Posted on 03/25/2016 7:18:28 AM PDT by marshmallow
Rome (AFP) - Pope emeritus Benedict XVI is "slowly, serenely fading" but remains "very lucid", his personal secretary said in an interview published Thursday.
Joseph Ratzinger is "an old man, of course, but very lucid. Unfortunately, it's become difficult for him to walk and he needs to use a walking frame," Georg Gaenswein said in an interview with the Italian magazine BenEssere.
In 2013, Benedict became the first head of the Catholic Church to resign in seven centuries, amid speculation he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, unable to cope at the top of an institution beset by scandals.
He said he no longer had the strength of mind or body to carry on, but his health appeared to improve after he stepped down and moved into a former convent in the grounds of the Vatican.
"In April, Benedict XVI will be 89 years old. He's like a candle which is slowly, serenely fading. He is serene, at peace with God, himself and the world," said Gaenswein.
"He is interested in everything and still has his refined, subtle sense of humour. He still loves cats. Contessa and Zorro, two cats that live in our gardens, come often to say hello to the pope emeritus," he added.
Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told AFP "anyone can see he is becoming more fragile with time... he is clearly losing his strength."
While Benedict no longer writes books, the former pope known for his fine theological mind still dictates letters.
(Excerpt) Read more at au.news.yahoo.com ...
On a liquid diet of hemlock, no doubt, lol.
He is such a brilliant thinker. I was hoping, when he retired, that he still had the strength in him to write a few more books. Christianity will lose a great leader when he goes.
I have been wondering about that, too. Some problems so bad that XVI didn’t think he had the time left in his life or the energy to deal with them? So he hoped someone younger could take his place and clean house? Obviously, that didn’t work out too well.
Benedict’s corpse would make a better ‘Pope’ than the Jesuit Marxist currently holding the office.
I miss him...I loved hearing his voice, so peaceful and calming...
God Bless this Holy One...
I wish him well, our last real pope.
The Modernists would not have it. The work of 50 years to remake the church in their image was jeopardized by this man who encouraged the traditional mass, traditional devotions, preached on and from the Fathers and Doctors of the church, and promoted prelates like himself. This last one would make the task of the Modernists more difficult if not impossible long after Benedict.
In short, Benedict's pontificate was a reversal for the forces which triumphed in the wake of the council. The abdication of Benedict and the election of Francis put the church back on its 50-year progressive, Modernist track.
I don’t believe for a second he stepped down on his own volition, he was pushed.
I’m with you.
I forget what year it was but the church was put on the terrorist watch. There was also a financial scandal with the banks in Italy.
Benedict defect was that he refused to support the agenda of the Global Elite.
That is why he had to go.
He had to make way for Pope Che.
Let us know when he descends to Bernie Sanders territory.
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