Gänswein: Pope Benedict Intends to Stay in Rome This Summer

Emeritus Pope is actively pursuing the religious and political life, "reads newspapers, is informed about the news,  receives visitors." Walking causes him some trouble, "but the head is bright and  the mind completely clear"

Augsburg (kath.net/KNA) Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI. intends to spend this summer in Rome and not at the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo. He had so chosen to do so because  Pope Francis had rejected a rest in the Alban Hills, said the Prefect of the Papal Household,  said Archbishop George Gänswein (photo) in an interview to "Catholic Sunday Newspaper" / "New picture postcard". In August the emeritus pope will also be visited by  his brother Georg Ratzinger from Regensburg.


Gänswein, who is also the private secretary of Pope Emeritus, regretted that the brothers did not go to Castel Gandolfo. There it is a more pleasant summer than in Rome, because the village lies at a height of 450 meters above Lake Albano. "In the late afternoon there is always a slight westerly wind from the sea, which is refreshing and healthy," which is lacking in midsummer Rome.

On the health by Benedict XVI. said the Archbishop, given his age of 87 years,  he is doing relatively well.  Although he had some difficulties with walking, "but the head is bright and  the mind completely clear". The emeritus pope actively pursues the ecclesiastical and political life, says Gänswein. "He reads newspapers, is informed about the news,  receives visitors." He is involved in prayer for his successor and for the whole Church in a special way. Gänswein confirmed at the same time  that the emeritus Pope would no longer come to Bavaria. But that he misses his home was no secret. Because Bavaria is where his roots run: "His heart beats Bavarian, as he describes a beautiful book title." In his thoughts Benedict XVI often goes to his home, stressed Gänswein. It grants him inner joy and consolation. In addition, there still are many connections in the home, such as letters, visits and other contacts that would bring the Bavarian home to him in the Vatican. (C) 2014 CBA Catholic News Agency.

All rights reserved. Photo (c) kath.net/Martin Lohmann
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

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Gänswein: Pope Wants to Reform the Faithful, not the Faith

"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

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Will Archbishop Gänswein be Appointed to Cologne?

(Vatican)  Pope Francis has made his first appointments.  Following the practice of the Holy See, he confirmed the second secretary of his predecessor, the priest Alfred Xuereb from Malta in office. It is customary that the first secretary resigns with the end of a pontificate and is replaced by a confidant of the new pope. The second secretary of the predecessor is however retained for a transitional period in order to have a smooth transition. In a second moment, as a rule, he will be replaced by the new Pope. Pope Francis has not appointed an first secretary.

Pope Benedict XVI. appointed his first secretary, Monsignor Georg Gänswein in fall 2012, as Prefect of the Apostolic House. As such, he could, if confirmed by the new Pope,  continue performing his duties at the Vatican. The prefect has no influence on the decisions of the Pope, but he coordinates all visits and meetings with outsiders from  leaders to ordinary believers. Msgr Gänswein also remains personal secretary of Pope Benedict XVI., Who currently lives in Castel Gandolfo.

Now, reports the online daily news Cattoliche is that Msgr Gänswein could be appointed as Coadjutor Archbishop of Joachim Cardinal Meisner with right of succession. The secretary of Pope Benedict XVI. could be the next Archbishop of Cologne. It falls on the parallels with Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the first secretary of Pope John Paul II, who Pope Benedict XVI. was appointed  on 1 June 2005, two months after the death of his predecessor to be Archbishop of Krakow,  the seat of a metropolitan, which had been previously occupied by the late Pope. On 2006 Archbishop Dziwisz was elevated to Cardinal status. Cologne is also an archbishop seat that is traditionally associated with the Cardinal. Cardinal Meisner is at the end of his 80th year.

Pope Francis has also followed the practice, all of the Roman Curia Dikasterienleiter confirmed with the usual formula for donec aliter provideatur until is to make different choices. Therefore nothing can be read in his personal politics for the time being.

Before jumping to higher applies Monsignor Lorenzo Baldisseri, the former nuncio to Brazil and hitherto secretary of the Congregation for Bishops and Secretary of the College of Cardinals, which is why he played a special role in the conclave. As Pope, Francis, just elected, received the white Pileolus of the Pope, he put on his purple Cardinal’s pileolus  on Msgr. Baldisseri. This spontaneous gesture is seen as a sign that the Curia, that the Archbishop will be raised by the next Conclave to the Cardinal rank. The elevation of Cardinal Conclave Secretary certainly has a tradition in the church. Benedict XVI. created the then secretary Curia Archbishop Francesco Monterisi, not the first consistory, but later.

An appeal to the Curia could affect Monsignor Nicola Girasoli, the nuncio in the West Indies. He has been friends with the new pope for some time and until 2005, worked for six years as a Counsellor at the Nunciature in Buenos Aires.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Messa in Latino

Cardinal [?] Joseph Ratzinger in the Cloister --- ++Gänswein Will Remain at His Side

(Vatican) Monsignor Georg Gänswein, the personal secretary of Pope Benedict XVI. will remain at his side after the resignation of the Pope, but retain the office of Prefect of the Pontifical Household. Thus from February 28th at 8pm  he will be on the side of the former Pope and at the same time the new Pope both. This unusual constellation was announced this morning by Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi.

"Don George", as the secretary of the Pope is commonly referred to since the beginning of the Pontificate, will retire, according to the head of the "Press Room” to Castel Gandolfo on the afternoon of 28 February after the resignation of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. Them there are also the four Memores the four women who will follow him, who led the papal household. Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Ratzinger [Not sure about the title], will stay until the end of the conclave in the papal summer residence, and then return to the Mater Ecclesiae convent in the Vatican. The necessary renovations were already complete in November 2012, in place for the former Pope to occupy an apartment next to the cloister of the monastery. Gänswein will then live in the monastery with the former pope. A decision on the Vatikanist Andrea Tornielli already on 12th Reported in February.

