A news item in the Passauer Neue Presse, the regional newspaper that covers Regensburg, was published on 4/3/15, with the title "Ratzinger defends Francis against critics", even if the burden of what Mons. Georg Ratzinger told a PNP interviewer was that Benedict XVI must never be thought of or misrepresented as an 'anti-Pope', since he would never even think of intervening in any way with the affairs of the Church now that he is no longer Pope.
I do have a problem with interviews like these which, it seems to me, intend to instrumentalize those closest to Benedict XVI - his brother and his private secretary, Mons. Georg Gaenswein - by leading them to say favorable things about Pope Francis (since obviously, they would never ever say anything unfavorable). And perhaps worse, to say - and be quoted widely - that Benedict XVI shares his successor's views and is 100 percent behind him.
Because when they are asked directly, they could not possibly say anything else, if only not to aggravate the uncharitable view promoted by anti-Benedict elements since he retired - and even before his successor was elected - that Benedict XVI intends to exercise his influence in the Church as long as he is alive. The problem, of course, is that B16's critics tend to think of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI as no more than an 'ordinary man', i.e., like each of us who have not been gifted with the extraordinary graces that God endowed him with. And so they project to him what they would do if they ('an ordinary man') were in his place...
Thus, I 'dismissed' the interview Georg Gaenswein gave to Bergoglio biographer Elisabetta Pique for the Argentine newspaper La Nacion two weeks ago, in which he expresses fulsome praise for Pope Francis, who is, of course, his official boss. The article led off with a quote from GG who says that "Benedict XVI is very impressed with Pope Francis". I respect GG's independent opinions and his right to speak them out, but I was not going to give myself more heartburn - literal and otherwise - by translating it.
Frankly, the overall impression one gets from GG's praises of Pope Francis, wittingly or unwittingly, is that he is superior to Benedict XVI in his work habits, in his prayer life and God knows what else. It may well be, as GG sees it, and it is just sheer prejudice that makes me recoil from GG's encomiums.
I have gritted my teeth through similar statements from GG in earlier interviews - too many, I think - in the belief that he must go out of his way to say these things in order to neutralize all the stories of supposed behind-the-scenes maneuverings from Benedict XVI to somehow meddle in Vatican affairs, such as the 'family synod', in opposition to Bergoglian initiatives. Fine, but I think he is overdoing it, and the La Nacion interview went 'over the top', as it were.
All the while I was reading it, my mind kept screaming, "Please, Georg Gaenswein, just shut up! You have not said anything factually new about Benedict XVI in the past year, and your new boss certainly does not need your fulsome praises - he has more than enough sycophants doing that for him". But as Mons. Gaenswein is an honorable man, I do not doubt his sincerity in expressing such admiration for Pope Francis, and he has every right to do so, and to say whatever he wants to say. I just wish he would stop doing so!
Does all that praise of Pope Francis from someone who works with him and must accompany him on all of his public events change my mind about JMB? No, because the points GG makes usually have nothing to do with my major objections to JMB, or otherwise circumvent them...
Georg Ratzinger defends his brother
against those who think of him as an anti-Pope
Translated from
PASSAUER NEUE PRESSE
April 2, 2015
Georg Ratzinger, brother of Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, has
defended Pope Francis against his conservative critics.
In a conversation with Passauer Neuen Presse, Mons. Ratzinger, 91, acknowledged that "Much about Francis's style is rather unusual", but "That is what he believes (his conviction), and it is in tune with his mission." This opinion is shared by Benedict XVI, who was chosen to lead the Catholic Church ten years ago.
[There being no direct or indirect quotation from Georg Ratzinger, this statement seems to be a conclusion drawn by the writer.]
Ratzinger rejects all allegations that his brother is allowing himself to be yoked in as the 'anti-Pope'. "That is most certainly not the case," the former Kapellmeister of Regensburg Cathedral underscored. He said there are no conflicts between Francis and Benedict and that their relationship has been "very friendly, collegial and priestly".
The impression that his brother could assume the role of 'anti-Pope' is, in his opinion, nurtured by those who have "problems with the new Pontificate", and that such an idea can grow on that ground.
Mons. Ratzinger said: "Perhaps these people suggest that my brother could intervene or in some way be active in Church politics and correct the line being taken on relevant problems. But they are wrong".
[Before his successor was even chosen, Benedict XVI vowed before the College of Cardinals that he would "respect and obey" the next Pope. That was an unconditional promise, and one imagines it would take outright heresy by his successor to make him transgress that promise.
But I think, for all his raging ambition to transform the Roman Catholic Church into his image and likeness, JMB/PF is much too clever and jesuitical to risk crossing the line into formal heresy. Even if personally, I don't see how 'communion for everyone' isn't heretical, but I am sure JMB's theological brain, Mons. Fernandez must have a tract ready by now that interprets Christ's words at the Last Supper as somehow intending 'communion for everyone' literally, and that it is only 'the pharisaical theologians' who subsequently required that one must be in a state of grace to partake of the Eucharist.
If 'communion for everyone' is legislated for the universal Church - I'm sure with enough verbal hedging in the norms for its execution so that it does not appear to be the license to sin that it is - what would Benedict XVI do?]
Mons. Ratzinger also commented on criticisms of Benedict XVI's Pontificate. There are many people, he said, "who do not like the clear lines set down by my brother, people who simply believe that every current cultural manifestation must immediately be translated to reality", which is not good for the Catholic Church, since "Whoever weds himself to the spirit of the time (Zeitgeist) is soon a widow(er), as the saying goes.
[Well, our feisty nonagenarian got in his own there, didn't he? Clearly a reference to the Bergoglian initiatives to be decided by the next synodal assembly on the family. And how clever to use a metaphor whose main verb is 'marry'!]
The online text of the article says "You can read more in your issue of the Passauer Neuen Presse", presumably the newspaper edition.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 08/04/2015 04:01]