In his interview this Sunday afternoon, 2/5/23, Pope Francis seems to confirm that Pope Benedict, the Emeritus Bishop of Rome, still exercised an aspect of the papal magisterium while retired. This is what Pope Francis said:
Pope Francis recalled once referencing the civil-solidarity pact, a law in France that allows nontraditional civil unions between two people to receive certain benefits without all of the rights and responsibilities of civil marriage. Francis had suggested this type of partnership as a possible solution for homosexual couples for the purpose of “securing property.”
According to the archbishop — and in contrast to what the Church and world commonly believe — Benedict XVI merely transitioned into a papal retirement that remained present within the Petrine ministry. As Gänswein put it: “He [Benedict] left the papal throne and yet, with the step he took on 11 February 2013, he has not abandoned this ministry,” which would be “quite impossible after his irrevocable acceptance of the office in April 2005.”
When Benedict resigned, according to Gänswein, he actually created a de facto “expanded” Petrine ministry — one “with an active member [Francis] and a contemplative member [Benedict].”
Therefore, concluded Gänswein, from February 2013, “the papal ministry is not the same as before,” but, rather, has become a new “foundation that Benedict XVI has profoundly and lastingly transformed.”
6 comments:
Another infallible ex-colaphiso (off the cuff) airplane interview!
I have just visited some leading anti-Pope Francis blogs. I did not encounter the typical anti-Pope Francis rants that have often followed his in-flight press conferences.
I guess that Pope Francis did not say anything that the bloggers in question could employ against Pope Francis.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
The following is not a put-down of Archbishop Justin Welby, as well as Moderator Rev Iain Greenshields, each of whom had participated in the in-flight press conference.
The news reports, via secular, as well as Christian, news sources, in regard to the press conference, have focused upon Pope Francis. The headlines: "Pope Francis...Pope Francis...Pope Francis...Pope Francis said...Pope says...Pope Francis...Pope Francis...Pope Francis."
Via news reports of the press conference, Archbishop Justin Welby, as well as Moderator Rev Iain Greenshields, have been treated as virtual afterthoughts. Again, that is not a put-down. It has been all about Pope Francis.
That, of course, is the result of God's awesome Papacy...of the monumental authority, and prominence, that God has granted unto the Bishop of Rome.
My point is that within the Church, Pope Francis' detractors, to attempt to put him down, have pretended that Pope Francis is hated, isolated, and ignored within the Church.
Pope Francis' holy, successful, Apostolic Visit to Africa...the massive crowds — young people, in particular — who had flocked to him, have shattered his detractors' preposterous narrative that within the Church, our Holy Father is hated, isolated, and ignored.
The focus within, and without the Church, even when accompanied by Archbishop Justin Welby, as well as Moderator Rev Iain Greenshields, is upon Pope Francis.
Pope Francis' detractors have flopped big-time over the years in their attempts to lure the Holy People of God into hatred of, and mutiny against, Pope Francis. His detractors have isolated themselves in relation to the overwhelming amount of the Holy People of God who have stood with Pope Francis.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
"His detractors have isolated themselves in relation to the overwhelming amount of the Holy People of God who have stood with Pope Francis."
Like the millions of people who have left the Church since PF became pope? Conversions are almost non-existent. Vocations to the priesthood are down. Parishes are closing.
Father McDonald, I hope that the following is not off-topic:
The horrific earthquake that has struck Turkey and Syria will require massive relief aid — a tremendous amount of money — to help the victims...to rebuild, etc.
Pope Francis, via yesterday's press conference, again condemned the "diabolic" arms trade, the worldwide war machine, that has destroyed countless lives...that has robbed mankind of billions of dollars that could have been spent upon peaceful projects to humanity's benefit.
The time has arrived to outlaw war. The time has arrived to put the arms trade out of business. The time has arrived to divert the billions of dollars that feed the war machine into projects that aid mankind...to build earthquake-resistant buildings...to advance medical research, to feed people, construct decent housing for God's children...
Via his 1956 A.D. Christmas Address, Pope Venerable Pius XII called upon nations to surrender armaments to the United Nations Organization.
On October 4, 1965 A.D., Pope Saint Paul VI proclaimed to the United Nations Organization:
"There is no need for a long talk to proclaim the main purpose of your Institution. It is enough to recall that the blood of millions, countless unheard-of sufferings, useless massacres and frightening ruins have sanctioned the agreement that unites you with an oath that ought to change the future history of the world: never again war, never again war!"
"It is peace, peace, that has to guide the destiny of the nations of all mankind!"
Pope Francis is our latest Pope to have taken up Pope Saint Paul VI's declaration of "never again war!"
The time has arrived to divert the billions of dollars from the war machine to assist the suffering people of Turkey, Syria, Ukraine, Congo, South Sudan, etc....
Finally, on October 7, 1965 A.D., Cardinal Ottaviani, who had led the charge during the Council to outlaw war, as well as bolster the United Nations Organization, offered the following intervention at the Council:
"It is necessary to spread the spirit of fraternity among peoples and dispose them to make sacrifices for the common good of all humanity, just as individuals contribute, with privations and sacrifices, for the good of their own countries ...
"It is necessary to make the decisions of established international organs - such as the International Court of Justice in The Hague [Netherlands] and the United Nations - more binding in order to resolve international controversies ...
"In order to do away with the cause of war, the remedies synthesized in five points by Pius XII in his 1941 Christmas Radio-message should be adopted. Finally, war could become a simple memory of the past if the words spoken by Paul VI in New York and afterward, in this Assembly, would be implanted in the hearts of peoples and the youth.
"The Council should express the desire that all the nations of the world participate in a single Universal Republic, which transcends the individual characteristics of nations, so that the peace of Christ in the reign of Christ will become a reality."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Universal Republic? Like Red China? Popes should stick with what they are trained to do and leave politics to politicians truly steeped in their Faith.
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