Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Benedict Expresses Himself in Writing Again

According to Italian media reports, he has written a dedication in a book with contributions in honor of Cardinal Giacomo Biffi.

Rome (kath.net/KNA) Emeritus Benedict XVI. (2005-2013) is reported to be writing again: According to Italian media reports, on Wednesday, he has written a dedication in a book with contributions in honor of Cardinal Giacomo Biffi (1928-2015) the former Archbishop of Bologna.

Since his resignation in late February 2013, Benedict XVI has expressed himself only rarely in public. Recently, there was an interview published in March with him, in which he first expressed himself to Pope Francis.


According to an anecdote that circulated in the Italian media, the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had allegedly given Biffi his vote during the papal conclave in 2005.

Biffi was an "exemplary pastor of the Church of God in stormy times" and a "man of extraordinary courage without fear, of being popular or unpopular" which the media is quoting from the text of the Pope Emeritus. He expressed his wish that the Church would never be lacking in "people of his human greatness." The book with the Latin title "Ubi fides ibi libertas" ( "Where faith is, there is freedom") was presented on Tuesday in Bologna.

Biffi was from 1985-2003 Archbishop of Bologna. In the College of Cardinals and in the Italian Episcopal Conference, he was one of the spokesmen of the conservative wing.

According to an anecdote Biffi had expressed his astonishment to a Cardinal seated beside him In the papal conclave in 2005 at the fact that he received a single vote in each ballot. He is quoted as saying: 'If I find out who has the nerve to choose me, I promise, he gets a beating."  The addressed Cardinal had the. answered him that it obviously was Ratzinger who chose him and he therefore would have to deliver the Pope a beating.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. is greeted by Pope Francis and passes through a second the Holy Door.


http://kath.net/news/55577




3 comments:

susan said...

Rumor around Rome is that Benedict's already penned his sentiments for the next conclave. The embargoed letter reportedly reads, "me, benedikt, being good in mind, with lots of feeling recommend the very smart cardenil kasper for the popacy...he's rilly, rilly smart, and will save us from the bad guys. it's rilly me, benedikt writing this, so nobody better say it's not!"

Fr.Lombardi had no comment.

Tancred said...

Worth reading from Magister on Cardinal Biffi:

http://ccgaction.org/node/906

susan said...

I'm sure it is, and no doubt this was Benedict's hand, as Biffi was always solid. I was just ripping on the last supposed Benedict writing, calling a past friend and honest confidant a liar, and having nothing of his style or syntax within. As long as he is alive, the St. Gallen cabal will use it to their warped advantage.