Benedict XVI. Penned a Critique of Francis Interview

Eponymous Flower ^ | 3/16/2014 | Giuseppe Nardi

[ebb tide]

Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI wrote an extensive critical commentary on the controversial interview of Pope Francis in the Jesuit magazine Civiltà Cattolic a 19 September 2013.

This was disclosed by his personal secretary and Prefect of the Papal Household, Archbishop George Gänswein in the context of a broadcast on ZDF on the first anniversary of the election of Pope Francis. Four pages include the critical remarks to that controversial interview. Pope Francis explained himself at the time to the criticism that he is not taking a position on abortion and "gay marriage": "We can not always deal with the issue of abortion, homosexual marriage, and birth control methods. That can not be." Among the enthusiastic omissions regarding atheist Eugenio Scalfari about personal conscience as the autonomy of conscience, he stated affirmatively: "Listening to the conscience and obeying it actually means to choose a thing known in the face of good or evil. And from this decision it depends on whether our actions are good or evil."

When Francis. gave to Benedict XVI the copy of the Jesuit magazine, the interview was already published. Benedict underwent a critical analysis of the interview to a critical and transmitted to his successor the desired criticism "Pope to Pope," a total of four pages with "interesting" comments. What criticism Benedict XVI. directed to the interview, isn't known to Archbishop Gänswein "naturally".

Archbishop George Gänswein told ZDF television interview:

"When Father Spadaro had then given the first copy of the interview booklet to Pope Francis, Pope Francis had then given it back and said that you should now bring this to Pope Benedict, and you will see the first page after the table of contents is empty because Pope Benedict should write in anything he has in criticism when he reads it, and then pass on to me or back to me, which I then returned, sorry, I then brought it to Pope Benedict, so now I had only to repeat what Pope Francis had said, so you see Holy Father, here is a blank page, and here is a space for all considerations, suggestions and criticisms and then I will return the packet back to Pope Francis. Three days later he says to me, here I have 4 pages, of course not by hand, but now dictated to sister in a letter and please give this letter to Pope Francis. He has done his homework. So then he says he has read it and has accommodated his successor's request and had confirmed in fact, yes we say so, some considerations and also made some comments on certain statements or on specific issues, which he means that, perhaps what he would have said something elsewhere in addition. Of course I will not say what, but it was interesting."

Text: Giuseppe Nardi image: UCCR

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmai.com

[Alex Murphy]

When Francis gave to Benedict XVI the copy of the Jesuit magazine, the interview was already published. Benedict underwent a critical analysis of the interview to a critical and transmitted to his successor the desired criticism "Pope to Pope," a total of four pages with "interesting" comments. What criticism Benedict XVI directed to the interview, isn't known to Archbishop Gänswein "naturally".

IB4TPWMA

[ottbmare]

I have no doubt that the comments by that brilliant intellect were in fact “interesting.” That’s usually diplomatese for “strongly critical.”

[flaglady47]

Yup, I’ll bet the comments were real interesting. Wish I could have been a fly on the wall while Pope Benedict was dictating his letter to the Sister.

[Jeff Chandler]

I forget. What’s the German phrase for WTF?

[onyx]

Glory Be.
God bless and keep Papa Benedict XVI.

[piusv]

I’m sitting here with a WTF face, but I don’t know why. Is it because I have no idea what I just read or is it because just the idea that Francis asked Benedict to critique his interview sounds absolutely ludicrous. Maybe both.

Anyone notice how both men were called “pope”?

[BlatherNaut]

Anyone notice how both men were called “pope”?

The impression this conveys is that we now have two officers controlling the Barque of Peter, with the CO having the authority and the XO having the brains.

What could be the motive for publicizing this? Perhaps it is ecumenism? The Orthodox view the pope as a bishop among others. This new image of the papacy being projected by FI in consort with BXVI blurs and undermines the doctrine of the primacy of Peter.