Pope Benedict XVI with his personal secretary Monsignor Georg Gaenswein
Posted on 04/11/2008 8:48:45 AM PDT by NYer
When Pope Benedict XVI touches down for his first papal visit in the United States next week, you may notice that he doesn't have the same onstage flair as his predecessor, John Paul II. But you may also begin to notice a very handsome man of the cloth never far from the pontiff's side. That would be Monsignor Georg Gänswein, the Pope's personal secretary, responsible for everything from deciding who gets to see Benedict, to keeping His Holiness on schedule, to discreetly handing him his papal reading glasses just before a homily or other public discourse. While he is the paradigm of discretion, others have taken liberties with his image. Fashion designer Donatella Versace said her Spring 2007 collection was inspired by Gänswein, confessing: "I was thinking of an austere, severe and ethical man. I find Father Georg's austerity very elegant."
Italians have taken notice of Gänswein, and nicknamed him "Bel Giorgio," which Americans might translate as: Gorgeous George. Paparazzi have snapped photos of him playing tennis in his tennis whites, while the Roman and Bavarian press eagerly report his bravura on the ski slopes and appearances at evening Church functions. Nevertheless, despite the glamour imposed on him by the celebrity press, the tall, athletic and dirty-blond Monsignor in his clerical black, concentrates on his pivotal but quiet job choreographing papal appearances. And that is how Americans will see him, in a supporting role buoyed by his scene-stealing good looks.
Like the pontiff, Gänswein is Bavarian by birth and an academic by training, with a doctorate in canon law. His impressive intellectual credentials notwithstanding, Gänswein is devoted to the administrative and ceremonial requirements of his current job.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
And the american press is back to its standard template, I see. How many times can they write the same stupid stories? We’ll find out.
We are getting closer to the standard, “Pope faces a ‘divided American Catholic’ church” headlines...
Lest you miss the inference, Time is hinting that this guy is possibly “involved” with the Pope. It is the hot secretary meme.
Considering the rag’s abysmal circulation figs, I don’t think a whole lotta folks are gonna see it :)
Good heavens.
I wonder how many public schools will bus their students to see the Pope, like WA schools are for the Dalai Lama? http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=75561
Seriously?
Good grief.
I guess the folks at TIME think a good looking, and manly, priest is such a rarity that they have to devote a full story to one. I’ve known many such priests in my lifetime, including my brother in law! ;o)
the picture shows Georg in a pink cumberbun and what looks like frosted hair. They call him his "private secretary" even though that isn't his title. They say they have breakfast together "usually with others" and they take long walks together. They call a celebate man a "heart throb" and quote a gay designer as basing designs upon him. The Pope is coming to America to heal the pedophile priest problem and Time is trying to insinuate that he is just another one.
"Lest you miss the inference, Time is hinting that this guy is possibly “involved” with the Pope."
Boy, I must be exceedingly dense and naive, I didn't read that into it at all.
I didn’t get that out of it. Mostly it seemed to me that Time was puzzled that somebody who was smart, athletic, good looking, had good taste, etc. could possibly be a priest. It goes against their “religious people are losers” training!
That man is a Holy Hottie!
Okay, substitute Georg for any hot chick and re-read the article.
Donatella Versace is heterosexual. You may be thinking of her brother Gianni who was homosexual until he was murdered in broad daylight in Miami a few (several?) years ago.
My mistake
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.