I think Benedict is too principled a man to have succumbed to blackmail. That’s why my mind goes to darker possibilities, like some form of brain manipulation.
I know that sounds crazy. But even 30+ years ago the Soviets were deep into drug experiments with political prisoners they deemed to be psychiatric cases (because you’d *have* to be crazy to be a dissenter in the Workers’ Paradise!) And they gave dissidents psychoactive drugs which “ adjusted their attitudes” and degraded their cognitive abilities.
Can’t remember off hand the name of the guy I was most concerned about at the time. Was it Vladimir Buharsky? —something like that.
My point is, anything that *has* been done, is possible to do.
And this *has* been done.
Please pray.
He had one or two addresses after announcing his resignation but before actually resigning that seemed far too cogent for him to be anything other than fully coherent.
My initial thought Wass that he was finding everything too much and figured if he kept at it he would be dead within three months.