New photos of Benedict XVI
Doubtless to counteract those rumors about Benedict XVI’s supposedly worsening health, two official sources released recent pictures of Benedict XVI.
The Facebook page of the Fondazione Vaticana Joseph Ratzinger-Benedetto XVI published this unusual photo today showing Benedict XVI at lunch with his
brother Mons. Georg Ratzinger and his former second secretary, Mons. Alfred Xuereb, now Secretary-General of the Secretariat for the Economy, on Oct. 14.
The photo is remarkable in that it is the first time (that I know of, at least) that we are shown the Emeritus Pope’s dining room at Mater Ecclesiae.
Not surprisingly, it is as simple as the dining room he had at the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace.
And Vatican Press director Greg Burke yesterday tweeted this picture taken on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 18. Unfortunately, he did not identify the
two nuns with the Emeritus Pope.
And from the very pro-active website UN PUNTE DE FE (A bridge of faith):
‘The Emeritus Pope is well for his age’:
Mons. Gaenswein refutes new rumors
Translated from
October 19, 2017
In recent days, after a visit to Mater Ecclesiae on October 3 by Egyptian Coptic Bishop William Samaan, the social media and some Italian newspapers have reported rumors that Benedict XVI’s health has worsened, based on the bishop’s statements that the Emeritus Pope has ‘serious problems’ with walking
[ [Have we not all known that since he started using a walking aid even when he is inside Mater Ecclesiae?] and that it has become impossible for him to celebrate Mass because he is unable to stay on his feet long enough to do so, requiring Mons. Gaenswein’s assistance at all times.
[In fairness to Bishop Samaan, if this Aleteia article is right, the part about the Emeritus Pope being too weak to celebrate Mass apparently did not come from him but from a report in Mittelbayerische Zeitung’s website. This was the one German newspaper that Benedict XVI reportedly kept up with during his Pontificate, and one presumes, even now.]
Coptic Catholic bishop of Egypt says Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
is now very weak at age 90, but still ‘aware of everything’
ALETEIA
October 3, 2017
Bishop Kyrillos William Samaan of Assiut gave this report after a meeting with the Pope Emeritus at the beginning of September, according to the Swiss Catholic Information agency cath.ch in an article published today.
According to Bishop Samaan, he spent 45 minutes with Benedict XVI, who asked him about the various problems of the Church in Egypt, including dialogue with Muslims and the relationship with Al-Azhar University, the highest Sunni authority.
On September 23, the German news website Mittelbayerische reported that Benedict is now too weak to celebrate Mass by himself. Archbishop Georg Gänswein, his private secretary who is also prefect of the Pontifical Household, assists him. The Pope Emeritus will turn 91 on April 16. [DIM]
Moreover, some Facebook pages have been reporting that Mons. Gaenswein has asked people to pray for Benedict XVI, referring to his state of health. Of course, Mons. Gaenswein always asks everyone to pray for Benedict XVI.
[And not just for his health, but that he may face every day with joy and continue to exercise his mental brilliance. And may God spare him from more unkindnesses and injustices big and small!]
German author Michael Hesemann said he has directly received from Mons. Gaenswein assurances that the
rumors are totally false – that the Emeritus Pope’s health is appropriate to his age (he will be 91 in April) with its age-related ailments and limitations, and that Benedict XVI has enjoyed the recent days in the company of his brother Mons. Georg Ratzinger.
We thank Mr. Hesemann for giving us the information.
[ [One of the practical things I always brought out to answer those who insist B16 should have ‘soldiered on’ as pope regardless of his health was that the very people who said this after February 11, 2013, would have been the very first to jump on him if, had he continued as pope, the day came when he would be unable to say Mass in public because of worsening infirmities. (I remember that when B16 first used the rolling platform to bring him to the altar at St. Peter's back in 2010, Aldo Maria Valli wrote a scathing criticism of it. I wonder if the Valli who now cites B16 as his touchstone reference will one day soon repent of his unwarranted unkindess then!)
Celebrating Mass is not just standing and walking back and forth before the altar as needed, but also performing rubrics with one’s hands, including the all-important rituals from the Offertory onward. God forbid that a priest, especially if he were the pope, should fumble with the sacred vessels and the bread and wine before and after Consecration! One can imagine what efforts he must be making now to cope with saying his daily Mass at Mater Ecclesiae, and if that means having GG help him to ambulate, then why not?]
BTW, about Mons. Xuereb, he recently gave an interview - with much information we never heard before, about his experience with Benedict XVI from the time the latter informed him about his decision to retire about a week before February 11, to the following March 15, when he left Castel Gandolfo to return to the Vatican to serve as Pope Francis's first private secretary at Benedict XVI's recommendation. He served as such until the pope named him secretary of the new Secretariat for the Economy several months later... The interview is one of those I have yet to translate but will as soon as I can.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 20/10/2017 07:42]