Ratzinger's Secretary makes Vanity Fair Magazine - "Don Georg"

Vanity Fair ^ | September 2005

[NYer]

Papa Ratzinger, 78 anni, lascia Colonia il 21 agosto. Don Georg Ganswein, 48, è il terzo dal basso

È stato discreto, anzi discretissimo. Sempre due passi dietro al suo «principale». L’esordio internazionale di don Georg Gänswein, segretario di Benedetto XVI, ha confermato le previsioni della vigilia. Il quarantottenne prelato tedesco, teologo e provetto sciatore, ammirato dal pubblico femminile per la sua somiglianza con George Clooney (anche la signora Franca Ciampi ne è rimasta colpita), a Colonia si è dimostrato gentile e Riservato allo stesso modo di Papa Ratzinger. Si è tenuto alla lontana dai giornalisti e ha cercato di rimanere nell’ombra.

Eppure l’influenza di monsignor Gänswein è in ascesa: ogni giorno, prima di iniziare le udienze e gli incontri di lavoro, Benedetto XVI e il suo segretario dialogano per una mezz’ora sul programma della giornata. Don Georg è la via più diretta per arrivare al Papa: lo sanno bene i tradizionalisti lefebvriani, che si sono rivolti direttamente a lui e non ai cardinali della Curia romana per ottenere un incontro con Ratzinger che doveva rimanere riservato.

[NYer]

Commentary by Rocco Palmo at WITHL blogspot .......

Yup, the Papaboy-in-Chief is profiled, albeit briefly, in this month's Italian edition of the uber-fabulous journal, a piece called "The Ascent of Don Georg."

"The international debut of Msgr. Georg Ganswein, personal secretary of Benedict XVI, has confirmed all advance expectations," the article says before going into the usual "women love the George Clooney lookalike" song and dance, etc. etc. Nothing you haven't already heard...

Elsewhere, it claims that "He's kept a distance from journalists and has sought to remain in the shadows."

Um, some would disagree with that assessment, but congrats to the Model Secretary for reaching yet another frontier his predecessors could hardly imagine.

[NYer]

Papal Secretary - Georg Gaenswein
or as some women might say - "Fr. What A Waste"

[Juana la Loca]

I think I'm having a "Thorn Birds" moment!

What a cutie.

[bourbon]

fyi...

[onyx]

:)

I think B-16 is adorable too.

[Jaded]

Why yes B16 is. JP2 was quite attractive in his youth as well.

Fr. What A Waste Don Georg is quite the looker.

Sigh. If some one is off the market there's no better way to go!

[onyx]

:)

Agreed. We really do have the lookers.

[Jaded]

Ok, the pics are here: Fr. Hezaluker

[Jaded]

be sure to look at all the pages.... ;)

[onyx]

I shall! Thanks. I'll look right after the Roberts' hearing concludes for today.

[samiam1972]

Aw! He's a doll! But most important, he seems to be good for the Pope.

[AnAmericanMother]

"Father What-A-Waste" . . . shades of Growing up Catholic!

He IS adorable . . . but we can admire him unreservedly precisely because he IS a priest.

< swoon > . . . I do like to look upon ruggedly handsome men . . . just from a purely aesthetic viewpoint of course. < g >

[Jaded]

Swoon at the pics at the link on post 8. Be sure to look at all the pages of the thread. Yipes!

[AnAmericanMother]

Here's an interesting excerpt from one of the articles on the thread:

Thus, behind the kind and almost superhuman intelligence of Ratzinger is now Gänswein, the son of a smith, an experienced and incorruptible judge of character. This private secretary of Joseph Ratzinger is arguably the ideal figure to be cast for the role of a guardian angel. And in truth, Gänswein seems more and more to be taking on the virtues of his patron saint. Completely independent and unflappable, he is the fearless St. George, the dragon slayer, in the 21st century Rome of Pope Benedict. The Pope couldn’t wish for a better soul - and bodyguard to watch his back.