The personal secretary of the reigning Pope was Benedict XVI. was only appointed the last 7th of December as Archbishop and Prefect of the Pontifical Household. At a time when the Pope had already decided to resign. According to L'Osservatore Romano  the intention to resign matured in Pope Benedict after the trip to Mexico and Cuba in March 2012. A decision-making process in which a nocturnal fall in the Mexican city of  Leon also may have played a role, which has been confirmed today by Father Lombardi. Gänswein received his ordination by the Pope personally during Epiphany.

The Prefect of the Papal Household has the task of organizing the public life of the Pope, especially the hearings and meetings of the Holy Father. From 1998 until the fall of 2012 Americans Archbishop James Michael Harvey has held that title. In November 2012 and since then Pope Benedict XVI.  has created him a Cardinal Archpriest of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. With the appointment of Msgr Gänswein, the new prefect is the right hand of the pope resigning, which remains at his side, will continue to play a key position at the side of the new pope. A situation which seems to defy the Vatican statements that Benedict XVI. from the moment when he will be Cardinal Ratzinger, would exert no influence on the conclave and the future Pope.

Father Federico Lombardi explained that the future dual function of Curial Archbishop Gänswein alongside a foregone and a reigning pope so that the position of Prefect of the Papal Household is "No government official"  and has nothing to do with "substantive decisions". The Office had to do with the implementation of the papal audiences and meetings, not with the decision of who will be presented to the Pope and not. Therefore, there would be "no problem because of the close bond" the prefect to the predecessor of the future pope.

The Mater Ecclesiae convent of the Leonine Wall in the Vatican Gardens was founded by Pope John Paul II and in 1994 on inaugurated on the 13th anniversary of the attack against him.  It was the wish of the Pope to have a convent in the Vatican for their special Apostleship of Prayer prayig for the reigning pope and the Roman Curia. In the five-year cycle the orders and convent will change. Since 2009, a Salesian convent lives in the monastery. The sisters do needle, embroidery work for the papal household and supply these with fruits and vegetables from the monastery garden.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Vatican Insider

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6 January: George Ganswein Will Be Personally Consecrated a Bishop by the Pope

Edit:  the Pope's secretary has been given a new post, Prefect of the Papal Household in addition to his current one.  He will be an Archbishop.

Pope Benedict XVI. will have a full program over the days of Christmas: From the Christmas Mass over "Urbi et orbi" to Episcopal consecration and baptism.

Vatican City (kath.net/KNA) Pope Benedict XVI. will personally lead the Vatican celebrations on Christmas and the New Year.  As the Vatican explains on Tuesday, the Pope will celebrate the Midnight Mass at 10pm to celebrate the birth of Christ.  On Christmas day he will also personally give the traditional blessing >>Urbi et Orbi<< in the main loggia of St. Peters Cathedral.  Then he will deliver his Christmas message as well.  On Silvester evening Benedict will hold an evening prayer with the >>Te Deum<<  to close the year at St. Peter's Cathedral.  In the morning of the new year, he will celebrate Holy Mass.

On January 6th, the feast of the >>Epiphany<<, the Pope will celebrate Mass before mid-day and consecrate several Vatican priests as Bishops.  Among them is his longtime secretary George Ganswein, who will function in the future as the Prefect of the Papal House.  On January 13th, at the feast of the Baptism of Jesus, where the Pope will give several children the sacrament of baptism in the Sixtine Chapel.

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Msgr. Ganswein Remains Pope's Secretary

Prälat Georg Gänswein – aktueller Sekretär
von Benedikt XVI.
© premiosciacca, Flickr, CC by-nc-nd

Since the theft of documents from the Papal residence there are new security measures.

(kreuz.net) Prelate George Ganswein -- the Private Secretary of the Pope -- will remain at the side of Benedict XVI.

This was reported by Vaticanist Sandro Magister on the website 'chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it'.

A false rumor

Last Friday the Roman newspaper 'Il Fatto Quotidiano' reporeted that it had was certain that the Prelate would become Prefect of the Papal Household.

The current Prefect, who is the USA born Archbishop James Michael Harvey, was named as a Cardinal yesterday.

He will be the new Archpriest of the Basilica St. Paul at the Walls.

Actually, according to reports by Magister it is "certain", that Prelate Ganswein will continue in his post as Private Secretary.

With that the speculation that he would be Bishop of Regensburg would also be obsolete.

New Security Measures

Magister reported also about Sandro Mariotti, the butler of the Pope and successor of the document thief Paolo Gabriele.

He has already filled in for this position in the past.

The office of the Pope is off limits for other persons than the two Papal Secretaries.

Finally Magister mentioned that the earlier housekeeper of the Pope, Ingrid Stampa, no longer has access to the Papal chamber since the scandal and document leaks.

Will the Pope's Private Secretary be Promoted Soon?

Rome -- There is Italian media speculation, that Msgr. Georg Ganswein (56) as Prefect of the Papal Household is immediately in the offing.

This would mean that Ganswein will probably give up his job for almost 8 years as Privat Secretary of Pope Benedict XVI, while he will be raised to the rank of Bishop and a person of close trust to the Holy Fathers.  The press office of the Holy See has denied that the time is ripe for such a decision to take place.

Most personal speculations in the wake of the Vatileaks Affair had shown themselves to be weak.

Source...Bild.de