Georg Ratzinger and the resignation of Benedict XVI He felt

Georg Ratzinger and the resignation of Benedict XVI: “He felt he had to do it. And I was worried when it…

by Paolo Lepri

We republish the interview that Georg Ratzinger, brother of Pope Emeritus, who died on December 31, 2022, gave a week after his resignation: “When he told me, the decision had already been made. I don’t know who he was talking to.”

This interview was published by Georg Ratzinger in Regensburg in February 2013, one week after his brother Joseph’s historic decision to step down as pope. We publish it after the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, which took place on December 31, 2022. Georg Ratzinger died in July 2020.

In the city from which Johannes Kepler scanned the sky, Father Georg Ratzinger measures time with music. Those of Bach and Mozart, the greats of the past, whom he compares to his younger brother, the German pope who left the throne, because they too are protagonists of the encounter between “the old” and “the new”.

From the window of his little house you can see the filigree spiers of the cathedral. The world is far away, even if it’s only a few steps away, God is near. He doesn’t need to look for it. Continue towards the Danube, the apartment where Oskar Schindler lived for a few years. Other souls and other salvations.

In addition to the many pictures of Joseph Ratzinger, with whom he shares a moving affection, one could even say a little worldly, for men who are so deeply connected to religion, a large portrait with a dedication from John Paul II. On it he is proudly.

We ask him whether the church needs another pope as young as this Pole, who was elected at just 58 years old. If it were up to him, he would choose a cardinal as severe as his brother, but still without that white, almost shiny hair that he shares with his former seminary companion. “We need a man of deep faith to protect the weak,” he replies. The 89-year-old former cathedral choirmaster walks with two canes. He is easygoing but sometimes overwhelmed by the thought of old age. Eyes that don’t see what they would like to see sometimes make him melancholic. We have a round table with a damask dining tablecloth and a bottle of mineral water. Lots of memories, no bitterness.

Mr. Prelate, more than a week has passed since the Pope’s resignation, and many believe that his election also meant a revolt against tradition, a move to transform the Church. Is that a correct interpretation?

“No, I don’t think that was his intention. His mission was different. Leading people to live the Word of God. A difficult task in a secularized society”.

The Courage of Benedict XVI was praised. But does his gesture also hide a personal defeat?
“No, it was absolutely not a personal defeat. As people age, they lose many skills. I see it in me Old age is a break in life that prevents us from doing what was once normal. The leadership of the Church needs someone in full power because there are so many questions that need to be answered.”

What were your reactions when you met a few months ago and the Pope told you about his intention? Do you understand something now that was left unsaid?

“No, he told me his intentions and I listened to him. Of course, I also regretted that, because I was very happy, albeit with some apprehension, when he was elected Pope, but I am a realistic person and I know that one day human abilities may not be sufficient for this office.”

Did you have any worries at the conclave?

“He was elected at an advanced age. He was never a robust man. I actually thought that at the age of seventy-eight his “professional” activity was now over and that he could have had an easier life».

In your conversation at the time, didn’t you even mention the possible negative consequences of resigning?

«No, although I always knew that they would cause a great psychological effort. I agreed with him, I shared his sense of responsibility towards the church. He felt he had to do it and it had to be done, with all sorts of consequences.”

It was a decision made in solitude. Who else did he trust besides her?

“It was a God-inspired human decision. I don’t know who he spoke to besides me. But when he told me he wanted to resign, the final decision was already made.”

Only a few days until the proclamation of the “sede vacant”.

What role do you think your brother will play in the Vatican? The theologian Hans Küng spoke of the possible presence of a “shadow pope”. What is your opinion? “No, my brother doesn’t want to be a ‘shadow pope’. He doesn’t want to get his successor into trouble. His public office is over, and the focus of his future life will be only accountability to God and meditation. But I believe that he continues to support Benedict XVI. will be called.”

But who do you think could become his successor? If you could vote, who would you vote for?

“Among the cardinals there are many able and deserving people. But I want to say that the new Pope must be a man deeply rooted in faith and faith must guide his life. It is necessary that he have great respect for the weak. Another indispensable quality is realism, to understand what is possible and what is impossible. It’s going to take tremendous energy, because it takes a lot of it to lead such a large community and get its message across. Perhaps a younger man should be chosen.’

Is Benedict XVI “the end of the old” or “the beginning of the new”? The Pope replied to the writer and journalist Peter Seewald, his biographer: “Both”. What’s your idea? Other commentators have written that his resignation brought the papacy closer to the people.

“With his decision, there may be something new. Yes, it could serve to bring the office of the Pope closer to the faithful. Before him, it was a lifelong quest. He proved that he did not ascend Peter’s throne out of vanity, but out of responsibility. He accepted it out of responsibility and left it out of responsibility. And that was very much appreciated by the population.”

Are there reforms that were needed during your pontificate that were not implemented, such as opening up the priesthood to women?

“No, the question has already been dogmatically and finally settled. The priesthood is reserved for men who act in Christ’s name and reflect his image.”

But could this not be one of the causes of the religious crisis in Germany? Nearly four million Catholics have fallen away from the Church in the last twenty years.

“I didn’t know those numbers. There are other reasons e.g. B. Reports of Abuse. A terrible problem to be greatly regretted. Unfortunately, episodes of this kind happen not only within the Church, but everywhere. When they concern the church, the reaction is disproportionate.”

When will he hug his brother again? Didn’t you think about reunification after your youth?

“We have grown old under the sign of this affection and this mutual respect. We were always happy when the other did a good job. It was a shared responsibility. I will not go to Rome in these last days of the papacy. I prefer to accompany him during Easter week. But I always stay here in Regensburg, where I feel good, in a quiet house. My brother won’t be moving either because he needs some privacy. I’ll visit him sometime.”

She wrote a book about him. What is your portrait of Joseph Ratzinger today?
“I’m not a poet. People know more than me, they have a clear idea of ​​him. Also thanks to the TV. I just want to say that the definition of armored cardinal had absolutely nothing to do with him. It’s not steel. He’s a very sensitive man.”

So also very susceptible to criticism, attacks, scandals? «No, he frames the problems and knows that they are the reflection of a world full of different aspects. And in any case, even when he was hit, he always had the steadfastness to uphold his opinion with the help of faith».

January 3, 2023 (change January 3, 2023 | 12:29)