Pope Francis praying for Pope emeritus
Benedict XVI in his time of loss
July 2, 2020
Pope Francis on Thursday sent a letter conveying his condolences to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on the death of his older brother, Georg.
George Ratzinger, 96, renowned ex-Kapellmeister of the world-famous Regensburg Domspatzen boys'choir, died on Wednesday morning
after being hospitalized [he was not hospitalized and he died in his home] in Regensburg, the city where he lived the greater part of his life.
Pope Francis’s letter:
To His Holiness
Benedict XVI
Pope Emeritus
You had the sensitivity to be the first to inform me of the news of the death of your beloved brother, Monsignor Georg. I wish to renew my deepest sympathy and spiritual closeness to you in this moment of sorrow.
I assure you of my prayers of suffrage for the late and lamented, that the Lord of life, in His merciful goodness, may welcome him into heaven and grant him the reward prepared for faithful servants of the Gospel.
I pray also for you, Your Holiness, invoking the Father, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for the support of Christian hope and tender divine consolation.
Always united in faith in the Risen Christ, the source of hope and peace,
Filially and fraternally,
FRANCIS
A slight quibble: Why was the letter sent Thursday, and not Wednesday when, as the pope claims, Benedict XVI himself "was the first to inform me of the news..." ?
Gloria.TV has a different quibble, unwarranted really:
He prays for the deceased and for “Your Holiness" - a title used only for a pope.
Not true, of course. If the editors had just bothered to check out their facts, here is Wikipedia (appropriately sourced) on the subject:
His Holiness (Latin: Sanctitas) is the official style used to address the Roman Catholic pope and Oriental Orthodox patriarchs. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople has the title of His All-Holiness.
In February 2013, the Holy See announced that former Pope Benedict XVI would retain the style "His Holiness" after resigning and becoming pope emeritus.
The honorific is also used for religious leaders from other traditions, including Buddhism (for figures such as Lu Sheng-yen, the Dalai Lama, the Karmapa)... and in fact, the Dalai Lama uses the title His Holiness on his website... To the credit of Pope Francis's scribes, the papal letter did follow the address protocol decreed by Benedict XVI himself when he was still Pope.
Meanwhile, the diocese of Regensburg has announced funeral arrangements for Mons. Georg:
Diocese plans 3 days
of public obsequies
for Mons. Ratzinger
Translated from
July 2, 2020
The diocese of Regensburg, the St John collegiate chapter
[secular priests who are the canons responsible for the administration of the cathedral, as Georg Ratzinger was], the Domspatzen
[(‘Cathedral Sparrows’ boys’ choir, whom Mons. Georg led from 1964-1994], friends, students, companions and relatives bid goodbye to the former Domkapellmeister
[Cathedral Choir Master] in a series of liturgies announced by the Diocese on its website today.
The Domspatzen will say a special goodbye at a Funeral Vespers to be held on Sunday, July 5, with 220 singers performing in the Regensburg Cathedral of St. Peter. The event is not public but can be followed on livestream on the diocesan website, on Facebook, and on television via TVA and oTV.
On Monday, July 6, 2020, at 7 p.m., the rosary will be prayed in the cathedral. Everyone is welcome.
On Tuesday, July 7, from 10 am - 6pm, the public will have an opportunity to say their goodbye and register in a condolence book, at the St. Johann abbey church near the cathedral.
On Wednesday, July 8, Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer will celebrate a Pontifical Requiem Mass in the Cathedral. Interment will follow around 12:30 pm in the Domspatzen gravesite in the Lower Catholic Cemetery of Regensburg.
[One supposes Benedict XVI agreed to this when he was in Regensburg last month. Somehow, it is difficult to believe that Mons. Georg himself would have chosen this burial site instead of being buried at the family gravesite in Ziegetsdorf.]
Due to the coronavirus situation, a limited number of seats are available for the Requiem Mass in the cathedral. Registrations can be received from Monday, July 6, at (0941) 597-1662 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The requiem itself can be followed as a live stream via the diocesan website, on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Bistum.Regensburg), TVA, OTV and other transmission channels.
Herewith, the formal obituary notice published by the diocesein the local press for Mons. Georg:
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 03/07/2020 00:38]