep some disturbed faithful in line. They see Francis and Benedict, and they think it is comforting to them to see that Benedict and Francis have a relationship between them. It causes them to really wake up.
Benedict had to be removed because he was too slow to radicalize the church and he was forced to resign because he was threatened by the dossier implicating him.
OK. I'm done :)
Paul in Texas.
Me too.....any proof about this plot?......to be continued.
ReplyDeleteThe documents of the Second Vatican Council are not saturated remotely with Protestantism.
ReplyDeleteOther than an ambiguity here and there (which could be interpreted in line with Tradition), the Conciliar documents are clear as to the Catholic Faith.
We even read that Bishop Fellay supports 95 percent of Vatican II.
Yes, there are some Vatican II passages that Rome must make 100 percent clear, but overall, the Council does not lead any Catholic into a Protestant mentality.
What happened following the Council is a different matter.
Yes, a non-Catholic way of thinking has been promoted by many folks within the Church.
But interpreting the Conciliar documents in the light of Holy Tradition is not a problem.
I have often countered modernists with Vatican II teachings...Latin is to be preserved throughout the Latin Church...seminaries are to teach Latin...Ordinary of the Mass to be prayed in Latin...Gregorian Chant enjoys privileged status at Mass...the Catholic Church is the True Church...nobody can be saved outside the Catholic Church...and so forth.
When confronted with such teachings, Modernists can only admit that they don't care as to what the Holy Church teaches.
Bottom line: Years prior to Vatican II, the Modernists were on the warpath throughout the Church. Liturgical destruction was in process. Seminaries had fallen apart. Millions of Catholics had lost their Catholic identities.
Pax.
Steve
Steve, sounds like you are doing clean up on aisle 4. The problem is much larger than the mop you are trying to use.
ReplyDeleteThe world is upside down, because the Church is not leading anymore. She is severely amputated. depending on where one is, the sacraments at Novus Ordo churches are questionable and invalid at worst.
On John Paul, with all the heresies he promoted by deed, that is reason enough to be moot on him. Assisi gatherings are demonic and lead souls to hell.
Going into mosques is not an act of charity and leads souls to hell.
Kissing a Koran is not an act of peace, but an act of servitude to a man made occult religion and a spitting on the face of Christ.
getting blessed by bare-breasted women of some pagan ritual is not charming, it's damning.
This is the man you want to call saint? This is our shame--John Paul II. How do I tell my friends to not go to sader meals when they retort how John Paul II was always going to synagogues to pray with the Jews?
I visited my fair share of protestant churches, because my conservative bishops and 2 popes in my lifetime did the same.
Paul
Paul, we are aware that the Church is in overall shambles. As Pope Benedict XVI declared, the Catholic Religion faces virtual death in vast areas of the world.
ReplyDeleteThe only way to overcome the above, at least within the Latin Church, is to return to the Traditional Roman Mass and Holy Tradition.
For now, our Pope and the majority of (Latin Church) bishops and priests are not interested in the above.
As to Pope Saint John Paul II, he did many fine things. He also did certain things with which I disagreed.
That said, the One True Holy Catholic Church has recognized him as a Saint.
As a Catholic, I am compelled to recognize and accept that Pope John Paul II is a Saint.
Pax.
Steve
I think what people are missing here is that Pope Benedict, saw and admitted the problems or "errors" of Vatican II, and was trying to right the ship, or clean them up. Bringing back the Latin Mass for all, was his doom. Freemasonry, which is an entity controlled by Satan himself, will have none of that Latin stuff. Freemasons hate Latin! You can find CBS news reports from 2012, that there was a plot to take out Pope Benedict. This plot was made know to Benedict by the Bishop of Palermo, Sicily. Freemasonry will not allow The Church to be reformed in the way that Benedict had wanted. It is that simple. Remember what happened to Pope John Paul I.
ReplyDeleteVeniet tempus quo posteri nostri nos tam aperita nescisse, mirentur.....only time and God will say the truth.
ReplyDeleteWas Pope Benedict XVI determined to bring back the Latin Mass for all?
ReplyDeleteIn his letter to bishops that accompanied Summorum Pontificum, Pope Benedict XVI made clear the following:
1. The (Latin) Church would move forward with the Novus Ordo as the centerpiece Mass.
2. We should not expect the TLM to be offered on a widespread basis.
In response to reporters during his visit to France, Pope Benedict XVI declared that just a relative few Catholics were interested in the TLM.
He also declared at that time that Summorum Pontificum constituted mere "tolerance" to the relative few Catholics who were attached to the Traditional Roman Mass.
Steve