Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI’s aide Archbishop Georg Gänswein says it’s a “fantasy” to publish reports that set Benedict up against Pope Francis. Those who do so are “stupid people,” he adds.
The reports originated after Gänswein read a message from Benedict at last week’s funeral of German Cardinal Joachim Meisner.
In the message, Benedict alluded to the Church being near “capsizing,” which Gänswein says is a familiar image in his writing.
“The emeritus pope was deliberately exploited, he wasn’t alluding to anything specific with that phrase, but talking about the situation of the Church of today and that of the past as a boat that doesn’t sail in calm waters. Francis also says this.” Read more