The photo was taken in September 2006 when the brothers visited the graves of their parents and sister during Benedict XVI's visit to Bavaria.
By Tom Kington, Rome
23 April 2013
Father Georg Ratzinger
[his proper title is Monsignor, and the journalist ought to have known that], himself a priest, told the
Daily Telegraph his younger brother was "very happy" to be living at Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer retreat south of Rome he moved to after stepping down in February, becoming the first pope to resign in 600 years.
Fr Ratzinger, 88, who travelled from Germany to celebrate Benedict's 86th birthday with him on April 16, said his brother "still suffers the problems of the Church, but is really relieved to no longer have the weight of the Church on his shoulders."
Speaking by telephone from his house in Regensburg, Mr Ratzinger denied the former Pope was suffering from major ailments.
[Did he go home then ahead of his name day today????]
"He is now very old, he does not have any particular illness, but he is weakening due to his age," he said.
Joseph Ratzinger cited advancing age when he announced his shock resignation amid reports that his hearing and sight were failing. It also emerged he had a pacemaker fitted a decade ago.
I am surprised the Telegraph took the initiative to call up Mons. Georg in Regensburg to get news about Benedict XVI, especially since it seems no one else has thought to do so. Perhaps the German media? I think not. Unless the international media do not think it is news to be told Benedict XVI really has no specific ailment other than old age. There is a reason medicine has a branch called geriatrics, to deal specifically with the general health problems of older people.
The other point I take away from this item is that the media do not seem to have had any problem using the title 'emeritus Pope' as Benedict XVI himself decided he ought to be referred as.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 24/04/2013 18:49]