Benedict XVI’s death on December 31 continues to provoke tsunamis Vatican. And the focus of the powerful waves again refers to the former secretary of the late German archbishop. Georg Ganswein‘There is really nothing else, XVI. Author of ‘My life with Benedict’ a book published this week, Relationship between the retired pope and his successorFrancisco, not so idyllic As the Church has tried to show in these years.
The 336-page work, prepared with the collaboration of the Italian journalist Saverio Gaeta, includes various Stages of Benedict XVI’s lifefrom its inception and formation to its foundation years. retired dadHe is going through his time as president of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (1982-2005) and of course his papacy (2005-2013).
Ganswein made an attempt in disguise to defend a Pope, Benedict, who was “too often defamed by the press” and even went so far as to call him the “Rottweiler of God.” The friction between the two Popes and explained it he never got along With Francis after Ratzinger’s resignation.
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The tension between the two popes was triggered after the publication of ‘Des profondeurs de nos coeurs’ after January 2020.‘ (from the bottom of our hearts), a book by conservative cardinal Robert Sarah, Co-authored by Benedict XVI, here celibacy of the priests. The controversial issue at the time was the subject of great debate within the Church.
From here, collision from the front. Francisco decides to keep Ganswein only officially as governor He ‘de facto’ completely dismisses him for his post as Papal Dynasty, which he has held since 2012. “When I heard about this decision I was shocked and kept quiet.” says the old secretary.
“When I tried to answer him, [Francisco] He abruptly ended the conversation and said to me: ‘You’re still class president, but tomorrow you will not work againGanswein says you told him. half president“, explain. Benedict XVI after the debate between Ganswein and Francis tried unsuccessfully to mediate With the Argentine Pope. Benedict XVI used to tell his secretary, “It seems Pope Francis no longer trusts me and wants you to be my protector,” according to the latter, even who wondered if his secretary had a role to play.guard”.
humiliated
This is actually one of the last episodes of the tension that began to boil right after Benedict’s historic resignation in 2013. hope benedict i was connection between himself and his successor it was a little too naive: a few months later I had the impression that The necessary atmosphere of trust could not be established between me and the new Pope. To be able to make such a commitment,” says the bishop in another part of the book.
Another example is a apartment controversy That Ganswein was preparing to invade and Francisco rejected him. Or, according to Ganswein, in 2014 when the Pope told him that his presence was not necessary during a visit to the Sant Egidio community. “Personally I felt so humiliated Because he did not explain the reason for his decision,” he said.
In addition, Ganswein also different theological sensitivities from two popes. This is the case when speaking of the “Evangelii Gaudium”, an apostolic exhortation that contains “some explanations of Francis” that Benedict “sounds strange”.
a determined pope
However, many of the books While experts on Vatican affairs describe it as an attack on Francisco, it also reveals other unpublished and intriguing details. For example, Benedict XVI began to consider resignation after that a trip to madrid On the occasion of World Youth Days in 2011 and also that Ganswein tried to prevent him from making this decision.
On this occasion, according to Gänswein, Ratzinger answered firmly.. “I’ve been Pope for as many years as (John Paul II) and I wouldn’t want to end up like him. A father comes and goeswhat matters is that Jesus is there,” the late Catholic leader would tell him.
expelled from the monastery
various thoughts accompanied the publication of the book. Among them, the bishop will be evicted from their apartments in the Vatican monastery where he lived with the late Pope. The German Catholic agency KNA also assured that Ganswein would try to do so when he learned of the scandal caused by the leaking of parts of the book. stop sending .
The Vatican war also coincided with the revelation of some text fragments. former Vatican minister and cardinal Georg Pell / Francis, the first of the post-mortem leaks this week. Francis’ pontificate “a disaster in many or more waysa disaster”, thought Pell, according to these writings. Francisco created “mess”He added, referring to the current Pope’s (weak) openings on issues such as homosexuality and priestly celibacy.